I'm new to the auto tranny on my Scrambler 500. How deep of water can I go through before I have to worry about the belt slipping?

 

From what I've seen you can go as deep as you want (without getting water in the airbox)as long as you don't let off the gas. I heard somewhere that the transmission would not suck water unless you cut the gas while in the water. I ride a friends Scrambler 500 often and have never had any trouble with belt slippage and we have been in some tough situations I hope this helps.

Jarrod Holland

 

Wow, that friend must think a lot of you to let you ride his Scrambler! Most people are too curious over there bikes. It looks like Steve & I are riding today. Marie is going to her moms, so its available tonight if you are. Let me know before 5:00. You bring the beer, I bring the ice.

Jerome Coker



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Atver,
As the proud owner of a 97 Scrambler 500, I can tell you that, when setup properly, you'll drown out the engine before the belt gets wet.
As long as you are above idle, you have positive pressure blowing out the exhaust tube on the belt cover.. but, when you let off the throttle, the water overcomes the air pressure and goes in... ruining your day!
Ways to stop this from happening:
1.)Buy an air inlet duct kit(like for a car, from an auto parts house) take your stock outlet tube off(plastic) and install the duct hose and run it up under your "hood".
Adam Dowden (quad_man)has some good pics of the modification on one of his webpages.
2). Put something, like a piece of flexible 1/8" thick plastic over the exhaust outlet, where as long as youre on the throttle, it'll blow the plastic open, but when you let off, it'll partially close and help prevent water from entering.
3). STAY ON THE GAS!!!... If its helplessly stuck, and you have to get off and float it out, let off just long enough to shift to neutral, the rev it up some and hold it there... (KINDA LIKE A HIGH IDLE) If you go in the water slow... keep it at that speed or increase throttle, If you go in fast... KEEP IT GOING FAST.. or slow down gradually, DON'T just dump the throttle...
We have a place out where I ride called the Dust Bowl, and there is a pond you can cross if you're brave, or you can take the trail around it... I GO THRU!!.. If I were to stop in the middle, it would flood the carburetor(its about 3 1/2 maybe 4 ft. in spots) but as long as you keep it moving, and push the "wake" away from the quad, ITS ALL GOOD!!
I need a buddy like yours that would let me ride HIS Scrambler all the time...

 

Great info guys, thanks a lot.

 

Basicaly what everyone said is right, just don't let off. I have seen some Sportsmans and even a Scrambler (all had 25"-27" rubber) float accross a small pond once at a mud run. I went and looked, and they didn't extend the PVT vent at all. It's just learning how to ride it.

I just modifyed mine, because I like to take it easy sometimes in the mud and water, and sometimes I like to go really fast in the water making big waves. I got the belt wet a few times, but it was my fault. I extended mine mainly I guess just for the security.

Before extending mine, I had problems with it dying because of the exhaust being under water before the belt would get wet, again with that, just stay on the gas!

Adam Dowden

Here is how to extend it if you want:

http://www.baselnet.com/atv/mine/mods/pvt/index.htm