Arctic-PRO, Pro-Cat, Polcat, Arctis, There's more ways to skin a 1300.

[Visi]

Yeah. I know the title is pretty ridiculous.

Basically the background of this project is, about two months ago I sold a pair of $100 shocks to Matt Mcvey (mattymac). I had never had met Matt in person but, we have mutual friends. I also had always followed his Snowest builds and knew he was extremely into the new and old mod sled scene. After talking about some of his projects and having built multiple sleds in the past it really gave me an itch to build a sled that is not my PRIMARY riding sled. After more conversations on Facebook I decided the direction that I wanted to go and started looking.

My plan for this project is to:

1. Put a custom based three cylinder engine using primarily Arctic Cat King Cat 900 twin parts into a Polaris Pro-Ride Chassis. (1293cc using stock bore King Cat 900 Pistons, 1462cc if bored and using M1000 pistons)
a. Billet engine plate (PAR designed, Mcvey Built)

2. Modify the Polaris Pro-Ride chassis geometry to be as close to the Polaris Axys geometry as possible.
a. Driveshaft Drop and Roll (MtnTK)
b. Rear suspension mounting position relocation (VEI)
c. Axys/Matryx Spindles (Stock, Alternative Impact, or ZRP)
d. 36" front suspension width (Alternative Impact)
e. Complete rear skid or replacement rear suspension arm. (Polaris)

3. Modernize the look and mechanics with modern parts.
a. Axys/Matryx running boards (Polaris)
b. 162-174 Track with 3" Lugs. Would like to run 8T drivers with a 3.0 pitch or 7T drivers with a 3.5 pitch. (Not sure if 7T is possible yet)
c. Short Tunnel / Long Track (Chassis has a 155 tunnel)
d. 5' Extra Cooler (MtnTK)
e. 8" - 10" rear wheels (Rolling resistance, Depending on track length)
f. Additional tunnel support (VEI)
g. Heavy Duty Front bumper (B-PWR)

4. Triple pipes (Jaws)

5. Custom aluminum frame mesh hood

6. Utilize as much of the Polaris wiring harness, switches, tether, and hand warmers as possible.

7. Complete the project in under 18 months.


Currently:

Chassis - I bought a 2013 Polaris Pro RMK 800 155 Rolling Chassis and have it striped down. I am in the process of deep cleaning and preparing everything to build the rolling chassis the way I want before I start installing and fitting the engine.

Engine - I found almost exactly what I was looking for on Facebook marketplace. I spent a ton more money than I wanted to but it was way to hard to pass up, especially with a built crank and how long they take to build. The engine was never finished and is like brand new condition. Below is the engine as I purchased it.

1. Crankcase - Cutler Performance Center (CPC) cast aluminum crankcases
2. Crank - Built by Steve Daniels machine shop in Augusta, ME. He uses a larger PTO bearing, mills material out of the crankcases, and uses a thicker crank seal cover. In doing so the primary clutch needs to be modified slightly to allow room for the crank seal cover.
3. Stator Plate - Cutler Performance Center (CPC) billet aluminum
4. Cylinders - Stock King Cat 900 displacement, Ported by Artic Edge (Brent Linderman)
5. Heads - Stock
6. Exhaust Valves - Going to be locked open.
7. Pistons - Never installed, not included.

My plan is to disassemble for piece of mind and reassemble.

Attached are pictures of current status.

 

[spoon]

Going to follow this one, love these one-offs that rock!

 

[rdr99]

Carbs? Fuel injection?

 

[Visi]

Carbs? Fuel injection?

Carburetors. Building a tripple rack out of two sets of stock Arctic Cat 900 carburetors.

Depending on how things go, I may build another top end and get a set of 48mm Lectrons.

 

[Visi]

Some small updates and info.

1. I found a 174" Polaris Series 7 3" track locally. I attached a picture of an Axys with a 155" tunnel and a 174" track. I plan on using 8T extrovert drivers, 10" rear wheels, and 165" Matryx Iceage rails. I am going this route because I am trying to have as little rolling resistance as possible. Also, the 165" Matryx rails and track already run an anti stab wheel and drivers. This will allow me to not have to cut down the tip of the rail to allow room for the extrovert drivers. The larger diameter of the 8T drivers and the 10" wheels will shorten the ground footprint of the 174" track to roughly the same ground footprint as a stock Polaris 165" track.

2. Pulled the track, driveshaft, and rear over structure off of the chassis. The driveshaft had rusted so bad that I could not get the splines out of the bearing. I ended up pulling the "belt case" off of the chassis on the Mag/Exhaust side to remove the driveshaft. It was something that I was going to need to do anyway for the MtnTK drop and roll kit.

3. I bought a used rear over structure that has the foot loops. The previous owner cut the loops off. I like and use the loops so that was the only reason for getting a new one. I also ordered the MtnTK drop and roll kit and I ordered a 5' cooler at the same time.

4. I am in the process of polishing and cleaning up the tunnel as best as I can.

 

[mortimis]

Love seeing these kinds of builds. I worked firsthand with Dale at CPC and managed them for a while. Excited to see how it comes together!

 

[Visi]

Love seeing these kinds of builds. I worked firsthand with Dale at CPC and managed them for a while. Excited to see how it comes together!

Thanks, I just talked to Dale on Wed. about some long term plans on possibly going to the 98mm 1150 cylinders and pistons and part availability. I bought an external timing plate from them at the same time. Not 100% sure of the bore size but me and Matt McVey (Mattymac) are going to try a new approach (I've never heard of it until Matt brought it up).

 

[Visi]

I tore down my engine. Since I bought the engine incomplete and unfinished I wanted to verify that it was assembled correct. It will be reassembling soon.

This engine is spec'd:

1. Crankcase - Cutler Performance Center (CPC) cast aluminum crankcases
2. Crank - Built by Steve Daniels machine shop in Augusta, ME. He uses a larger PTO bearing, mills material out of the crankcases, and uses a thicker crank seal cover. In doing so the primary clutch needs to be modified slightly to allow room for the crank seal cover.
3. Stator Plate - Cutler Performance Center (CPC) billet aluminum
4. Cylinders - Stock King Cat 900 displacement, Ported by Artic Edge (Brent Linderman)
5. Heads - Stock
6. Exhaust Valves - Going to be locked open.
7. Pistons - Never installed, not included.

 

[Visi]

I fit the MtnTK drop and roll and belt drive to the machine, that is a chore.

While in the process of the drop and roll I came to terms with the fact that i could not live with the nun underneath the engine having a 2"x2" dent. I seperated the tunnel, bulkhead, and nun. Found and bought a nice used one on ebay to replace it.

While the tunnel was off I installed a 5' MtnTk heat exchanger. Made it quite a bit easier. I fit the Van Amburg long bumper, Van Anburg drop brackets built for relocation the skid for the drop and roll, the took the bumper, drop brackets, drop and roll plates, and seat bracket in for powdercoating.

Put the bumper on quickly to get an idea of what it's going to look like.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I fit the MtnTK drop and roll and belt drive to the machine, that is a chore.

While in the process of the drop and roll I came to terms with the fact that i could not live with the nun underneath the engine having a 2"x2" dent. I seperated the tunnel, bulkhead, and nun. Found and bought a nice used one on ebay to replace it.

While the tunnel was off I installed a 5' MtnTk heat exchanger. Made it quite a bit easier. I fit the Van Amburg long bumper, Van Anburg drop brackets built for relocation the skid for the drop and roll, the took the bumper, drop brackets, drop and roll plates, and seat bracket in for powdercoating.

Put the bumper on quickly to get an idea of what it's going to look like.

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Awesome build.

The mtntk, rivet on, ss clips are upside down FYI.

 

[Visi]

Awesome build.

The mtntk, rivet on, ss clips are upside down FYI.

I appreciate it. I am taking my time.

The MtnTK kits instructions showed a "Z" bracket and this is what came. I tried about every combination and this is what I ended up with because the bracket it sits flat. It does add some support, not as much as I'd like. The rivits down the center to the top of the tunnel will hold the majority of it anyway.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I appreciate it. I am taking my time.

The MtnTK kits instructions showed a "Z" bracket and this is what came. I tried about every combination and this is what I ended up with because the bracket it sits flat. It does add some support, not as much as I'd like. The rivits down the center to the top of the tunnel will hold the majority of it anyway.

Cool.

I’ve been involved in about 5 of them (most abandoning the oem coolers with a tunnel cut)

The clips dig into the cooler when angled towards it and hold solid.

 

[chickenstixx]

procat.

how much heavier is this motor over a poo 850? another 25 lbs for all that crankshaft weight?

 

[mattymac]

procat.

how much heavier is this motor over a poo 850? another 25 lbs for all that crankshaft weight?

not trying to hijack mikes build thread but to answer your question I dont have an engine weight yet. But I put together a 163 pro rmk for a buddy that we got a weight on, 1200 watercraft non ves triple, 2.6" track, chaincase, 5 foot mtn tek cooler, sled was full of coolant and 5 gallons of gas and was 516 lbs with a diamond S mesh hood that fit and was functional.

a stock pro rmk 155 polaris claims 431 DRY. Add 7 gallons of fluid (5 gas/2 coolant as the sled I had weighed) and a few lbs for the track, rails, tunnel, plus the additional 5 foot U cooler youre well over 50 additional lbs to make it equal so say 485 +- as a twin with a single pipe and 150hp. three cylinder bulkier engine, three carbs, three pipes/silincers will net 35-40 extra lbs but double the HP over the CFI twin.

The big block cat triple crank that I just got back from Northern is 2.5 lbs heavier than a 1200 watercraft polaris crankshaft which is less than I would have thought and they actually added weight via mallory/tungsten slugs to balance it. Im betting the cat engine is probably 4-5 lbs heavier all said and done but at this point its just a guess on my part. Ill know soon what the weight differences are as im just putting together another 1200 WC and will have a complete cat triple together soon also to put on a scale and see exactly. The power output on the other hand between the two isnt even close.

anybody know what an 850 engine actually weighs?

 

[chickenstixx]

three cylinder bulkier engine, three carbs, three pipes/silincers will net 35-40 extra lbs but double the HP over the CFI twin.

300 hp at altitude? 360+ @ sea level?

 

[mattymac]

300 hp at altitude? 360+ @ sea level?

all sea level hp numbers

Polaris rates the 800 cfi at 150hp
the 850 is 165+- depending on who you talk to.

a non ported pump gas 1200 ves watercraft is in the 235hp range, ported, higher compression, and big carbs will go 265+

I havent had a big triple cat on the dyno so I cant say for sure but 275 on pump gas with bored ported 900 OEM cylinders is very conservative and realistic IMO (I would bet its closer to 300hp). This is what I built the last time and it was a monster even compared to my 1500 watercraft triple which made 326hp full tilt and is made with the best of the best.

I have a lot of confidence the cylinder choice and setups mike and I are going to be using will be no less than that.

 

[PSI 800]

that sounds like its going to be arm stretching fuwhen donen

 

[Visi]

Been a busy summer, not much progress. Some parts made it. Still trying to track some down. The cylinders and heads me and Matt will be running should be done in a couple months. I will be giving Matt the majority of the credit for the direction we went. 98mm bore on this engine...

 

[spoon]

How is it coming together? Going to see snow this year?

 

[Visi]

Still waiting for engine parts. I am a few weekends from getting the Chassis substantially done. Pipes are going to be my biggest hurdle. I'm not 100% sure which direction I am going to go yet.

April - Oct. Is my busy season. I should be able to start getting something to update soon.