Sorry I am a noob. But what does it mean when people say there sleds are clutched. I know where the clutch is just wondered what it meant and how do you do it. And do you reccomend it.Does it really make the sled that much faster? Or should i just leave my sled alone dont mess with it?Thank you 
change_up
New member
Clutching is the term used when internal parts of your primary and secondary clutches are changed or altered to change the shift pattern of your sled. When people say they have clutched their sled, they have changed the amount of mass in the primary, moved the amount of primary mass, changed the weight profile, changed secondary helix, and swapped springs. It is impossible for me to explain all of the workings of the clutch without jamming the server lol. Basically, your primary clutch (the one attached to the engine) is driven off of centrifugal force and is sensitive to your engines torque output. There are weights in the primary that have a certain profile (each weight has different shift characteristics... if you have more mass in one part of the weight than another, you will experience a harder shift and more feel of power in that particular part of the shift... providing your motor has the balls to turn it and the secondary corresponds correctly with that part of the shift). Your engine RPM's are also controlled throught the primary clutch.
To answer your question of is it worth it... the answer is definetly yes, but it takes a lot of learning, trial and error, and patience to figure it out all on your own.
Your best bet is to search the term "clutching" or similar and even look at the TY Tech pages. I found that the only way i understood the clutching part was when i took the clutches off my sled, took them apart, re-assembled them and watched how they worked with the track off the ground and the belt cover off... variating through rpms you can watch how the clutches work.
This may have been a little confusing for you, it was hard to explain also lol.
Good Luck!
To answer your question of is it worth it... the answer is definetly yes, but it takes a lot of learning, trial and error, and patience to figure it out all on your own.
Your best bet is to search the term "clutching" or similar and even look at the TY Tech pages. I found that the only way i understood the clutching part was when i took the clutches off my sled, took them apart, re-assembled them and watched how they worked with the track off the ground and the belt cover off... variating through rpms you can watch how the clutches work.
This may have been a little confusing for you, it was hard to explain also lol.
Good Luck!
First of all I want to thank you for the time it took you to explain that, and i did understand some of it. Very well done. Is that one of the first things I might want to do to my sled? It is a 1997 600 vmax xtc 144 picks 1867 miles. The guy i bought it from did some suspension mod to it and have no clue what he did. He just gave me a bag with 2 metal bars in it that were replaced with the mod. thank you so much for your info it is greatly appreciated
what is the helix i hear that a lot ty
what is the helix i hear that a lot ty
change_up
New member
Well, it's hard to say at this point if you do want to clutch your sled or not. What it does exactly is change the shift pattern to keep your engine rpm's in the peak range... obviously this is for optimum performance, can also improve fuel mileage, and is generally easier on drive belts if done correctly. Now on the down side, i have no experience with your sled so i can't even give you any baseline clutching tips.
The helix is in your secondary clutch... it is the part that looks like the picture attached.
It sounds like the suspension mod you are talking about is that the previous owner swapped out transfer rods in the rear suspension. If you look right at the back by the idler wheels, you will find one rod on each side. What those do is control your weight transfer during take off. Basically when you hit the gas, it is designed to allow the rear suspension to take all of the weight and use the weight of the machine to get traction. Think of when you really honk on the gas in your car/truck, your front end raises up a bit... same concept, your rear tires are taking most of the weight to prevent from spinning and losing all that potential traction.
The helix is in your secondary clutch... it is the part that looks like the picture attached.
It sounds like the suspension mod you are talking about is that the previous owner swapped out transfer rods in the rear suspension. If you look right at the back by the idler wheels, you will find one rod on each side. What those do is control your weight transfer during take off. Basically when you hit the gas, it is designed to allow the rear suspension to take all of the weight and use the weight of the machine to get traction. Think of when you really honk on the gas in your car/truck, your front end raises up a bit... same concept, your rear tires are taking most of the weight to prevent from spinning and losing all that potential traction.
Attachments
aahhhhhh yes I understand I think that is what he replaced They are red and look like a shock almost except no spring that i can see. I just greased them they had a fitting on them. Thank you for the picture now I know what it looks like.Thanks for the reply. Oh quick question if you take the springs off are they compressed? Will you have to compress them to get them back on. Or do you have to turn them to make them tighter? Hope makes sense
change_up
New member
Well when you take the springs out on the primary... it's just straight compression. It is pretty easy to get them back in with the stock yamaha springs...
With the secondary there is both compression and torsion. The 4 small holes you see are adjustments for the spring torsion, (you need to buy different springs to control compression). You also have three holes about that size on the fixed secondary sheave (the one that does not rotate and open). This is how you adjust your secondary wrap in degrees. I.E. with one end of the spring in hole # 3 on your fixed sheave and the other end in the #3 hole on your helix... you have a 60 degree wrap. Spring in #2 on sheave and #3 on helix is 50 degree wrap (see how that works? add the two numbers and mulitply by ten to get your degrees)
The way the secondary works is... You have three ramps on the other side of the helix, they are on an angle... many people like to change these angles because it also controls how the sled shifts, along with the springs. What happens is... when the primary squeezes shut, it pulls the belt in tighter to the centre of the secondary to allow the belt to travel, the secondary must open of course, this is changing the "gear" ratio. The helix basically just helps to control all of this movement. Many people will change to a compound helix (one the changes angles throughought the differenct points of the shift) A steeper angles means faster upshift, a lower angle means slower upshift and better backshift.
With the secondary there is both compression and torsion. The 4 small holes you see are adjustments for the spring torsion, (you need to buy different springs to control compression). You also have three holes about that size on the fixed secondary sheave (the one that does not rotate and open). This is how you adjust your secondary wrap in degrees. I.E. with one end of the spring in hole # 3 on your fixed sheave and the other end in the #3 hole on your helix... you have a 60 degree wrap. Spring in #2 on sheave and #3 on helix is 50 degree wrap (see how that works? add the two numbers and mulitply by ten to get your degrees)
The way the secondary works is... You have three ramps on the other side of the helix, they are on an angle... many people like to change these angles because it also controls how the sled shifts, along with the springs. What happens is... when the primary squeezes shut, it pulls the belt in tighter to the centre of the secondary to allow the belt to travel, the secondary must open of course, this is changing the "gear" ratio. The helix basically just helps to control all of this movement. Many people will change to a compound helix (one the changes angles throughought the differenct points of the shift) A steeper angles means faster upshift, a lower angle means slower upshift and better backshift.
So if i understand this right I would want a 60 degree wrap because that would be better for trail ridding. HEnce the spring is tortioned tighter and therefor will grip quicker when i let off the gas and get back on it? Second if i understand correctly I can get just a compound helix instead of going throu with the whole clutch kit deal. I am more intrested in trail riding so i think i would want a helix with faster upshift?
change_up
New member
Well, lol you see it's all a trade off. I guess i should have came right out front and said that although all of these things contribute to shift pattern, Primary clutch adjustments control RPM and secondary controls the way the shift is delivered.
A 60 degree wrap is definetly the most common, it gives you a good balance of upshift and backshift, it's what i'm at right now. Personally i would start with a 51/43 helix (either yamaha or dalton) or you could go with a 48/40 Advant-Edge helix... (the 51/43 and 48/40 act very close to the same with each other... (the company's seem to cut them different so the angle advertised isn't exactly 100% accurate with the other brands) That would be a good start for you. You will be able to tell the difference the moment you put the helix in. (not a BIG difference... but it's a good change) Then, you can go from there and start playing with your primary if you want. It is better to only change one thing at a time anyway... if you try to change two things at once you'll just end up chasing your tail trying to figure out what you're doing
A 60 degree wrap is definetly the most common, it gives you a good balance of upshift and backshift, it's what i'm at right now. Personally i would start with a 51/43 helix (either yamaha or dalton) or you could go with a 48/40 Advant-Edge helix... (the 51/43 and 48/40 act very close to the same with each other... (the company's seem to cut them different so the angle advertised isn't exactly 100% accurate with the other brands) That would be a good start for you. You will be able to tell the difference the moment you put the helix in. (not a BIG difference... but it's a good change) Then, you can go from there and start playing with your primary if you want. It is better to only change one thing at a time anyway... if you try to change two things at once you'll just end up chasing your tail trying to figure out what you're doing
Yo check this out I got some specs from a 1996 vmax xt 600. Mine is a 1997 vmax xtc 600. This is what he used
Primary weight- 8ab-00
Base or first hole-2.4
Tip or second hole- had nothin
primary spring-GPG not sure what that means think it is the color
Engaged shims- 1 not sure what that is or how to do it lol
Secondary type- stock
Helix 45/41 not sure what kind
secondary spring- stock green
spring setting- 70
Wonder if this will work with mine since the only difference on his is xt and mine is xtc. maybe like you said just get the helix lmao I would probly never get it back together if i tried all this stuff
Primary weight- 8ab-00
Base or first hole-2.4
Tip or second hole- had nothin
primary spring-GPG not sure what that means think it is the color
Engaged shims- 1 not sure what that is or how to do it lol
Secondary type- stock
Helix 45/41 not sure what kind
secondary spring- stock green
spring setting- 70
Wonder if this will work with mine since the only difference on his is xt and mine is xtc. maybe like you said just get the helix lmao I would probly never get it back together if i tried all this stuff
ViperTom
New member
Being new to the sport I would recommend you just get on your sled and ride it for a season or 2. Continue to learn how a snowmobile operates and the tuning techniquies to make it operate more to your likeing. When you ride your sled you need determine what you would like to change. Does it need to pull harder off the line? How about more mid-range? Are you going to primarely lake race it...need more top end? Clutching and tuning a sled is a matter of give and take....find out what you would like to improve and what you can do without and go from there. For now....just enjoy your new sled and learn to ride it safely.
Tom
Tom
You know what that is some good advice I will probly do that. Tend to get excited pretty fast. I will tell you what thou, I think i have been a memeber for about a week and have learned so much stuff unreal thanks to all of you here at totallyamaha.com. The wife thinks I am freakin nuts lmao. dont think i have left the computer for more than two hours all weekend. Well except to sleep, and then I start to have dreams about clutchin and stuff lmao. Going to order service manual and monkey around with gettin it ready to ride. Hey viper do you know the Kitchens up there in Gaylord?
ViperTom
New member
chadg said:
What kitchen?
john kitchen and his brother his family use to own kitchen Farms potato. But there was a conflict of intrest between john's dads brother(who was john's uncle) i think so they sold it to johns uncle.
ViperTom
New member
Can't say that I know them....but then again...I've only lived in God's country for 2 years now.
Whats up viper? They have been there for a while use to go up there sleddin with em. my parents have a place up in harrison mi that will be my first destination this year, then i would like to plan a trip to munising, i heard that is one of the best places to go. I went to the two hearted river up in the u.p about 6 years ago and that was a blast. It was snowin so hard we had to pull the sleds off the trail cuase we could not see more than 10 feet in front of us. Good Times
