In that 1200 miles have you personally adjusted the track, as outlined above, 5 or 6 times?
ASSAULT Track Gremlin?
- Thread starter Hawkster
- Start date
S
snow-seeker
Well-known member
I am with MH, it is a ratchet issue. But, have you measured the "true" of the axle? A bent axle could do this.
Or have you checked track tension in more than one spot on the track? I am wondering if your drive shaft in doing the walking on you, not the drivers. Could also be worn out bearings for the drive shaft. So when no torque is on the shaft, proper alignment and seating.
Also, with the machine suspended, does the track "slap" the suspension rails when you spin up the track? This would indicate an out of round situation, or a ripped cord in the track.
Good luck!
Or have you checked track tension in more than one spot on the track? I am wondering if your drive shaft in doing the walking on you, not the drivers. Could also be worn out bearings for the drive shaft. So when no torque is on the shaft, proper alignment and seating.
Also, with the machine suspended, does the track "slap" the suspension rails when you spin up the track? This would indicate an out of round situation, or a ripped cord in the track.
Good luck!
The dealorship is still waiting for a reply from the factory. Driver alignment is correct. Good thing about summer only Six months of it. You might have something with the two extroverts because the one in the center doesn't even attempt to keep the track in line it doesn't even touch the window before going in.
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thats because its not supposed to be driving the track, its clocked behind so its there to catch if the other two drivers start to slip
So the extrovert is aligned with the normal drivers but clocked back since it is smaller. Correct? and the picture shows that it does not assist the drivers when it partially ratchets therefore serving no purpose. That extrovert does nothing as far as the pics show. The problem is not in the track tension. When you back up it does it to the bottom side when you drive foward it does it to the top side it also does it both ways when you turn it by hand wouldn't it make sense that if it does it by hand that you would seriously notice it under power especially when you hammer it from a stand still? It does not do this in the same spot it eventually walks the whole track. When you are riding it you don't even know that it's happening unless your looking for it. 1200 hundred mtn miles and the hyfax are waisted, the ice scrapers don't work in snow, I'd say the track is a little tight. Over 10,000 on a different machine and the only reason I changed the hyfax is because they where scuffed.
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Check the part number on the track and compare to a known "good" track. I have no clue if this is your issue, but there have been some prototype tracks out there of various pitches that MAYBE got into the mix....perhaps you have a 2.52 pitch track with 2.86 drivers??? Just a thought. Maybe do some careful measuring between a couple different tracks and see if there is something goofy.
way loose
that track has to slip like crazy on a hard pull / crank on it
that track has to slip like crazy on a hard pull / crank on it
If you get over to look at the sled have someone turn the track while you look at the drivers. Watch carefully as to when they start to climb up on the shoulders of the involute rubber nub. I don't understand even if it starts to climb why the track would not slip on the driver cogs and align itself. I imagine this must happen in a very gradual manner. Spray some lubricant or liquid soap on the track and drivers to see if it will self correct once it starts to happen.
Next thing to do is get some masking tape and tape it on the driver outer circumference and mark the exact center or leading edge of each cog. Mark as many cogs on the tape as you can. Peel it off and measure distance between cogs according to the marks. Then measure the distance between windows or rubber drive nubs on the track. They should be the same. If they are then you have to look elsewhere for the problem.
One other question for you. Does this happen after the track has been spun for a while via the engine so it is warmed up? Maybe the track is taking a set where it goes around the drivers and around the back idler wheels when it has been sitting for a while.
Next thing to do is get some masking tape and tape it on the driver outer circumference and mark the exact center or leading edge of each cog. Mark as many cogs on the tape as you can. Peel it off and measure distance between cogs according to the marks. Then measure the distance between windows or rubber drive nubs on the track. They should be the same. If they are then you have to look elsewhere for the problem.
One other question for you. Does this happen after the track has been spun for a while via the engine so it is warmed up? Maybe the track is taking a set where it goes around the drivers and around the back idler wheels when it has been sitting for a while.
Make no doubt about it... this, below, is a ratcheting track... so much that you are probably damaging the track.
Have you personally adjusted this track to proper, polaris specifed, tension... EVER??
Have you personally adjusted this track to proper, polaris specifed, tension... EVER??
How about you find someone else with a 146 that doesn't have this issue. slap that track on your sled and see if it still does it. if it does, the problem lies with your sled (drivers/drive shaft, track allignment/tension). toss your track on the other guys sled and see if it does it. if it does, then your track is messed up. a little process of elimination testing. maybe your dealer has a 146 sitting around that doesn't have this issue that you couse use to test?
Yes MTNHorse I've adjusted the track 
when it was purchased the track was so tight that when you'd carve with it (that it does with ease)it would try to pitch you over the front sides when letting off of the throttle. For instance the right foot in the left footwell and the left leg hanging way out, used as a rutter. I'm sorry if I upset you, You are deffinately helping me understand this machine. A little about myself: I bought my first carry over sled in 76 it was a 340 SS Colt been riding ever since. I prefer to sno check, account of the goodies and the mileage we put on them which seems to be around 10,000 miles before retiring them about five years. They don't know what trails are. We're still waiting for a reply from Polaris I watched the E-mails yesterday at the dealorship.
when it was purchased the track was so tight that when you'd carve with it (that it does with ease)it would try to pitch you over the front sides when letting off of the throttle. For instance the right foot in the left footwell and the left leg hanging way out, used as a rutter. I'm sorry if I upset you, You are deffinately helping me understand this machine. A little about myself: I bought my first carry over sled in 76 it was a 340 SS Colt been riding ever since. I prefer to sno check, account of the goodies and the mileage we put on them which seems to be around 10,000 miles before retiring them about five years. They don't know what trails are. We're still waiting for a reply from Polaris I watched the E-mails yesterday at the dealorship.
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I wish I would of brought this up before the dealorship got it Retiredpop. All of you guys have come up with some great ideas of how to break it down. The other Assault that is in there is waiting for a fuel pump and he wants to go to Valdez this weekend. He doesn't care about his track because he's going to dump it and by a Cat, he's burned out on the problems. We both have the same miles so in a way I'm the lucky one, his problems smoke my little one.
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The 3 Assaults that I ride with.....
1 goes thru hyfax, but doesn't run scratchers.
1....went thru one set of hyfax (runs scratchers)...but has 1000 miles on the sled and he removed all the bogie wheels
1... a 2010 with 700 miles on it is still on his original hyfax
As far as the tracks go... all the 2.86" pitch, 146" tracks are mfg'd on the same drum that molds the involute nubs and windows.... 15" or 16" wide, regardless of the paddle configuration (the outer mold)... The 2.86" pitch tracks, which BTW are made in one piece, are the most accurately made of all the pitch tracks out there...
It is possible that you have a screwed up track, but Highly unlikely.
Since your initial loosening of your track, have you adjusted the tension multiple times?
You haven't upset me at all.
Most of the competition tracks that have problems have been run too fast on hardpack (over 70mph)... They get hot at the root of the paddle and the rubber breaks down...might not have happened on the day they shed a paddle or de-laminated... probably a few days or few weeks back when the high speed run occurred
Are you talking about a CMX or other Belt drive jack/drive shaft setup?... Does this assault have the belt drive on it?... I guess I'm missing the point.
The drivers have improved quite abit thanks to the aftermarket guys I agree about the quality. This Assault doesn't exceed 70 mph the clutching will not allow it to. The belt only runs 65 to 70% of the primary. I also noticed that right away but for two reasons I haven't adressed it yet the first is that it was bought as a mountain sled and the second is that the list of things that need to be adressed on that 800 are long. Sometimes I ramble on The blower belt is on my 800 Hawk (use to be a 600) The Hawk is my ride and the Assault is hers the machines are brought into the garage after riding and serviced. So if the only way to adjust that track is by the ten pound weight than I'm guilty and so is the dealorship and so is the factory. That would be a poor excuse for an arguement as long as the track is adjusted within the area of acceptability. So in another words Polaris is saying that this track has to be adjusted perfectly? That would probably exclude 99% of the riders. MtnHorse we might have to go riding if we make it threw this. I see a lot of red dots, top right.
The blower belt is on my 800 Hawk (use to be a 600) The Hawk is my ride and the Assault is hers the machines are brought into the garage after riding and serviced. So if the only way to adjust that track is by the ten pound weight than I'm guilty and so is the dealorship and so is the factory. That would be a poor excuse for an arguement as long as the track is adjusted within the area of acceptability. So in another words Polaris is saying that this track has to be adjusted perfectly? That would probably exclude 99% of the riders. MtnHorse we might have to go riding if we make it threw this. I see a lot of red dots, top right.
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No... but certainly no free-hang.
Call it an 8 lb wieght or a 12 lb weight... 3/8" - 1/2" space....
Get it in the ballpark at least.
The 10 lb dumbell is a cheap tool to have to get your adjustment correct.
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