Machine shop may have found the belt problems

Bobbysky · Mar 16, 2017

Just saw this on Facebook. Was about to buy a floating secondary to see if it fixed the issue but now after this I might wait and see. What do you all think?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sledderz/permalink/1442250649181582/

Our shop had been looking into the belt issues with the 850 and just made a huge discovery.

Every single clutch we tested looks like this!

We have a setup to machine them straight! $100.00
Only at Redline Performance. ..

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Mountain_Man · Mar 16, 2017

Wow, that is a LOT of run out and looks really bad. Fixing that should help a lot. I wonder how many of the other parts are faulty? I would check them all.

i'llDooit · Mar 16, 2017

I would assume the sleds that are blowing a lot of belts have this problem.

MotorMike · Mar 16, 2017

I sure hope they fix this clutch problem for 2018!! Come on BRP we are paying a lot coin for these sleds!!:face-icon-small-sho

rulonjj · Mar 16, 2017

That's a lotta wiggle. But doo will probably say it is "within spec".

i'llDooit · Mar 16, 2017

May have something to do with premature engine failure

nickbeann · Mar 16, 2017

If I shake my head while watching Dave's vid I cannot see it wobbling at all:face-icon-small-con:face-icon-small-con:face-icon-small-con:face-icon-small-con:face-icon-small-con:eyebrows:

paulharris · Mar 16, 2017

nice quality control ski doo.....for a critical part that spins 8000 rpm you would think they could do better. these kind of tolerances are like something you might see on a 1920's vintage tractor. or maybe on a polaris....my 2013 pro lower belt drive pulley wobbled like that. wonder if these are made in vietnam too.

i'llDooit · Mar 16, 2017

Does ski doo make the clutch parts or do they get them from a vendor?

Dazzler · Mar 16, 2017

Would that be a new clutch or one that has cratered a couple belts?
If it's used, it possibly could have warped from excessive heat and belts exploding!! That is out a lot, and can't see a machine shop or clutch company turning something like that out of there shop. It looks as though the post is true and just the sheave warped???

NWaxys · Mar 16, 2017

Buddies has eaten 8-10 belts just lost crank last ride. Thinking this was culprit. Few of us haven't lost one belt yet

fredw · Mar 17, 2017

Good job redline, been said for a long time there was something wrong, now just imagine the loss of track speed because of this.. doo better start righting out checks, piss poor in my books

powdermuncher · Mar 17, 2017

The stamp on the back of the clutch said made in USA so probably a vendor making them there unless they have a factory in the states. Not unreasonable to to think that it got warped from heat , nevertheless this will be detrimental to belt end engine life.

christopher · Mar 17, 2017

This video has been making the rounds on all the Social Media, and it grabbed my attention just as quickly as it did your's.

BUT..

DO NOT buy into it to quickly.

I am sure Ski-Doo has seen the video as well, they tend to stay on top of things like this

Since this is a rather "Significant" accusation against SkiDoo I would expect some commentary from the company ..

For now, I encourage my fellow Doo Riders NOT to perform this modification to their sleds!

Be patient and lets see what Ski-Doo comes back with in the next couple weeks...

winter brew · Mar 17, 2017

No way you would not be able to feel that.
Any theories as to what would cause this? I have only seen this when someone tried to pry their clutch off without a proper puller....at that point it is ruined in my book.
I highly doubt it was like this at the point of manufacture or it would be very evident at balancing. It would vibrate like a mo-fo!
A guy should be able to eyeball their clutch or throw a dial indicator on it to quickly see if its an issue on a particular sled. That would definitely explain blowing belts but I find it hard to believe the vibration this would create would allow the sled to be ridden.

christopher · Mar 17, 2017

winter brew said:
No way you would not be able to feel that.
Any theories as to what would cause this? I have only seen this when someone tried to pry their clutch off without a proper puller....at that point it is ruined in my book.
I highly doubt it was like this at the point of manufacture or it would be very evident at balancing. It would vibrate like a mo-fo!

A guy should be able to eyeball their clutch or throw a dial indicator on it to quickly see if its an issue on a particular sled. That would definitely explain blowing belts but I find it hard to believe the vibration this would create would allow the sled to be ridden.

I would be dang surprised if we don't hear back from the powers that be on this video in the next week or so.

If this were true, it would totally explain the belt issue that some of the deep powder riders have been experiencing, but a little bird tells me its just not so...:face-icon-small-hap

Chadly · Mar 17, 2017

Get rich quick scheme off other's misfortunes :face-icon-small-coo

Bobbysky · Mar 17, 2017

Winter and Christopher I'm with you on you would think you would feel this but look in the comments from that Facebook post. There is a video of how much the motor moves in the front motor mount. Maybe this was their way of isolating the vibration. The have absolutely loved this sled except for the scorching hot clutches and blown belts. Skidoo is saying their is very few belt issues but from the hordes of posts on Facebook, snowest, dootalk and snowandmud we know this just isn't true. All I ask for is a fix for the belt issues and I think everyone will be happy.

This is skidoos response to a social media post about belts blowing on their 2018 sleds

"Hello Roy, both the "bulkhead cracks" and premature belt replacement are quite rare in the entire build of 2017 REV Gen4 sleds. That said, we want no issues so we have fixes for both issues for 2018 – a new design and a reinforcement plate for the bulkheads, and revised clutching (including a new belt, new fixed sheave design with cooling fins and more). For details from our lead engineer: http://ski.do/2018_LIVE_QandA go to the 18 minute mark. Hope that helps."

tchriste · Mar 17, 2017

well gentlemen just came off the hill with my 2017 850 Summit X. I have over 1000 km on the original belt. I was riding in 2 ft. of powder when all of a sudden the engine started failing, loud rattle from bottom end. opened up the clutch side cover, took off the belt guard and fired up the sled, didn't want to start. first thing we noticed was that the inner sheave was doing exactly what's happening in the video, the outer sheave was running straight. the sled is at the shop, i'll see what happens. by the way very little vibration and I did have the motor mount spacer in.

christopher · Mar 17, 2017

Bobbysky said:
Winter and Christopher I'm with you on you would think you would feel this but look in the comments from that Facebook post. There is a video of how much the motor moves in the front motor mount. Maybe this was their way of isolating the vibration. The have absolutely loved this sled except for the scorching hot clutches and blown belts. Skidoo is saying their is very few belt issues but from the hordes of posts on Facebook, snowest, dootalk and snowandmud we know this just isn't true. All I ask for is a fix for the belt issues and I think everyone will be happy.

This is skidoos response to a social media post about belts blowing on their 2018 sleds

"Hello Roy, both the "bulkhead cracks" and premature belt replacement are quite rare in the entire build of 2017 REV Gen4 sleds. That said, we want no issues so we have fixes for both issues for 2018 – a new design and a reinforcement plate for the bulkheads, and revised clutching (including a new belt, new fixed sheave design with cooling fins and more). For details from our lead engineer: http://ski.do/2018_LIVE_QandA go to the 18 minute mark. Hope that helps."

I think, in all honesty, that is actually a TRUE STATEMENT on SkiDoo's part.
While there have been many people talking about issues, when you go out and REALLY start tracking it down, you will find many of SAME PEOPLE are cross posting their problems on multiple different social media sites which serves to distort the impression of how many actual real world failures there are.

BRP Corporate has an ace in their hole.
Every Single sled that comes into a dealership for a warranty claim gets reported back to corporate, so they ACTUALLY know what the real world failure rate is.

Machine shop may have found the belt problems

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