Chaincase failure on a four stroke Arctic Cat ZR 7000

[ohiosledder]

I was wondering if anyone else has had this happen. Last week, my friend's 2014 AC ZR 7000 (I have the same sled) experienced what we originally thought was just the drive chain breaking or the sprocket stripping. However, on the side of the trail, it was evident that the case itself was cracked, as there was oil all over the snow. Furthermore, the tracked was locked up and we had to drag it the hard way as we couldn't remove the case because of a stripped screw. We finally got it to the dealer and got the diagnosis. The upper sprocket bearing failed and broke the chain, both sprockets, the chain case and put a hole in the engine housing. Needless to say, this is going to be a very expensive repair. The dealer said he's never seen anything like it. I guess I'm just asking if anyone else has experienced something like this.

 

[euphoric1]

Have had 1 or 2 chaincase failures only one came through the case and was on an older sled than you are dealing with, that stinks... engine case??? ouch but..... a recommendation depending on how far you had to tow with track locked, happened to us one time too, did not have one of those roll up sleds and a long distance to tow to a road so we took out rear suspension, tucked track up into tunnel, put suspension back in and towed on rails, was much easier towing as we had quite a distance to tow the sled. This one at time broke drive shaft in two.

 

[mrbb]

I have heard of folks over tightening chain case cover bolts and cracking the covers
so I can see how if someone did this and didn;t notice a small crack and rode things, how over time it could fail while riding
sucks, but things do happen, I gather its not a super common failure , or a lot of forums would be filled with folks complaining!

 

[Tracker]

It's easy.... all brands of sleds have various tweaks and problems.... and arctic cats has been for many many years.... the bearings fail at about 3,500 miles like clockwork.... everyone knows that if you own an Arctic Cat which I do too so I'm not just picking on them at around 2500 or 3000 the track will start getting loose this is your first clue most people tighten the track that's when I change my bearings out though since I have learned from doing what you did many times.... and now I don't even use the stock Arctic Cat bearings I replace them with NTN blue sided sealed racing bearings they last way longer.... I'm not getting on you either I thought everyone knew that I mean that's been on all the forums for years and years


So how many miles did this happen at? A few go to 5000 before implosion.... and change yours right now on the one that didn't implode or get in there and wiggle the jackshaft see if any of the shafts move and you know the bearings need replaced or if you track recently was loose

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And in my opinion it shouldn't cost that much and I crack cases also I've done it a couple times myself and a couple times my dealer did it and the dealership isn't expensive either so don't let your dealership hose you

 

[ohiosledder]

Have had 1 or 2 chaincase failures only one came through the case and was on an older sled than you are dealing with, that stinks... engine case??? ouch but..... a recommendation depending on how far you had to tow with track locked, happened to us one time too, did not have one of those roll up sleds and a long distance to tow to a road so we took out rear suspension, tucked track up into tunnel, put suspension back in and towed on rails, was much easier towing as we had quite a distance to tow the sled. This one at time broke drive shaft in two.

We had considered taking the suspension out, and we had also considered cutting the track off (ouch). But we only had four miles to go and some spare belts if needed for the tow sled (mine).

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It's easy.... all brands of sleds have various tweaks and problems.... and arctic cats has been for many many years.... the bearings fail at about 3,500 miles like clockwork.... everyone knows that if you own an Arctic Cat which I do too so I'm not just picking on them at around 2500 or 3000 the track will start getting loose this is your first clue most people tighten the track that's when I change my bearings out though since I have learned from doing what you did many times.... and now I don't even use the stock Arctic Cat bearings I replace them with NTN blue sided sealed racing bearings they last way longer.... I'm not getting on you either I thought everyone knew that I mean that's been on all the forums for years and years


So how many miles did this happen at? A few go to 5000 before implosion.... and change yours right now on the one that didn't implode or get in there and wiggle the jackshaft see if any of the shafts move and you know the bearings need replaced or if you track recently was loose

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And in my opinion it shouldn't cost that much and I crack cases also I've done it a couple times myself and a couple times my dealer did it and the dealership isn't expensive either so don't let your dealership hose you

Interesting, I think his sled has about 4,000 (mine has 4,500 so I'm worried). How hard of a job is it to swap them out yourself? No, forever whatever reason I haven't been on the Cat forum in awhile, so I wasn't aware there was known issue. Update: just looked over at ArcticChat, you're right, there's seems to be some discussion about this as well as known issue with chain tensioner in early versions of the ProCross.

 

[Tracker]

We had considered taking the suspension out, and we had also considered cutting the track off (ouch). But we only had four miles to go and some spare belts if needed for the tow sled (mine).

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Interesting, I think his sled has about 4,000 (mine has 4,500 so I'm worried). How hard of a job is it to swap them out yourself? No, forever whatever reason I haven't been on the Cat forum in awhile, so I wasn't aware there was known issue. Update: just looked over at ArcticChat, you're right, there's seems to be some discussion about this as well as known issue with chain tensioner in early versions of the ProCross.

It's not hard at all that's why I run arctic cat their about the easiest to work on you just get the service manual for one thing and then basically just start unbolting stuff like take the cover off the chain case and the clutch is off on the other side and then you take the bottoms off on each side and then you just pull out the gears and the chain slide out the old bearings same thing on the other side of bottom shaft bearing is held in by pieces triangular pieces of Steel and you just basically on both sides of shafts and swap in new bearings it's very simple that's why I shouldn't cost too much I used to do it all myself maybe did 10 or more and now I just take it to the dealership because I ain't got time for that right now and if you know that its simple how to explain and fix it like I just told you then that way the guy can't say all this is going to be big dollars... no.... you know it's not that hard...this is not counting the parts you always got to pay for the parts that's the price of smiles per miles

 

[Tracker]

It should take maybe four to six hours at the dealership and it's going to take you maybe one to two days and a couple cases of beer

 

[ohiosledder]

It's not hard at all that's why I run arctic cat their about the easiest to work on you just get the service manual for one thing and then basically just start unbolting stuff like take the cover off the chain case and the clutch is off on the other side and then you take the bottoms off on each side and then you just pull out the gears and the chain slide out the old bearings same thing on the other side of bottom shaft bearing is held in by pieces triangular pieces of Steel and you just basically on both sides of shafts and swap in new bearings it's very simple that's why I shouldn't cost too much I used to do it all myself maybe did 10 or more and now I just take it to the dealership because I ain't got time for that right now and if you know that its simple how to explain and fix it like I just told you then that way the guy can't say all this is going to be big dollars... no.... you know it's not that hard...this is not counting the parts you always got to pay for the parts that's the price of smiles per miles

Thanks, I just remembered I downloaded the service manual when I bought it.

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It should take maybe four to six hours at the dealership and it's going to take you maybe one to two days and a couple cases of beer

I knew I needed another excuse to drink beer lol.

 

[Tracker]

You know the one that imploded will be harder yours that is not done anything yet will be a simple two-hour fix... slide them in and slide them out.... you got to loosen the track And readjust the alignment that's nothing... make sure the chain tensioner is set properly 4 your Drive.... make sure all the old crud is wiped off good and everything's clean before you assemble it and then use Loctite the blue and tighten everything with a torque wrench all that's easy and basic get a couple two three buddies that way you can laugh

Ps.... 1 super important tip take pictures of it before you take it apart and as you're taking it apart so you can get it together correctly take pictures of the chaincase and all that before you take it apart so you got reference

 

[ohiosledder]

You know the one that imploded will be harder yours that is not done anything yet will be a simple two-hour fix... slide them in and slide them out.... you got to loosen the track And readjust the alignment that's nothing... make sure the chain tensioner is set properly 4 your Drive.... make sure all the old crud is wiped off good and everything's clean before you assemble it and then use Loctite the blue and tighten everything with a torque wrench all that's easy and basic get a couple two three buddies that way you can laugh

Ps.... 1 super important tip take pictures of it before you take it apart and as you're taking it apart so you can get it together correctly take pictures of the chaincase and all that before you take it apart so you got reference

Thanks, appreciate the help!

 

[old abe]

Thanks, I just remembered I downloaded the service manual when I bought it.

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I knew I needed another excuse to drink beer lol.

I have never needed a excuse to drink beer? "Miller Time", I really like it!

 

[G]

Don't know about 2014's but my 18 Winder came with just about all torx head bolts on just about everything including chaincase. These like to strip if you have any angle on them at all when either installing or removing. And it never fails the ones that strip are in a hard to get at place where it is hard to grind them off or drill them out. I have replaced many of these POS with good old fashioned hex headed bolts. If I were you I would do the same. Also I have found it beneficial to have a Priest on hand any time you are reassembling a chaincase to bless the parts and the procedure. In additition to beer. Works for me.

 

[ohiosledder]

Don't know about 2014's but my 18 Winder came with just about all torx head bolts on just about everything including chaincase. These like to strip if you have any angle on them at all when either installing or removing. And it never fails the ones that strip are in a hard to get at place where it is hard to grind them off or drill them out. I have replaced many of these POS with good old fashioned hex headed bolts. If I were you I would do the same. Also I have found it beneficial to have a Priest on hand any time you are reassembling a chaincase to bless the parts and the procedure. In additition to beer. Works for me.

I like the idea of the priest, but I don't think he would appreciate all the swearing.

 

[Tracker]

Well maybe my idea will work better than a priest haha.... as I always try to see the witch doctor first.....LMAO