Mountain Cat drive shaft snapped....

[Rush44]

Well, went for a ride today way north of where I live. I was about 8 miles down the trail when all of a sudden my drivers started to slip and an awful grinding noise started. I got off the sled and looked back at my wheel kit, thinking the kit had broke and wouldn't keep tension on the track. The kit was fine and my track was hella loose. That's when I looked under the tunnel up at the drivers.....

Anyone else heard of this happening? I've never seen the shaft shear off clean at the drivers like that before. Had to put the sled on backwards on a Skidoo and tow it out in reverse. Crazy stuff! Good thing the shaft is only $95 on www.arcticcatonlineparts.com..... now I wonder if my chaincase is all screwed up.

 

[Scooter]

Not that uncommon. Have seen 2 on Cat 600's broke this year, both 04 models. Has your machine taken a direct hit to the drivers recently? Both the 600's had impacts with rocks and then a short time later the shafts broke. The good news is you can usually find a used shaft and drivers ready to bolt in, cheap through the swapmeet section or on E-bay.

 

[Rush44]

Not that uncommon. Have seen 2 on Cat 600's broke this year, both 04 models. Has your machine taken a direct hit to the drivers recently? Both the 600's had impacts with rocks and then a short time later the shafts broke. The good news is you can usually find a used shaft and drivers ready to bolt in, cheap through the swapmeet section or on E-bay.

I tried to think back to a time when I might have smacked the drivers around, but I can't really think of any. I'm just glad to hear it's not an uncommon thing. I was mostly looking to make sure that nothing else could have caused it.

I'll look around for a used drive shaft, but I doubt I'll find any with 8 tooth extroverts on them. I'll be taking a closer look at the condition of the drivers when I pull the shaft out on Monday. $90 for brand new isn't that bad considering it's hard to leave the Arctic Cat store without spending $200.

 

[diggerdown]

Some of the 03's broke shafts but the 04's had a heavier shaft. Hitting a rock or stump will take them out and so will running the track too tight. I'm sure there are a certain number of them that just fatigue and fail, but it is not too common.

 

[Rush44]

Intresting.... I had just tightened my track up a few days earlier. I don't think it was overly tight. I'll have to run a little more slop next time.

 

[YNOT55124]

Same thing happened to me on my Mtn Cat.

1" Hexed Iron Shaft snapped in half, then the fun started getting the sled back to the trailer. It makes for a good story now but it SUCKED!

Some say it is due to track being too tight and I tend to side more with this theory than others - thinking it would be stress forces fwd to back more than a bump or hard landing but really hard to say?

Tony

 

[Suzzy-Q]

you can update to the larger driveshaft from the smaller fit models the larger drive shaft is 1.25 inches thick from the 04-05 king cat i believe i suggest the money for converting it might have to switch bearings too but im sure you can do it all with stock chaincase.

 

[Sledbrain2]

With the torson linc you should have 2 to 3 in of sag with no weight. A tight track will pull on the shaft especially if you have taken some big bumps.

 

[mattymac]

it may be hard to tell now but check your bearings, mainly where they rode on the shaft. Also see if your bearings had an oring grove machined into them on the outter race.

 

[JENSEN BROS]

Used Complete Drive Shafts Nine And Ten Tooth

Sent Pm On Used Drive Shafts For Sale

 

[Bowslayer]

If you pound the trails hard and or hit a few rocks, or logs...

You can plan on breaking the driveshaft. Track tension wont do it. I broke 3 on my old ultra mod that had a dropped and rolled chaincase, most of the time I was ripping back down the trail pounding pretty hard. John

 

[Rush44]

You can plan on breaking the driveshaft. Track tension wont do it. I broke 3 on my old ultra mod that had a dropped and rolled chaincase, most of the time I was ripping back down the trail pounding pretty hard. John

Ugh... hate to hear that. It was a total pain in the butt to move the sled out without allowing the track to spin. I could see it being a total nightmare if this happened deep deep in the backcountry. I would most likely have to come back with tools and a new shaft.

 

[Scooter]

Look at your your own www.arcticcatonlineparts.com..... link, the 03 to 05 Cat 900's use the same shaft, the 1.25 diameter so there is nothing for you to upgrade to. The only diference in years is the drivers used, shafts are the same. The chaincase and drive axle on these models hangs lower due to the drop and roll from the factory so consiquently they are going to be more prone to impacts. Like someone stated already, if your an aggressive rider that likes to jump, pound it hard on the trails, cornice drop and all the other fun stuff, your drivers and the axle take a lot of abuse that a person doesn't realize.

 

[Suzzy-Q]

from the look in the picture you chopped your rail caps. make sure that they cant catch the window and cause some un necessary jarring through your drive train

 

[Rush44]

from the look in the picture you chopped your rail caps. make sure that they cant catch the window and cause some un necessary jarring through your drive train

The rail tips have been cut back to accommodate the 8 tooth extroverts that were added for the Challenger Extreme 3.0 pitch track. It's hard to see it on that photo, but there is an anti-stab kit installed.

When the drive shaft snapped it pushed the chaincase side driver into the rail and completely stopped the track from moving. I hope there isn't too much damage to the gears and drive chain in the chaincase. We should find out tonight when we take it apart.

 

[Mtn Cat 900]

Can't really see but it looks to me that you are only running the two center sprockets. All the parts diagrams show two half sprockets on the outside of the center sprockets. I believe that this reduces the flexing of the shaft as there is a much wider area that spreads out impact all across the shaft, not so much in the middle.
The last time I changed out the gears I put the Hyvo gears/chain in.
Weighed less.
Cost less.
Stronger.
Much improved peace of mind.

 

[Rush44]

Where could I get these Hyvo gears/chain?

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

oVER THE YEARS AS ENGINES GOT MORE POWERFUL AND TRACKS GOT BIGGER THE BROKEN DRIVE SHAFT ISSUE ON CATS AT TIMES STARTING IN THE 90'S WAS ACUTE AND CAT REDESIGNED THE SHAFT, MADE THEM OUT OF BETTER MATERIAL AND FINALLY ON THE LATER MODELS HAD TO CAN THE 1" HEX SHAFT ALL TOGETHER ON ANY PERFORMANCE MODELS. YOU CAN GO CHEAP AND PUT ANOTHER STOCK CAT SHAFT IN, BUT IF YOUR RIDE PLACES WHERE TOWNING IS NOT AN OPTION, THERE ARE CUSTOM SHAFTS AVAILABE THAT YOU LIKELY ARE NOT CAPABLE OF BREAKING. I HAD SEVERAL MAKE BY OUTFIT THAT ADVERTISES THEY MAKE CUSTOM BILLET 4 CAM CLUTCHES, I DON'T HAVE A SLED MAGAZINE AROUND THE OFFICE OR I'D LOOK UP THE ADD FOR YOU. THEY OFFERED THREE MATERIALS, ALL WAY STRONGER, MADE THE HEX FLATS SLIGHTLY OVERSIZE SO THE DRIVERS COULD NOT SLIP AND MOVE, AND NOT THAT MUCH MORE THAN POOR QUALITY CAT STOCK SHAFTS.

BREAK THE DRIVE SHAFT?, ROLL THE SLED UP ON ITS SIDE, TAKE OUT THE DRIVE SHAFT, TAKE THE TRACK OFF, PUT THE SUSPENSION BACK IN, THROW THE TRACK UP ON THE SEAT AND BUNGIE ON, PLASTIC SKIIS AND PLASTIC SLIDE RAILS, YOU WONT FIND AN EASIER PULL......WELL THE SLED IS 200LBS TOO HEAVY, WATCH THE DOWNHILLS CAUSE THEY GLIDE EASY WITH THE TRACK OFF.

 

[Bokabug]

So some one tell me please, with no weight on the track how much sag should it have in it.

 

[T-Bone]

I was riding my buddies '04 king when the same thing happened. Wrecked the shaft, and most everything in the chaincase. Luckily, it happened within a mile from the cabin.