belt slipping or clutch or tranny prob

[treverds]

Got to drive the hustler for first test drive. I went about a hundred yards not very far but I'm hooked. I am aware now that there is a problem back there somewhere how do I determine it. I see the pulleys changing diamater depending on engine speed when in neutral reving engine and all the funny sounds are gone from chains etc. Thanks, Trever

[LarryW]

Got to drive the hustler for first test drive. I went about a hundred yards not very far but I'm hooked. I am aware now that there is a problem back there somewhere how do I determine it. I see the pulleys changing diamater depending on engine speed when in neutral reving engine and all the funny sounds are gone from chains etc. Thanks, Trever

Hey treverds,
What kind of noise it is making? popping, clunking, squealing? Does it do it driving? Does it only do it turning to right or left?

Probably most problems are loose or misaligned chains. That will cause a popping sound when the chain slips on the sprockets or a slapping sound if the chain is smacking the floor of the lower body or something else.

Are you saying it does it in neutral?

[treverds]

I guess I didn't make that very clear. I got rid of most of the noises before I took out to drive for first time. It is very slow and feels like it has no power. I do believe that I am getting full rpm from engine and when I rev the motor up I see both the engine and trans pulley changing diameter. How do I tell if the big spring on the trans pulley is good before I attempt to find a belt and what exactly does that spring do? I want my next ride to be much longer

[JohnF]

Is the machine slow and you see the clutches fully shift out,

Or is the engine being lugged so bad that the machine accelerates so slow that it seems like it will never reach speed?

The first case is most likely a slipping belt and second is the driven clutch shift higher too soon so that you are basically in a gear that is too high all the time.

That spring, assuming you mean the one on the driven clutch, is probably adjustable to move the shift out. You need to tighten it.

Full disclosure - that's only from book learn'n - I'm not an experienced AATV owner.

Oh, and in neutral, are you reaching max power RPM before, at, or after full shift out?

[LarryW]

I guess I didn't make that very clear. I got rid of most of the noises before I took out to drive for first time. It is very slow and feels like it has no power. I do believe that I am getting full rpm from engine and when I rev the motor up I see both the engine and trans pulley changing diameter. How do I tell if the big spring on the trans pulley is good before I attempt to find a belt and what exactly does that spring do? I want my next ride to be much longer

Hey treverds,
If that spring gets weak or damaged it will spread the driven clutch apart easier. The spring applies the pressure to the pulley holding it closed. If you push or pull on the center of the belt between the engine and trans does it pull it apart easily. It shouldnt at all or if it does, it should be very difficult.

One way to tell if the belt is bad is the top of the belt should be pretty level with the outer edge of the driven pulley. If its not and the driven pulley is completely closed the belt is worn to thin. So it will go deeper in the driven pulley and which makes it loose and then it engages higher in the drive pulley. That creates a higher ratio that could make it sluggish and take alot of power away.