One Person's Opinion on Clutching

[RKT]

Just jotted down a few thoughts on snowmobile clutching..

Maybe others would benefit from it.. So.. here it is

http://www.2strokeheads.com/tech-clutch.htm

AGAIN, ONLY my thoughts... PLEASE NO looking for any hidden meanings or trying to start any arguments... Just Simple info based on decades of experience..

Since this is a cluthcing forum.. I figured it may apply

Kelsey

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

Great post RKT, and so true, there is no one perfect clutch setup, it is most certainly what fits your perception and feel for the kind of riding you do/and where you ride..great post...thanks....

 

[milehighassassin]

Thanks for sharing Kelsey.

Feel free to contribute at anytime. clutching is such a black art.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

I agree with most of the post. In my opinion the perfect clutch set-up is one that works sastisfactory in most any situation you may find in a season, thats where the clutching challenge lies.

 

[winter brew]

Absolutely! I always ask questions of customers to make sure we are on the same page....where they ride, what type of riding, what they don't like about their current setup and what they would like to see improved. I have talked many people OUT of spending $$ on a setup that does not fit their style of riding.

 

[LRD]

The bikes have the sleds beat all to heck.. I'm thinking its the Aprillia has electronic controlled CVT AND a switch for something like S for street, R for race, and E for economy. http://motorcycleinfo.org/2008/11/automatic-motorcycles/

and WinterBrew had my cartoon bubble picturing customers on a couch and then in a cherman accent I heard now tell me vat is your problem vit your clutches???? Hah Hah!!!!

Good Luck

and thanks for all the Schooling you clutching guys give us

 

[slash]

SO what you are saying is the best setup is two or three depending on what rype of riding planed for the day

 

[RKT]

SO what you are saying is the best setup is two or three depending on what rype of riding planed for the day

correct.. the clutching set-up directly reflects the riding environment and ALSO the skill level of the rider...

 

[Dynamo^Joe]

My observations....

Kits are "canned" and are used repeatedly with little to no change when the requirements are to a normal range of situations, sled setup, driver skill and locations.

Sometimes you get a sled that does not respond well to a new calibration and what could it be from? bushings? engine management? fuel management? engine power shape? engine now makes less power than stock? - It works great on our test sleds, so then we start to go through the system and measure it to see if anything is wrong.

Most kits can be tailored to a specific application and there is usually more capacity in a kit than the builder says but its up to you to chase out the needs for your skill and conditions you ride in and so this is what you discuss with the kit builder. Read the first sentence at the top again - "kits are...", it can be a literal translation as "you have to start somewhere", "a push off the dock"

Just like going away from factory stock - you have to start somewhere(stock) to chase out deficiencies and and learn increases and develop parts to form into a kit - once you have the kit then you can again develop by chasing out deficiencies and and learn increases and develop to focus in on a particular requirement.

I have some advice for the novice clutch tuner.
Be willing to do the work yourself and/or have a friend handy with the tools to help you do the work.
If you have to rely on a dealer to where you have to make the time/effort/energy to go to them just to change the calibration a little bit - stay stock.

Regardless of clutch tune, if you go away from stock then you have a duty to be willing to exert some effort into extracting the best out of a new calibration or just stay stock.

 

[bigjb]

Ok so I read the article and it gave some good insight.
I've tryed a few different set ups and could see the differences in the various riding styles and conditions. I think I have found one that works pretty good all around for the way I like to ride and am getting into the finer tuning stages for a good all around set up.
Could you guys go into a little more detail on how you would achieve a certain set up?
For example how you would set up a hill climber vs a tree boondocker. And why the hill climb set up works best for hill climbing and not drag racing or boondocking and vice versa. I'm learning alot experimenting on my own, just looking for some seasoned knowledge.

 

[RKT]

Ok so I read the article and it gave some good insight.
I've tryed a few different set ups and could see the differences in the various riding styles and conditions. I think I have found one that works pretty good all around for the way I like to ride and am getting into the finer tuning stages for a good all around set up.
Could you guys go into a little more detail on how you would achieve a certain set up?
For example how you would set up a hill climber vs a tree boondocker. And why the hill climb set up works best for hill climbing and not drag racing or boondocking and vice versa. I'm learning alot experimenting on my own, just looking for some seasoned knowledge.

Here is a little more

http://www.2strokeheads.com/Horsepower and Clutching.htm

Sorry to be so late on the reply

Kelsey

 

[geo]

I don't think rider skill has anything to do with proper clutch set-up. You can engage at 2700 r's or 5000 r's. Once it's right it's right.

Just two "for instance" examples of proper clutching matched to the engine and chassis (most important) from the factory are; Early Phazer Lt's, 2700 engagement, smooth and belts last forever. RMK 580 triples, 5000 rpm engagement, smooth and belts last forever.
Both could be ridden to their potential by expert or beginner. Both expert and beginner would get max belt life.

You clutch guys know most people want smooth, long belt life, and "no muss no fuss" but they phone for performance gains. You also know that a max performance set-up requires minor adjustments for the day and almost every day.
So, offer both up front. At the same time explain that the performance gains between the two kits will probably need a set of lights to measure not " 6 sled lengths more than stock". And, I'm not pointing any fingers or suggesting anything, just talking.
If you get to smooth and long belt life you have reached max performance for most people anyways. It doesn't matter if they are a beginner that rolls it on or an expert that pins it.

Smooth equals the correct primary set-up for the engine. The variables there are the elevation and engine management. With todays fuel systems, the factory torque curve dictates the engagement rpm. Without including a programmer in your kit you are stuck there.
I like 3000 to 3200rpm engagement and my 800 Cat pulls through deep snow quite happily there with full clutching phase running out at about 3800. Lots of torque in that motor. Without a PC V adding fuel there it would bog and burn the belt.

Long belt life is the proper secondary set-up for the chassis (with a little adjustment for the style of your primary set-up (you know heavy weight-heavy spring or light weight-light spring) . This is easiest achieved with a straight helix angle to eliminate the variables of speed (MPH) and snow conditions (load). A variable angle helix only brings rider skill and snow conditions into your equation.

So the difference in your two kits would be the helix (multi-angle for the performance version) and a selection of secondary springs or preload adjustabilty on the secondary spring.


I learned a long time ago that you can work on a clutching problem forever by forgetting about engine management and you can work on a engine management problem forever by forgetting about clutching.
It's hard to seperate the two with a CVT system.

LOL. Just another man's opinion cause I woke up too early LOL.

 

[lancelarue]

"I learned a long time ago that you can work on a clutching problem forever by forgetting about engine management and you can work on a engine management problem forever by forgetting about clutching.
It's hard to seperate the two with a CVT system."

That's good---!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One thing about the clutching challenge, there's lots of options / variables!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jeepin270]

Thanks, lots of great info.