What Defines Good Clutching? Discussion

[AdrenalineAddict]

What defines good clutching? I used to think a well clutched sled was a combination that worked well in all snow conditions, such as outpulling your buddies across a lake, smoking them up a hardpack hill, highmarking your friends on a steep and deep long pull. Performing well in varying conditions is what I would strive for, this is what Polaris delivered with the Pro 800 with stock clutching. When I purchased my 2012 Pro I also received the dealers superior ? clutching, it was very revy and very responsive, as I was told it would be. Everyone who had stock clutching proceeded to blow my doors off across lakes, up hills, and would highmark my sled by a fair margin. I replaced all dealer added components, went back to stock, and found my sled was not nearly as revy and responsive but would now run along side other stockers. A friend of mine who is always seeking perfection and is willing to pay for a tested and proven product visited another dealer who promised a revy, responsive, superior set-up over stock. I believe the components set him back roughly $400, what he received was a very revy, responsive, fabulous backshifting snowmobile. It went down the road slower than my stocker, up a hardpack hill slower than my stocker, and would not highmark as well as my unresponsive stocker. So my question is, What constitutes good clutching? Is it something that makes you feel good when you squeeze the throttle because of increased throttle response and great backshift, or is it a tested and proven set-up that day after day gives your riding buddies a force fed daily allowance of snow added to their diet. I realize this is mildly philosophical, but what is your take? Do sledder's not compare, do they not run side by side, do they not care if there buddy on similar equipment kicks their azz all day long. Have sledders quit tuning and simply purchase parts and pieces based on some dudes performance shops recommendation who is smiling all the way to the bank because he knows there is a sucker born every minute or does he actually believe his slow to shift clutching is superior? Is snowmobiling a friendly performance competition or has it become a boring social event for grumpy middle aged folks who just need an excuse to escape?

 

[retiredpop]

Good clutching is a way to get the most performance out of your sled for your riding style and your terrain. There is no magical combination of parts that will perform at the peak for everything as you already know judging by your post. Stock clutching is hard to beat in varied scenarios as you found out. In your example of the fast reving, quick backshifting, very responsive setup I am curious if gearing was adjusted to take advantage of the new characteristics. I believe a lot of the problems in using somebody else's clutch setup is that people don't go far enough with it. Gearing has to be changed as well. Rider's weight is a factor too. It's as individual and unique as you are but you do have to spend some time experimenting with it. It just depends on how much time and money you want to invest in various combinations.

Have sledders quit tuning and simply purchase parts and pieces based on some dudes performance shops recommendation who is smiling all the way to the bank because he knows there is a sucker born every minute or does he actually believe his slow to shift clutching is superior? Is snowmobiling a friendly performance competition or has it become a boring social event for grumpy middle aged folks who just need an excuse to escape?

I don't quite know where you're going with this part of your post. From my point of view sledding is never boring. It is what you make of it I suppose.

 

[sledheadd]

Not sure about everything else but usually the best racing clutching sux a$$ in the mountains.

 

[winter4ever]

Thats a good point, I think that revvy, rappy clutching gives people that similar seat of the pants improvement that they think they get from loud cans. Most dino tests will prove that those loud canisters don't ad any power but everyone who has one will argue otherwise. But there is definitely a fine line between the revvy, generally light weighted clutching and being too lopey with bad throttle response.

I dont know if it is true but I always thought that cooler running clutches were a sign of good clutching too.

I have found that being a little on the lopey (more of a loaded motor) side gives better overall performance in deep snow. There is less trenching and, in theory, if the motor is loaded more and still in the power band there should be more power getting to the snow. But really it all comes down the how much enjoyment you are getting out of snowmobiling. One persons Idea may not be the same as anothers.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

What I was getting at with my grumpy quote is the fact that the group I ride with used to hit the mountain with only one thing in mind, who can tune and ride!! I realize we are all getting older but most the young guns (where I frequent anyway) don't care to compete anymore either, the topic of conversation is not who blew who's doors off, or who climbed the steep and gnarly chute, or who outhighmarked the whole group by a mile, but instead has become who has the nicest beer cooler mounted on their tunnel and who has the finest Muffpot with the best grub. I used to have alot of fun with the more crazy/performance oriented folks, it seems that you can't even get a decent lineup to rip up ahill anymore except at Fairview, it's almost as if there is a culture change where nobody wants to hurt anybody's feelings (this is where the boring part came from). I agree sledding is never boring, it's the most thrilling, addictive activity you can pursue. I just find it a bit of a mystery why people have settled for such poor aftermarket revy clutching, and pay through the nose to obtain it, they really do think it's superior until a lopey sled leaves them in the dust.

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

Good clutching... for? you cant have everything, drag cars dont autocross well, etc. you get the idea.

a quick revving setup that holds R's even when bogged down in the deep, while still shifting out and putting all the power it can down, without to much heat. that is good for me! a quick revving "brappy" setup makes riding in really stupid nasty stuff a lot more fun, power is almost instant. BUT, many sacrifice top end by going to a setup that excels on the bottom.

 

[retiredpop]

What I was getting at with my grumpy quote is the fact that the group I ride with used to hit the mountain with only one thing in mind, who can tune and ride!! I realize we are all getting older but most the young guns (where I frequent anyway) don't care to compete anymore either, the topic of conversation is not who blew who's doors off, or who climbed the steep and gnarly chute, or who outhighmarked the whole group by a mile, but instead has become who has the nicest beer cooler mounted on their tunnel and who has the finest Muffpot with the best grub. I used to have alot of fun with the more crazy/performance oriented folks, it seems that you can't even get a decent lineup to rip up ahill anymore except at Fairview, it's almost as if there is a culture change where nobody wants to hurt anybody's feelings (this is where the boring part came from). I agree sledding is never boring, it's the most thrilling, addictive activity you can pursue. I just find it a bit of a mystery why people have settled for such poor aftermarket revy clutching, and pay through the nose to obtain it, they really do think it's superior until a lopey sled leaves them in the dust.

Those guys are lame!

 

[550iq]

I know smart folks that have searched for clutch nirvana for years and it remains ever so elusive. The stock set ups for some reason work for me so I chase nirvana in other areas. So there is no right answer, just the opportunity to fine tune to the exact set-up that works for you. Safe summer everyone. 550iq