and...... number three....

[pura vida]

so clearly i have a significant issue. i lost my third QD belt today. this one had 40 whole miles on it. going to replace both shafts and both sprockets to see if that makes a difference. fwiw, as others have already pointed out, my upper sprocket was too hot to touch all day, while the lower sprocket and belt were cool, barely even warm. and it wasn't the brake causing the heat b/c the it was cool also. not an original thought by any means, but i'm wondering if the heat transferring from the upper sprocket to the belt while stopped is causing a significant issue?

pv

 

[revrider07]

I would look at your bearings on the shaft something is causing the heat. There has to be a reason it's getting hot. I know of two turboed sleds that are running 10 to 12lbs of boost and they are just over 1000 miles and no issues. Are you blocking off the front chassis holes under the pipe? Do you have covers on your footwells to keep the snow out? I did not put these on my sled due to restricting air flow.

 

[Melfjord]

Have you set the track tention as per manual. Its seems very tight, but after adjusting the track my QD belt didnt get as loose as the previous belts did.

 

[yooper 8]

I am thinking it must be a bad bearing making all that heat. Mine has 700 miles, with only a broken lower pulley bolt for trouble.....but after riding it VERY hard in deep snow for an hour straight last week, the upper and lower pulleys were still not super hot to the touch....I could hold my hand on it, and when I put some snow on the top of the belt, it took 5 or 6 seconds to melt into water.

 

[Bossman]

QD Belt Failures

A problem with the jackshaft bearing on the brake side has begun to show up on some QD Pro's that are getting higher miles on them. Although it is a high quality bearing, it is held to the jackshaft with only "interference fit", no lock collar or set screws. If the fit is not tight enough when new, the inner race of the bearing will start to spin on the shaft after time. As the jackshaft wears, the top sprocket drops, the belt loses tension and fails. Hopefully, Polaris will machine the jackshaft with enough room for a locking collar for 2014. In the meantime, sleds that still have a good interference fit can be saved by removing the shaft and bearing applying LocTite Stud and Bearing Mount and reassembling.

 

[pura vida]

yeah, i have no idea where the issues are coming from. we'll see if replacing the whole system does anything... today after about a 5 mile trail ride and a relatively short and easy climb both sprockets and belt were too hot to touch. does that mean anything...?? no idea.

pv

 

[Bossman]

3rd QD belt

I don't know if brand new belts tend to run hot during early stages of break-in or not. However, it would be intersting to chuck your driveshaft in a lathe and check the runout when you get it out of the sled.

 

[Teth-Air]

i'm wondering if the heat transferring from the upper sprocket to the belt while stopped is causing a significant issue?

pv

Don't stop ( . Y . )

 

[sledder22]

A problem with the jackshaft bearing on the brake side has begun to show up on some QD Pro's that are getting higher miles on them. Although it is a high quality bearing, it is held to the jackshaft with only "interference fit", no lock collar or set screws. If the fit is not tight enough when new, the inner race of the bearing will start to spin on the shaft after time. As the jackshaft wears, the top sprocket drops, the belt loses tension and fails. Hopefully, Polaris will machine the jackshaft with enough room for a locking collar for 2014. In the meantime, sleds that still have a good interference fit can be saved by removing the shaft and bearing applying LocTite Stud and Bearing Mount and reassembling.

You hit the nail on the head with that post. Good information. That is exactly what happened to my 13 pro at 700 miles

 

[geo]

PV. It sure would be nice to see what your dealer saw as they compared parts side by side.

 

[winter brew]

I observed the temps one time today on a Pro that has had no belt problems.
The sled (163) had been ridden very hard and the bottom pulley was cold, belt barely warm and the top puller a little warmer but not hot....I would say just the heat from the brake migrating but I don't think anything was over 90-100 degrees....probably less than that.

 

[geo]

Since I aligned my jackshaft to my QD plate (to take side load off that bearing) and made sure my pulley stays torqued, I have observed the same as above.

Before that I had "the hot top pulley" thing.

 

[pura vida]

geo

i'll for sure post up what the dealer says/finds once they swap the parts out. the jackshaft is on backorder... i'll probably go over and check it out myself. i just read your detailed post on you shimming your jackshaft. very interesting. thanks

pv

 

[Matte Murder]

PV has this all been warranty work or are you buying belts and parts? Is your sled stock? Got a buddy with a Boonedocker turbo who is on his 3rd belt but the muffler on that set up just cooks the belt. I was with him riding on his maiden voyage on the turbo and the belt failed on the ride home just one mile from his shop but the belt was obviously cooked from the outside.

 

[Old Scud-doo]

Well I run the block off plate on the nose cone from SLP, I run Mod Rodz/Mike Taylor's foot well screen, I run Frogzskin covers on my hood, I run the HRP console vents, and I run a WRP gauge lifter. I have Almost 800 hard miles on my original QD belt. I really think the HRP console vents let out tons of heat! But the other stuff keeps ice and crap from forming under the hood when the motor is off.

Very curious to see what the shop finds...if anything.

 

[pura vida]

the work has been warranty to this point. still waiting on the jackshaft i believe. actually haven't checked in a while. unfortunately i haven't been able to ride much this winter due to work. although the current QD belt has more miles on it than any of the previous belts. although there have been more trail miles on this belt than any of the others also...

pv

 

[Matte Murder]

Boonedocker has a new heat shield that is working great for their turbo kits. I doubt it solves all the problems the belt has. I wonder if Polaris even considers people adding 50% more power.

 

[pura vida]

i really don't think mine is a heat from the exhaust issue??? since this was brought to the top i'll give an update, i now have 365 miles on my sled and the fourth belt still seem fine. so that means the current belt has 120 miles on it. i blew the first three belts in 240. this one has definitely last long than any of the other three but i'm not holding my breath yet... riding conditions and style has been pretty consistent throughout. still waiting on my back ordered jackshaft...

pv

 

[mountainhorse]

Matt,

Probably more like doubling the power at altitude from a stocker.

I'd bet a stocker at 8000 ft makes maybe 115 hp

 

[pura vida]

actually i realized i mis-typed/spoke/thought...

i now have 460 miles on my sled with 220 on my 4th qd belt. almost the total miles i got out of the first three belts. similar riding situation, conditions, style. so what's so special about belt number 4??

pv