$500 wraps
Belt drive choices
- Thread starter Summit74
- Start date
Installed and ready to go.
You couldn't pay me to put a belt drive on my new sled after all the issues I had with it on my old one. Ended up getting a full refund for the belt drive kit from the manufacturer at the end of the season. And even after that I'm still out a fair amount from it. Good luck.
What belt drive was it so we can avoid the same mistake?
C
Installed and ready to go.
Are those sprockets aluminum? If so I hope the they are hardened somehow.
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You couldn't pay me to put a belt drive on my new sled after all the issues I had with it on my old one. Ended up getting a full refund for the belt drive kit from the manufacturer at the end of the season. And even after that I'm still out a fair amount from it. Good luck.[/QUOTE]
Can you elaborate on the issues you had? With the ski-doo, the sealed bearings are already there stock. Setting proper belt tension is very important after Belt has stretched a bit from breaking in. My last belt drive was a TKI and ran it over a 1000 problem free miles. I didn’t even carry a spare belt with that one. Curious as to what issues you had.
Can you elaborate on the issues you had? With the ski-doo, the sealed bearings are already there stock. Setting proper belt tension is very important after Belt has stretched a bit from breaking in. My last belt drive was a TKI and ran it over a 1000 problem free miles. I didn’t even carry a spare belt with that one. Curious as to what issues you had.
There really isn't much info about "breaking them in". Was surprised nothing in the instructions talked about it on the TKIs I put on my sleds. I bought a couple spares which was probably a waste of money. I will say I wouldn't waste my time trying to change a broken one in the mountains. I'd just tow it have my sled helicoptered out. Hopefully I don't end up breaking one!
Can you elaborate on the issues you had? With the ski-doo, the sealed bearings are already there stock. Setting proper belt tension is very important after Belt has stretched a bit from breaking in. My last belt drive was a TKI and ran it over a 1000 problem free miles. I didn’t even carry a spare belt with that one. Curious as to what issues you had.[/QUOTE]
The bottom bearing is sealed, but the grease is washed out by the chaincase oil. Popped the seal off mine and there was a bit of chaincase oil inside the bearing, so repacked it with grease. The upper was fine, still had grease in it.
Alright, bear in mind this is all on a proclimb. The kit I had came with a jackshaft, new motor mount bushing and oil tank. Not everything was related to the belt system itself, but it is all related to the kit.
First failure was the upper pulley grenaded, causing the belt to run out and shredding itself until it locked up. It was trashed by the time I stopped, maybe a couple hundred feet.
Second failure was the tunnel heat exchanger. One of the motor mounts on the cats is welded directly to the exchanger. The new motor mount bushing made quick work of vibrating this weld apart. Lesson learned here, its not always better because its aftermarket.
Third failure was the jackshaft breaking clean @ where the pulley attaches, destroying the back half of the chaincase in the process. Possible stress from the belt binding up the first time the pulley failed? Who knows
Yes the belt was always properly tensioned, yes everything was aligned. You can bet I was watching this think like a hawk.
Maybe the MVM or TKI kits on doos are great, but for me the value a belt drive may or may not add is just not worth it. And thats coming from somebody who just bought the $500 wrap. My new sled will be mostly stock aside from a few addons, can, and probably some skinny boards.
Oh and the oil tank leaked constantly everywhere under the hood to top it off :face-icon-small-dis
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Apples to oranges buddy...
If you want a belt drive buy it, really doesnt matter to me. I was just saying that it was nothing but trouble for me, and I didnt see much benefit.
-unsound said:
Wow. Yeah that sounds like it really messed up your season. I never owned a Cat, but I hear the new Cat is awesome. Hope this season goes great for you.
Definitely not near as many parts associated with the belt drives on the doos. And that goes for all aftermarket making them for doo
I liked my cat, but I've got an 850 this year and am really looking forward to it. Looking at the chaincase on the summit it looks a lot longer and sharper angles for the belt to run over, Ill be leaving it stock lol :beer;
T
Well I got over 25,000miles on my belt drive on the same skidoo sled, with pretty much zero problems. I’ve only broke 2 belts but that was my fault. Too much on the flipper while landing.
P
I never owned a belt drive , but was towing out a few over the Years. I also seen broken chains . The failure rate on belt drives is just higher--I know there is usually less damage if it lets go and so on - all sales stuff to me.
There are very few set ups that are easy change on the mountain -- most are a tow out Job anyway. My riding days are limited and I go with the most reliable set up to give me the least trouble.
Performance wise the difference is very little.
When was the last time you could not keep up with someone because they had a belt drive :face-icon-small-dis
There are very few set ups that are easy change on the mountain -- most are a tow out Job anyway. My riding days are limited and I go with the most reliable set up to give me the least trouble.
Performance wise the difference is very little.
When was the last time you could not keep up with someone because they had a belt drive :face-icon-small-dis
Proper belt tension...
I don't own a TKI or MVM setup. Or a ski-foo for that matter. But I do have a C3 belt drive on two pro climbs and a pro rmk. 0ne is an M1100T with 1500 miles on the same belt, sled is a 280hp Evo big chute turbo. Other cat is a 925 big bore with 800 miles on the belt drive, the pro only has 600 miles since the upgrade. My point is this: they have all been issue free, and the belts are tough when tensioned properly and warmed up before beating on them. Performance benefit? Not that I've noticed, but the stock chain on my turbo was junk after 250 miles, so the belt was an upgrade over the stock setup.
I don't own a TKI or MVM setup. Or a ski-foo for that matter. But I do have a C3 belt drive on two pro climbs and a pro rmk. 0ne is an M1100T with 1500 miles on the same belt, sled is a 280hp Evo big chute turbo. Other cat is a 925 big bore with 800 miles on the belt drive, the pro only has 600 miles since the upgrade. My point is this: they have all been issue free, and the belts are tough when tensioned properly and warmed up before beating on them. Performance benefit? Not that I've noticed, but the stock chain on my turbo was junk after 250 miles, so the belt was an upgrade over the stock setup.
Belt drive never again
2010 ski-doo summit x 154" installed & torqued per manufacture spec. Broke the top bolt off in the end of jack shaft. I had one laying around ordered new top gear just to be safe re installed new torque spec update. Went to ride in ID. Broke The belt first 10 min no bigie probably damaged from earlier issue with top gear. I instead my spare back at trailer ride rest of day adjust belt twice wipe all the blue dust off good to go. Head to Stanley ID. Belt blows halfway threw the day filming FML I have no spares. Called transmission shops all day finally found 1 in twin falls off we go maybe get some filming done in WY. Also saved a lot of money on the belt it was like $75 instead of $110 same gates belt. Bought 3 broke one more belt in WY. Came home changed belt babyed the sled around till I sold it. New owner within 1 year strips top gear. Installs new top gear& new belt. Makes it to the end of last year and strips the bottom gear out and screws up drive shaft splines. I think it really depend on how your ride I can't ride a snowmobile with a belt drive they just don't hold up. Also aluminum on steal is the dumbest idea ever. No one can argue that! it just doesn't have the durability. I wouldn't even run one for free again unless they agreed to pay for all down time and other broken parts. It cost a lot of money to be sponsored & not worth it. I would say that 80% of the riders or more can run one with zero issues. If you have ever bent stock rear skids hill climbing do not buy a belt drive they do not hold up to your riding style.
2010 ski-doo summit x 154" installed & torqued per manufacture spec. Broke the top bolt off in the end of jack shaft. I had one laying around ordered new top gear just to be safe re installed new torque spec update. Went to ride in ID. Broke The belt first 10 min no bigie probably damaged from earlier issue with top gear. I instead my spare back at trailer ride rest of day adjust belt twice wipe all the blue dust off good to go. Head to Stanley ID. Belt blows halfway threw the day filming FML I have no spares. Called transmission shops all day finally found 1 in twin falls off we go maybe get some filming done in WY. Also saved a lot of money on the belt it was like $75 instead of $110 same gates belt. Bought 3 broke one more belt in WY. Came home changed belt babyed the sled around till I sold it. New owner within 1 year strips top gear. Installs new top gear& new belt. Makes it to the end of last year and strips the bottom gear out and screws up drive shaft splines. I think it really depend on how your ride I can't ride a snowmobile with a belt drive they just don't hold up. Also aluminum on steal is the dumbest idea ever. No one can argue that! it just doesn't have the durability. I wouldn't even run one for free again unless they agreed to pay for all down time and other broken parts. It cost a lot of money to be sponsored & not worth it. I would say that 80% of the riders or more can run one with zero issues. If you have ever bent stock rear skids hill climbing do not buy a belt drive they do not hold up to your riding style.
CF... That sounds more like an geometry problem with the sled causing a root issue...Your problem is not typical, IMO, of people that have installed belt drives.
Chain drives are more tolerant of "out of square" situations than belt drives... but your situation is extreme and I feel for you and your issues you had... sux to have problems like that.
Ride hard....pray for snow !!!
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Chain drives are more tolerant of "out of square" situations than belt drives... but your situation is extreme and I feel for you and your issues you had... sux to have problems like that.
Ride hard....pray for snow !!!
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D
I bought a used low mile sled with a professionally installed belt drive on it. Everything was broken in and within spec. I snapped the belt in half my first ride out. Took it off and sold it. Im a bigger guy at 235 before gear, and was hammering through a moguled out trail pretty hard when it blew. Im sure they have there place, but I think a chain is still going to hold up much better. And I noticed NO performance difference at all when I went back to the chain.
