Driveshaft Bulletin!!!

cs5

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
362
Reaction score
468
Location
Edmonton
Ok what I would like to see is a service bulletin that gets all Pro 600 and 800 back to the dealer to have the shaft removed and tested. I am sure you can easily build a jig to hold the shaft right next to the two outside drivers about the same width as the driver itself to simulate the same conditions you would have in the sled, then apply torque with a torque wrench to test the shaft. I am sure someone at Polaris knows what this shaft is designed to stand up to as far a force. 800 ft/lbs 500 I have no idea but someone at Polaris does. So that way if your shaft is going to fail it fails on the bench if it passes put it back in service and away you go. I will be doing this to my own as soon as I can get an answer on how much force it is designed to withstand. It is easy to figure out how much force is available from the stock engine within reason but I have no idea how much to add for shock loads.
 

ICF

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Messages
5
Reaction score
29
Location
new sarepta
Pulled one out of frisby ridge on Friday and seen several more at boulder on Saturday. Sucks they all seem to have 35-50k on them. I had 42 k on mine
Needless to say it ruined my day of riding. I wasn't able to ride anyware I couldn't be towed out of and chopper rescue said the were not picking sleds till Monday when the weather cleared up
Mine never broke and was able to put another 50k on but rode it fairly easy. I did ride a new xm of my buddy and was extremely impressed. Night and day better then the xp. Man I would hate to have to change brands
 

duck

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
8,670
Reaction score
12,864
Location
Cardiff Echoes, Morinville
Website
www.myspace.com
Pulled one out of frisby ridge on Friday and seen several more at boulder on Saturday. Sucks they all seem to have 35-50k on them. I had 42 k on mine
Needless to say it ruined my day of riding. I wasn't able to ride anyware I couldn't be towed out of and chopper rescue said the were not picking sleds till Monday when the weather cleared up
Mine never broke and was able to put another 50k on but rode it fairly easy. I did ride a new xm of my buddy and was extremely impressed. Night and day better then the xp. Man I would hate to have to change brands

Someone posted 6 choppered out friday so he went home..... and your one at frisby so at least 80 and counting.....I don't recall the exact total but I don't think that many shafts fell apart on the Doo's in 2008.....recall?
 

Summiteer

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
5,883
Reaction score
3,508
Location
Whitecourt, Ab
Someone posted 6 choppered out friday so he went home..... and your one at frisby so at least 80 and counting.....I don't recall the exact total but I don't think that many shafts fell apart on the Doo's in 2008.....recall?
Lots went in '08. More than 80 I'd say. Didn't they do a general recall and swap them all out though? Or did they make you ride until it failed?
 

duck

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
8,670
Reaction score
12,864
Location
Cardiff Echoes, Morinville
Website
www.myspace.com
Lots went in '08. More than 80 I'd say. Didn't they do a general recall and swap them all out though? Or did they make you ride until it failed?

All were replaced, a year later on mine.....such a line up to get it in.....I put 3000 miles on mine (plug welded) and was worried the new one would fail.....lol
 
Last edited:

teeroy

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
9,100
Reaction score
14,101
Location
Roma, Alberta
Lots went in '08. More than 80 I'd say. Didn't they do a general recall and swap them all out though? Or did they make you ride until it failed?
they did do a recall on every 2008 XP. I rode a lot that year from chetwynd to tumbler, kakwa, valemount, blue river, and never saw a single failure with my own eyes but a lot of guys were welding them. I have seen more pics of blown poo shafts in the last month than any pics of the XP shafts in '08, I don't think there were as many, and I don't recall ever seeing a number for the amount of failures in any bulletin.
 

Summiteer

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
5,883
Reaction score
3,508
Location
Whitecourt, Ab
Saw one changed out at the cabin at Owls Head. (Old Mountain Man was there) Guy that did it said it was I think the 8th one he'd changed out.
 

old mountain man

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
436
Reaction score
679
Location
Whitecourt
Saw one changed out at the cabin at Owls Head. (Old Mountain Man was there) Guy that did it said it was I think the 8th one he'd changed out.

He did get pretty good at it! We always carried a spare drive shaft. Pro riders have my sympathy as I was always
wondering when mine was going to let go!
 

duck

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
8,670
Reaction score
12,864
Location
Cardiff Echoes, Morinville
Website
www.myspace.com
they did do a recall on every 2008 XP. I rode a lot that year from chetwynd to tumbler, kakwa, valemount, blue river, and never saw a single failure with my own eyes but a lot of guys were welding them. I have seen more pics of blown poo shafts in the last month than any pics of the XP shafts in '08, I don't think there were as many, and I don't recall ever seeing a number for the amount of failures in any bulletin.

I had heard of 25-30 but never saw any either, just the internet pics.... and everybody I know welded them.....I'm in oilfield construction so drilling and plug welds were fast and cheap (free)
 

teeroy

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
9,100
Reaction score
14,101
Location
Roma, Alberta
one of our guys was shop foreman at LaPrairie, we did them all together one night and had their welder tig them. 5 brand new sleds torn apart in one bay, they thought we were nuts. when I told my dealer about the driveshaft issue he hadn't seen a failure and not heard anything from 'doo, and didn't believe me. just had that "you heard it where?" look on his face....
 

ICF

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Messages
5
Reaction score
29
Location
new sarepta
Were there a lot of12 sleds with shafts breaking? Was thinking now there is a non adjustable belt on there the tension must be alot. Maybe it is overstressing the shaft similar to overtighting an alternator belt and breaking the pulley
 

duck

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
8,670
Reaction score
12,864
Location
Cardiff Echoes, Morinville
Website
www.myspace.com
Were there a lot of12 sleds with shafts breaking? Was thinking now there is a non adjustable belt on there the tension must be alot. Maybe it is overstressing the shaft similar to overtighting an alternator belt and breaking the pulley

steel driveshafts last year....no issues
 

Summiteer

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
5,883
Reaction score
3,508
Location
Whitecourt, Ab
You can either be light and expensive or heavy and (relatively) inexpensive. Both don't go together that well. Doo learned that in '08, Thus the weight gain in subsequent years. Polaris may be figuring that out this year. Only so far you can go before you need to incorporate exotic (expensive) metals for strength.
 

duck

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
8,670
Reaction score
12,864
Location
Cardiff Echoes, Morinville
Website
www.myspace.com
You can either be light and expensive or heavy and (relatively) inexpensive. Both don't go together that well. Doo learned that in '08, Thus the weight gain in subsequent years. Polaris may be figuring that out this year. Only so far you can go before you need to incorporate exotic (expensive) metals for strength.

Yes, light means $$$$$$$$$$$
 

scafer53

Active member
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
32
Reaction score
206
Location
Edmonton
Well I'm just on my way back from revy, road for about a hour friday before she broke.took us 6 hours to get it down. Had 50 miles on it. Its deff unfortunate that this is happening! All you can really do is ride it and if it breaks it breaks. Just be cautious of where your riding I guess (I forgot that part)
So they say there 70 reported as of the 30th? I expect that to be closer too 100 by the end of the week. Talked to the lady at selkirk helicopters and she told me they've gotten 7 calls. Chopper companies will love us haha. Another thing I'm not impressed with is replacing it with the same shaft. I personally don't want mine back until this is sorted out. A buddy was in allen 2 weeks ago and has his heli'd out. They put a new one on and it broke pulling into the shop.....not much we as riders can do but prepare for it and hope they sort it out quick!
 

scafer53

Active member
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
32
Reaction score
206
Location
Edmonton
Well I'm just on my way back from revy, road for about a hour friday before she broke.took us 6 hours to get it down. Had 50 miles on it. Its deff unfortunate that this is happening! All you can really do is ride it and if it breaks it breaks. Just be cautious of where your riding I guess (I forgot that part)
So they say there 70 reported as of the 30th? I expect that to be closer too 100 by the end of the week. Talked to the lady at selkirk helicopters and she told me they've gotten 7 calls. Chopper companies will love us haha. Another thing I'm not impressed with is replacing it with the same shaft. I personally don't want mine back until this is sorted out. A buddy was in allen 2 weeks ago and has his heli'd out. They put a new one on and it broke pulling into the shop.....not much we as riders can do but prepare for it and hope they sort it out quick!
 

duck

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
8,670
Reaction score
12,864
Location
Cardiff Echoes, Morinville
Website
www.myspace.com
Well I'm just on my way back from revy, road for about a hour friday before she broke.took us 6 hours to get it down. Had 50 miles on it. Its deff unfortunate that this is happening! All you can really do is ride it and if it breaks it breaks. Just be cautious of where your riding I guess (I forgot that part)
So they say there 70 reported as of the 30th? I expect that to be closer too 100 by the end of the week. Talked to the lady at selkirk helicopters and she told me they've gotten 7 calls. Chopper companies will love us haha. Another thing I'm not impressed with is replacing it with the same shaft. I personally don't want mine back until this is sorted out. A buddy was in allen 2 weeks ago and has his heli'd out. They put a new one on and it broke pulling into the shop.....not much we as riders can do but prepare for it and hope they sort it out quick!

Did you ride another sled for the rest of the weekend? Or, do the scenic tour? Sorry to hear about your troubles......
 

CUSO

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
4,771
Reaction score
5,522
Location
Edmonton
I guess the word isn't out. I'm sure there are thousands that don't go to forums to get informed.

Why are people not running the clamps I just don't get it. Haven't heard any failures with them
 
Top Bottom