Hi everybody, I'm new here and enjoy the info very much. So, I've got a '01 sp 500ho with 950 miles on it and it has started creeping forward (or back in reverse). I took it in to my dealer and he says he put in 5 shims on the secondary but Polaris says if it needs more than 3, you need a new clutch. What's up with that? I'm also having a problem with the starter not working when it's cold out( 20 degrees ). He says it has to be moisture but everything is sealed up. Anybody else with these problems?

 

Hey, not to mean anything bad, but i dont think your dealer knows what the heck he is talking about on the clutch. To have to shim the secondary clutch and add more shims means the deflection is too tight. Now: The deflection cannot tighten on it's own. When a belt wears down it rides deeper in the clutches and that makes the deflection greater. The motor has a tendency to pull towards the secondary (transmission) and that also causes deflection to increase. If nothing has been changed on the wheeler such as motor mounts, or anything that could have changed the distance between the primary and secondary clutches, then there would have to be something else. If the idle has been raised or a small air leak that would cause it to raise, then that could make it start creeping. A mechanical failure of one of the clutches could cause them not to backshift all the way and cause the problem. Keep this in mind: Primary clutches generally need replacing before the secondary, but you shouldnt be even close to thinking about that. Lay a straight edge across the top of the belt from the primary to the secondary, then push down lightly and take a measurement in the top middle. It should read between 1&1/8 and 1&1/4. On another note, the belt dust gathers just like brake dust, and sometimes just taking the air hose and blowing it all out can do wanders. Hope this helps,Bubba

 

your primary clutch has built up dust under the ebs roller and needs cleaned, or the roller has too much side to side play and the roller needs shimmed, which requires rebuilding the primary (and replacing any worn bushings)

on a 2001 the fisrt two things i mentioned are very common, as is needing ONE additional washer behind the primary for clutch alignment.

but i have seen absolutely NO cases where the belt DEFLECTION had to be messed with.


btw tyhe eary 2001 hos' had a old style ebs clutch, and any newly pruchased ebs clutch should have all the new improvemnets in it.

 

thanks bubba, I'm not much for wrenching myself but i will be talking to the dealer. happy muddin'

 

maybe i misunderstood what the mech said, maybe it was the primary that he shimmed. Anyway, wouldn't he have cleaned out the dust when adding shims?