adjusting belt side clearance

[Old700]

For those that have adjusted belt side clearance in the primary clutch before I have a quick question. I took mine apart today expecting a few shims under the spider and thinking removing 1 or two would give me the desired clearance. There is the one spacer that is shouldered (never measured thickness) and only one shim (20 thou). Looking on Polaris parts breakdowns online the flat shim only comes in a 20 thou thickness but the shouldered spacer comes in 0.032, 0.050, 0.025, and 0.130. By the way the two shims go in the clutch, it seems that both HAVE to be in there, so is the shouldered one the only way to change this using OEM parts? Clutch is off an 09, 800 RMK, and factory clearance with a new belt is a whopping 70 thou.

Thanks.

 

[Kraven]

For those that have adjusted belt side clearance in the primary clutch before I have a quick question. I took mine apart today expecting a few shims under the spider and thinking removing 1 or two would give me the desired clearance. There is the one spacer that is shouldered (never measured thickness) and only one shim (20 thou). Looking on Polaris parts breakdowns online the flat shim only comes in a 20 thou thickness but the shouldered spacer comes in 0.032, 0.050, 0.025, and 0.130. By the way the two shims go in the clutch, it seems that both HAVE to be in there, so is the shouldered one the only way to change this using OEM parts? Clutch is off an 09, 800 RMK, and factory clearance with a new belt is a whopping 70 thou.

Thanks.

That .070" clearance is common, my 2007 D7 and my bud's 2007 D7 both had .070" and it's wrong. Typical of mass production factory tolereances.

I bought an assortment of different thickness shims from SLP, you do not need to use that factory shouldered thick shim, use whatever it takes to get you to .015" +/- a little.

So if I follow you correctly, removing the .020" will only get you to .050" belt to sheave clearance, a step in the right direction but not where you need to be.

So you'll need to replace the factory shouldered thick shim with a stack of thinner shims totalling .050" -.060" less than the thickness of the factory shouldered shim. You don't have to have the factory shouldered shim, but if you're more comfortable with it, order up a thinner one than what you currently have in there.

Please see my "TECH TIPS for 600/700/800 CFI's & Free Mods and Best Bang for the Buck" thread , sticky @ top under "INCREASING YOUR IQ"

Hope this helps

 

[cascadesnowjunky]

I found the same on my 09 d8, it was .070 thous. I was told I could just remove the thick spider washer and just stack shims in place like kraven said, but being a mechanic and having access to a lathe I opted to machine it down. I ended up still using the .020 shim but machined enough to get about .012 thous side to side with a new belt. It just did not seem right not having that washer, there is nothing to hold the shims straight seems that they would want to slide to one side or the other. I also sent the clutch off to get it balanced after all of this.

 

[Kraven]

I found the same on my 09 d8, it was .070 thous. I was told I could just remove the thick spider washer and just stack shims in place like kraven said, but being a mechanic and having access to a lathe I opted to machine it down. I ended up still using the .020 shim but machined enough to get about .012 thous side to side with a new belt. It just did not seem right not having that washer, there is nothing to hold the shims straight seems that they would want to slide to one side or the other. I also sent the clutch off to get it balanced after all of this.

Cascade,
Excellent suggestion on the balancing, have it in my TECH TIPS thread, forgot to mention it here, thanks

When I had my 2002 EDGE-X 800 clutch balanced, the vibration was noticeably less, felt the difference in the handlebars.

If you end up having to re-set (different weights, different shoulder heights like the MTX weights vs. the 10 series POLARIS) the shims AFTER the clutch has been balanced (as it's balanced as a entire unit) it's O.K. to have the spider out of position on the aligning of the "X" just match the cover with the moveable sheave if need be.

Or send your clutch to someone like Indy Dan that balances the clutch components (cover, spyder, moveable sheave, fixed shaeve) individually, then you never have to worry about aligning the "X" and at the same time trying to get the belt to sheave clearance perfect.

Another thought on the factory shouldered thick shim for those of you that don't have lathe access, (which is the preferred method as Cascade ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^suggested) perhaps the aluminum washer could be sanded down with emery paper taped to a flat glass surface, and since it's aluminum and only .030" or so needs to be removed it may be feasible????????????? Just a thought??

Hope this helps

 

[sled_guy]

There is a bevel in the spider on the clutch that the little shoulder on the thick spacer can go in to and not interfer so you can take the thin shim out.

You can also replace the shims with a stack, however, the stacked shims are slightly bigger than the shaft they sit down on so be careful about getting them stacked straight.

And make sure you either index the spider or have the clutch rebalanced after you do all that work.

sled_guy

 

[Old700]

thanks fellas, I actually found and old pinion shim from my junk drawer that worked in conjunction with milling a bit off the shouldered one.

 

[Old700]

One more thing. I have never had belt or clutch issues but on the secondary, being it floats, is 0.058" too much or is that within spec? Just seemed a little much when I was putting everything back together?

 

[Kraven]

One more thing. I have never had belt or clutch issues but on the secondary, being it floats, is 0.058" too much or is that within spec? Just seemed a little much when I was putting everything back together?

POLARIS spec is pretty large, I personally recommend .030" of float I can't see much more than that helpin' matters.