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Intense effort
“I am almost glad I was not in the middle of that group,” my source said. “That is the most intense effort I have ever seen at Arctic. All the prototypes and changes they went through might normally have taken five years, and how they did that all in three years without serious health problems from all the hours those guys put in is almost unbelievable.”
It appears worth it though as the new chassis takes large leaps forward in handling, weight reduction and strength, not to mention parts reduction.
While most conventional sled designs consist of a front bulkhead married to a tunnel, there is no bulkhead on the new Cat. Instead there is a tubular pyramid cage holding the front cross member and extending back to the two-piece tunnel. The tubes are all straight and joined together in aluminum forgings and castings. This makes the frame very rigid, but eliminates a lot of welding while doing away with the cost of complicated bulkhead die castings as found on other brands.
This is good news for owners because the new chassis’ tubing can easily be replaced after a crash, keeping repair costs down.
Not only is cost reduced, but the sleds got lighter.
An old racing adage says that the lightest part is the one that’s not there. With no complicated bulkhead, the engine mounting plate sits directly on the bottom frame tubes, placing the engine as low as possible in the chassis. Just looking at the engine placement, without measuring, it appears that the sled would have a considerably lower center of gravity than its competitors.
The drivetrain also has come in for a lot of rethinking. Gone is the complicated and heavy diamond drive system, (Arctic claims a 10 lb. reduction) and instead we are back to the conventional, but very efficient, jackshaft and chaincase.
To keep weight down the chaincase is made of magnesium and weighs only 2 lbs. Between the engine and the secondary shaft is a torque link that contains the secondary shaft bearing and then a motor mount, keeping the clutches in perfect alignment while moving with the engine. Center distance is increased to 12.2 inches on the 2-stroke and 11.5 inches on the 4-strokes compared to the previous 10.5 inches. This makes a major difference in belt life as it allows the belt to relax and cool more on its travel between sheaves.
Additionally, with longer center distances and better alignment the capacity to handle the new high-powered Arctic engines has been much improved. There is a plastic shield between the clutches and the engine, lowering temperatures in the clutch area. There also is an air scoop in the hood directing cold air on the clutch components. The secondary is a new roller design with a larger diameter, up by 0.35-inches from 10.40 to 10.75 inches. This gives a larger low-end ratio with easier engagement and smoother takeoffs.