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2021 Driveshaft failure x 2

d8grandpa

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Jan 27, 2010
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Nothing wrong with picking up one somebody else breaks. ?

Steel pro rmk driveshaft and avid drivers.

Ready for action.
Do you know if the spline on the end of the drive shaft for the QD2 pulley is the same as an older steel shaft that had a chain case?
 
A
Nov 26, 2007
600
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Alaska
I can't believe this track and driver thing isn't a bigger deal. It is absurd how tight you have to run the track. It's absolutely gobbling up horsepower.

And yes I could buy extroverts and cut rails and blah blah blah. What a bunch of crap for $15k.

Polaris failed on this big time. A great idea that was poorly executed and resulted in crap. Its like riding around a jackhammer.
 
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Sheetmetalfab

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I can't believe this track and driver thing isn't a bigger deal. It is absurd how tight you have to run the track. It's absolutely gobbling up horsepower.

And yes I could buy extroverts and cut rails and blah blah blah. What a bunch of crap for $15k.

Polaris failed on this big time. A great idea that was poorly executed and resulted in crap. Its like riding around a jackhammer.

Sounds like you need to Buy a different brand next time?



I don’t have a new one but, I acknowledge that if I want to buy a new polaris OR skidoo both of them will need Avid drivers...... (seen too many stripped drivers on shafts from doo)

Arctic cat needs a jackshaft and hyvo chaincase guts.

Call it BS because it is but don’t just complain about it!

Do something!
 
A
Nov 26, 2007
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Elko, NV.
Sometimes you really do have to wonder if R&D ever made it to the snow. I know of two problem sleds to date, one ratcheted and damaged the track then went to Avid Drivers. The other was a broken driveshaft (more than likely from ratcheting) that I towed off the mountain last weekend. I haven't seen a driveshaft come apart for no reason since 2012.
 

ullose272

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Aug 18, 2009
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boise idaho
Sounds like you need to Buy a different brand next time?



I don’t have a new one but, I acknowledge that if I want to buy a new polaris OR skidoo both of them will need Avid drivers...... (seen too many stripped drivers on shafts from doo)

Arctic cat needs a jackshaft and hyvo chaincase guts.

Call it BS because it is but don’t just complain about it!

Do something!
While i kinda get what you are saying, people should be able to buy a stock sled for 15-16k and not have to worry about it from the get-go, and shouldnt have to make additional modifications to make it work from the factory. Swing-and-miss from polaris.

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Sheetmetalfab

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While i kinda get what you are saying, people should be able to buy a stock sled for 15-16k and not have to worry about it from the get-go, and shouldnt have to make additional modifications to make it work from the factory. Swing-and-miss from polaris.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Yep they suck.

I changed out my 3.0 pitch drivers for avid also because they don’t grip the track.

Wouldn’t be any different for me.
 
F
Jan 3, 2008
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Same splines on all 2011 and up. (Maybe older but I’m not certain)

Shorter threads inside the steel shaft.
Seems like Polaris changed the bolt for the bottom belt drive gear a few times between 2013 and 2016. Polaris kept making the bolt longer so it would have more "stretch" and "elastitcy" so it wouldn't break. I am guessing you would also want a shaft from a later model pro that has the deeper threaded hole so you could run the longer bolt? Does the 2016 Axys use a steel drive shaft? When did the shafts change from steel to aluminum?
 

ullose272

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Seems like Polaris changed the bolt for the bottom belt drive gear a few times between 2013 and 2016. Polaris kept making the bolt longer so it would have more "stretch" and "elastitcy" so it wouldn't break. I am guessing you would also want a shaft from a later model pro that has the deeper threaded hole so you could run the longer bolt? Does the 2016 Axys use a steel drive shaft? When did the shafts change from steel to aluminum?
2013 was first year of aluminum hex shaft on belt drives. Chain case sled still use a steel shaft to this day i believe. 2013 was when they had all the shaft problems and came out with the bandaid clamp they still use

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R
Dec 24, 2008
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yup 2013 was a bad driveshaft year. i remember ordering a box of clamps from kelsey at rk tek as a preventative measure for new sleds out of the crate. he was the first to come out with them that i knew. Selkirk choppers in revy loved these sleds.
 

goridedoo

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Feb 8, 2010
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Sounds like you need to Buy a different brand next time?



I don’t have a new one but, I acknowledge that if I want to buy a new polaris OR skidoo both of them will need Avid drivers...... (seen too many stripped drivers on shafts from doo)

Arctic cat needs a jackshaft and hyvo chaincase guts.

Call it BS because it is but don’t just complain about it!

Do something!
Ehhhh, people need to complain... its fuqn BS. Polaris needs to hear it and more importantly they need to address it. I don’t care if Doo or Cat are no better.

The majority of people don’t have the tools or ability to change drivers and chop rails- its very important this part of the sled comes from the factory not needing modifications.
 
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A
Nov 26, 2007
1,512
810
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Elko, NV.
I am pretty sure this broken driveshaft problem is all about the ratcheting with the 3.5 pitch. I towed another one off the mountain yesterday, ratcheted and broke in the same pull. Polaris should update every 3.5 pitch sled sold and go back to the proven 2.86 pitch, regular weight 2.6 track. There is a pile of evidence out there in regards to the fact that they may have gone too wide with pitch and too light with track ply and construction. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to come to the conclusion that when the rear idlers make a 1/8" lump where the wheels run and your track still ratchets you have an engineering blunder. Has anyone tried a heavier duty track with the 3.5 pitch, not sure anybody manufactures one at this point???
 

summ8rmk

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yakima, wa.
I am pretty sure this broken driveshaft problem is all about the ratcheting with the 3.5 pitch. I towed another one off the mountain yesterday, ratcheted and broke in the same pull. Polaris should update every 3.5 pitch sled sold and go back to the proven 2.86 pitch, regular weight 2.6 track. There is a pile of evidence out there in regards to the fact that they may have gone too wide with pitch and too light with track ply and construction. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to come to the conclusion that when the rear idlers make a 1/8" lump where the wheels run and your track still ratchets you have an engineering blunder. Has anyone tried a heavier duty track with the 3.5 pitch, not sure anybody manufactures one at this point???
3.5 pitch work on cat and doo.
It has more to do with drivers and track tension throughout the suspension cycle.
Larger drivers would help immensely!

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