Belt drive on 2015 163 T3

X-Treme

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Heres what I did... Pick a chain to Get ride of the tensioner. Reliability of the chain, efficiency is probably nearing very close to a belt drive. Bang for the buck I think your further ahead with a pipe kit. Larger weight saving and more torque picked up in the midrange than the belt will give you. Belt drive is not going to give you anything noticeable on the top end.

View attachment 184502

So, are you running oil-less then? Any adverse effects?
 

pfi572

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You can't run that chain oil-less.
He's just showing the tight chain without tensioner .
 

deaner

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You would still run the tensioner though, just eliminating the dogleg right?
 

oler1234

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No tensioner and no dog leg. As you see in that picture, the cover was put on and she was filled with automatic transmission fluid. 2000km right now and no problems.

if I am not mistaken baker and specialty both have a setup with no tensioner running Hyvo gears and chain for the extended cases.

edit... For those that kick your sled in reverse while going down hill, doing this with a tensioner can snap it. Obviously without a tensioner this won't happen.
 
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adamg

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ATF is a good substitute for doo's special chaincase oil?
 

AreWeThereYet

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I have a hard time shelling out $1000 to lighten up 4-5lbs, even if it has a 4/5 cool factor. Maybe next year I will splurge for the C3 and I can say to some of my Pro friends,.. "look, I have a belt drive that is more reliable" :)
 

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ATF is a good substitute for doo's special chaincase oil?

You are better off using synthetic 75w-90 gear oil. Get the $20 per bottle stuff. The stuff that's 10$ per bottle is not going to be full synthetic oil and will not be as good at lower winter temps. If I remember right you will get 3 changes from one bottle.
 

oler1234

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ATF is a good substitute for doo's special chaincase oil?


Yup. It's what you also run in the transfer case of your truck. Lower viscosity and less drag when everything is cycling is most efficient. in the mountains your really not into it long enough to build up heat to require a high viscosity of fluid for protection.
 

deaner

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I found in previous sleds that I ran ATF in I always had a tonne of filings in my chaincase. Chain tension was always checked and set properly. You havent found this?

And if your chain fits with the perfect tension when you put it on....what happens when it stretches out a bit? I cant believe that you can get the perfect chain length to fit that precisely?
 

stormtrooper

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I remember reading a post at one point and want to say it was Tom himself stating his belt drive was actually heavier than stock chain. That may have been an earlier version? In the same thread guys were say the c3 was quite a bit lighter. Something to do with material type used for the sprockets was heavier on tki vs c3. Apparently we need some pics of all parts on calibrated scales. Lol. A silent chain drive is over 99.5% efficient when you look at any documentation. I can't see efficiency being measurably better except that maybe the sliding resistance the chain tensioner has vs a pulley. If I was to get one it would be for quick gear ratio changes and no fear of wrecking chain drive.
 

chris79

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I remember reading a post at one point and want to say it was Tom himself stating his belt drive was actually heavier than stock chain. That may have been an earlier version? In the same thread guys were say the c3 was quite a bit lighter. Something to do with material type used for the sprockets was heavier on tki vs c3. Apparently we need some pics of all parts on calibrated scales. Lol. A silent chain drive is over 99.5% efficient when you look at any documentation. I can't see efficiency being measurably better except that maybe the sliding resistance the chain tensioner has vs a pulley. If I was to get one it would be for quick gear ratio changes and no fear of wrecking chain drive.

I like the option of different ratios too. I have a 20 top tooth on my chain drive now. Can get very close to that same ratio or even close to the 19 top with c3.


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chris79

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Yup. It's what you also run in the transfer case of your truck. Lower viscosity and less drag when everything is cycling is most efficient. in the mountains your really not into it long enough to build up heat to require a high viscosity of fluid for protection.

Never tried it in a chain case. Run it in all the wet kits on our grain augers. Much better in very cold temps. Totally different application i know, but never caused a pump failure.


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oler1234

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I found in previous sleds that I ran ATF in I always had a tonne of filings in my chaincase. Chain tension was always checked and set properly. You havent found this?

And if your chain fits with the perfect tension when you put it on....what happens when it stretches out a bit? I cant believe that you can get the perfect chain length to fit that precisely?

there is some filings on the magnet, could always run what your comfortable with.

to let out all the secrets.... chain tension was tighter than I liked at the start but as you say it broke in nicely and is perfect.

but as you see in the picture that's how it is run:beer:
 

snochuk

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I have not done a lot of mountain riding, maybe 20k on 4 sleds, have changed oil a total of 6 times and changed only one chain and blown none. I will not be getting a belt drive as chain drive are really not that unreliable. Don't need the cool factor at the cabin as I don't hang out there much. Cool factor is who gets up through the trees fastest in pretty much every group.
Be saving my cash for when my run through the trees is not clean and I need more a arms as they have failed me way more than the chain drive on a stock powered sled.
:twocents:
 

FranktheTank

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I have a hard time shelling out $1000 to lighten up 4-5lbs, even if it has a 4/5 cool factor. Maybe next year I will splurge for the C3 and I can say to some of my Pro friends,.. "look, I have a belt drive that is more reliable" :)

4/5 cool factor? maybe 5 years ago when they came out.
 
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