I have done asearch and most of the threads deal with slipping on quads that have aftermarket clutches and springs. My belt started slipping at windrock last weekend. Didn't go through mud or anything.. The quad has a little over 500 miles on the factory belt. I took the cover off at the bottom of the mountain in look at the belt (this is the first time i have ever had the cover off) A guy was telling me that he thinks the belt is stretched. So i replace the belt by myself on tuesday. Yesterday i go ride and it is slipping again. but slightly different than before.

Symptoms: Won't go anywhere in High gear. In Low gear if you just hammer the throttle from a stop it will rev to about 4K and then plane off about 15mph. Then if you go to about 1/4 throttle then roll back in to full throttle it will accelerate. if you are rolling around 10mph or so and give it throttle it will rev to 4K for about 2seconds then it will drop the revs and "catch". Also, my quad DOES NOT HAVE EBS - however, now when i'm going down hills instead of the just rolling down the hill and having that high pitched whine it feels like there is still tension on the belt and it will slow me down to a stop. Same for if i'm just on a flat trail and i let off the throttle it will feel like its still got tension on the belt and it will slow quickly like i have applied the brakes.

When I changed the belt, i just took the old one off and put the new one on as per instructions i found on this site. I put it over the front pulley. Got it started on the back pulley then walked the belt on. The search i did for belt slip showed that some people use 280 grit sand paper on the clutches. Can anyone be more specific as to where that is and if i need to do that?

Sorry if this topic has been beat to death, but i used the search function for "belt slip" and read every thread. the threads were all having to do with people that have aftermarket springs and clutches. I was hoping to get it running correctly before the weekend as Windrock is having a guided night ride which i would like to attend.

 

is your belt sitting about 1/8 " above the the secondary clutch(thats the big one)? if you have the cover off and put it in neutral start it up and rev it up to watch if the belt is going all the way up in the primary (front clutch) and it should drop all the way down in the rear clutch. start w/ that first to make sure the clutches is working right and let us know.

 

Check your clutch buttons.

When the clutch buttons wear down it feels just like the belt is slipping. My original clutch buttons went at about 400 miles. I have the same exact machine as yours....2004 Sportsman 400 no EBS. The clutch buttons are 3 plastic/nylon "buttons" that are screwed into your secondary clutch housing with phillips head screws. They wear down. They cost $3 each and you can replace them yourself. Remove your secondary clutch. Open it up using a GOOD set of snap ring pliers to remove the snap ring. Trust me...a GOOD set of snap ring pliers will make it a whole lot easier. Once the snap ring is removed, the helix will pop right out of the housing. Remove the helix and the spring. Look into the housing and you'll see the clutch buttons. Replace them and then re-assemble the helix and spring into the housing. The helix and clutch housing have numbered holes where you set the spring tabs. Stock setting for the spring tabs is 2-2. Once your have the spring tabs in the holes pre-tension the spring by turning it 1/3 rotation (in the direction to compress the spring) while you push it down into the housing. Then have a buddy install the snap ring while you hold it in place. A buddy is a big help at this point to install the snap ring while you hold the assembly together. Re-install the secondary back onto the machine and re-install your belt, cover etc.... and you're good to go.

I'm telling you from my experience that what you have described sounds just like you need new clutch buttons. Since I have replaced my clutch buttons at 400 miles I've gone 1250 miles on the replacements. I still have the same belt and it shows no significant wear. I just replaced it recently because I did all my maintenance, fluids etc... and figured I'd change out the belt too as a course of preventive maintenance. It's got 1250 miles on it and it could probably go another 1250 miles.

Good Luck, Bob

 

thanks guys. i will check those things first thing in the morning. thanks for not jumping my case about this question, a lot of boards jump people's cases about using the search function. i did a search and the information it found, while very good, was not applicable to my situation.

backinthesaddleagain: where do i pick up these buttons? can i get them from the polaris stealership or do they need to be ordered online? i'm not familiar at all with parts resources for ATVs. i can find just about anything for a ford 4.6 mod motor, but i don't know anything about the four wheeling scene. thanks for the detailed reply!

stendori: yes, if i remember correctly from when i installed it (i've slept since then) it had about 1/8th of an inch above the rearward pulley/clutch. The stock clutch sat a little less than 1/8th of an unch UNDER being flush with the lip (sorry if i'm using wrong terminology) I remember starting it up and reving it and the forward clutch closing in on the belt. As to what the belt did at the front clutch i cannot recall and will check it again tomorrow.

 

You can get the clutch buttons for $3 each from your dealer. He should have them in stock. It requires 3 of them. Again....a GOOD set of snap ring pliers is a must. Get a pair with the longer handles for more leverage.

Good Luck, Bob

 

Wow thats exactly what I did to my 400 today! Replacing those ramp buttons made it feel like it did when I put the clutch kit in last year. The dealer said thats why I wore them down (because of the aftermarket clutch kit). I was wondering though about those spring holes; 1, 2, and 3. Do you know what differences ,if any, if I try the other holes?
Thanks!

 

Those settings make a difference in up-shifting and back-shifting characteristics.......but I'll be damned if I can remember which way to set them to do what. Stock is 2-2. It's important to pre-tension the spring when you re-assemble the helix into the housing. Pre-tension the spring by rotating it 1/3 rotation in the direction so as to compress the spring before pushing the helix all the way down into the housing. I now have 1250 miles on my replaced clutch buttons. The original ones only went 400 miles. I think this is because the helix/spring was not pre-tensioned originally and if not pre-tensioned the helix ramps can bang on the buttons. With the pre-tension they stay snug against the buttons. It's a theory on my part....but with 1250 miles since I did them I must have done something right. I also polished my helix ramp surfaces to minimize abrasive wear on the buttons.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Check you belt deflection first it sounds more serious than that thoguh. I do not suggest runing your machine in neutral andreving it up to see if clutch shifts out all of the way for 2 reasons 1 it's not safe at all 2 it's not the same becasue there is no load on the machine so no matter what you will shift out in neutral if you rev it up. Pull your secondary apart inspect buttons and secondary spring, if the buttons are bad they need to be replaced. Whats happening is the clutch is most likley stuck open some what and or your sping is broke or poped out of it hole. This happens over time with the non ebs modles the buttons wear out with or with out a clutch kit, we see it alot more on guys who ride harder than others. To fix this entirely you should install a team roller secondary you will fix/eliminate the problem and you will gain in acceleration and backshift.

 

Thanks for the info Backinthesaddleagain! I'm going to take it back out tonight because I can't remember what hole number I used. I did do the pre-tension of the spring and 1/3 turn. And that team roller secondary that Speedwerx was talking about is sort of what the guy at the dealer was telling me about. He said I could take a secondary unit from a EBS Sportsman that has the rollers and install on mine.

 

I used to have a '05 Sportsman 400 and the same thing happened to me when it was still
under warranty(that sucks)...The guy at the dealership told me it happens when people
like to jump whoops and get in the gas hard when they hit the ground and engage the clutch
too hard...Whatever...
Parts like that shouldn't break under 200 miles...They are cheap, but definitely a pain
in the a$$ to replace...Glad you found the problem...I bought three for spares and sold them
with the bike when I sold it...Not a big fan of the "too heavy, too bulky, too clumsy" utes...
Although the Polaris seat is the most comfortable in the business...
Riding sport bikes now and never been happier(even with all the shifting[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]...