ASSAULT Track Gremlin?
- Thread starter Hawkster
- Start date
My bad... What I meant to say is that on the 2 driver setups on the Dragons and regular RMK's the 2 outer drivers are Milk colored plastic.
I have seen the 3 drivers both ways... milk/black and all black.
I have seen the 3 drivers both ways... milk/black and all black.
My bad... What I meant to say is that on the 2 driver setups on the Dragons and regular RMK's the 2 outer drivers are Milk colored plastic.
I have seen the 3 drivers both ways... milk/black and all black.
I have seen the 3 drivers both ways... milk/black and all black.
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Ok, I've got 4 pics and the first 2 are the way the drivers are suppose to be, but, for starters look very closely at the top of the track lugs you'll notice the glazing that I was talking about and also the wear on the unclipped windows caused when the track tightens. The second 2 photos are taken after backing up the machine which will explain the direction, pics taken from the PTO side. Roll or drive the track foward and the same result happens to the top side.
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I really dont see anything wrong with the pics other than your track is ratcheting...
Show a pic with that has all three drivers in the same pic...with the drivers in the normal position seated between the drive nubs that also shows the position of the other side driver and the position of center extrovert in the drive slot.
What is the tension on your track? Show a pic of the track-sag, with the rear end suspended off the floor. There should be no "free hang" in the track... only 3/8" to 1/2" if you place a 10 lb weight inside the track between the rails.
Check your driver alignment as well.
Show a pic with that has all three drivers in the same pic...with the drivers in the normal position seated between the drive nubs that also shows the position of the other side driver and the position of center extrovert in the drive slot.
What is the tension on your track? Show a pic of the track-sag, with the rear end suspended off the floor. There should be no "free hang" in the track... only 3/8" to 1/2" if you place a 10 lb weight inside the track between the rails.
Check your driver alignment as well.
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This is deffinately an odd problem. I can't get any more information to you because the dealorship has it and is waiting for Polaris to tell them what to do, and if I repo it nothing will get done.The track does not ratchet the other drivers will not allow it. when this happens the track is tight as you can tell by the hyfax cutting on the unclipped windows and its crushing the lugs of the track you can see the stress on the rubber lugs. Is it possible that the actual diameter of the drivers and extrovert are wrong?
Hawkster..
This photo shows clearly that your track is ratcheting.... The driver has slipped, riding up on top of the involute nubs.... and the center driver teeth are riding up on the rubber between the windows.... that is what ratcheting is.
Is the muffler side (mag side) driver also riding up on top of the involute nubs at the same time?
You could go to your dealership and do the straight line check with a ruler while it is still there.
If you have not tightened your track since buying it... It is probably loose... SOME dealers I have run into, believe it or not, don't know proper tension either and believe that the center extrovert allows the track to be run looser and with free hang (no weight and a visible gap between the track and rail when the sled is suspended in the rear with the track off the ground)
Yes... WHEN this happens (the track is ratcheting and the drivers are riding up on the track.... having the same effect as tightening the track by more than 1" on the rear slider.
I suggest going to the dealer, with your owners manual in in one hand opened to the page that outlines proper track tightening....a 10 lb. dumbell in the other hand (consider it a tool for future use as well... get it at K-mart or a sporting goods store for around $10)... and a 12" ruler in your back pocket.
Do the check first that the sprockets are in the same line as shown above.
Next: Loosen the track at the rear to allow you to fully seat the drivers in the windows/involute nubs... then place the weight on the inside of the track, between the rails and adjust the track tension to the proper 3/8" sag (making sure that the drivers remain seated in the nubs/windows as you tighten)... the end result should be 3/8" of space showing between the track and the rail with the rear axle in the same position within the adjustment slot... measure the axle position carefully and re adujust so that the 3/8 is maintained AND the adjustment is equal on both sides.
This adjustment/check is part of owner maintenance and should be done every ride for the first 3 rides and checked regularly through out the season there after.
It is VERY VERY unlikely that the drivers are different diameters... the "line check" outlined above as well as using the ruler, laid Between the teeth of the drivers that has all three drivers, except for the extrovert tooth, in the same line... with the center able to sit slightly lower than the two outside drivers. Do this between EVERY tooth to make sure that the drivers are not "out of round" on the axle (which is also Highly unlikely).
If, after tightening the track as outlined above, this still happens, or you find tight spots where the track is more difficult to pull around.... I believe that your driveshaft is bent ...
This can happen from time to time... from impact or ice chunks or from locking up due to tension issues... the only way to check for a bent shaft, accurately, is to place the driveshaft between centers on a lathe and check for runout... not possible to check this accurately with the shaft in the
sled with the track in place.
This photo shows clearly that your track is ratcheting.... The driver has slipped, riding up on top of the involute nubs.... and the center driver teeth are riding up on the rubber between the windows.... that is what ratcheting is.
Is the muffler side (mag side) driver also riding up on top of the involute nubs at the same time?
You could go to your dealership and do the straight line check with a ruler while it is still there.
If you have not tightened your track since buying it... It is probably loose... SOME dealers I have run into, believe it or not, don't know proper tension either and believe that the center extrovert allows the track to be run looser and with free hang (no weight and a visible gap between the track and rail when the sled is suspended in the rear with the track off the ground)
Yes... WHEN this happens (the track is ratcheting and the drivers are riding up on the track.... having the same effect as tightening the track by more than 1" on the rear slider.
I suggest going to the dealer, with your owners manual in in one hand opened to the page that outlines proper track tightening....a 10 lb. dumbell in the other hand (consider it a tool for future use as well... get it at K-mart or a sporting goods store for around $10)... and a 12" ruler in your back pocket.
Do the check first that the sprockets are in the same line as shown above.
Next: Loosen the track at the rear to allow you to fully seat the drivers in the windows/involute nubs... then place the weight on the inside of the track, between the rails and adjust the track tension to the proper 3/8" sag (making sure that the drivers remain seated in the nubs/windows as you tighten)... the end result should be 3/8" of space showing between the track and the rail with the rear axle in the same position within the adjustment slot... measure the axle position carefully and re adujust so that the 3/8 is maintained AND the adjustment is equal on both sides.
This adjustment/check is part of owner maintenance and should be done every ride for the first 3 rides and checked regularly through out the season there after.
It is VERY VERY unlikely that the drivers are different diameters... the "line check" outlined above as well as using the ruler, laid Between the teeth of the drivers that has all three drivers, except for the extrovert tooth, in the same line... with the center able to sit slightly lower than the two outside drivers. Do this between EVERY tooth to make sure that the drivers are not "out of round" on the axle (which is also Highly unlikely).
If, after tightening the track as outlined above, this still happens, or you find tight spots where the track is more difficult to pull around.... I believe that your driveshaft is bent ...
This can happen from time to time... from impact or ice chunks or from locking up due to tension issues... the only way to check for a bent shaft, accurately, is to place the driveshaft between centers on a lathe and check for runout... not possible to check this accurately with the shaft in the
sled with the track in place.
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That's what makes this so weird because it only partially ratchets the other drivers behind the 2 that are on top of the lugs are still pushing the lugs and yes the mag side is doing the exact same thing. It walks over just 2 lugs making a complete revolution around the driver that way and then the track turns one or two complete revolutions and than it does it in a different spot eventually running over all of the lugs in a very short time. There is no clunking noise made that you hear when a track ratchets just resistance and extreme tack tension. The track was set up so tight from the dealorship that when you let off the throttle it acted like the older Yamaha four strokes.
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MtnHorse has got it. The center driver is not a "Driving" Driver. It is an anti-rachet driver. Its cogs are clocked behind the leading edge of the other drivers therefore it is not in conact with the track while the you are moving forward unless racheting starts to happen (as told to me by a reliable Polaris employee). If your track is really loose racheting will still happen because the track can bunch up with a sudden switch in direction or motion (like going forward, stopping, and moving in reverse or going wide open and suddenly locking the brake). Like it has been said, if you never tightened your track since its been new, then it probably needst to be tightened. New tracks stretch. Listen to Mtnhorse he knows his s**t.
If your track goes from this...
To this...
Your track is Ratcheting...
Tighten your track AFTER RE-SEATING the drivers as outlined above.
To this...
Your track is Ratcheting...
Tighten your track AFTER RE-SEATING the drivers as outlined above.
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Print out the steps above with your owners manual in hand, the 10 lb weight, the ruler and ask the service manager to "Humor you" for a while while you go through the steps...
Then see if this problem persists.
Remember...we are trying to help you out here..
I'm confident that your problem has a strong possibility of going away if you go through these steps...as long as the shaft is not bent.
Then see if this problem persists.
Remember...we are trying to help you out here..
I'm confident that your problem has a strong possibility of going away if you go through these steps...as long as the shaft is not bent.
Thanks Mountainhorse, The head of the service dept. has been there a long time and is very good at it. He has some really nice mods that he builds. I really appreciate the help guys because there is a problem. I also have a 141 tripple polaris fully picked but that's another story. The Assault is a 2010 snow check we orderd and it has a little over 1200 mtn miles.
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It is good that the head of the service dept has the experience...He'll be the one to do the check with.... go through the steps With him... I don't think you will be disappointed.
If the drivers pass Both straight line tests with the ruler (all 8 teeth and all 8 spaces between) then the tension is wrong and slipping.
Why so reticent to do this simple 10 minute check/adjustment?
No, not on the stand... the track ripples slightly and could have partial engagement...
If the drivers pass Both straight line tests with the ruler (all 8 teeth and all 8 spaces between) then the tension is wrong and slipping.
Why so reticent to do this simple 10 minute check/adjustment?
If there are 2 in for the same thing.... I feel that they need to go thru the steps above... It is possible they have a misunderstanding of tension procedures...Even though this is the responsibility of the owner and not the dealer (Proper tension adjustments that is)
You never mentioned how many miles are on this sled and if it has been doing this since your first ride on it (or did you pick it up from a previous owner).
You never mentioned how many miles are on this sled and if it has been doing this since your first ride on it (or did you pick it up from a previous owner).
A sincere "Good Luck" to you in indentifying your problem.
Please follow up when you find your problem.
Please follow up when you find your problem.
It's a 2010 Assault that we snow checked. it has over 1200 mtn miles and the problem was always there it just took me a while to find it. it does it on the garage floor, jacked up and while driving it. I will go over to the dealorship and check the alignment and get back with you. Thxs Mountainhorse, starting to feel like family.
While you are there... snap a pic of the track/rails with the 10 lb weight on it and the drivers completely seated in the nubs/windows.
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