ATVOBSESSION

1. how long do the drive belts typically last?
2. how can i tell if my belt is worn out and needs to be replaced?
3. if i do replace the belt do i need to rough up the clutches that the belt rides on?

i have about 1000 miles on my atv. most of those were with stock light tires. and an even mix of fire roads (high range) and rock crawling (low range)
now i have bigger heavier bighorn tires and i have felt the belt slip a couple times so i bought the shim that spreads the front clutches out 1mm which increases low end torque but lowers top speed. when i install the shim i was thinking about also replacing my belt and switching my current belt thats on the machine now to the back up belt in my atv pack. that is why i am posting.

thanks

1. I think it depends on the atv and the brand off belt. I hear people getting 3000+ of Can-am OEM belt. Most get around 1,000+ though for sure. (I dont but thats me) People that use the non-oem can-am belts all are around 1k or less though it seems.
2. Starting to slip is a big one. You need to look it up for your machine its width thing Ie, 44mm 22mm etc. Also if its cracked glazed / burned. Missing cogs. Fraying. Theres lots to look for.
3. Some do, some dont. At the very least clean them very well, (i run mine through the dishwasher when no ones around after cleaning them by hand, then clean them again by hand). If i had black belt marks etc all over id scuff them with something very fine (not sand paper) but a abrassive pad etc.

Im un-sure of what your shim is doing? Is it not pinching the belt as much? or more? If thats all its doing then that would answer your question on if you should scruff up your clutch or not. Or our you putting the shim on your spring to raise rpm engaugement for your tires?


Of course take all of these with a huge grain of salt since i get the least amount of life from my belts then any one i know. My first 2 belts where my fault though i got them wet, glazed them and then just kept using them. This last one... i dont know

1000 miles is a good rule of thumb, but that is really dependent on how often you use 4wd or tow heavy. Check the belt for fraying, missing teeth and slippage. If any of those conditions exist, replace the belt.

Your Kodiak has a Wet Clutch that can't be inspected without removing your Primary drive and then taking the clutch side cover off. Unless you've towed heavy loads like a broke down Polaris Sportman through 7 miles of snow your wet clutch should be fine for many more miles.

The belt has a minimum width that you can find in the owners manual. All you have to do is pull the Right Side Belt cover off and measure the belt with a caliper. If the Primary and Secondary surfaces are clean I wouldn't do anything to the surfaces except wipe them clean with something like brake parts cleaner. Scuffing the surface is only going to wear your belt down faster in the future.

I'd go with a Stock Belt or an EPI. The break in is the what determines the service life of the new belt. If you run out and hammer the throttle the belt doesn't get a chance to mate to the sheave surface.

I have seen you ride. Recommended maintenance schedules would need to be adjusted by an "Angelo Coefficient" or AC. I would suggest an AC of .487.

That is better than the "Scott Coefficient" of .001.

=D>

avejoe wrote:I have seen you ride. Recommended maintenance schedules would need to be adjusted by an "Angelo Coefficient" or AC. I would suggest an AC of .487.

That is better than the "Scott Coefficient" of .001.

Mr. Green wrote:Of course take all of these with a huge grain of salt since i get the least amount of life from my belts then any one i know.

So, here's our baseline. We can rate expected lifetimes in BC, the Brian Coefficient. Being the conservative guy that I am, I might expect 8 x BC. If I do a lot of plowing, I might get 4 x BC.

So, let us all remember, here is a BC of 1.0. Please note the optimal location chosen for a belt exchange. Also note the substance in the can - this is a possible cause of premature belt failure (and greatly reduces most other coefficients!)

Beer, especially in quantity, is perhaps the number one cause of belt failures.

Heyyoo!

Speaking of Scott Coefficients, what have we here?:



Hmmmmm....



Uh-oh, what do we have HERE?



Aha! Margarita! Now we can make a slight modification to Hemingray's Law and deem it as the General Theory of Belt Failure:

hemingray wrote:So, let us all remember, here is a BC of 1.0. Please note the optimal location chosen for a belt exchange. Also note the substance in the can or in the blender - this is a possible cause of premature belt failure (and greatly reduces most other coefficients!)

hahaha...that's freaking funny Eric.

thats pretty good,

My belt life in the future isnt looking to good with the scott Coefficients.