Super Sled my Dad and I always joke about the 10 minute jobs that turn into multi day fiascos. I feel for you, been "there" many times...
Changing clutch weights
- Thread starter Super Sled
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Super Sled
Well-known member
Thanks Matt! I know, this "shoulda been a" quick job of changing out the clutch weights was far greater of a job than it should've been. But how could anyone have predicted they'd be loc-tited on there? But I found some tiny dremel cut off wheel discs and I cut the bolt out and removed the weight. Then I ordered up a couple of extra bolts and flex nuts for use. Pretty quick I'll have the primary back together and back on the sled.
As a side note, I'm used to Yamaha's primary clutches, which are very similar. So that's good because learning this clutching won't be like reinventing the wheel for me.
Thank you all for the kind thoughts about this issue. I know randy n at heelclicker clutching always recommends to loc-tite everything in the clutch, which I thought of when I realized how tight these bolts were on there. But wtf someone would use red loc-tite boggles the imagination. Oh well. Some tech prob grabbed the red by mistake instead of blue. Maybe it's their policy to loc- tite clutch components. But anyways, I'm not loc-titing the 10-68's in there as I plan to switch back to 60's for out west.
Those nuts should never need loctite... I really doubt the service manual would say to loctite them, since as many others on here stated they are self-locking.
I have gotten reasonably fast at changing the weights on the sled with the spring in. Of course with no loctite involved. I have done this since my 99 700 RMK. I know someone sells a tool to hold the clutch once you compress the clutch so you can change the weights but I just hold it in place with the lever(s). I know others do this differently, and it may be old hat to some, but thought I would throw this out there.
Tools: allen wrench, L-shaped (Keeps me from overtightening too), 3/8 open end wrench, 2 levers (I use an old flat-blade and a short motorcycle tire iron), needlenose pliers (to remove weight when it is free).
Remove the belt, or at least take it off the secondary so there is enough slack around the primary to move it out of the way. On my Dragon it is a little more work to get it completely out of there so I just stuff it into a position where it does not hold the sheave from moving. Make sure the key and/or kill switch is off just in case.
Rotate clutch so the weight you are going to work on is in the 1-oclock or 2-oclock position. At least on the IQ chassis.
Allen wrench in the socket end of the bolt, rotate the pin slowly while holding the 3/8 open end in position until it slides most the way on to the nut. This just holds the nut in position so wherever it has the best hold on the nut is where to position it.
Turn the allen wrench to loosen up the nut. It gives a distinct POP when it lets loose. If there is loctite apply heat (I just learnt that here!)
Keep turning the allen end until you get the nut off. The goal is to get the nut off even with the bolt in the same position in the weight. It will turn, there is a bushing in there and there is not that much pressure on it in my experience. (my shortcut to speed this up is that I rotate the allen wrench as far as it will go in the loose direction, remove the 3/8 open end wrench, rotate the allen wrench to the other extreme, put the wrench back on the nut and slowly rotate the allen wrench until the open end drops on the nut again, lather, rinse, repeat). Once it is loose enough, take the nut the rest of the way off rotating by fingertip.
I place a lever CAREFULLY placed in the clutch, and compress the spring (sometimes 2 levers works best, the last lever to get it the last quarter inch or so). Holding the clutch compressed, take out the bolt, use needlenose to remove the old weight, put the new weight in, wiggle in the bolt until it is all the way in, slowly release the lever(s) until all pressure is off, reverse the steps to put the nut back on and snug it up good.
Do this X3. Double-check the weights you took out to make sure they are all the same.
You can complicate this by adding in shims. To keep the weights snugged up in the clutch. Makes putting the weights back in more fun.
I always try to check the bushings for obvious wear or lateral play. You can put them on the bolts when off of the clutch and check for excessive play. Bushings are cheap, a new clutch isn't. A friend of mine made me a bushing removal tool on his lathe, that and a vice and you are set up.
Also this is a good time to blow out the clutch with compressed air. Get all that dust and junk out of there. If you are doing this in the shop.
My 3 cents.
I have gotten reasonably fast at changing the weights on the sled with the spring in. Of course with no loctite involved. I have done this since my 99 700 RMK. I know someone sells a tool to hold the clutch once you compress the clutch so you can change the weights but I just hold it in place with the lever(s). I know others do this differently, and it may be old hat to some, but thought I would throw this out there.
Tools: allen wrench, L-shaped (Keeps me from overtightening too), 3/8 open end wrench, 2 levers (I use an old flat-blade and a short motorcycle tire iron), needlenose pliers (to remove weight when it is free).
Remove the belt, or at least take it off the secondary so there is enough slack around the primary to move it out of the way. On my Dragon it is a little more work to get it completely out of there so I just stuff it into a position where it does not hold the sheave from moving. Make sure the key and/or kill switch is off just in case.
Rotate clutch so the weight you are going to work on is in the 1-oclock or 2-oclock position. At least on the IQ chassis.
Allen wrench in the socket end of the bolt, rotate the pin slowly while holding the 3/8 open end in position until it slides most the way on to the nut. This just holds the nut in position so wherever it has the best hold on the nut is where to position it.
Turn the allen wrench to loosen up the nut. It gives a distinct POP when it lets loose. If there is loctite apply heat (I just learnt that here!)
Keep turning the allen end until you get the nut off. The goal is to get the nut off even with the bolt in the same position in the weight. It will turn, there is a bushing in there and there is not that much pressure on it in my experience. (my shortcut to speed this up is that I rotate the allen wrench as far as it will go in the loose direction, remove the 3/8 open end wrench, rotate the allen wrench to the other extreme, put the wrench back on the nut and slowly rotate the allen wrench until the open end drops on the nut again, lather, rinse, repeat). Once it is loose enough, take the nut the rest of the way off rotating by fingertip.
I place a lever CAREFULLY placed in the clutch, and compress the spring (sometimes 2 levers works best, the last lever to get it the last quarter inch or so). Holding the clutch compressed, take out the bolt, use needlenose to remove the old weight, put the new weight in, wiggle in the bolt until it is all the way in, slowly release the lever(s) until all pressure is off, reverse the steps to put the nut back on and snug it up good.
Do this X3. Double-check the weights you took out to make sure they are all the same.
You can complicate this by adding in shims. To keep the weights snugged up in the clutch. Makes putting the weights back in more fun.
I always try to check the bushings for obvious wear or lateral play. You can put them on the bolts when off of the clutch and check for excessive play. Bushings are cheap, a new clutch isn't. A friend of mine made me a bushing removal tool on his lathe, that and a vice and you are set up.
Also this is a good time to blow out the clutch with compressed air. Get all that dust and junk out of there. If you are doing this in the shop.
My 3 cents.
