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VFJ clutch weights and primary spring testing

18K views 91 replies 22 participants last post by  Jimbo630 
#1 ·
Finally got around to uploading my videos with the clutch weight testing.

My Teryx is completely stock (performance wise) and rolls on 27" Roctanes with 14" STI beadlocks wheels. I drove the Rex down the road and back before each pass to warm the engine and fluids. The videos are back to back with the only difference being the clutch weights and primary spring. My daughter, who weighs 100 lbs did the video as I drove. We did a pass each direction.

My results were a one second drop in my zero to 50 mph time, with most of the gain between 20 and 40 mph. The speedo jumps too quickly to do anything under 20 mph.

Before
2013 Teryx 4 before clutch modification:

2013 Teryx 4 acceleration with VFJ clutch weights:
 
#35 ·
Yessir I belive it! Same happened to mine. When I installed my recall clutch I snorked it at the same time. No mo trouble for me


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#37 ·
There are 2 things that haven't been mentioned as far as the snorkel goes. One is that the snorkel is nice to keep water out of there, some people aren't riding in conditions where that is a problem, some are. The other issue is that anytime you add piping, you restrict flow. Moreso with elbows, and more again if you reduce the diameter of the piping. How much of a difference it is I don't know, but it's a fact.
 
#38 ·
That is true. However the inlet is only 2" so as long as your pipe is 2" with the minimum possible elbows you really don't lose much in the way of air flow. I also snorked my belt exhaust up to the roof level because i got water in it a couple times. Also the hot air coming out doubles as a hand warmer ��
 
#39 ·
Can you say "derailed"? LOL
 
#40 ·
For the thread yes lol. For my job , no please no derail. Its a pain working those. Just got the last one cleaned up.
 
#41 ·
Well arguably that is some evidence. The first that has been posted here. Like I said, I follow the data. You might be onto something.

To figure it out for sure, we need a sample of people who haven't retrofitted the intake and are experiencing rapid belt failures. The best data will come from people who also haven't bought clutch work or big tires.

Anyone? If a pattern emerges, it'll be worth a poll and might just produce some useful knowledge.
 
#42 ·
The useful knowledge is really just common sense, a rubber laminated belt will last longer in a 180 degree environment than in a 240 degree environment. No real data patterns needed. :)
 
#43 ·
If no belts are failing, "common sense" is really just folklore.

The belts have an operating range. If they are within it, they are fine. The same is true of all mechanical parts.

But the real issue here is the guess that the new style intake is defective. The engine is hot from the combustion chamber up. Heat rises from there. The new intake is below that. There are thousands of T's running this intake successfully over two model years now. How would you explain that?
 
#44 ·
No, its still common sense.
Your engine has an operating range from 0 to 9000 rpm. How long do you think it will last running it at 9000 rpm all the time?
When you get to the upper end of an operating range, your pushing your luck. Trying to run that way all the time like the belt temp, not going to be good for the life of the belt.

The heat coming from the engine comes from all around the engine, not just above the combustion chamber. In fact the front exhaust pipe runs down around the bottom of the engine and it makes a great space heater. The CVT intake is up at the top of that chamber, and very hot air IS being fed to the CVT.
 
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#45 ·
Then why aren't a bunch of belts failing? That's the question.

They certainly were before the clutch fix. We saw a very obvious, very consistent pattern. Not now though.

And if it was an issue, why didn't Kawi discover it during the defect testing for the recall? I'd bet they had dozens of temp probes all around that case.
 
#46 ·
Because being in the operating range of the belt, its not destroying it immediately. Its just reducing the life of the belt over time.
Kawasaki obviously felt that if your belt lasts 1000 miles rather than 2000, then its fine with them.
Since the vast majority of Teryx owners don't put huge miles on them, the problem may not be obvious. Doesn't mean its not a problem. Doesn't mean we don't need to try to do what we can to fix it. Specially when its such a cheap and easy fix...
 
#47 ·
It's common knowledge that higher temps reduce belt life. The 14/15 set up is just plain stupid. If I bought one I wouldn't close the deal unless the dealer agreed to swap it over to the 12/13 set up because one thing is for certain; Belts were a non issue until 14s came out. I would agree that evidence supports that for the most part the problem has been resolved with the recall but pulling cooler air from the dash just makes better since. Just my .02
 
#48 ·
Totally agree. Can't go wrong with following a common sense.
 
#49 ·
Finally got around to uploading my videos with the clutch weight testing.

My Teryx is completely stock (performance wise) and rolls on 27" Roctanes with 14" STI beadlocks wheels. I drove the Rex down the road and back before each pass to warm the engine and fluids. The videos are back to back with the only difference being the clutch weights and primary spring. My daughter, who weighs 100 lbs did the video as I drove. We did a pass each direction.

My results were a one second drop in my zero to 50 mph time, with most of the gain between 20 and 40 mph. The speedo jumps too quickly to do anything under 20 mph.

Before
2013 Teryx 4 before clutch modification: http://youtu.be/co44Qw2a0vI

2013 Teryx 4 acceleration with VFJ clutch weights: http://youtu.be/OmMd5FhZ2q0
If I think really hard, I can vaguely remember when this thread was about this. Ha ha
 
#50 · (Edited)
I had the same thought, if Kawasaki would have found heat issues with the factory 14/15 cvt intake, then they would have recalled it. In the same thought, I can't help but think the intake routed up in the dash has greater benefits compared to being under the console. It can't hurt anything being re routed, and should help with keeping dust out of the cvt. It's cheap and easy to replace.
IT CANT HURT ANYTHING, that is the main reason I switched the cvt intake on my 14 model.
 
#52 ·
Either choice is probably harmless. But to say the new intake "dramatically shortens belt life" is a claim for which evidence does not exist.
It's quite possible that Kawi went to a shorter tube to reduce heat soak and that the shorter intake actually inserts cooler air. But, I have no proof of that either.
 
#54 ·
Jschmidt I think you are putting way too much trust in the Kaw engineers, that they were thinking anything other than "we can save $2.50 per machine by not installing a snorkle" In my experience Engineers do goofy s*#@ all the time!


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#55 ·
But anyways everyone has their opinions, and like you say, back to the original topic! [emoji482]


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#59 ·
Personally, I think a one second gain is a bunch!

How much money will a person spend on a car to improve their 0-60 time by a second??
 
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