BDX/SSI Titanium Jackshaft

Curious on real world feedback on these too.

TKI said the 2015 and 2016+ chain case bearings are the same too. He had heard that there's more twist in the Ti jackshafts. Twist is ok to me, but bending and getting the secondary out of line under power is not favorable to me. I don't see how you can have one and not the other.

Ti Jackshaft

We haven't had any Titanium shafts break ever.

They are light and strong! And in stock. Will fit 2012-15 models.

They have the snap ring grooves on them like stock, and also threaded on the end, so you can use it on a belt drive or just like stock.

12-14 models need to use the 2015 style bearing. We have in stock as well, they are only $14.95 each for the bearing.

I've got about 1800 miles now at 185hp on my titanium jack shaft from bdx. No issues and absolutely love it! also have it tied to a tki belt drive. Shaft is tapped so you can just throw the upper gear on and the cup washer and go! Highly recommend it if you have a stock jackshaft or plan on running a belt drive!

He had heard that there's more twist in the Ti jackshafts.

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Yep. But there is more to it.

To compare materials; assume 1000 ft/lbs torque applied to a 1.5 inch diameter shaft that is 2 feet long.

Carbon Steel: 2.4 degrees twist at end of shaft
Titanium: 4.5 degrees twist at end of shaft

However, titanium has several advantages. Weight, obviously (56% the weight of steel); corrosion (Ti doesn't corrode...and corrosion will pit the surface and create/start small cracks that lead to failure in steel); fatigue life (Ti can be stressed over and over, usually at higher forces, and spring back without failure).

So, yeah, Ti will move a bit more but it doesn't really age/wear-out and it will be more reliable over time because you won't get corrosion cause cracks that grow and shear. And sometimes having a bit more "give" in a material is a great thing...a driveshaft and the shock loading it sees is the perfect application IMO. And one last thought...because the Ti gives a bit more, it will be kinder and transmit less stress back into to everything attached to it like bearings, gears/cogs, chassis, etc. Nerd out.

so why no ti shaft for 16+ cats?

sno*jet said:

so why no ti shaft for 16+ cats?

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Probably gets more expensive to start with that large diameter shaft and then machine it all the way out. Both on raw material as well as machining costs. Ti might not be as good for a bearing surface for the Team BOSS secondary that is on the 2016+ sleds. Lot smaller benefit/dollar compared to the hollow 2018+ Cat oem shafts.

jackshaft

sno*jet said:

so why no ti shaft for 16+ cats?

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Because we were able to drop the weight by a little over 2 lbs already, we were very happy with the results at the lower cost. Plus we reduced the price to only $139.95, which is a great deal to drop 2 lbs in the drive system.

After running this coupled with a Tied secondary all of last season I'm running into a situation with the spacer washers behind the secondary. As the clutch is squeezing the washer between it's inner hub and the outer bearing race it is deforming, thinning the pinched surface, and cupping the washer. Two of them in 400 miles. The last one was so badly deformed and stuck on the shaft I had to pry it away from the bearing and use a pair of pliers to pull it off. It has happened to both a factory Cat washer and a cheap hardware store Hillman brand one. First one was setup with the secondary floated 0.005"-0.010". Second one had no float. Tied clutch aligned with supplied alignment bar. Big bore, 3" 162 track, and 300lb geared up rider are taxing the system as well. 400 miles on the last 111 belt (running 2018 primary) with more warm spring riding than I typically do.

I used to have a problem with the factory secondary on 2014 and 2015 cat shafts wearing those washers out over the course of a season. The factory secondary had a larger surface area where it contacted the washer so the force was less concentrated on the washers to deform them. Cat clutch was aligned with Cat alignment bar and had good belt life with 084s.

My theory is I have two main things acting against those washers that I didn't before. 1.) The increased contact stress from the smaller hub on the new secondary clutch. 2.) The flex of the shaft is allowing the end of the clutch to deflect more towards the engine and pinching the washer harder on the front (engine side) of the shaft. Changing the TCL from the 2014 style to the 2017 style is another variable, but I can't see how that would contribute to this since the jackshaft bearing is the same as before.

Anyone else using this combo and seeing the same thing? Thinking of trying to source some hardened machine washers to withstand the stresses they are seeing. If I can't find any this may become a replacement maintenance item every 2-3 rides.

Can you post some pics of this dilemma? It’s hard to picture it without a picture