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Project 2015/16 Arctic Cat M 8000 SnoPro Build Part 5—Belt Drive Install

christopher

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Project 2015/16 Arctic Cat M 8000 SnoPro Build Part 5—Belt Drive Install

Project 2015/16 Arctic Cat M 8000 SnoPro Build

Part 5—Belt Drive Install

Published online: Jul 30, 2015 Arctic Cat Steve Janes

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fifth in a series of articles about converting a 2015 Arctic Cat M 8000 SnoPro into a SnoWest Forums 2016 Project Cat giveaway sled. Throughout the summer and fall we will be working with SnoWest Forum members to build the perfect snowmobile … and then we will give it away to a Forum member at the end of the build.)

Summer is the time when most snowmobilers find themselves either on their dirt toys, on the golf course or dangling a line in the water at their favorite fishing hole. It’s not the time most think of for wrenching on a snowmobile.

But that’s exactly what we’ve been doing at SnoWest (well … along with the dirt thing and golf course). But in recent weeks we’ve been doing some wrenching on our Project Cat to get it ready for some lucky SnoWest Forum member this fall. Actually, we’ve been mostly looking over the shoulder of an Arctic Cat engineer, Shay Smith, who has been doing most of the wrenching.

But regardless, we’ve been there to hand Smith the wrenches while we’ve been taking plenty of notes and photos about the various installs.

In this story, we’re looking at a cool install of a belt drive system—something a little different from your standard Arctic Cat accessory parts—that we’re adding to our 2015 Arctic Cat M 8000 SnoPro.

This belt system, manufactured by Mountain Valley Machine
(http://mountainvalleymachine.com), is a lightweight performance enhancement drive system that not only eliminates about 3 lbs. of rotating mass, but also sheds another 11 lbs. because we were able to remove the chaincase, chain and gears.

This is a slick install kit that is clean and simple. It’s also a system we can’t wait to test out on the snow.

Here are our installation notes and photographs.

Removal of chain and gears
(NOTE: Since we were replacing the drive shaft to install drivers for a three-inch track, this process would be incorporated with the belt drive installation. But we have separated these procedures to focus on each individual process.)
 
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1) Remove hood. This will allow access to the chaincase.
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2) Remove screw that holds belly pan to the foot rest. 3) Remove pipes. Again, for access.
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4) Pull chaincase cover (11 screws). Make sure to place a catch pan under the chaincase to catch the chaincase oil.
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5) Remove c-clips that hold the gears. Remove the top gear and chain and then the bottom gear.
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5) Remove c-clips that hold the gears. Remove the top gear and chain and then the bottom gear.
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6) Remove the primary and driven clutches. This will give you access to the torque plate.
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7) Remove the torque plate (four bolts behind the primary and six bolts behind the secondary clutches.
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8) Kink oil line (since Cat incorporates the oil reservoir with the chaincase cover) and remove it from the chaincase. (Be ready to catch any spilled oil that may come from both line or chaincase.)
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10) Remove the c-clip that holds the jackshaft to the bearings.
11) Remove the jackshaft by pulling it through the clutch side of the snowmobile.
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12) Remove a split shim that holds the bearings on chaincase side of the sled.
13) Remove the bearings (this may take a little bit of nudging since it’s a tight fit).
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1) Replace top bearings with bearing supplied in Mountain Valley Machine belt drive kit. You will want to softly tap around the bearing to seat it into position … but don’t ding up the seal. 2) Re-install split shim. 3) Re-install jackshaft.
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1) Replace top bearings with bearing supplied in Mountain Valley Machine belt drive kit. You will want to softly tap around the bearing to seat it into position … but don’t ding up the seal. 2) Re-install split shim. 3) Re-install jackshaft.
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4) Re-install torque plate. (First put all 10 bolts in position and start snugging them up to make sure it fits without any binds. Then torque the four bolts near the drive clutch to 25 pounds and the six bolts near the driven clutch to 14 pounds.)
5) Re-
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6) Install plastic collar over the drive shaft bearings, then the plastic seal.
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7) Install bottom belt drive gear.
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8) Remove odometer sensor from the chaincase. This is siliconed in position so you will need to scrape around the edges and then gently pry it out of the chaincase. Once it is out, clean off any excess silicone before siliconing it into the Mountain Valle
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8) Remove odometer sensor from the chaincase. This is siliconed in position so you will need to scrape around the edges and then gently pry it out of the chaincase. Once it is out, clean off any excess silicone before siliconing it into the Mountain Valle
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8) Remove odometer sensor from the chaincase. This is siliconed in position so you will need to scrape around the edges and then gently pry it out of the chaincase. Once it is out, clean off any excess silicone before siliconing it into the Mountain Valle
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9) Install top belt drive gear. You may need to heat it up a bit because it is a tight fit. It needs to go on far enough to add the shim and then secure it in place with the c-clip. Once installed, it will snug up tight to the jackshaft. 10) Install belt
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9) Install top belt drive gear. You may need to heat it up a bit because it is a tight fit. It needs to go on far enough to add the shim and then secure it in place with the c-clip. Once installed, it will snug up tight to the jackshaft. 10) Install belt
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9) Install top belt drive gear. You may need to heat it up a bit because it is a tight fit. It needs to go on far enough to add the shim and then secure it in place with the c-clip. Once installed, it will snug up tight to the jackshaft. 10) Install belt
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11) Install belt drive cover, making sure the tensioner is located outside of the belt. Tighten the belt to where you can only get about one-quarter inch movement one way with your pointer finger and thumb.
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12) Remove oil sensor from stock oil reservoir and install it in replacement oil reservoir. Make certain the float tilts to the bottom.
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12) Remove oil sensor from stock oil reservoir and install it in replacement oil reservoir. Make certain the float tilts to the bottom.
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13) Attach the replacement oil reservoir to the belt drive cover. There will be three screws and the reservoir will only fit one way.
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14) Re-attach odometer and oil sensor wires, as well as the oil line to the replacement oil reservoir. Fill oil reservoir and make certain all the air bubbles are out of the line. New reservoir holds 1,800 milliliters of oil (700 milliliters left when low
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14) Re-attach odometer and oil sensor wires, as well as the oil line to the replacement oil reservoir. Fill oil reservoir and make certain all the air bubbles are out of the line. New reservoir holds 1,800 milliliters of oil (700 milliliters left when low
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15) Re-attach belly pan to foot rest with screw.
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16) Re-install pipes. (We put some heat tape on oil reservoir where it gets close to the pipe … although the Cat pipe has sufficient heat insulation.)
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16) Re-install pipes. (We put some heat tape on oil reservoir where it gets close to the pipe … although the Cat pipe has sufficient heat insulation.)
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17) Re-install hood. You’re ready to ride.
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Glad you decided on a belt drive for this...hopefully a/c will have these from the factory soon!!
 
Perfect project. Everything on my wishlist has been covered. Would love this beauty in my garage!!
 
great thread

Might try this on my 12 1100 T. Not sure I want to give up reverse yet. Better response and lighter weight are tempting.
 
Was there a weight savings with the belt drive?

Yes there is a weight savings. We have the lightest system on the market. Full of fluids weight savings is 11 lbs. It removes just under 3 lbs. of rotating mass. They say for each pound of rotating mass removed it is like adding 2 horsepower!! The performance gain is a real eye opener. No more broken chains and chain cases. You can change a belt in the backcountry in less than 10 minutes.
 
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