Here’s a little more information on this topic as I was riding one of the sleds that went down.
The sled I was riding was a 12 Pro RMK with an SLP stage three kit. Sled was running great when we started off in the morning. We hit some powder, dropped into a couple draws with even better powder, still running good. A little bit later, did a couple of climbs with it working pretty good. After one pretty good climb, I noticed it was starting to fall on its face when I would let off the throttle. Thought maybe, just ingested some snow but then it got worse.
Worse meaning, when you would let off the motor would lug it down and want to die. First thought was maybe the TPS but when opening the side panel and taking a closer look, you could see the primary was not returning to fully open.
The primary was staying engaged about 1/8 to ¼ inch, hence lugging it down and causing it to stall out. Messed around with it for a while and took off but it slowly kept getting worse without even working it hard.
Needless to say, two of us turned around and headed back to the trailer. It drove okay back to the trailer as long as you kept the RPM’s and speed up and did slow down.
Made it back to the truck and tore into it. The spring, weights, rollers, shaft, spider and everything else all looked okay but it was dirty but not horrible.
Once the primary spring was out, the sheave would move back and forth fine until it got close to fully open (neutral), then it got really sticky and would stop, unless you pulled it hard, then it would go into fully open. Basically that last ¼ to 1/8 inch like before.
After talking to the mechanic, he suggested putting it back together without the spring and see how the sheave would move back and forth. His suggestion was that if it moved the same without the spring, it was probably the bushing. If it got stickier or worse, then the clutch was shot.
So, threw it back together and went to move the sheave back and forth and it was actually worse without the spring. It was stickier and harder to move back and forth without the spring.
Well, threw it back together and my trip was done as the dealership did not have a clutch on hand.
As far as the second sled, that one was a bone stock 2012 Pro RMK that was ridden in the same areas as the first sled as well as two other 2012 Pro’s. All the sleds were ridden by their perspective riders and ridden in the same areas (no one switched).
Along with the other Pro’s we also had an M8 and an IQ 700 RMK, which none of these had any issues.
The second sled, made it further then the first but in the end was acting up worse and by the time it made it back, you could barely ride it.
Fast forward, we made it home and dropped one of them off at the dealer. My dealer said they were going to rip into it and see what they can find. Right off the bat, they thought maybe the sheave bushing but time will tell.
I’m sure it’s heat related but why just two out of four sleds, which all four had no extra venting??? My 2012 Assault is vented up and never had an issue with that one.
Anyways, both will obviously be covered under warranty but in the end, it shortened up a good trip which really sucks!
