• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

Anyone running black/purple secondary spring down low?

rags319

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 14, 2009
400
56
28
Cedar Rapids, Ia
I also run my 6-8000' setup when home (2200') except I re -weight the primary heavier. Why? We have so much less snow and more power that I rarely need over half throttle for running around home. The subpar clutching isn't a big deal for me. I also have my proxr short track if I really want to have some fun when home.

I feel same way. I ride 8-10k out west with blk/purple. I leave it in at home also. This rig isn't a racer and handlles like crap on the trail if you try riding hard anyway. I do change weighs tho so I don't overrev. Plenty of performance for its trail manners IMO.
 

philsummers21

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 27, 2007
2,437
486
83
41
Big Horns, Wyoming
If all clutching components remain equal, why does a black/ purple give you more RPM at high elevation vs. the stock black? Because it hinders the secondary from shifting out. Think about this for a moment, you went from a 155-222# spring to a 160-240# spring. It takes more horsepower to overcome a stouter spring or you remain in a lower gear ratio. Do you want track speed? This is not the way to get it. You will never witness the full potential of your clutching, gearing and engine performance using this philosophy. It's a cheap fix, bandaid. The helix angle is wrong for the application.

Curious what you run TRS. As I ride cooke and the horns so should be fairly close to what you have. I do have the SLP stage 3 kit, LRTM, and 163 with 7 tooth avids

But im runnin the black/purple and stock helix and MTX weights with either SLP blue/pink or the 100/340 spring. I go back and forth between the 2 primary springs
 
S

Seeker

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2009
139
45
28
Western Colorado
I just picked up my new 2015 and it had 62 weights and a black secondary spring. We switched out to 60 weights and black/purple secondary spring. We ride 8-10k and steep and deep is what we prefer. Has anyone found a better set up?
 

winter brew

Premium Member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
10,016
4,332
113
56
LakeTapps, Wa.
Shallower finish on the helix at high elevation, especially on the 163. Can probably get by with a couple more degrees on he start with the 160/240. :face-icon-small-win
 

Rick!

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
793
335
63
I find gearing down works better than the belt heating black purple. That way I can still throw heel and belly weight at it without losing response. Cooke needs 2 grams less than the Horns, typically. 10-68s, 11-68s, and 11-70s all work at low elevation. Stage 3 with MTX 65s and 10-62s don't if you actually get into the throttle. YMMV.
 

kylant

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Mar 4, 2011
1,664
393
83
CA
sorry to hijack, but i got a question

i ride at elevations between the 2 polaris suggested clutch set ups. i am at 6500 feet, we typically ride from 7200 ft up to nearly 10,000 on the same ride.

what would be the best clutching set up for that range of altitude using polaris parts?
stock 155 pro
thanks
 

BILTIT

Well-known member
Premium Member
Apr 9, 2011
1,682
482
83
45
Lloydminster, SK
I would run the 8-10000 setup, depending what elevation you are at most of the time.

I run the 6-8000 setup but never really get above 8500 and have no issues. If i was going to 9 or above i would probably go with the 8-10k setup.
 
R

roni87

Well-known member
Feb 11, 2011
513
213
43
I Falls, MN
I tried the black/purple at 1200ft w/ stock helix, 10-68 weights slp blue/pink primary spring and didn't like it. As stated it will rev higher, but performance is lost with less shift out. Also was generating a lot of belt heat and was evident by the smell.

Went to stock spring w/ 58-38 helix for at home and cooke. At home with 10-68 weights I could still get the shift out, but at cooke with 10-60's I was reving 8400 most times and the track speed wasn't there...62's could have maybe fixed this problem a bit. A pro with 10-60's and stock secondary would beat me on the hill or trail.

This year I'm going lighter with the secondary spring (140-200), with a slightly less "rate" to make the shift out easier. This should give me less belt heat too. I have rooster weights this year too because I'm hoping to not have to run as much primary weight either. My helix has either 58-40 or 58-38 so I can bump up to the 40 finish angle If I need some more load on the engine.

I agree that the heavier secondary spring is just a band-aid fix to get more rpm
 

kylant

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Mar 4, 2011
1,664
393
83
CA
I would run the 8-10000 setup, depending what elevation you are at most of the time.

I run the 6-8000 setup but never really get above 8500 and have no issues. If i was going to 9 or above i would probably go with the 8-10k setup.

is there a combo that would work good for both scenarios? something that would work good for 6500-9500 on the same ride? i would say most of the ride usually is between 8000-8500
lighter primary weights and black spring or some sort of combo like that?

thanks
 
Last edited:

BILTIT

Well-known member
Premium Member
Apr 9, 2011
1,682
482
83
45
Lloydminster, SK
IMO, most people wouldnt be able to tell the difference between secondary springs.

The 6-8000 setup works well at 8-8500, i would probably use that setup. I run adjustable weights so if needed i could remove a tad more but 1-200rpm loss is not a big deal to the majority of people.

Adjusting the helix to a shallower final angle can help aswell (usually i only adjust this according to snow type though). Does the stock setup have 2 helix tracks in it? I have only run the carls helix and tied clutch which both have dual tracks in one helix.
 
Last edited:
S

sledneck_03

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2009
2,326
613
113
Saskatoon, SK
Shallower finish on the helix at high elevation, especially on the 163. Can probably get by with a couple more degrees on he start with the 160/240. :face-icon-small-win



so a twin trax helix would be a good choice



56/42 .36 and 56/40 .36?



im finding a rpm loss in crusty snow at 1600 ft. was going to go with a higher spring rate but after some reading its not the way to go.



was thinking of going with the 56/40 .36 for home....if i didnt like it i could turn it back to stock then use the shallower angle for higher elevation??

Or even a 56/40 .36 and 56/38 .36 as i already have a 56/42 .36
 
Last edited:

kylant

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Mar 4, 2011
1,664
393
83
CA
was thinking about this the other day during a ride. we were in our normal spot, looked at my gps and the altitude was 8600 ft. it was matching my buddies cat gauge. this altitude was about the average elevation of most the terrain we ride, sometimes we may be 5-600 ft higher. i was running stock 6000-8000ft clutching. we had 18” of new snow on top of ice. i noticed i was down in the 7800-7900 range at wot. a few weeks ago we were at togwotee and i was running the 8-10,000 ft clutching. noticed there we were mostly 8600-9500 ft elevation. the snow there was more set-up. sled was pulling 8100-8250 all day long.

so, wondering if i should throw the 8-10000 ft set-up back in? i thought our primary riding spot elevation was a little lower than it actually is.

thx
 
Last edited:
Clutch setup

We have a great setup at Carls that everyone raves about. We run the stock spring, weights for your elevation, a custom cut helix, and different secondary spring. Only modification you will need to make is changing weights for elevation, or if you get above 10000 feet, rotating your helix to the secondary angle. If you want more info, give me a call at Carl's and I can help you out. Just ask for Daniel, or shoot me a PM here on Snowest.
 
S

sledneck_03

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2009
2,326
613
113
Saskatoon, SK
i put the black purple in at 1600 ft. going to see how she works with mds weights

8400 on trail, 8000 in the fields is bumming me out so worth a shot.

like some one said, low rpm on trail = lighter weights,
low rpm in snow compared to trail = stiffer secondary spring
 
G

green_denali

Active member
Dec 14, 2009
172
39
28
Anchorage, AK
spring

The black/purple works awesome down low. But I run carls 62/42.40 helix, slp blue/pink primary with mtx weights 2 grams in the belly & 1 gram in the tip. My belt will last the whole season , not much belt heat at all, & I don't use any venting. I usually ride between 1000 & 1600 feet, & get 51-52 mph track speed going up a hill in deep snow.
 
C

Carlos Randolph

Active member
Dec 2, 2007
114
36
28
Northfield Mn
Helix not spring for me

I monkeyed around with this for an afternoon on my sled here at home on back to back runs in the same snow conditions, using everything I had that would fit out of the box of clutch parts. This was on my 2015 rmk LE 155 800.

stock springs with 10-68, from a dead stop to wide open, it would pull up to 8100 then drag down to 78-7900. Rolling start, or lifting off throttle. It would only climb to 76-7900.

Changed to 10-66 with stock springs.....better RPM across the board, but still had a hard time pulling back to 8000rpm if I lifted or was on or off the throttle.

Installed a Helix out of a 2012 800 136 switchback, that by the part numbers was slightly steeper (don't remember the numbers). Stayed with the stock springs again. Pulled noticeably harder in the midrange when on and off the throttle.

Then tried a stiffer finish rate secondary spring (don't remember#) but was like 25lbs more than the black. Now sled would not shift out fully=top speed down a bit.

Went back to stock springs, and moved to a Erlandson custom helix. No numbers on it, as they don't want a guy to know what it is so he can tell his buddies. I can only say from the eye test was steeper yet than the switchback helix. Runs straight up to 8250-8300, and pulls hard. Lift and goes straight back to 8250 when back to the throttle. Top speed is 75-85mph on a trail, and no black streaks on the clutches. Belt is never hot to the touch.

I wish I could tell you the numbers for the Erlandson helix, as team is selling over stock helixs cheap on their site. I do know the helix was out of like an 06 IQ 600 clutch kit. :juggle:
 
Premium Features