503F Salad Bowl Rattle (another primary clutch)

[ozzydog]

Here's the deal. I spun the "salad bowl" on my 503f. Meaning the hole on the actual bowl rounded out and spun on the shaft or keeper. When this happened it actually ate the large nut and washer completely down to nothing. As you can imagine it also ate the threads off the shaft. The end keeper bolt was still intact.
Here is what I did. I took the salad bowl cleaned up the ate out hole, put it back on the shaft and spot welded it to the shaft. I then took the appropriate amount of spacers put them on the shaft, spot welded them together, spot welded them to the salad bowl and the shaft. I then put on the bolt.
I did this because I have the right amount of weight in my bowl for the conditions here. I was able to avoid rethreading the the shaft, and I can take it apart easily with a small grinder.
What I have run into though is the following.
There is a rattle within the bowl at low RPM. When I rev her up this rattle immediately goes away.
There is given play in the primary as it is. (I own two 503's) so I know by comparison.
Does anyone else have a rattle in their primary at idle. My other 503 does not.
If I am going to buy another primary clutch, I want something I can really dial in. This primary is not that.
What other primarys out there are you using for the 503. (cost)
Any ideas on the rattle, it almost seems like the pucks, or plastic holding the pucks are wiggling a bit, but this cannot be as the keepers are holding them tightly.
I would greatly appreciate any feedback on this.
Thanks.

 

[buffaloHAWK]

not to be stupid..

you sure its the clutch...i get rattle from the tabs that hold the plastics on and the lil gaurds down by the brake caliper and pulley for the cog belt...

 

[ozzydog]

It's the clutch

Yes it's the clutch. I strapped the machine in the air and ran her so I could stand by the clutch and listen.

 

[buffaloHAWK]

after my incident with packing blocking my silencer...im gonna start with the obvious stuff first(common rattles)im no clutching guy but im sure addict will comment soon...somebody help this guy!

 

[ozzydog]

Figured it out

It's all in the balancing. If you do spin your salad bowl, more than likely you will damage or ruin your hex keeper at the end of the crank. You will also more than likely egg out the hole on your bowl, depending on how long you run the machine after this happens.
I ran mine quite a ways just to get back to the parking lot. I ran at a dead idle out!
To fix your bowl and to balance it on the shaft you will need to first round out the hole at the end of the bowl. then clean up any irregularitys on the shaft.
Put it all back toghether, then measure the distance between bowl and clutch. Make the spacing equal distant the whole way around. I used some plastic UHMW to do this. Make sure the end of the bowl is resting on the end of the shaft. Also make sure the bowl is centered on the shaft. If it is not start over as it has to be centered in order for it to be balanced.
I next spot welded the bowl to the shaft.
Also keep in mind if you are not clutched right then do not do this. Start with a new bowl and machine the end of your shaft to fit.

I then ran the machine to make sure everything was balanced. After four attempts I had her dialed in. I then welded the bowl to the shaft.
I used washers to replicate the disenegrated nut. I welded them togheter and spot welded them to the bowl. The final touch was to screw in the bolt and call her done.
I will be testing it this weekend to see if she holds, but it should be stronger than new.
My next step will be to get rid of the whole stock primary and go to the Artic Cat or Polaris Primary.
I am currently running an Artic Cat Secondary and I love it.