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Clutching at 9000 feet

K
Feb 22, 2016
208
65
28
Belgrade MT
I have done a lot of searching and I am just not finding a simple answer here. Which is not the perfect answer but the answer I want.

What stock Polaris weights are your running at 9000 feet.

Im hitting 7850 right now.

Sled:

2017 Axys 800 stock 163.

Its the end of the season or getting there. Its going to be a back up for next year and a sled for my chick. So I am going to go thru it but I just want it to run as good as I can get it.
 

TRS

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Cody, WY
I have done a lot of searching and I am just not finding a simple answer here. Which is not the perfect answer but the answer I want.

What stock Polaris weights are your running at 9000 feet.

Im hitting 7850 right now.

Sled:

2017 Axys 800 stock 163.

Its the end of the season or getting there. Its going to be a back up for next year and a sled for my chick. So I am going to go thru it but I just want it to run as good as I can get it.

Your leaving a lot to conjecture.
Did it carry proper RPM before?
Have you checked your EV cable, cleaned EV and has it had a relearn?
Lets start with the clutches. Are they clean and in proper working order? Rollers, bushings etc?
Have you installed new springs since new and when? Are they stock replacement springs, primary and secondary?
Is the helix stock?
What belt are you using?
What condition are the motor mounts?
How is your track tension?
How many miles on the engine? Have you done a leak down test?
I’m not trying to be critical about your question but these are pertinent questions to help you with a final answer.
 
K
Feb 22, 2016
208
65
28
Belgrade MT
Your leaving a lot to conjecture.
Did it carry proper RPM before?
Have you checked your EV cable, cleaned EV and has it had a relearn?
Lets start with the clutches. Are they clean and in proper working order? Rollers, bushings etc?
Have you installed new springs since new and when? Are they stock replacement springs, primary and secondary?
Is the helix stock?
What belt are you using?
What condition are the motor mounts?
How is your track tension?
How many miles on the engine? Have you done a leak down test?
I’m not trying to be critical about your question but these are pertinent questions to help you with a final answer.

Your not wrong. I dont take offense but for those who want to give input on all those points see below. The topic seams to be common so I was just looking at one part of it.

Sled has 1150 miles 90 hrs
I have not done a comp test or leak down.
Everything is stock with the clutching.
Motor mounts could be checked.
Clutches are clean but original and get blown out and cleaned regularly.
Track could be checked, maybe its a bit tight thats one thing that has changed during the season.
EVs have not been opened or screwed with.

I plan on keeping this.
SO as of now my maintance list is this...

EV valve clean
TPS adjustment
New belts.
Clutch rebuild.
 

Wheel House Motorsports

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Sled should come with 10-64's in it for bozeman area. With good conditions clutching it will pull 8k rpm or better in pretty much everything but the deepest days. With it being spring conditions you should have no issues holding 8k unless its like 60 degrees on the hills.

Get a set of 2018/19 800 motor mounts. the 16/17's were rather soft and seemed to sack out/flex a LOT. I had issues with mine struggling with RPM as they got worn.

Double check the little bushings on both sides of the rollers. I've had issues with wearing them out so they are noticably deformed or downright gone. Then the roller drags on the spider = poor shift and performance. Honestly if your gonna keep it, send both clutches into Indy specialties for a balance/rebuild over the summer. Id bet you just have a bunch of midly worn parts causing RPM loss. things like weight bushings getting worn and allowing weights to drag on the sheave etc. All little things that drop you like 50 rpm start adding up.
 
K
Feb 22, 2016
208
65
28
Belgrade MT
Sled should come with 10-64's in it for bozeman area. With good conditions clutching it will pull 8k rpm or better in pretty much everything but the deepest days. With it being spring conditions you should have no issues holding 8k unless its like 60 degrees on the hills.

Get a set of 2018/19 800 motor mounts. the 16/17's were rather soft and seemed to sack out/flex a LOT. I had issues with mine struggling with RPM as they got worn.

Double check the little bushings on both sides of the rollers. I've had issues with wearing them out so they are noticably deformed or downright gone. Then the roller drags on the spider = poor shift and performance. Honestly if your gonna keep it, send both clutches into Indy specialties for a balance/rebuild over the summer. Id bet you just have a bunch of midly worn parts causing RPM loss. things like weight bushings getting worn and allowing weights to drag on the sheave etc. All little things that drop you like 50 rpm start adding up.

I rode with a guy who suggested that. Im considering it. I am going to rebuild it either way.
 

TRS

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Dec 1, 2007
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Rob, follow Nick’s advice.
There are so many things that contribute to loss of RPM. A new primary spring many times will fix a 150rpm drop.
Nick and I went through a boat load of clutches last year. My issues were the roller bushings migrating out and tearing up the spider washers. Junking the clutch. I had Indy Dan make bronze roller washers. They didn’t last a ride, the bushing ate them up.
Great advice sending it to Dan if you don’t have the equipment or tools to do it.
He is top notch.
 

SRXSRULE

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Your not wrong. I dont take offense but for those who want to give input on all those points see below. The topic seams to be common so I was just looking at one part of it.

Sled has 1150 miles 90 hrs
I have not done a comp test or leak down.
Everything is stock with the clutching.
Motor mounts could be checked.
Clutches are clean but original and get blown out and cleaned regularly.
Track could be checked, maybe its a bit tight thats one thing that has changed during the season.
EVs have not been opened or screwed with.

I plan on keeping this.
SO as of now my maintance list is this...

EV valve clean
TPS adjustment
New belts.
Clutch rebuild.



You still didnt answer the question if the sled turned proper RPM in the past.
Is this a new problem, or has it only turn 7800 rpm since it was new?
 

gopher-it!

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Nov 28, 2007
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rollers

Rob, follow Nick’s advice.
There are so many things that contribute to loss of RPM. A new primary spring many times will fix a 150rpm drop.
Nick and I went through a boat load of clutches last year. My issues were the roller bushings migrating out and tearing up the spider washers. Junking the clutch. I had Indy Dan make bronze roller washers. They didn’t last a ride, the bushing ate them up.
Great advice sending it to Dan if you don’t have the equipment or tools to do it.
He is top notch.

Have you tried or heard of Premier clutch rollers?
I have them, just waiting for the stockers to fail then will test them out.
 
K
Feb 22, 2016
208
65
28
Belgrade MT
Rob, follow Nick’s advice.
There are so many things that contribute to loss of RPM. A new primary spring many times will fix a 150rpm drop.
Nick and I went through a boat load of clutches last year. My issues were the roller bushings migrating out and tearing up the spider washers. Junking the clutch. I had Indy Dan make bronze roller washers. They didn’t last a ride, the bushing ate them up.
Great advice sending it to Dan if you don’t have the equipment or tools to do it.
He is top notch.

Thanks for the advice, Its going to just get rebuilt. Might do the Indy Specialty deal have not decided. I do want to do it myself just because I like to spin wrenches but we will see. I cant balance it.

How did you solve your problem?

Best source for parts?

How many miles on a belt before you switch it for performance?
 

TRS

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Cody, WY
Thanks for the advice, Its going to just get rebuilt. Might do the Indy Specialty deal have not decided. I do want to do it myself just because I like to spin wrenches but we will see. I cant balance it.

How did you solve your problem?

Best source for parts?

How many miles on a belt before you switch it for performance?

Indy Dans solid cover fixed it. That was the end of clutch issues. It also didn’t change clutching.

Belt replacement, that’s a tough one. If you see fade change it out to eliminate that component from the equation. I’ve had over 800 miles on one. But I keep an eye on everything and clean my clutches and wash my belt after every ride. Just like I take a shower.��
 
K
Feb 22, 2016
208
65
28
Belgrade MT
So in the process of just going thru my clutches I noticed this wear in the plastic bushing in the clutch weight... Could this be an issue.

Thanks in advance.
 

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kanedog

Undefeated mountain clutching champ of the world.
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Yes it is an issue. If the weight bushings are worn, the sloppiness spreads to other moving parts too so it's best to start from zero and have the wear parts new. I recommend new weight bushings, weight bolts, rollers and bushings. Stock replacement parts are best but I forget the best place to get them. Post a pic of the front of the weights.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

TRS

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Cody, WY
So in the process of just going thru my clutches I noticed this wear in the plastic bushing in the clutch weight... Could this be an issue.

Thanks in advance.

If you look inside the spider where the weight swings too. I’ll bet there is a lot of wear from contact by looking at your bushing. I’d be very concerned about rollers. Post a pic if you would.
 
K
Feb 22, 2016
208
65
28
Belgrade MT
If you look inside the spider where the weight swings too. I’ll bet there is a lot of wear from contact by looking at your bushing. I’d be very concerned about rollers. Post a pic if you would.

I am to, I don't have a puller so I cant get the rollers out. I am mechanical however I dont know enough about these clutches to know whats bad and whats not.
 
K
Feb 22, 2016
208
65
28
Belgrade MT
Yes it is an issue. If the weight bushings are worn, the sloppiness spreads to other moving parts too so it's best to start from zero and have the wear parts new. I recommend new weight bushings, weight bolts, rollers and bushings. Stock replacement parts are best but I forget the best place to get them. Post a pic of the front of the weights.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

Here is a pic of the front of the weights. I started cleaning on one of them with a little bit of scotch bright so I excluded it. It did not look any different.
 

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