XP owners-Your driveshaft WILL break
- Thread starter trinitypowder
- Start date
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idaspud
Active member
Cat shaft breakage
I have an 03 Mtn Cat 600 that broke a solid shaft so you can see there are lots of forces involved. I have almost 700 miles on my XP 154, with the original belt and shafts, SO FAR. I am going to look at taking the shaft out of the machine and doing the spot welding and then turning the shaft in a lathe to check for out of round, run out, etc., before putting back in. Should I mess with one that is so far okay? YES, I don't want to get stuck out in the powder that is 4 feet deep in the mtns 20 miles from the trailhead here in central Idaho. Would p*xx me off to no end. Love the machine other wise so far, other than the communcation failures, trip odometer resetting on it's own. Best riding and power (in the powder,) in a stock machine that I have ever had and I can beat a Dragon. Will tell my dealer what I am doing or give me a new shaft. Spud
I have an 03 Mtn Cat 600 that broke a solid shaft so you can see there are lots of forces involved. I have almost 700 miles on my XP 154, with the original belt and shafts, SO FAR. I am going to look at taking the shaft out of the machine and doing the spot welding and then turning the shaft in a lathe to check for out of round, run out, etc., before putting back in. Should I mess with one that is so far okay? YES, I don't want to get stuck out in the powder that is 4 feet deep in the mtns 20 miles from the trailhead here in central Idaho. Would p*xx me off to no end. Love the machine other wise so far, other than the communcation failures, trip odometer resetting on it's own. Best riding and power (in the powder,) in a stock machine that I have ever had and I can beat a Dragon. Will tell my dealer what I am doing or give me a new shaft. Spud
Not my machine---Tom --who use to be at I-90 as service manager--they got a new driveshaft and put it in on the hill.
H20SKE...
I understand questions about the hollow shaft looking weak, but its not the shaft that is breaking it is the press fit or "weld". A large diameter hollow tube flexes alot less than a small solid shaft and weighs alot less. That is why they use the hollow shafts. Ever notice how pickup drive shafts got a lot bigger and lighter. They are using the same principle on the sleds. I would think that shafts that flex less would also prevent track ratcheting.
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SylvanLaker
Well-known member
Another one bits the dust..
at Hope on the weekend and another guy with a 154 XP blew his.. 600miles. I think I'm gonna pull mine and weld it. I just spoke to BRP and they have no Idea what is going on in regards to a repair on this.. The dealer says run it... Hmmmmm maybe they'll come pick me up when mine blows. Told me not to weld it or else it would not be covered... B*ll****... I'll do whatever I want and they will cover it if it breaks.. To many are breaking and I'm not gonna wait to find out mine is weak when I'm 50 miles in the Alpine. Rather not pay a chopper $2000 to drag her out.. My question is are they all bad?? or just some?? any way to tell?? thx
at Hope on the weekend and another guy with a 154 XP blew his.. 600miles. I think I'm gonna pull mine and weld it. I just spoke to BRP and they have no Idea what is going on in regards to a repair on this.. The dealer says run it... Hmmmmm maybe they'll come pick me up when mine blows. Told me not to weld it or else it would not be covered... B*ll****... I'll do whatever I want and they will cover it if it breaks.. To many are breaking and I'm not gonna wait to find out mine is weak when I'm 50 miles in the Alpine. Rather not pay a chopper $2000 to drag her out.. My question is are they all bad?? or just some?? any way to tell?? thx
My dealer checked with BRP and he was told that these failures are sporadic. I was at the shop and the tech showed me a Polaris shaft from an 06. Poo is using hollow shafts too and I haven't heard of any failures there. Although it is a very serious failure I believe that it doesn't affect all shafts. Probably the few that were made on a certain day or something like that. The dealer checked mine and I'll continue to check it after each ride. Better safe than sorry.
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SylvanLaker
Well-known member
PJ, thx for the info, but how does looking at it tell you anything. I'm pretty sure when they go they just go. If any deformation is noticable it would have already blown... No..?? Are you gonna weld yours??
bad design.
I think it is only happening to the ones that USE their sleds to the full potential. I am on my second shaft and hope it doesnt break, but I know it will.
I think it is only happening to the ones that USE their sleds to the full potential. I am on my second shaft and hope it doesnt break, but I know it will.
I sent pics of a blown shaft to the dealer and a copy of the threads that have been posted regarding the broken shafts and what to look for. BRP also told him what to look for. That is what a dealer is for. If it breaks, I'll get a new one. The dealer gave me a deal on a 4 year warranty so I am covered. I have pretty close ties to the dealer so I know that I'll be taken care of. I would imagine that if a guy was to weld it on it on his own and the thing blew, BRP would deny the warranty claim saying that he damaged the the integrity of the factory construction. All manufacturers would say this, not just BRP. So I would be wary of welding it yourself.
I think it is only happening to the ones that USE their sleds to the full potential. I am on my second shaft and hope it doesnt break, but I know it will.
I have only gotten to ride the sled for 50 miles, but I can tell you that when I got to the play areas that thing got hammered on hard. I will continue to watch it.
Have repaired one that was broken. After welding it was still straight. The problem may be with what the material is for the tube. It probably is not mild steel in which case there is a specific procedure to follw so that it will not get brittle when welded.
weak design
They are breaking around 300-550 miles imo. It is a bad design with serious safety implications. I hear you on the "don't weld it yourself" scenario. But, like many have said before, Do you wait until it fails. Think of the implications
They are breaking around 300-550 miles imo. It is a bad design with serious safety implications. I hear you on the "don't weld it yourself" scenario. But, like many have said before, Do you wait until it fails. Think of the implications
Well, I don't know about the 300-550 miles deal. I have 960 miles on my XP and they are not easy miles by any means. No drive shaft problems yet, but I'm sure there is still that chance.
One of my clients did the engineering work for the Poo shaft and their testing showed that because of the tremendous loads put on the shaft when jumping the shaft had to be welded. Doo was interested in buying the engineering from them and did their own design using the friction weld. So that’s why Poo shafts are good, Doo no good.
You put a cummins engine with 650 ft lbs of torque in a half ton ford what is going to happen. We need a heavy duty shaft.
C
canucklehead
Well-known member
pics
Can everyone see the end of their driveshaft, is this what they all look like? Not that impressed with the pitting.
Can everyone see the end of their driveshaft, is this what they all look like? Not that impressed with the pitting.
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idaspud
Active member
Sure looks like the stub shaft is breaking. Or is the crack in the weld that was machined almost completely away? If the stub shaft is breaking then there is another serious problem with the overall strength of the shaft design. Heaven help us. Need German engineers, not French. Spud
that shaft looks welded..and looks ok(not in design..but in one piece)! pitting should not be a concern(common from all weldings i've seen at a shop)!
But to me...this driveshaft problem is a engineering flaw.....from the materials..to the fabrication!
aftermarkets are gonna love this!!
But to me...this driveshaft problem is a engineering flaw.....from the materials..to the fabrication!
aftermarkets are gonna love this!!
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The Driveshaft is not the issue. Its the low bidder company putting it together. I ride with 6 Polaris sleds with this style of drivesahft, 13,000 combined miles. No failures. The process that Polaris uses is friction welding. The stub shaft is spun at 20k and then slowly pressed into the staionary shaft until both materials "weld" It has been in use since 04 on the ProX sleds and is still in use today.
On a side note, XP owners need to band together and file a class action lawsuit on the issues you are facing. That is if Ski-doo cares, they are too busy releasing the 09 E-tec models.
On a side note, XP owners need to band together and file a class action lawsuit on the issues you are facing. That is if Ski-doo cares, they are too busy releasing the 09 E-tec models.
