Cat clutch FIX cheap easy DIY

midwestmountain1 · Feb 8, 2012

I am going to drill out the holes on the weight to insert a bushing. This will eliminate the need for a set screw(which always fails) it will also eliminate the friction of the o-rings allowing for faster weight movement. Spacers will be needed to keep the weight in the center of the roller.
My question is will this change the weights I need?

To me this seems such an obvious easy fix, I cannot believe no one else has done it. This will make it operate like a polaris clutch.

I would experiment, but there is no snow here and I want it to work when I go on my trip.

POWDR · Feb 8, 2012

I dont know chit about clutches but i am interested in following this. When you do the work can you post pics and a how to please.

Boostfreak · Feb 8, 2012

Wow going old school. cat used to run a fiber bushing in the weights with thin metal bushings on either side of the weight. Bushings wear fairly fast so keep an eye on them. Don't think it will affect what weights you need.

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rdr99 · Feb 8, 2012

STM used to make a kit for the 1M sleds, might work in the M clutches. You would need to used weights with bushings. Might be worth a call to STM.

midwestmountain1 · Feb 8, 2012

Polaris uses a bushing in the weight, and it works extremely well. I would change mine every 500 miles and see little wear.

gopher-it! · Feb 8, 2012

Weights

midwestmountain1 said:
I am going to drill out the holes on the weight to insert a bushing. This will eliminate the need for a set screw(which always fails) it will also eliminate the friction of the o-rings allowing for faster weight movement. Spacers will be needed to keep the weight in the center of the roller.
My question is will this change the weights I need?

To me this seems such an obvious easy fix, I cannot believe no one else has done it. This will make it operate like a polaris clutch.

I would experiment, but there is no snow here and I want it to work when I go on my trip.

I did this back in 2008 on my m1ooo. I used polaris weights. I used comet 4 post plastic spacers. Also have to insert weight bushings in to each existing bushing on each side. I believe we ran a 2001 800cat bolt.

clutch · Feb 8, 2012

Do the set screws right and you won't have a problem. You are taking a step back IMO. You will have half of the bushing area. in a less ideal area to support the weight. The orings are there to keep the weight centered and to dampen the vibration that eats bushings and rollers. The tiny bit of friction that they add is easily overcome by centrifugal force, and has next to no effect on the shift and responsiveness. I already did what you are wanting to do years ago on 108EXP comets and it didn't work.:face-icon-small-win

midwestmountain1 · Feb 8, 2012

gopher-it! said:
I did this back in 2008 on my m1ooo. No need to drill the weights the bushing fits perfectly. I used comet 4 post plastic spacers. Also have to insert weight bushings in to each existing bushing on each side. I believe we ran a 2001 800cat bolt.

gopher, did you change to a lighter weight or think a different weight would work better?

clutch, i am not removing the bushings on the side, just adding 1 in the middle on the weight. so not half the bushing, 50% more. I have tried using recommended loctite with failure every time. went to high strength loctite and the set screw stripped through the bolt.

gopher-it! · Feb 8, 2012

weights

I used this set up for a season and then went back to set screws. The set screws take little longer to change weights but imo there is nothing that hold s the weights in one location better than this set up. Also now using MDS. I take a razor knife and trim the side of the oring and find it rotates fine when nut is fully tightened. Red loctite and have never had set screws come loose. 09 M1000 ported and pipe.

mike800 · Feb 8, 2012

You can change your bushings every 500 miles, I used to do that in the old days, because we had to. As soon as you put another couple variables in the mix like a fiber bushing and shims you are going to accelerate roller wear.
I have yet to see a set-screw clutch that needs the DU type bushings much before 5000 miles, and I was one who hated it the first time I saw the clutch. If you're losing of breaking set-screws you're doing something seriously wrong. If you're worried about friction from the o-rings use blue Loctite on the nuts and back them off so there is light drag and let it dry overnight. Put a cut Bearcat shim under the spider for $16, add a 911 Response cover and the Cat clutch will live indefinitely.

DTR · Feb 9, 2012

When Cat switched to the O-Ring, the general rule was the O-ring was worth almost 5g of weight because of the added friction.

Also, the weights now are heat treated fairly aggressivly, and are super hard. Good luck drilling them out....

What are you planning to use for a bushing that will fit the larger hole?

WyoBoy1000 · Feb 9, 2012

If you remove the cat weight and drill the set screw hole a little deeper it helps a bunch. You can also sand down the o-rings for better swing. I just don't tighten the pin down that hard and have never had the nut fall off.

machineman · Feb 9, 2012

Lots of luck drilling them out. They are way too hard to drill. A drilled hole will not give a accurate enough hole to fit the bushing, they need to be drilled and reamed.

Devilmanak · Feb 10, 2012

Use a quality machined hex driver of the correct size and it will make things easier. 2mm and 5/64 are "close" to the same, but not exact. A cheap allen driver will strip a loctited setscrew every time. I don't remember if it is 5/64 or 2mm (or other), but a little heat to soften the loctite and a good tool and problem solved.

http://www.amainhobbies.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=2mm+driver
http://www.amainhobbies.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=5/64+driver
There are cheap ones on those pages also, you can tell by pricing.

diggerdown · Feb 10, 2012

I never had trouble with the set screws and always had trouble with the bushed weights. If you are set on doing it, you cannot drill the weight out. You need to drill close then ream the hole for proper fit.

midwestmountain1 · Feb 11, 2012

After reading all the posts, I think I am going to drill the set hole on the pin deeper, maybe sand/cut down the o rings slightly, and pray.

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Cat clutch FIX cheap easy DIY

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