Diamond drive bearing upgrade thread with lots of pictures

[JDSLEDHEAD51]

Great post alot of people I will be taking mine apart and doing this myself. Will take a caliper and measure the thickness of shim and old bearing and compare to new bearing. Even if these two measurements are the same it is still a good idea to check for axial clearance

 

[IGBT]

I am going to do this mod before snow starts this year (2011 SP M8 with 200 miles, no problems yet).

I am planning on just taking the 13 screws and cover off the DD instead of pulling it all out. Question: Should I take out the drain plug and get rid of the old DD oil while the machine is on all 3 feet, then refill it while it is on it's side and the cover is off (after replacing the 6203 bearing with a SKF 3203). I actually don't even know how you are supposed to change the DD oil.

 

[honda450]

I have taken 4 of these apart. 3 2010 m8s all the bearings were destroyed mine had 4 balls left in it and the seals were destroyed. I did 1 2009 m8 bearing as well, the bearing was fine but it had the single wide barrier so i changed it anyways. I put 1200 miles on my sled last year with the double wide bearing and i just took it apart yesterday and it was fine inside still looked brand new. As for what bearing i have used i take the specs from the new double wide bearing and get it sourced at our local bearing shop. Arctic cat sells peer bearings which are cheap cheap bearings. Hope this helps

 

[IGBT]

I have taken 4 of these apart. 3 2010 m8s all the bearings were destroyed mine had 4 balls left in it and the seals were destroyed. I did 1 2009 m8 bearing as well, the bearing was fine but it had the single wide barrier so i changed it anyways. I put 1200 miles on my sled last year with the double wide bearing and i just took it apart yesterday and it was fine inside still looked brand new. As for what bearing i have used i take the specs from the new double wide bearing and get it sourced at our local bearing shop. Arctic cat sells peer bearings which are cheap cheap bearings. Hope this helps

I purchased one of these SKF 3203 C3 bearings with seals (will remove them and clean the grease out):



I am curious about how the DD oil works though...do I drain it using the drain plug and refill it with the cover off, or can you fill it with the cover on and the sled in the normal position?

 

[crossfire879]

For the amount if work it is to take the case off I would suggest taking it off and splitting the case and giving it a good clean. That way you can do an inspection.

 

[IGBT]

Help!

I can't get that @#$!#@#$#@$@#!!! diamond drive assembly off of my 2011 SnoPro M8.

I have removed the stupid rubber block, loosened the track all the way, removed the 2 inch bolt using a long extension through the brake rotor, and I have removed all of the nuts on the studs that hold the diamond drive assembly to the sled frame.

I can wiggle the DD on the studs a little, and I can pry the DD away from the sled frame about 1/16", but it springs back and won't start coming off the studs. I have tried putting the secondary back on and using it to pull at the DD, I have tried putting back in the 2 inch bolt a few threads and lightly tapping the extension. Nothing seems to get the DD off the studs...it is like there is still something keeping it attached. You can reach behind it around the housing near the big plastic track drive gears and try to push it from that side but that doesn't work either.

???? Thinking of trying a 2 foot crow bar or my plasma cutter next...

 

[bryan_117]

i took mine out today, can u pry from both ends, its a tight fight and needs to come off square. on a positive note, the guy before me put the bearin upgrade in and it was in great shape.

 

[tekim]

Help!

I can't get that @#$!#@#$#@$@#!!! diamond drive assembly off of my 2011 SnoPro M8.

I have removed the stupid rubber block, loosened the track all the way, removed the 2 inch bolt using a long extension through the brake rotor, and I have removed all of the nuts on the studs that hold the diamond drive assembly to the sled frame.

I can wiggle the DD on the studs a little, and I can pry the DD away from the sled frame about 1/16", but it springs back and won't start coming off the studs. I have tried putting the secondary back on and using it to pull at the DD, I have tried putting back in the 2 inch bolt a few threads and lightly tapping the extension. Nothing seems to get the DD off the studs...it is like there is still something keeping it attached. You can reach behind it around the housing near the big plastic track drive gears and try to push it from that side but that doesn't work either.

???? Thinking of trying a 2 foot crow bar or my plasma cutter next...

There is a plate in the foot well held on with 4 screws. You have to remove that as well...

I just took mine last week, kinda a b!tch to get out.

 

[IGBT]

There is a plate in the foot well held on with 4 screws. You have to remove that as well...

I just took mine last week, kinda a b!tch to get out.

I removed that plate (I guess you are talking about the black plastic cover thing in the footwell section...it had 4 screws). I also removed the metal bracket/plate on the other side of the footwell. These seemed to just be block the ability to pry at the DD and not actually holding it in.

I will have another go at it. I really thought loosening the track would have done the trick, but no.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[tekim]

I removed that plate (I guess you are talking about the black plastic cover thing in the footwell section...it had 4 screws). I also removed the metal bracket/plate on the other side of the footwell. These seemed to just be block the ability to pry at the DD and not actually holding it in.

I will have another go at it. I really thought loosening the track would have done the trick, but no.

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah, it doesn't actually hold it in, just need to remove it for the clearance to remove the DD.

 

[HDSledder]

Make double sure that you've removed all the nuts. Thread the bolt back in that goes through the drive shaft. The one from the brake rotor side. Thread it halfway in and drive on the extension with hammer. Worked for me.

 

[cnelson6]

Isnt there a set screw on the shaft that connects the diamond drive to the drive shaft? I recall reading about that somewhere but I could be wrong.

 

[IGBT]

Isnt there a set screw on the shaft that connects the diamond drive to the drive shaft? I recall reading about that somewhere but I could be wrong.

Hope not, because it is out of the sled now!

I <3 my plasma cutter!

(Edit: What actually worked was putting a 1x1x16" block of wood between the backside of the DD and the black plastic toothed thingy that drives the track. Wiggling this block of wood seemed to apply the right force in the right place to push the DD off of the studs without having to scratch everything up with screwdrivers prying.)

 

[krash]

Hope not, because it is out of the sled now!

I <3 my plasma cutter!

Isnt there a set screw on the shaft that connects the diamond drive to the drive shaft? I recall reading about that somewhere but I could be wrong.

no set screw there,make sure to use blue loctite and snug'er up

 

[IGBT]

no set screw there,make sure to use blue loctite and snug'er up

Does anyone happen to know the torque specifications for that axel bolt and also the nuts that go on the studs that hold the DD to the sled?

 

[crossfire879]

Plasma cutter?! It shouldn't have been that hard to get out. What did you use the plasma cutter for?

 

[krash]

Does anyone happen to know the torque specifications for that axel bolt and also the nuts that go on the studs that hold the DD to the sled?

I do believe it's 55-60lb, it be worth to get a second oppinion.

 

[IGBT]

Plasma cutter?! It shouldn't have been that hard to get out. What did you use the plasma cutter for?

Nothing. I was just making a point of how irksome it is to get the DD out, but now that I know about prying from the rear with a wooden block, maybe it isn't too bad.

 

[IGBT]

I started a new thread on my problem just to make double damn sure that new owners even of a 2011 M8 pull and check their DD.

My DD (which is still under warranty) already had the bearing shot after less than 250 easy miles. I was going to do the upgrade just to be safe as I really didn't think anything would be wrong already with my DD. Now I don't know what to do.

 

[crossfire879]

Nothing. I was just making a point of how irksome it is to get the DD out, but now that I know about prying from the rear with a wooden block, maybe it isn't too bad.

Ohhh lol ok. I'm an idiot. Sometimes they rust where the output shaft splines into the track shaft and they need some wd40 an heat to break free.