Can You Clean Polaris Snowmobile Clutch With Brakeclean

Cleaning the clutch on a snowmobile is an essential part of regular maintenance to help the machine perform at its best.

I'g Chaz, a snowmobile enthusiast with over 25 years of feel riding and wrenching on snowmobiles. I've cleaned many unlike clutches over the years, and the job is function of my seasonal maintenance when I store sleds for the summer.

In this article, I'll prove you a step-past-footstep guide on cleaning a snowmobile clutch to assist you keep the principal and secondary in prime operating status.

Get your tools together, and allow's get started.

Tabular array of Contents

What You'll Demand
How to Make clean a Snowmobile Clutch
- #1. Remove Belt
- #two. Quick clean without removing clutches
- #3. Deep clean with clutches removed
- #iv. Install belt
The Importance of Clutch Cleaning
Last Thoughts

What You'll Need

Hither are the tools and supplies you'll need to make clean a clutch.

Wrench/Sockets/Impact Wrench
Snap ring pliers (depending on make/model)
Restriction cleaner spray
Annoying pad
Air compressor (not completely necessary, but nice to have)
Clutch puller (not completely necessary, but can be helpful)

How to Make clean a Snowmobile Clutch

A snowmobile has two clutches, the master clutch, and the secondary clutch. While the process for cleaning each of these is similar, taking them apart can exist slightly unlike – only something to keep in heed earlier getting started.

At that place are also two different approaches to cleaning clutches – y'all can keep them on the sled and chop-chop clean up the sheaves or remove them and practice a deep clean. I'll touch on both below.

#ane. Remove Belt

Before you can remove the clutches for proper cleaning, you demand to loosen and remove the belt that connects the two. This process can vary from machine to car, but the idea is the same.

The nigh common method to remove the belt is to lengthen and loosen information technology from the secondary clutch using an L-bolt type of tool that fits near the clutch bolt. Screw this tool in until the belt loosens plenty for removal.

It'southward a skilful idea to inspect the chugalug while it's off for whatsoever signs of damage or wear. Replace if needed.

#2. Quick make clean without removing clutches

With the belt removed, you can clean the clutches without removing them from the machine. Do one clutch at a fourth dimension, and follow these steps. Besides, brand sure the kill switch is on so the engine doesn't start while you are cleaning.

Pace 1: Take the air compressor and blow out all of the dust, dust, and grime built upward within the sheave area and the surrounding clutch components. Wearing safety goggles and a mask for this step is a good idea.

Step 2: Spray the sheaves of both with brake cleaner. Yous want to soak things pretty heavily to help remove everything you've loosened with the air compressor.

Step 3: Rub the sheaves (aka the clutch faces) with the annoying pad. This is the elbow grease step. Reach in with an abrasive pad and start scrubbing. Y'all are substantially polishing upwards the sheaves.

Rotate the clutch as you scrub to ensure y'all become the entire surface of each sheaved scrubbed up well. This tin can take some fourth dimension merely is essential for proper cleaning.

#3. Deep clean with clutches removed

While the quick clean method is better than goose egg, I would suggest doing a deep make clean at least one time every season. It takes a little longer and is more involved simply does a far amend job cleaning every part of the clutch.

Step 1: The deep make clean method begins by removing the chugalug as instructed in step one.

Step 2: Remove the clutches from the machine. Remove the clutch bolt from the centre of the clutch using an impact wrench. And then utilize a clutch puller or follow the process here to remove a clutch without a puller.

Stride 3: Put the clutches on a demote or table. Begin to disassemble bolts that hold the clutch together. Use a hand wrench instead of an bear upon wrench for this. Remember how each function fits for reassembly.

Have out the weights and spacers. One time you remove the bolts holding the ii clutch pieces together, the spring volition push them apart. Audit and make clean the bound too.

Stride iv: Spray everything with brake cleaner. With everything taken autonomously, spray each component heavily with restriction cleaner. Spray into every area y'all see that has whatever grime or dust.

Step v: Scrub with an abrasive pad. The real deep clean begins now. Scrub the sheaves as mentioned in pace 2 and scrub each and every internal component. Scrub the rollers, weights, the underside of the sheaves, and everywhere else yous can access.

A toothbrush or similar small abrasive brush can be helpful for this deep cleaning. It volition take you a while to become everything polished, but make certain to do a skilful task since y'all have the unabridged clutch unit disassembled.

Step 6: Reassembled the clutches and then put them back onto the sled. Brand sure to torque the clutch bolts to spec.

Here's a good video showing the deep clutch cleaning process:

#4. Install belt

Now that the clutches have been thoroughly cleaned, you lot can put the belt back on. As mentioned earlier, be certain to inspect the belt for whatever impairment and replace it if necessary.

You won't always need to replace the chugalug when y'all clean the clutches, simply I typically do every other season at to the lowest degree – then that I know that it will be in good working gild.

The Importance of Clutch Cleaning

Having a dirty clutch tin can lead to a few different problems. The dust and grit that accumulate from the friction of the belt in action can build upwardly and start to get into your carbs. This tin can cause bug with acceleration and poor performance.

A dirty clutch tin experience similar to a carb upshot. The clutch will start to stick and human activity like the engine is not putting out enough power. You might fifty-fifty hear a noise when coming to a end – that's a sure sign the clutch is dirty.

If you clean your clutch a few times the easy manner and give it a deep clean one time a season, you won't need to mess with or make clean the carbs as much. I remember this is an easier way to arroyo standard maintenance.

Concluding Thoughts

Cleaning the clutches on your sled is an easy DIY maintenance task that you lot should get in the habit of doing. It tin improve your snowmobile's performance, and I recommend doing it at to the lowest degree once a yr.

Take yous ever cleaned a clutch? Did you remove them to do so? Allow us know in the comments below.

I'grand a snowmobile fanatic. I live for riding and am out on the trails or backcountry as often every bit possible during the winter months. I was built-in and raised in the Rocky Mountains and have snowmobiled in dozens of Northward American locations. When the snowfall is falling, you'll find me on a sled.