2013 pro rmk 800 163 Quickdrive Questons?

[HEIDT]

Ok, so I am in the market for a new sled. I'm looking for a 2013 pro rmk 800 163. Now, I've done my research and have a couple questions for you poo guys. (I'm coming from a doo and learning these Polaris sleds each day) So the QD, seems like its the luck of the draw... You get a great, ok, or bad QD. You get 800-900 miles to a QD belt, 200-300, or just a couple rides. Am I right? Or does it come down to what kind of HP you got going on? Or ridding style? Maybe the overall alignment of the QD from the factory? Some clarity on this would be nice. Also to do with belts, what about the drive belt? I've read the same things. Good, bad, or ugly. Should I put on that SLP torque arm? To my understanding the sooner you do this the better. But is it worth it? Now to that driveshaft. Install that 'clamp' and don't look back? Or is that not enough (this sled WILL be jumped, dropped, and ridden! But I take care of my things, it will get ridden, but taken care of just as much!) So with that in mind, a 12 driveshaft? Or is the 'clamp' just as good. Is there anything else I should be aware of??? How's the 13 800cfi? Is it ok? I actually haven't looked to much into it, since I know the 12's are O.K. How many KM are you guys getting on the 13 800's before there rebuilt? Thanks for the help, hope you guys don't mind helping me out.

 

[AndrettiDog]

I was one of the guys that didn't have a belt break for a long time. I was beginning to wonder if it was a hoax! Then I jumped my sled and landed in a knarly hole where I got launched and heard the sled ratchet. I lost a few cogs off of the belt and could see cracking on others. I had no problem riding it out and got it repaired under warranty. I think it is a good idea to have a back up belt and the application part on hand. They are not that heavy at all. I lost the belt at about 600 miles. I think you need to look at the belt each time you ride. Just glance it over and make sure you are not going out with several missing cogs.

I'm really hoping that someone will have a replacement belt soon so that we have options for another (hopefully cheaper) belt that lasts longer.

My '13 rips though! No regrets.

 

[edavis0202]

I had 750 problem free miles on my 13 QD. Here is the secrete...follow the rules and break in the belt correctly and you'll never have to worry about it. Also, don't jump on a cold sled and pin it...you want to cruise about a mile and let the belt warm up, the belt was designed with material that when got warm it bonded tight...

If you pull on the belt after its been sitting in your garage it will seem loose, once its warmed up it becomes tight and snug to the gears.

Driveshaft...hit or miss depending if you got a early batch of snowcheck sleds, they changed the glue later on. I did the coupling and never had issues.

SLP Torque Arm-that's a toss up...I know turbo riders who have never done anything. You do want SOME MINOR flex in the engine or else you're twisting on components that weren't met for that much torque.

I've heard of very few 13 engine problems. If you're breaking in an engine properly you shouldn't have problems, finding that person who has done so or THINKS he had done so is a different thing.

New engines don't need kid gloves, they need beat like red headed step children at day care. I would go 1500 on a 13 or any other PRO before rebuilding.

Just my experience with the PRO's I've owned

 

[HEIDT]

I was one of the guys that didn't have a belt break for a long time. I was beginning to wonder if it was a hoax! Then I jumped my sled and landed in a knarly hole where I got launched and heard the sled ratchet. I lost a few cogs off of the belt and could see cracking on others. I had no problem riding it out and got it repaired under warranty. I think it is a good idea to have a back up belt and the application part on hand. They are not that heavy at all. I lost the belt at about 600 miles. I think you need to look at the belt each time you ride. Just glance it over and make sure you are not going out with several missing cogs.

I'm really hoping that someone will have a replacement belt soon so that we have options for another (hopefully cheaper) belt that lasts longer.

My '13 rips though! No regrets.

Thanks for the info! Good to hear that you had good experiences with yours! How many miles to your current belt? Oh forsure, I hope to have a spare belt and the tools on hand! That's the last thing I want is to wonder if ill get home each day.

 

[HEIDT]

I had 750 problem free miles on my 13 QD. Here is the secrete...follow the rules and break in the belt correctly and you'll never have to worry about it. Also, don't jump on a cold sled and pin it...you want to cruise about a mile and let the belt warm up, the belt was designed with material that when got warm it bonded tight...

If you pull on the belt after its been sitting in your garage it will seem loose, once its warmed up it becomes tight and snug to the gears.

Driveshaft...hit or miss depending if you got a early batch of snowcheck sleds, they changed the glue later on. I did the coupling and never had issues.

SLP Torque Arm-that's a toss up...I know turbo riders who have never done anything. You do want SOME MINOR flex in the engine or else you're twisting on components that weren't met for that much torque.

I've heard of very few 13 engine problems. If you're breaking in an engine properly you shouldn't have problems, finding that person who has done so or THINKS he had done so is a different thing.

New engines don't need kid gloves, they need beat like red headed step children at day care. I would go 1500 on a 13 or any other PRO before rebuilding.

Just my experience with the PRO's I've owned

Hey man thank you! What I've wanted to hear! What you said about the QD belt, makes all the sense in the world. I'm very big into breaking in my things properly and as well as warm up, very important!

Driveshaft-Ok sounds good, ill make sure the sled has the collar, also ill try and find out if it is an early 13 or a later model.

Torque arm-Well it was a thought, I guess ill see how which ever sled I end up with does on belts and go from there based on what you said.

The motor-Like I said, huge into break in, with buying used that's my biggest problem, how was she treated from the first start up to now. Hope I get lucky and get a good guy, with an excellent sled. Do a compression test regularly and when the numbers are there, and overall lack of performance, tear her down for the rebuild. That's the way I look at it, just wondering what the Polaris' are like. I hope to get a little over 3000km out of a top end. Thanks again.

 

[snowman80]

Where do you live? There might be a few dealers with holdovers. I know we have a 163 800 pro holdover. It might be worth checking into with your local dealers. You never know what you're gonna get when you're buying used. I definitely agree with what was said above. Break it in right, warm it up good and maintain it properly and it'll be a great sled for you. We only had 6 QD belts go bad this whole season. They were only three different people and they told us flat out they didn't break them in at all. We also only had one driveshaft break this year and that was before the collars. You won't be disappointed with the sled. Good luck with your sled search.

 

[machinest660]

I bought a 2013 pro 163 and it was the very first sled i rode BONE STOCK all season, i had it go into limp mode after a good WOT beating across a lake but i let it cool down and it started up and ran like a champ for the rest of the season. On my last ride of the season i had the clutch side drive shaft bearing seize and spin on the shaft but i was able to ride it out. I will be taking it to the dealer to get that fixed and will prob install a FTX steel drive shaft and keep the new one i will get under warrenty for a spare as all my riding buds have pros to. It was actually nice to just pull the rope and ride and not always tinker with clutching etc. I am a small rider and with me on the stock 163 i was able to go places where the bigger guys on not so stock sleds had a tough time. If i change anything for this season it will be suspension work. Kmod and Rapter shocks just to make for a better riding sled. This was the funnest sled i ever had next to my carls cycle 660 in 08. Good luck. Oh i have 900 miles on the original qd belt. Had to change primary belt around 600 miles.

 

[mountainhorse]

While the majority of people have not had QuickDrive® belt issues, there Are a significant number of people that did and do have issues of belts failing prematurely.

To say that the QD is trouble free OR to say that it is fraught with issues ... would not give an accurate "picture" of the situation.

It does seem to come down to luck of the draw. If the unit is out of warranty, I would install a full-full circle/capped shaft clamp and do some reading in the Quick drive section on issues like bearings on jackshafts & Driveshafts, soft adhesives, driveshafts out of true and/or running a steel drive shaft.

It does seem to come down to "luck of the draw"... you have a really good chance of getting one that is trouble free... and a lesser chance of getting one with issues.





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[wileybird]

Belt drive

Here your Polaris belt drive answer! Tkiinc in billings Montana fixed me up! Well worth the money n no more waiting for my machine to break!! Give him a call 406-850-8091. Ask for tom.

 

[volcano buster]

Any chance they can get more dog-leg in that belt?

 

[HEIDT]

Well thanks guys for all the help! We did pick one up used. 2013 pro rmk 800 163 LE!! 601km on it and the driveshaft collar and bottom QD pulley bolt were both done. Guy who we bought it off of had 0 issues with it and was VERY educated in sledding based on his other sled, and couldn't of asked for a better environment for the sled, this was just the spare haha. Anyway, hope it treats me good, only problem is where the y-pipe connects to the expansion camber, isn't a good fit and spays oil everywhere, oh well easy fix I would hope. Thanks for the info! It was a snow checked sled for 2013 so unfortunately it was one of those early 2013, but like I said there has been apparently no problems with it so far! Stock belts still and came with extras. Other minor things but nothing crazy done to it. MBRP can is the only motor add on.

 

[HEIDT]

Oh also have one more year warranty on it also so that's good. Will be able to get it up to maybe a 1000 or two km's before warranties up. Wileybird, do you mind telling how much you paid for that set up? And what was all done, looks like its basically all aftermarket.

 

[Bushwacker1]

Don't forget to transfer the warranty into your name. I believe you have to do it thru a dealer and if it is not done correctly and timely you will not have coverage if you need it. There were some posts on this site where some one thought it was done correctly by a dealer and somehow the ball got dropped and when he needed to use the warranty he had problems.

 

[HEIDT]

Don't forget to transfer the warranty into your name. I believe you have to do it thru a dealer and if it is not done correctly and timely you will not have coverage if you need it. There were some posts on this site where some one thought it was done correctly by a dealer and somehow the ball got dropped and when he needed to use the warranty he had problems.

That's one of the things on the to do list for the sled.

 

[Big D rmk700]

Drive shaft bearing will most likely go out!! Mine went at 750 miles and everyone I know that owns a 13 with more then a 1000 miles has had to replace it.

 

[Mark's RMK]

2014 QD Part Numbers

When will the 2014 part numbers be out so that we can look into the new pulleys and belt?

I didn't purchase a spare belt last year so it makes sense to get the 2014 version to either install or carry with.

Not sure about upgrading the pulleys. We'll see what they cost.