primary clutch rattle vibration - is this normal?

panorama · Feb 10, 2011

My primary was vibrating a lot -- so I took it off and cleaned it -- now it is making this noise.

here is the noise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9C5Bw0SMWw

someone told me this was normal... does not sound normal to me.

I changed the rollers, ramps and arms but noise is still the same... the sheave bushings measured within spec. (but I might try to change them any ways). Crank runout is .0023.

Any help/thoughts would be appreciated.

offroadmatt · Feb 10, 2011

Just moved my buddies sled off the trailer, was wondering the same thing. I'm a cat guy so I'm not sure but I'll let you know what he says.

winter brew · Feb 10, 2011

Most likely your buttons/o-rings are worn.....the buttons get grooves worn in the side where they seat into the governor cup.
Also, excessive slop in arms, either bushing-to-pin or side to side will make noise.
In any case, there is excessive wear causing the noise.

panorama · Feb 10, 2011

just finished replacing the buttons and o-rings -- also did the center bushing and spring cap -- primary sounds way better!

gsxpilot · Feb 10, 2011

milage

Should a primary clutch start to rattle with less than 1000 miles?

winter brew · Feb 11, 2011

gsxpilot said:
Should a primary clutch start to rattle with less than 1000 miles?

Should they, no....do they, yes.

offroadmatt · Feb 11, 2011

winter brew said:
Most likely your buttons/o-rings are worn.....the buttons get grooves worn in the side where they seat into the governor cup.
Also, excessive slop in arms, either bushing-to-pin or side to side will make noise.
In any case, there is excessive wear causing the noise.

Better pass the word on to my buddy.

panorama · Feb 11, 2011

panorama said:
just finished replacing the buttons and o-rings -- also did the center bushing and spring cap -- primary sounds way better!

Okay maybe I spoke too soon...

Took the sled out today and was still making noise and vibrating -- seemed to get worse after it warmed up... could even feel the vibration in the handle bars! I've put $400.00 worth of new parts into this primary now!

The only thing that has not been replaced yet is the pins that hold the arms into the clutch housing -- my dealer did not have any in till next week. I put all new arms in but they still seemed too be a bit loose -- guess we'll see when the new pins come in??

Van Epps · Feb 11, 2011

Hope you get it figured out, it sure is aggravating, rattling down the trail. Love to hear what you find.

lightening800 · Feb 11, 2011

are your rollers ok too?

PTE800 · Feb 11, 2011

panorama said:
Okay maybe I spoke too soon...

Took the sled out today and was still making noise and vibrating -- seemed to get worse after it warmed up... could even feel the vibration in the handle bars! I've put $400.00 worth of new parts into this primary now!

The only thing that has not been replaced yet is the pins that hold the arms into the clutch housing -- my dealer did not have any in till next week. I put all new arms in but they still seemed too be a bit loose -- guess we'll see when the new pins come in??

Not sure what year sled you have but on the older models after some miles the male-female splines will start to wear. Mine's been like that for years with no ill affect.

Red-eye · Feb 11, 2011

While you are taking your clutch off, pull your crank seal and inspect the pto bearing.

panorama · Feb 12, 2011

lightening800 said:
are your rollers ok too?

I did put new rollers in.

Red-eye said:
While you are taking your clutch off, pull your crank seal and inspect the pto bearing.

I did pull off the crank seal as well.. bearing looked okay as far as I could tell... but maybe the problem is there??

It is an 09 Summit with 2200 miles.

panorama · Feb 12, 2011

Here is what my new rollers and new arms look like -- there is still some play -- Is this normal or not? I am not sure what a "new" clutch is like.

SEE VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXqQU4vOLyQ

I did not change the the washers on the sides of the rollers nor the pins.

brocknriley · Feb 13, 2011

...pulling the primary spring, and putting the spring cover back on and sliding the governor cup back onto the shaft is the only way I have found to really see how loose the two main bushings really are...I know you already said they were in spec...but for this clutch to be quiet, those two bushings have to be new every year, imo.

winter brew · Feb 13, 2011

panorama said:
Here is what my new rollers and new arms look like -- there is still some play -- Is this normal or not? I am not sure what a "new" clutch is like.

SEE VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXqQU4vOLyQ

I did not change the the washers on the sides of the rollers nor the pins.

Seems normal, could be a little tighter with new pins, but nothing excessive from what the vid shows.

panorama · Feb 13, 2011

brocknriley said:
...pulling the primary spring, and putting the spring cover back on and sliding the governor cup back onto the shaft is the only way I have found to really see how loose the two main bushings really are...I know you already said they were in spec...but for this clutch to be quiet, those two bushings have to be new every year, imo.

I did replace the main sheave bushing and the spring cap -- basically everything is new in this clutch... (except the pins that hold the arms in the clutch body).

If the main PTO bearing were on its way out -- would this cause the clutch to rattle and vibrate like this (again I can fell it in the handle bars especially around 6500 rpm)? Any way to tell besides running it till it blows up?? -- maybe this is my only option? Not sure what to do next??

gsxpilot · Feb 13, 2011

Got it touch with a ski doo service mechanic and found out that the clutches on the 600 and 800 etec's have been put together with a looser tolerance. It seem that these engines can advance the RPM so fast that the clutches were over heating. The results are obvious, the primary has a loose sounding rattle at low rpm that goes away after it warms up. It still sounds like something that I will keep an eye ( or ear ) on.

snowmanx · Feb 14, 2011

My TRAs have had a death rattle(at least that is what it sounded like), at idle, but disappeared with higher rpm as stated above.

Hard to tell from the audio/video, but doesn't sound right.

I would be more worried about the vibration at higher revs, I think maybe your engine is going out? I hope not. How does it pull? Any hesitation or does the engine feel like it is pulling itself down faster than usual, take longer to get to your peak rpm?

Unfortuneately, I usually run them until they break or until you can identify the problem. I don't think it is in your clutch, When your clutch is engaged, with that much centrifical force, I don't see how anything could be rattling in your clutch, if that makes sense.

Good luck, keep us posted.

kinge · Feb 14, 2011

Most of them do that to some extent. Yours is normal from my experience. (8 XP's so far)

Jeb

primary clutch rattle vibration - is this normal?

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