hi all, i have a 2002 polaris 500 h.o with 27 inch vampires, highlifter clutch kit, gorrila axles,i am going through belts like every 2 times i ride it. i am a machanic and have had it apart and the cluthes and pullys are all lined up correctly according to the factory specs. this is the first polaris i have owned that is belt drive. i have owned a yamaha grizzly before and never had a problem with the belt.and everyone i ride with has belt drive also and they have no problem.

so please help if you can!!!! p.s put new belt on tonight and rode for 2 hours and smoked it

 

here's an idea...try it in low when you go mudding or slow trail riding, only reason the belt will go on you is if you ride in HI all the time when your going slow, thats why they put a LOW drive on these machines....

also, if you ride in a lot of water, then since you have taken the PVT cover off soo many times....might be the right time to replace that seal...otherwise the belt will slip on you

 

You might check and see if the driven clutch (rear) is assembled correctly. By this I mean when you put it together you have to twist the inside sheave at least 1/3 turn to load the spring so it can work correctly and put a side load on the belt to keep it from slipping.

 

i just talked to a polaris dealer about that same thing today and he said that if you are stuck in the mud and keep spinning your tires you will eventually burn up the belt but he also said that the belt drive is getting better with every knew year. the bigger tires are also just a little more strain also

 

I gotta comment here. Big tires, even spinning in mud, isn't nearly as much strain as turning a 159 x 15 inch "flat tire" (snowmobile track) through a couple feet of snow pushing a machine that doesn't roll but has to slide along. Even under the best circumstances of smooth, hard pack, try pushing a snowmobile and you'll understand just how much more friction they need to overcome. Now add anywhere from 100-200+ hp on the other end of that belt and you'd think you have a recipe for disaster. Yet you rarely hear of sleds burning belts these days under everyday riding conditions. There HAS to be something wrong here.

 

OK sport, but I have to make a comment about that also. You didnt mention that the belt is physically bigger and beefier, and also that the clutches are bigger allowing for a lower gear ratio on takeoff and a wider shifting range.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] But I agree with you, something's not right here. Like EAB said, not enough secondary tension, or too light of weights causing not enough belt grab.

 

would there being a snorkel on my bike cause this? it is 2 inch dia. and about 4 feet long, only on the exhaust outlet the intake is factory

 

The belts aren't that much bigger given the difference in horsepower (the belt on my old 488 Indy Trail was easily confused with the belt on my quad except it was longer) and while the clutches do give a wider shifting range (remember sleds can putt around slowly and still hit 110+) it would take some calculating with the ratios in the chaincase/tranny to compare the final drive spinning a 27" tire (85" circumference) to a 159" (or even the standard 121") track at the lowest clutch ratio. But we do agree that there is something wrong with his quad[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]. The easy test for belt slipage on a sled is to ride around for awhile and then feel the clutch face with your hand. If it's too hot to hold your hand on it, then there's too much belt slipage. I suppose he could take the cover off and ride around and try the same test.

 

i think you need more belt deflection,add shim into the clutch shaft til you get 1/8 even more on top of secondary,use polaris belt,or i did
got good result with hpd belt on a 500 h.o..
if the belt is flush to top of secondary that can cauze the belt to slap at the bottom too soon so it break.
maybe helix angle has been changed also,or the spring is too soft.