tippmannator
New member
i have said this before and i shall say this again. i dont know alot about the machanics of my sled. therefore i have lots of questions but i dont want to flood the forum!
todays question:
what is clutching and what are the benefits?
now i know what the clutch is i just am trying to undesrtand more.
thanks
adam
todays question:
what is clutching and what are the benefits?
now i know what the clutch is i just am trying to undesrtand more.
thanks
adam
Junior
New member
2-stroke have fundamentally got a narrow powerband inside which they make optimal power. Your clutches perform the same job as a transmission would in a conventional drive system. By altering/replacing clutch components, you're controlling how that transmission shifts. Similar to installing a shift kit in an automatic transmission car, torque converter aswell.
The benefits are a closer walk of the fine line between underloading the motor and overrevving and overloading it and lugging it in RPM ranges where it's not making optimal power.
Done right it can make far more difference to a sled than and porting/bigbore/pipes will ever do without it.
However it's a give and take process, you're altering how the engine interacts with the chassis, this will alter the entire dynamic of the sled. While it might be faster from a dig, the power delivery might be more violent coming out of a corner, meaning you have to wait longer before opening it which would actually slow you down in everyday situations. It can be violent enough that in looose conditions you'll just spin. It can alter your backshift and therefor engine braking characteristics (if you set it up right you can have it behave like a slipper clutch on a motorcycle, where it limits the amount of backshift power to the track, but is at a level where just letting off the throttle will make the rear of the sled step-out on corner entry, but step out controllably and in a predictable fashion (since the track is still spinning, just spinning slower than the sled is moving, it wont go ballistic).
There are many kits available for all of our sleds, but if you want to get seriously into it, you should read Olav Aeens book on the subject, it'll teach you everything you need to know and then some, and you'll be able to set up your clutching for exactly what you want, not for what Pat Hauck or Tim Bender kinda think you probably want.
The benefits are a closer walk of the fine line between underloading the motor and overrevving and overloading it and lugging it in RPM ranges where it's not making optimal power.
Done right it can make far more difference to a sled than and porting/bigbore/pipes will ever do without it.
However it's a give and take process, you're altering how the engine interacts with the chassis, this will alter the entire dynamic of the sled. While it might be faster from a dig, the power delivery might be more violent coming out of a corner, meaning you have to wait longer before opening it which would actually slow you down in everyday situations. It can be violent enough that in looose conditions you'll just spin. It can alter your backshift and therefor engine braking characteristics (if you set it up right you can have it behave like a slipper clutch on a motorcycle, where it limits the amount of backshift power to the track, but is at a level where just letting off the throttle will make the rear of the sled step-out on corner entry, but step out controllably and in a predictable fashion (since the track is still spinning, just spinning slower than the sled is moving, it wont go ballistic).
There are many kits available for all of our sleds, but if you want to get seriously into it, you should read Olav Aeens book on the subject, it'll teach you everything you need to know and then some, and you'll be able to set up your clutching for exactly what you want, not for what Pat Hauck or Tim Bender kinda think you probably want.
tippmannator
New member
wow, that was alot to take in at once, but it made a lot of sence. thanks alot!!!!! were can i get that book?? any other good reads on this would be great!! thanks alot again!!!!!!!
Junior
New member
that one is pretty much the definitive source for info regarding clutching, it's like any other textbook in that it's updated with a fresh edition every couple of years.
http://www.aaenperformance.com/V4_racing_engine.asp
it's available down at the bottom of the page there, very good value for money. As they say "give a man a fish and you've fed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you've fed him for a lifetime."
the carb tuning book would probably be a good idea too if you're not real firm on how carb tuning works.
http://www.aaenperformance.com/V4_racing_engine.asp
it's available down at the bottom of the page there, very good value for money. As they say "give a man a fish and you've fed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you've fed him for a lifetime."
the carb tuning book would probably be a good idea too if you're not real firm on how carb tuning works.
tippmannator
New member
thanks for the help junior!!!
Last edited:
Junior
New member
ya no worries man.