Thought I broke a belt running at 95 but didn't...

[lofsfire]

So this weekend if you saw my other post you know that I found some snow up by Lake of the Clouds. As most of you know South Boundary Road is normally a very flat and fast ride. Even with our crappy conditions it was in great shape!

With that said, as soon as I hit that section of trail I wanted to take advantage of it. Started to open my 2015 ZR 9000 up. I saw 95 mph and then the next thing I knew it felt like the belt blew! I slowly pull over, shut down the sled, jumped off and pulled the side panel off to expose the clutches and belt. I was fully expecting to find a shredded belt. Instead I found a fully intact belt... I didn't bother pulling it off but I did check it for chunks missing and of course there was nothing in the bottom of the belly pan. Considering trail conditions and that I was about 40 miles from my truck. I did not want to try it again and push my luck. We drove up to the end of South Boundary Road at Lake Superior and I had no issues for the next 10 mi. I kept the ride pretty smooth and didn't really exceed 45 mph. Decided that I would chance riding it back to the truck and I had no problems the entire 40 plus miles back to Bergland.

So my question; Is do you have any ideas what the problem was?

I did have one issue of getting stuck this weekend before this happened and I definitely burnt the belt enough to get the smell in the air... But as I said the belt seemed okay going to take it off and inspect it more soon. Honestly though I probably had a worst burnt belt smell when I had to place clam trailer and had to load it.. So I didn't think it was that bad.

If it's not the belt my next thought was:
(Take your cursor and highlight over the area below to reveal the text. But before you do do you guys have any other ideas?)

1. A clutch issue...
2. Or maybe something fuel related. Possibly the fuel pump going bad since it was at high speed...

I figured I'd hide the text so it didn't affect anyone's answers or ideas...

Thanks for any help!

LOFS Fire

 

[latner]

SWAG, ice off the tunnel?

 

[indy_500]

Ice in the tunnel was my thought

 

[600_RMK_144]

did you have to clean your pants out? S%& like that happens to me at 95mph, I'd be dropping a big old dookie in my shorts!

 

[gary_in_neenah]

I'm not familiar with Cats but there may be a "limp mode" that you encountered. My Spyder is famous for going "limpmode" when the computer detects something wrong. And at 95 mph, something can go wrong with just about everything.

 

[lofsfire]

SWAG, ice off the tunnel?

Ice in the tunnel was my thought

Tell me more how ice would or could cause this? I don't think I have ever experience or heard this before...

The snow was very heavy and packable and of course a warm day. Are you thinking it just pushed so much snow up in the tunnel that it jammed the track up for a second?

I'm not familiar with Cats but there may be a "limp mode" that you encountered. My Spyder is famous for going "limpmode" when the computer detects something wrong. And at 95 mph, something can go wrong with just about everything.

I don't think so, I had no other lights or problems.

did you have to clean your pants out? S%& like that happens to me at 95mph, I'd be dropping a big old dookie in my shorts!

No, I was more worried something broke. I change belt regularly so I have only broke 2 belts in 24 years of riding.

But speaking of that area of my body, I do have a warning for all! A few years ago before the season started I washed all my gear FXR with F.A.S.T. I washed it with Tide and not a lot, then dried it out. The night after the first ride for the year I realized I was a bit sore back there... Before getting in the shower I notice in the mirror it is very red like a 3 degree sun burn or like a very bad baby dipper rash. I have a heated seat and though I burned myself with it... I get in the the shower as I'm rinsing off the shower floor is supper slick with soap and smells like Tide! I had chemical burns from the Tide that did not get full extracted from my pants! When washing my gear now I add and extra rinse cycle and once it done I run it through the wash with now soap a second time also with and extra rinse cycle to make sure all the soap is 100% out. LOL

 

[euphoric1]

2017 ZR8000 ....while ripping through the porkies a few years back (that year it was bitter nasty cold in february) I started to hear a noise, thought I was losing a belt, knew Silver City wasn't too far up trail so thought I would just change once I got there and since it was so cold I could go in and warm up right away and all of a sudden that chirp turned into a bang and I thought I had blown a belt or maybe a motor, throttled it a little, still had rpms but no go, pulled over popped side panel off and to my surprise... half my secondary was laying in the bottom of chassis. since you said you were able to drive it, I was wondering if you had the same? and just as I did put the secondary back on? outside of one broken shim and some cold a** fingers was able to ride rest of trip.

 

[latner]

Tell me more how ice would or could cause this? I don't think I have ever experience or heard this before...

I've had ice chunks get into the drivers that sounded like the sled was self destructing.

 

[indy_500]

I've had ice chunks get into the drivers that sounded like the sled was self destructing.

Same as well

 

[indy_500]

Also, are all your bogey wheels accounted for?

 

[mezz]

Have you looked at your track tension or drivers?

 

[favoritos]

Mezz, I was thinking along the same line.
@lofsfire , you didn't mention which track length. Not sure if it matters on that year? I believe they all ran extroverts. Track would need to be super loose for those to jump. It's possible, but the track would be flapping in the tunnel.
I'd still check track tension.
We ran that trail last week and the heavy snow was harder pulling than normal. One sled without extroverts jumped drivers a couple times. Sleds were new and retensioning the track is a normal thing. Did both of the new sleds that night. We ran the trail about 400 miles later and that sled did the same thing. Again, loose track. It probably happened there because it was one of the few spots we could actually run without clankers throwing sparks.

 

[bayfly]

Tell me more how ice would or could cause this? I don't think I have ever experience or heard this before...

The snow was very heavy and packable and of course a warm day. Are you thinking it just pushed so much snow up in the tunnel that it jammed the track up for a second?

I had a 2013 XF1100. We rode to dinner one evening and had to cross some slushy ice. Next morning while driving about 30 mph a mile from camp, I pushed a chunk of ice up into the tunnel. It locked up the track at first the pushed through. A god awful noise so I shut down. I immediately noticed antifreeze in the snow. Turns out it damaged the heat exchanger, bent the tunnel, and ripped some lugs off the track. Ended up totally out the sled.
Did you ride the day before? Any chance you had some ice build up under the tunnel? I would think any ice would have let loose before 40 miles though.

 

[united]

 

[lofsfire]

2017 ZR8000 ....while ripping through the porkies a few years back (that year it was bitter nasty cold in february) I started to hear a noise, thought I was losing a belt, knew Silver City wasn't too far up trail so thought I would just change once I got there and since it was so cold I could go in and warm up right away and all of a sudden that chirp turned into a bang and I thought I had blown a belt or maybe a motor, throttled it a little, still had rpms but no go, pulled over popped side panel off and to my surprise... half my secondary was laying in the bottom of chassis. since you said you were able to drive it, I was wondering if you had the same? and just as I did put the secondary back on? outside of one broken shim and some cold a** fingers was able to ride rest of trip.

No, that wasn't the case for me. When I popped off my side panel everything was right where it should be. Which was great to see. But was very worrisome because I didn't know what was wrong...

I've had ice chunks get into the drivers that sounded like the sled was self destructing.

I don't think it would be ice chunks because it was so warm out on Friday.

Also, are all your bogey wheels accounted for?

Yes, all the boogie wheels are accounted for plus the whole skid was gone through this fall. I put a new front arm on the rear skid and put a new rear shock in valved to my weight. I also got rid of that stupid tri-hub years ago. Her replaced with a J&T Products fourth wheel kit.

Have you looked at your track tension or drivers?

Drivers were the next thing I checked after the belt. All the drivers looked fine. Track tension look to be fine. Track alignment definitely was dead on.

Mezz, I was thinking along the same line.
@lofsfire , you didn't mention which track length. Not sure if it matters on that year? I believe they all ran extroverts. Track would need to be super loose for those to jump. It's possible, but the track would be flapping in the tunnel.
I'd still check track tension.
We ran that trail last week and the heavy snow was harder pulling than normal. One sled without extroverts jumped drivers a couple times. Sleds were new and retensioning the track is a normal thing. Did both of the new sleds that night. We ran the trail about 400 miles later and that sled did the same thing. Again, loose track. It probably happened there because it was one of the few spots we could actually run without clankers throwing sparks.

The track length is a 129". I'm going to double check the whole skid tomorrow.

Here's what the snow conditions look like in the area I had the problem. As you can see it was good conditions other than the snow is very heavy packing snow.

I had zero problems before this happened and zero problems after. But after it happened I did not take it up to a high speed again.

LOL That's one of those things I always forget about that they even make until I need it. It really only happened the one time but one time was more than enough.

 

[Snowbrap101]

There's a recall on certain models about clutch failures.

https://arcticcat.txtsv.com/sites/default/files/_images/content/Clutch-Arctic-Cat-Recall-6.6.17.pdf

 

[warner]

lack of lubrication on the hyfax?? high speed running and they started melting/sticking to your track clips...that'll slow ya down in a hurry.

 

[jime]

lack of lubrication on the hyfax?? high speed running and they started melting/sticking to your track clips...that'll slow ya down in a hurry.

had a friend that parked it like that, came back and every clip was stuck fast to the hyfax. took us all a while to figure what had happened after the sled wouldn't budge.

 

[lofsfire]

There's a recall on certain models about clutch failures.

https://arcticcat.txtsv.com/sites/default/files/_images/content/Clutch-Arctic-Cat-Recall-6.6.17.pdf

2015 ZR9000 Limited No recalls

lack of lubrication on the hyfax?? high speed running and they started melting/sticking to your track clips...that'll slow ya down in a hurry.

Definitely not. At this point I was in good to great snow for 20 to 25 miles. Also when I looked at the skid right after it happened I had to clear snow out to inspect everything.

 

[lofsfire]

I had a 2013 XF1100. We rode to dinner one evening and had to cross some slushy ice. Next morning while driving about 30 mph a mile from camp, I pushed a chunk of ice up into the tunnel. It locked up the track at first the pushed through. A god awful noise so I shut down. I immediately noticed antifreeze in the snow. Turns out it damaged the heat exchanger, bent the tunnel, and ripped some lugs off the track. Ended up totally out the sled.
Did you ride the day before? Any chance you had some ice build up under the tunnel? I would think any ice would have let loose before 40 miles though.

Sorry miss your question. Yes we road 14 miles the day before, but we put the sled in the trailer that night and snow and dirt/ mud was all on the floor in the morning what taking them out. also we had rode 30 miles at that point when I had the issue.

My trailer is a mess right now going to be washing everything on Friday.