p51mstg

Yeah, like toslow said - remove the drive shaft and replace both bearings. That means you usually have to remove the chaincase, too - or at least loosen it up. That means taking the cover off and draining the gear lube, and that means replacing the gear lube and tensioning the chain when you put it back together. I'm not sure on this sled, but it seems like at least one of the bearings has a locking collar on the inside. Sometimes they're pressed on (usually only one side), There are kits you can buy (such as those offered by All Balls) which include everything you need to replace both bearings. I prefer that, even if the bearings themselves are sourced overseas, because I don't have to worry about buying an o-ring or seal, if one is needed. If you really want to go the extra mile, the top set of bearings for the jackshaft are also probably due for replacement. Since those require removal of a lot of the same stuff to remove that shaft, you could probably replace those, as well. I remember cutting one bearing off, because it was pressed on and I didn't have a press to get it off. That was a different sled, but be prepared for that. On the other hand, if you remove the jackshaft and the bearing spins fine, you might be okay for now and just put it back together. I've done that, too.

Yes. that drive pin is a tightly wound wire. It's designed kind of like a sheer pin - any problem and it will take out the pin, rather than expensive stuff. The only problem is, people immediately assume there's a problem with the speedo, not realizing that the bearing is toast. 99 times out of a 100, it's the bearing that's bad. These are sealed bearings with ports to let grease in. That's why there's a grease zerk on the outer housing. Because the track is under tension, it's almost impossible to tell if the bearing is bad unless you drop the rear skid to release all of the tension on the shaft. Even then, I think it's hard to tell, and if you're that far into it, might as well get a replacement bearing and seal kit from All Balls, pull the drive shaft and replace both sides. If there's no obvious sign of damage - right now - and if it's only for the kiddos - I'd ride it like it is, with a broken speedo, until spring. Then plan on going through the entire machine and replace all the bearings. For what it costs to do that, it'll save you a lot of headaches next winter. If you were planning to ride it any kind of distance, the drive bearings probably need to be replaced right now. If you're just rising around the property and having fun, it can wait a little while., 200-300 kms, and that bearing will be toast.

I watched that. For BDX/SSI to do this, they must've sensed a need. Reminds me of the work they put into the larger fuel tank. As I understand it, the fuel tank was requested by cross country racers. We know that the Catalyst has had a tough time keeping up with the Polaris race sleds on ice, and maybe the new belt drive is a quest to get more speed for them. For the amount of work and the cost, I think I'll pass on it (for now). If the clutch kit and tune from Thunder Products are as good as they say, I won't be looking for anything else out of my ZR 600.

I've been curious about the S4, mainly because I think it's an attractive option for entry level riders and anyone who prefers a smooth, quiet, smokeless machine. I really wanted to test ride one this season, and actually got a coupon code from Polaris to ride one at any Polaris Adventures outfitter for an hour. Unfortunately, that doesn't look like it will happen now, even if we do recover from this warmup. Never say never, at least until April 1st, but I'm kinda bummed about that. I'll be watching the snow totals in Bemidji to see if their trails get groomed before the end of the season. It's never really struck me that Polaris was trying to compete with anyone when they introduced the S4. If they said so, I missed it. Instead, the vibe I get about the S4 is that it's there to fill a gap in their own lineup. While it's disappointing to hear that the Ski Doo outperforms it, is lighter and gets better fuel economy, I'm not entirely surprised. If Polaris wanted to compete against them, they would've been more focused on the 900 Ace numbers. The way it is, nothing matches up, and that's what makes me think their focus is elsewhere. That said, I do think we see an expansion of 4-strokes in the Polaris 2026 lineup. They don't actually need to turbo the S4, either. On the dirt side, they seem to be able to pull whatever hp they want to out of that engine, depending on what machine it's in.

That's a good video and Tom's a great guy. I keep wanting to ask him for a tour of his old sleds, but haven't gotten the chance.

Small business owners bank on having the trails open, and as much as I don't think he should've said that, I can't blame him, either. We're in that same boat here - trails are bare minimum rideable and small businesses are desperate (especially since last year's disaster of a season). Fortunately for us, the trails are open and people are riding on them. I'm actually surprised how good they are, considering how thin the snow cover is.

Learned a lot from his books. A real legend.

Tariffs are a negotiating tool. Unlike most political posturing, however, a Trump Administration threatening to actually implement tariffs isn't an empty threat. Nobody knows if Trump means it. That, in itself, is leverage that not too many people have. Other countries know that a Biden Administration can be reasoned with, but they're not sure about Trump. So, that gives us a great deal more leverage than we'd normally have. What that does is cause foreign businesses and countries to do things they wouldn't normally do. As an example, it might cause a company that might not want to buy Arctic Cat to take another look - having a US-based factory to build snowmobiles and ATV's that would otherwise need to be imported allows them to avoid tariffs and still send profits back to the motherland. Worst-case (for us) is a foreign investor who buys one or both of the factory(ies) makes something else and lets the actual Arctic Cat brand die.

You're right, I apologize for misreading your statement.

I would avoid the hardware store for stuff like that, because I'm never sure the hardness is correct from what I need. There is a fair amount of pressure on those 4 bolts, and tolerance/hardness is important. Expensive bolts holding spinny things together are often worth every penny.

Are the screws different than the previous Team secondary? I have both, but it never actually occurred to me that they could be different. I'm in the Rochester area about every other month now and it'd be fun to stop in Cannon Falls to see the BDX guys. Or, maybe I need to put together an order... better go check out their web site...

And, it was the dirt side that Textron actually wanted, right? Now that they ran the dirt side into the ground, I sincerely hope Textron sells the entire thing to someone who will appreciate it more and actually commit to the brand.

This doesn't feel like they're tightening up the financials to get ready for a sale. It feels more radical than that. Cutting technical people also makes it feel like they aren't planning to be around much longer. Maybe I'm wrong, because I can imagine that Textron is riffing people to make the sale more attractive to a prospective buyer, but it doesn't feel that way to me. Things aren't looking much better at Polaris, but at least they're committed to the industry, where Textron isn't.

On my bucket list is to be at Split Rock Lighthouse when they light it up.

Call Thunder Products Clutching. Everyone else was stuck at higher elevations last year and needs a good season to get their flatland kits right. But, Thunder Products have a setup that's pretty dialed in - they did a lot of work with the racers last year and are well ahead of the aftermarket. Before you decide to wait, give them a call and actually talk to them in person to see what they can do right now. I don't have a relationship with them and have nothing to gain by recommending them, other than just trying to help you. 906-484-1650 sales@thunderproductsclutching.com