Real Changes for the 14 Pro's

[friscospices.com]

I know Polaris isnt going to offer up real changes on the new model year with so many 13's with 4yr warranty. Everyone and there mother would want the sleds repaired with new updated parts. So here are the 2 questions I have.

But what changes do you suspect are kept back from us?

Also what changes should be made?



Let me say I have a 13 and I think it is a great machine close to 800 flawless miles. Still on the same 2 stock belts and I am happy as a guy could be with it.

 

[winter brew]

I hear where you're coming from.
Yep, it would have been nice if they made those steel shaft inserts go about 4x as far into the aluminum shaft....surface area is the key to strength there...The collar is kind of hokey as anything but a temp fix (IMHO).

 

[friscospices.com]

Agreed Brew, seems that would be less expensive than the collar also.

 

[mountainhorse]

Even if the shaft "stub" were to insert further into the shaft...putting the collar on there keeps the 2013 customers satisifed that they did not get the shaft (pun intended) when it comes to quality since there is no real way, besides cutting it open, to tell if a 2014 shaft is different.

There are a lot of factors at play with that one... in a corporate decision-tree kind of process...One that involves customer perception, warranty claims, dealer issues, liability etc etc.

Weather the shaft/stub is actually different or not.... Making the 2014 shaft "appear" the same as the updated 2013's is a very smart move from a business perspective, IMO.



.

 

[winter brew]

Unless the 14's also have failures. Then it just makes them like they were only concerned about the short term.
Not to get off subject too far....but the Co. I work for is going through a little issue with a certain battery right now. . Had they simply changed the entire design a long time ago when they were first aware of the issue, it wouldn't be coming back to bite them in the a$$ now. I've heard it referred to as "engineering arrogance"...where their inability to admit they have a bad design overpowers their willingness to accept they made a mistake and start with a fresh piece of paper.
You can bet when the '14's hit the snow, their will be some people at Poo with their fingers crossed, hoping that their choice was "just good enough"....and if not, they can still blame it on a vendor, bad tolerances or some bad glue.

 

[Solby]

My experience with big companies that have issues are : there is never a problem until the company has a solution. There are "isolated incidents" and "some reports", but never a problem until the company has a for sure fix. Then they recognize it and address it. I would be very surprised if the 14s are identical to 13s, there will probably be refinements that are not 100% verified yet and may not even be formally announced but will make production.

 

[cateye5312]

That's what I am banking on and why I snowchecked a '14

 

[jakey-boy]

http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=344980

And that is why I will most likely be on a cat next year. Both companies are building a competitive product now. One just takes way way better care of their customers! I wish polaris would take this kind of approach cuz I love the chassis but not likely.

 

[Jimb]

http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=344980

And that is why I will most likely be on a cat next year. Both companies are building a competitive product now. One just takes way way better care of their customers! I wish polaris would take this kind of approach cuz I love the chassis but not likely.

Same chit different pile, take my word for it.

 

[rmscustom]

http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=344980

And that is why I will most likely be on a cat next year. Both companies are building a competitive product now. One just takes way way better care of their customers! I wish polaris would take this kind of approach cuz I love the chassis but not likely.

2 years to maybe fix a problem, and still nobody knows what the fix is and who is gonna get it... Yeah that's taking care of customers. Polaris has an effective fix for the drive shaft before the first of the year and yet their the ones not taking care of the customers??? Good luck with your new clutch cooling fins on the secondary (cause the ones on the primary worked out so well) and your new heat treated clutches. Lmao. You should talk to my friend that can't afford to ride his PC anymore and ask him how he thinks AC is taking care of customers.

 

[metallicat]

If this is actually the case and the "stubs" are different and they are trying to hide it, i will be the first to volunteer to buy the first 2014 driveshaft to take one for the team and cut it apart if i can get reimbursed my cost ONLY. no more. i think there would be enough of us that would want to know. i know i would chip in if someone else wanted to do it. actually, it would be more reputable, if MH or someone else did it. I'm in either way!

 

[ndC7M8]

http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=344980

And that is why I will most likely be on a cat next year. Both companies are building a competitive product now. One just takes way way better care of their customers! I wish polaris would take this kind of approach cuz I love the chassis but not likely.

It was already said, but I'm gonna say it again because you don't seem to understand the situation there sir.

That took 2 model years of sleds blowing belts left and right, angry customers and customers lost before they came up with a "solution" that isn't even on the snow in mass quantities. Your argument has no legs to stand on. Polaris took care of their problem right away. Cat fought with people over belts for 2 seasons. Think, read, comprehend, understand, before you post on SnoWest, please.

 

[Reg2view]

None of these four OEM's 'take care of the customer'. The game is how LITTLE you need to take care of the customer - they watch each other to see who can get away with doing the LEAST. This is what they actually talk about. Just how these niche industries work.

FYI, product liability is a much bigger concern than customer service. Their warranty functions are about cost containment, not customer care. Anyone who really believes differently needs to sober up. I'm not bytching about it, just blowing the smoke away.

 

[skibreeze]

If this is actually the case and the "stubs" are different and they are trying to hide it, i will be the first to volunteer to buy the first 2014 driveshaft to take one for the team and cut it apart if i can get reimbursed my cost ONLY. no more. i think there would be enough of us that would want to know. i know i would chip in if someone else wanted to do it. actually, it would be more reputable, if MH or someone else did it. I'm in either way!

They are glued, no reason to cut anything.

 

[Hardass]

If this is actually the case and the "stubs" are different and they are trying to hide it, i will be the first to volunteer to buy the first 2014 driveshaft to take one for the team and cut it apart if i can get reimbursed my cost ONLY. no more. i think there would be enough of us that would want to know. i know i would chip in if someone else wanted to do it. actually, it would be more reputable, if MH or someone else did it. I'm in either way!

Why not just drill it and see what's there?

 

[ndC7M8]

Why not just drill it and see what's there?

you'd be creating a weak spot I suppose. might not be the best idea for someone genuinely concerned about the strength and longevity of their driveshaft, especially if it were to fail and a hole drilled in it gave Polaris a reason to not warranty the part.

 

[mtnpull]

Why not just drill it and see what's there?

Or just heat it up, pop the caps out, measure, re-glue and re-insert caps. No damaged / ruined drive shaft. Only time and the cost of some glue.

 

[Lind]

good news, talked to the factory polaris rep tonight at the snow sneak peak. every 14 pro rmk comes with a collar from the factory, so i bent over and looked under the 14 pro rmk i was standing next to and wouldnt you know it... a collar was on there. nice fix polaris

 

[Jaynelson]

I really don't care what they did (or didn't) as long as it doesn't break, to be honest.

 

[rmscustom]

good news, talked to the factory polaris rep tonight at the snow sneak peak. every 14 pro rmk comes with a collar from the factory, so i bent over and looked under the 14 pro rmk i was standing next to and wouldnt you know it... a collar was on there. nice fix polaris

And you'd be on here bitching if he said "same driveshaft, no clamp but tighter tolerances and better QC so this one wont fail". So how the hell does Polaris win in this situation? Scrape their R&D and testing on this shaft and come out with another new and unproven one? Then all you whiners would be one here saying how your doing R&D for polaris's untested designs again... Seriously, How big of a deal was the driveshaft this year? I'm sure it sucked if you had one that broke but polaris acknowledged the problem and had it fixed before the first of the year. Pretty damn good if you ask me. How many actually failed anyway? I read somewhere only 92 driveshafts failed, pretty low number if thats true.