Clutching Question

Why am I not getting full shift out?

Riding around 2000m all different kinds of snow conditions.

Running clicker 3.

Is this stock clutching?

Looks like its good to me. Remember. Full shift out is you max speed your sled is geared for. That looks like your past 1:1 ratio, and you are into overdrive.
Your belt deflection can be tighter tho.

snopro said:

Is this stock clutching?

Click to expand...

Yes sir

Caper11 said:

Looks like its good to me. Remember. Full shift out is you max speed your sled is geared for. That looks like your past 1:1 ratio, and you are into overdrive.
Your belt deflection can be tighter tho.

Click to expand...

Really my cat would use the whole face, I feel like I am leaving some on the table here.

This deflection was from the end of a 3 day ride. I set my deflection in the sled stand and it end up exposing the whole cord. Basically as tight as I can go without the sled being in autopilot.

How do you adjust your belt deflection?

If you gear down, the belt will ride higher on the primary. Given the stock gearing, a 1-1 shift out is all the motor will pull.
The only way to get the belt to ride higher is to gear lower or add a lot of horsepower. Gearing is cheap, horsepower is expensive. If you gear to say, 19/53, the clutch will shift out more. Using 19/53 gears, the G4 Doos at 105kmh the belt will bottom out in the secondary and hit the roller studs. Belt breakage may ensue. Just watch the speedo on ice and hard flat conditions.
To have a little fun with this, find a hard, flat lake. Mark the clutches with sharpie and go wfo for a ways. If it doesn’t go into overdrive, it’s geared too high. If it goes to 1-1 and then lolligags in 1-1 and then slowly goes into overdrive but doesn’t go into overrev, she’s geared too tall. It’s kinda cool to see what the clutches do at 1-1, overdrive and over rev.
If it goes smoothly from 1-1 into overdrive and then into overrev(the clutches are fully locked out) and the Rpm’s start to rise, it’s in the ballpark. With big gearing changes, this has an effect on the primary and secondary also. They may need some springs, weight and helix changes. Two roller clutches have a friction jack type action so you can only gear down so much. After about 2.7final gear ratio the benefits kinda flat line. After 3.4 ratio it starts to gain again because of overdrive and over rev. I went off on a tangent there. Back on track Kanedog.


When the clutches are near full shift out, there is a lot of spring pressure to overcome the secondary and primary. Around 350-400lbs of force to overcome the primary and 300lbs of force to overcome the secondary. Everything is kind of all binded up and tight. The tricky part is tuning with lighter springs, lighter weights, lower gearing, helix angles all while loading the motor. The goal is to get the clutches to lightly grip the belt, not slip and provide wicked backshift. With the current two roller stock secondary clutches, it’s hard to make this happen. An Stm, old school cat, Pro-4 and Paragon secondary are three and six roller clutches. A three roller clutch helps a ton. Even a Polaris three button clutch from a ‘99 Bearcat will do in a pinch. The Stm and Paragon have reverse.
Ibackshift has good tech info on this subject. He’s got a wicked primary spring that has super low engagement.

The real life example I have seen is a ‘17 g4 blowing belts every 350kms. Our fellow sledder went to a 19/51 from a 21/51(I think, can’t remember). Belt life went to 1100kms/belt and confidence not blowing a belt in a climb was restored. More snappy and lively, no rpm fade and belt heat decreased.
I like the way you set your deflection.
Great question. Long reply. Hope I was able to get my thoughts into writing!
I encourage experimenting!

skegpro said:

Really my cat would use the whole face, I feel like I am leaving some on the table here.

This deflection was from the end of a 3 day ride. I set my deflection in the sled stand and it end up exposing the whole cord. Basically as tight as I can go without the sled being in autopilot.

How do you adjust your belt deflection?

Click to expand...

1:1 ratio is about 7/8 from the top of the primary, you will have to gear your sled way higher in ratio if you want to see your belt use the full face in the mtns.

So if your sled is geared 21/53 with the stock drivers, at 1:1 at 8000rpm you should be moving 62mph. Full OD is 75mph.

Loosen the little allen screw with the nut on the adjuster on the end of the secondarys jackshaft and loosen the aluminum collar. Its a left hand thread.

Just need some clutching. Dont gear down anymore, kanedog makes sleds slower than stock... he proved that last year.

The helix and secondary spring are holding back shift out. Feel free to call me if you have any questions or concerns.

Caper11 said:

1:1 ratio is about 7/8 from the top of the primary, you will have to gear your sled way higher in ratio if you want to see your belt use the full face in the mtns.

So if your sled is geared 21/53 with the stock drivers, at 1:1 at 8000rpm you should be moving 62mph. Full OD is 75mph.

Loosen the little allen screw with the nut on the adjuster on the end of the secondarys jackshaft and loosen the aluminum collar. Its a left hand thread.

Click to expand...

Lol, I know how to adjust it.
I mean when you initially set it what are you watching for?
Is there a little prayer that you say?

skegpro said:

Lol, I know how to adjust it.
I mean when you initially set it what are you watching for?
Is there a little prayer that you say?

Click to expand...

Oh whats the belt setting you mean??

You should see the bottom of the cord flush with the flange, its in your owners manual.

Comments: 175lb rider
18 freeride 165"
19-53

4-7000ft
Dreaming of lower engagement


its "Stand up and read a newspaper" or "stand up and drink a coffee".
Someone in Colorado is going to send me a video of drinking a coffee...haha, will post on youtube.