Manual Chain Tensioner Installed
- Thread starter Woody67
- Start date
I say all of the above.....
Better gears and chain doesn't address the shaft flex, and that with the auto tensioner has been the cause of a lot of the chain/gear issues we saw. Tensioner running out of travel and jackshaft flex were both issues. We upgraded sleds that only did the chain and gears, and most were good, but we did have a couple still have gear issues. I always recommend jackshaft support and manual tensioner if you're getting the chain case upgraded anyway.
Granted sleds we upgraded were all 250+ Evo kits. If you are running more hp than stock we make it part of the reliability plan. I don't think anyone had had more snow time than us using aftermarket solutions to these issues. Evo, OSP, Belanger, and C3 all had solutions to parts of the problems. Like many have said before, including myself, there is no blanket fix. Some require more than others and without knowing what your sled needs lots of people give it the shotgun approach and do it all.
Better gears and chain doesn't address the shaft flex, and that with the auto tensioner has been the cause of a lot of the chain/gear issues we saw. Tensioner running out of travel and jackshaft flex were both issues. We upgraded sleds that only did the chain and gears, and most were good, but we did have a couple still have gear issues. I always recommend jackshaft support and manual tensioner if you're getting the chain case upgraded anyway.
Granted sleds we upgraded were all 250+ Evo kits. If you are running more hp than stock we make it part of the reliability plan. I don't think anyone had had more snow time than us using aftermarket solutions to these issues. Evo, OSP, Belanger, and C3 all had solutions to parts of the problems. Like many have said before, including myself, there is no blanket fix. Some require more than others and without knowing what your sled needs lots of people give it the shotgun approach and do it all.
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Turbo11T
Well-known member
I myself blew a chain. Last summer when I had it apart to do the track swap I found a autotensioner that seemed like it was not working properly. I put it backtogther not really thinking about it to much as I had not had any issue. This year with the big chute like I said I blew a chain. Right now I have new stock gears and chain with about 10 miles on them. I am going to add a manual tensioner this summer. In my opinion there is no reason the stock chain should not hold up if it is properly tensioned. Also plan to do stiffer motor mounts as I think that fricken motor is bouncing up in down under the hood whipping the jackshaft all over the place. I am thinking of making some of my own motor mounts. You can buy polyurethane mix and I can build a mold for it and give it a try. The stock ones in my opinion looked like a hot dog down a halfway in the stock motor mount bracket. I am looking for more of a yamaha motor mount fit. Possibly have to press it in to the bracket and fairly hard duro like the yamaha rubber mounts are.
I concur with everyone on the motor mounts. I've seen harder rubber in a women's top dresser drawer!
Does anyone know the tinsel strength of the stock chain? I was told The Hyvo one is rated to 800hp. Wonder what the tinsel strength is between the two?
Does anyone know the tinsel strength of the stock chain? I was told The Hyvo one is rated to 800hp. Wonder what the tinsel strength is between the two?
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Turbo11T
Well-known member
I can't answer that for you but I know that if the chain is rachet once over the top gear that it will likely cause damage. So a nice taught chain will last longer. Idealy I would like to put a bigger top sprocket on. But I don't want to gear up.
My main concern with harder mounts is the vibration that will be going into the dumb sheet metal brackets to the cooler. But I think that the reality of it is that the vibration is not what is likely to break the welds it is more likely a hard hit with the 150# motor wobbling in there and the momentum that builds from the motor moving around. I have another idea for bracing the motor to another location other than the cooler as well. I just need to get the sled back out and measure a few things.
The stock chain in a perfect world on a perfect drivetrain may be good enough....but a manual tensioner will not help jackshaft flex, which is constantly making the chain loose then over tight. The chain doesn't likely break without skipping, and the skipping is caused by failing auto tensioner and chain getting slack from shaft flex. You have to stop JS flex to allow the chain case or belt drive to live. OSP, X-1, or any home made JS brace, Belanger HD shaft, or changing to steady bearings are all ways to control JS flex. Stiffer mounts don't necessarily help JS flex if you have essentially hard mounted the JS with the other options, but it will restrict motor movement that the tcl has to "eat" if you have locked the JS down.
I did all of the above with the shot gun approach along with Hyvo gears and no reverse. The cost of doing it all at once outweighed the cost of having something else fail as you upgrade a piece at a time....not to mention loss of ride time and backordered parts delays.
I did all of the above with the shot gun approach along with Hyvo gears and no reverse. The cost of doing it all at once outweighed the cost of having something else fail as you upgrade a piece at a time....not to mention loss of ride time and backordered parts delays.
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Turbo11T
Well-known member
Totally agree.
Looks like I will be adding a jackshaft support to my part list
Got to remember that Cat is "supposedly" changing all the chains and gears on these sleds this summer with a lower gear set and I hope a better quality chain. I wouldnt spend my hard earned cash on new stuff till I found out what cat will do for free.
When you have your jackshaft out grab a hold of the engine and see how "loose" it is. You have no leverage and just one human power and the engine can be moved a lot. Now add 200-250-300 HORSE power and imagine what that chain has to put up with. I am actually surprised this isn't a universal problem. I for one think a belt will deal with movement much better than a chain but getting the engine and jackshaft supported is really the top priority before you upgrade or change out any parts.
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Turbo11T
Well-known member
I feel like the main problem with a solid TCL support is that then really the engine is not rubber mounted. I think abandoning the TCL may be very easy to do. Go with a plate off the new viper or even a custom billet one with a cut off TCL. Would be fairly easy to try. The TCL in theory is good but the movement of the jackshaft is not.
All in all. Is everyone doing the blanket fix, engine snubber, jack shaft support, manual tensioner, sprockets and chain? Or is there guys that think they have found the main problem? Like turbo11t i also think the stock gear and chain are strong enough as is. But talking to Scott Taylor, He says the auto tensioner is fine as is. And hasn't seen any failures after the swap to only the hyvo Gear and chain. I do agree with to much JS movement and that causing binding on the chain. But is the jack shaft support plate enough to stop it? Bottom line is I just don't feel like spending alot of money on the "blanket fix" when the same result could have been achieved with less money spent. Like I've said before. Im riding a 2012 1100T BC275, 700 miles, original belt, chain, sprockets and tensioner. I've personally only rode it for about 20 miles. But the last guy that owned it is a talented rider. And by no means were they Easy miles. They were mountain miles! I recognize that there is a problem somewhere but can't settle for saying that everything is the problem
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I've set up several sleds running high boost, and launching with anti-lag. All using hyvo gears/chain, extro drivers, and an otherwise stock drive train. Not a single failure
Good to hear!
New FREE STUFF???
Any update on this Recall- or what ever we want to call it-
I like it as a parts swap...
Let us know if this is avaiable yet from cat
Thanks
SC
Any update on this Recall- or what ever we want to call it-
I like it as a parts swap...
Let us know if this is avaiable yet from cat
Thanks
SC
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Turbo11T
Well-known member
I have heard rumors of something that may happen. . . I am not holding my breathe but I will likely wait till fall. I have a heard time thinking they are going to do anything for the 12s.
Come on! Tell me. I won't tell anyone!!
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Turbo11T
Well-known member
I very well may take this into my own hands and scrap the TCL and soft stock motor mounts for some custom billet side plates.
