Quick Drive Disaster

[bosssho]

This is NOT a bashing Thread, but I want opinions/facts/help please.

My QD belt went last Sunday...I am from MA and ride up in NH and ME. Luckily the thing went not far from where we could tow it to a road and avoid a serious situation.

I was hitting an off trail honey spot and riding through 4' of powder...Yep, we're having a mint winter out there. The next thing I know the track appears to catch on a branch, then again b/c it made a ratchet kinda noise/feeling, and then all of a sudden ZEEEEEEEEEEE and the smell of burnt rubber and no more forward momentum.

1 hr later, after trying to change the QD belt, which had ALL the ribs except like 4 gone, we gave up and towed it out with my buddy's 11' Pro RMK...which was a $hit show b/c we had to turn the sled around from an uphill to a down hill and pull it through both our up hill trenches...needless to say it sucked...and I barely had a brake of any kind so it's not the most confidence inspiring feeling.

So things learned and things I would like to know from you guys out west:

Learned: Despite having a spare QD Belt, with instructions, and Happy Face Alignment tools, we both found out NONE of those instructions work for $hit out in the woods. We literally reefed on both cogs like our lives depended on it and I think the top one moved a 1/16th of an inch....

Needed to know and now have Learned: ignore all instructions and either use a branch or keep at least a 12" pry bar and work the cogs off very carefully from as many angles as you can.

Learned: Despite having a few cogs left, and NOT cutting or breaking the belt...the sled WILL NOT GO 1' under its own power with a stripped QD belt so POO is full of $hit in that department b/c I would have cut the belt to try and more easily work off the cogs, but I was thinking "don't do that b/c at least I will be able to ride it very slowly home."

Learned: At my dealer my buddy used a small pry bar to work off both cogs w/the belt still attached, then we screwed in the Happy Face alignment tools, and with a 18'' pry bar over his shoulder and the face inside one of the holes on the top cog he worked that top cog on very slowly after putting the bottom cog on about a 1/4"....but he could still NOT get it on past about a 1/4" up top so out came a huger Socket that was larger on its inner diameter than the jack shaft's outer diameter and with a mallet he "Tapped" (LOL) the cog onto the shaft...and only then did it go on at all....then it was more of that and finally the top one was on. The bottom cog was then tapped on as well and then he went around to the other side and spun the drive belt which self centered the QD belt onto the bottom cog...this was close to an hour...on a LIFT.

So still need to know:

What are you guys out west seeing after 1000/2000/3000 miles with these QD belts?

HTF are you changing them on the trails/in the woods?

I was under the impression these things only went on a G-Out from jumping or hitting the air, and then whaling the throttle the instant you hit the snow/ground...but I was simply riding in powder and then beginning a climb...and NOTHING was loose or out of whack at all....

I appreciate whatever you guys can offer for Advice, Experience, etc. Thanks.

 

[rmscustom]

Never had to use anything other than my hands to remove and put the pulleys back on and install tools but find it fairly easy without them to.

Curious as to what year QD belt broke and how many miles?

 

[snopromod]

Never had to use anything other than my hands to remove and put the pulleys back on and install tools but find it fairly easy without them to.

Curious as to what year QD belt broke and how many miles?

Haha same here, all I needed was a good set of man hands and I have put 2 QD belts on in the backcountry on 2 different sleds.. never seemed to be that hard to put them on.

 

[Laundryboy]

Was this a failure with one of the old belts or the newer belts?

 

[rockinmranch]

This is NOT a bashing Thread, but I want opinions/facts/help please.

My QD belt went last Sunday...I am from MA and ride up in NH and ME. Luckily the thing went not far from where we could tow it to a road and avoid a serious situation.

I was hitting an off trail honey spot and riding through 4' of powder...Yep, we're having a mint winter out there. The next thing I know the track appears to catch on a branch, then again b/c it made a ratchet kinda noise/feeling, and then all of a sudden ZEEEEEEEEEEE and the smell of burnt rubber and no more forward momentum.

1 hr later, after trying to change the QD belt, which had ALL the ribs except like 4 gone, we gave up and towed it out with my buddy's 11' Pro RMK...which was a $hit show b/c we had to turn the sled around from an uphill to a down hill and pull it through both our up hill trenches...needless to say it sucked...and I barely had a brake of any kind so it's not the most confidence inspiring feeling.
So things learned and things I would like to know from you guys out west:

Learned: Despite having a spare QD Belt, with instructions, and Happy Face Alignment tools, we both found out NONE of those instructions work for $hit out in the woods. We literally reefed on both cogs like our lives depended on it and I think the top one moved a 1/16th of an inch....

Needed to know and now have Learned: ignore all instructions and either use a branch or keep at least a 12" pry bar and work the cogs off very carefully from as many angles as you can.

Learned: Despite having a few cogs left, and NOT cutting or breaking the belt...the sled WILL NOT GO 1' under its own power with a stripped QD belt so POO is full of $hit in that department b/c I would have cut the belt to try and more easily work off the cogs, but I was thinking "don't do that b/c at least I will be able to ride it very slowly home."

Learned: At my dealer my buddy used a small pry bar to work off both cogs w/the belt still attached, then we screwed in the Happy Face alignment tools, and with a 18'' pry bar over his shoulder and the face inside one of the holes on the top cog he worked that top cog on very slowly after putting the bottom cog on about a 1/4"....but he could still NOT get it on past about a 1/4" up top so out came a huger Socket that was larger on its inner diameter than the jack shaft's outer diameter and with a mallet he "Tapped" (LOL) the cog onto the shaft...and only then did it go on at all....then it was more of that and finally the top one was on. The bottom cog was then tapped on as well and then he went around to the other side and spun the drive belt which self centered the QD belt onto the bottom cog...this was close to an hour...on a LIFT.

So still need to know:

What are you guys out west seeing after 1000/2000/3000 miles with these QD belts?

HTF are you changing them on the trails/in the woods?

I was under the impression these things only went on a G-Out from jumping or hitting the air, and then whaling the throttle the instant you hit the snow/ground...but I was simply riding in powder and then beginning a climb...and NOTHING was loose or out of whack at all....

I appreciate whatever you guys can offer for Advice, Experience, etc. Thanks.

My last belt on a rental sled made it 3000 miles (13 belt) Heat gets them. Usually the blown belts I see are from guys trail riding the pro hard on a 40 degree day, and then stopping suddenly, heat tranfers from pully to belt. I think many are confused to why you were having so much trouble pulling your pullys. Mine always come off easily. I don't use the tool, but have, and it works great. By hand sometimes you get lucky and it lines up and goes on in a minute or two. Last time I fought it for 5-10 minutes before it went on. For those who don't mind an occasional breakdown, the quickdrive is fine. I will not order another sled with the quickdrive until reliability improves a bit. Also broken a few bolts that also leave you stranded.

 

[bosssho]

My RMK is a 2013.

The Belt was the original 2013 Belt I absolutely babied and broke in for just over the recommended/required 100 miles of varied throttle trail riding.

Both the bottom and top cogs are the OEM 2013 Cogs.

The Bolts are the Gen 2 TSB bolts, but the bolts were fine.

Sled had almost 1500 miles on it.

There is NO WHERE to grab the bottom pulley, at least with the belt on it...to pull it off...and the top pulley allows for some finger tip grip...so man hands or not...and I am not a 5' 125' guy...there is no leverage in pulling them off.

My buddy, the mechanic at the dealer is also no weakling either...but maybe it's technique...

I would LOVE to see a video of it...but I could NOT find a thing on Youtube or via Google.

We only ride the trails out east to get to the woods and mountains when riding these sleds...we are not pounding trails all day or anything stupid like that...

I know have 2 sets of spare bolts in my bag...

As I understand it the 2014 BELTS are harder and will work on the 2013 Cogs...which is what we did...so I know have a 2014 QD Belt I will need to break in again for a 100 miles...also, as I am told...the 2014 Pulleys/Cogs are harder and will destroy a 2013 belt, but the 2014 Belts, as I said, will run on the 2013 Cogs no problem...and are supposedly better???

Anything standing out here as wrong or that I need clarification on???

 

[AKFULLTHROTTLE]

There was a updated belt that came out in 13 and now another updated belt so it is possible that you had the first version belt

 

[rmscustom]

You'll be fine with the 14 belt. Maybe clean up your pulleys and splines and put a little anti-seize on. Mine slide on and off with little resistance.

If your track did ratchet when you hooked that branch that probably took out your belt. Make sure your track tension is set to factory specs. 1/2" sag with 10lbs of weight 16" in front of rear axel I believe.

 

[bosssho]

There was a updated belt that came out in 13 and now another updated belt so it is possible that you had the first version belt

The belt that stripped out on me (It did not blow just to be clear) was definitely the FIRST version of the QD belt as it was the one that came on my Spring Order 2013 PRO RMK.

The one I JUST got put on is part # 2205250 which I believe is the latest and greatest QD belt???

 

[bosssho]

You'll be fine with the 14 belt. Maybe clean up your pulleys and splines and put a little anti-seize on. Mine slide on and off with little resistance.

If your track did ratchet when you hooked that branch that probably took out your belt. Make sure your track tension is set to factory specs. 1/2" sag with 10lbs of weight 16" in front of rear axel I believe.

I think what I THOUGHT was a track ratchet was actually 3-5 ribs going and then 3-5 more, and then zeeeeeeeeeee the rest were gone, but I did mention the track slack to my mechanic and he said it's good, and that ironically they have seen MORE problems on sleds with tighter tracks in relation to QD belts having issues...

 

[geo]

A track ratchet or stick poke can kill any belt. Poo's or aftermarket.

Pretty hard to make a Poo track too tight. Never heard of the harder softer pulley thing. Never needed a 15" pry bar to pull the pulleys and have removed and even replaced the belt without removing the pulleys.

Few threads on here about that stuff.

In the field it's easiest to lay the sled over and move the track around to help release belt tension. Or pull the belt and use the disc brake for help.

The '14 belt seems to be holding up much better than the '13 did. I think that is why Poo made the change.

 

[bosssho]

A track ratchet or stick poke can kill any belt. Poo's or aftermarket.

Pretty hard to make a Poo track too tight. Never heard of the harder softer pulley thing. Never needed a 15" pry bar to pull the pulleys and have removed and even replaced the belt without removing the pulleys.

Few threads on here about that stuff.

In the field it's easiest to lay the sled over and move the track around to help release belt tension. Or pull the belt and use the disc brake for help.

The '14 belt seems to be holding up much better than the '13 did. I think that is why Poo made the change.

Again, what I THOUGHT was track ratchet was NOT. It was the QD ratcheting as it shaved lugs.

If you can pull these belts off and over the top pulley without removing the pulleys you NEED to make a video of that.

Thanks for the advice...much appreciated.

 

[geo]

LOL Your right. too long with the C3. Meant no alignment tool or special things needed, just a wrench, top sprocket off, wiggle track or jackshaft while working it on or off. Use a zap strap in the middle to shape the belt during installation and a bit at a time not forcing it. Once you've started the belt and splines it helps itself on.
Removed and installed my belt a couple of times in it's 1700 mile life last year this way so it can be done.
If your in the field with only this option it works.

Losing a few teeth happened too much with last years compound. Many theory's why. The '14 compound seems to be holding up so maybe that is the correct theory. If I was still using the stock QD it would have the '14 belt.

 

[diamonddave]

You'll be fine with the 14 belt. Maybe clean up your pulleys and splines and put a little anti-seize on. Mine slide on and off with little resistance.

If your track did ratchet when you hooked that branch that probably took out your belt. Make sure your track tension is set to factory specs. 1/2" sag with 10lbs of weight 16" in front of rear axel I believe.

Regardless if your track ratcheted when this happened or not, rms is correct. Who knows, maybe the track ratcheted and instantly later the belt stripped. Track tension needs to be set to at factory specs with belt drive. The 5.1 series track can be a stretcher sometimes.

The other thing I think can be hard on these belts is the middle extro driver collecting & building ice causing a bind-up. I think most of us have had to have run into this before. This is another reason why proper track tension is so critical with the QD system.

 

[OuraySledder]

My first QD belt went at 150 miles. It lost about 4 teeth probably on the 8 mile trail ride out one day. I didn't know until I opened it up and looked, it rode fine. I didn't do a full low speed break in on that one. It was an early '13 belt. I have a later numbered '13 belt on now and it has worked flawlessly for the last 750 miles. I did break that one in fully. I carry a spare '14 belt/bolts.

I didn't have any trouble removing the belt and pulleys by hand. While off I chamfered the edges on the back side splines. This makes them very easy to get started. It is odd that your were so difficult to remove.

 

[BC_mtn_rider]

I just replaced my first 13 belt 1600miles as I noticed 1 rib separating (lifting) from the belt. I don't believe for a second that jumping is the cause as I've been launching this sled since the first day with no intensions on "belt break in" either. I stop the track mid air several times a day & pin it on landing. Now changing it was a different story!!! Nightmare if u ask me. After removing my battery & brackets the night before, I met my buddy who works at my local Poo dealer & put in the shop where I got the new 14 belt, after an hour of messing around we finally got it lined up and on. Once again, I put 50ish miles of non-break in riding, hucking myself off everything in sight! I know guys with 14 sleds who NEVER jump that have burned through a few belts recently that changed them on the hill in minutes. they said they just use a zip tie around the belt while installing the two cogs together.

 

[skibreeze]

I've got 1900 miles on my 13 with the original belt. 1200 of those miles are with a turbo and the last few hundred with a 3" track. I removed and reinstalled the belt without any alignment tools during the track change, took a bit to get the splines to line up.

 

[bosssho]

I would LOVE for someone to post a video of them changing one of these in "minutes" so I can see whatever me and my dealer are doing wrong b/c like I said, we could NOT do it on the trail, and then I watched my dealer have a hell of a time doing the whole thing....

So someone, please take a video and Youtube your artwork, thanks.