As a ski-doo rider, you should know that a sled track should be replaced regularly. If you’re dealing with a damaged or worn-out track, you’re basically putting your life at risk.
Fortunately, changing a snowmobile track isn’t that big of a deal, and even beginners can do it without any problems. All you need to do is follow a few steps and keep the parts that you remove clean and organized.
Steps to Remove & Replace a Snowmobile Track
There are 10 steps you need to follow in order to replace your snowmobile track properly. If you’re doing it for the first time, it’s okay if it takes you a little more time than you expected – just make sure you do it right. As a reward, you’ll hear the resounding roar of your snowmobile engine once you put the last part back.
1. Remove the Rear Suspension
There are a couple of methods to remove a snowmobile track. If you’ve never done that before, this may sound like a serious task, but the first step is actually quite simple.Method 1
Lift the back of the sled by the bumper. Make sure to place a jack stand underneath the bumper so that the track is about 6 in off the ground. Thus, you will avoid placing too much stress and pressure on the tunnel.
Next, remove the tension by loosening the rear axle retaining bolts and remove the ones that hold the front and rear suspension arms to the sled chassis. Each of the bolts should be removed little by little while you are rotating between them. If one is taken out by itself, the bolt on the opposite side will be left spinning.
As soon as all the bolts are removed, the rear suspension will no longer be attached to the tunnel, swinging down and pivoting on the front arm mount points. Now, you need to lower the floor jack, and the suspension will slide out of the track.Method 2
The second method involves tipping your ski-doo on its side. Before doing so, make sure there’s enough room for the suspension to swing out and remove the battery so that it doesn’t spill. Tip the snowmobile on its side and support it with a floor jack. Then, remove the rear suspension as well as the front suspension bolts. Now pull the suspension skid out of the snowmobile track.
2. Remove Any Parts Blocking the Chaincase Cover
The next step is to remove the chaincase. But before removing the chaincase cover, you need to remove all the parts of the sled that are blocking access to it, such as the battery, battery tray, muffler, and exhaust.
To remove the exhaust, you can use either pliers or an exhaust spring puller tool, but the latter would be more convenient and easier to use. Just hook, pull, and remove both of the exhaust springs holding the muffler to the pipe, and pull off the spring that secures the muffler to the sled chassis.
Remove the battery cables by unscrewing the bolts that secure them to the battery terminals. Take off the battery strap and remove the battery itself and the battery tray. Now that you have removed the battery, you should get the relays, cables, and other parts out of your way so you can remove the chaincase cover.
3. Remove the Chaincase Cover
Now it’s time to remove the chaincase. If your ski-doo chaincase has a drain plug, drain the chaincase oil through it beforehand. If there is no plug, place an oil drop pan underneath the belly pan and prepare some rags to wipe up the oil.
The filler plug that is located on top of the chaincase should be removed. Use your ratchets and sockets to remove the bolts that secure the chaincase cover. Once the chaincase has been removed, clean up the extra chaincase oil from the belly pan with your rags.
4. Remove the Chaincase Tensioner & Gears
To remove the chain tensioner, you should loosen the locknut on the tensioner adjuster and loosen the adjuster bolt. This should create slack in the chain, and once it’s there, remove the bolt holding the tensioner arm to the chaincase and remove the tensioner. Keep all the parts clean to reinstall them later.
Now let’s proceed to the chaincase gears. Depending on your sled, you will need to remove the lower gear or, the lower and the upper gears. If you’re not too sure, just remove both.
Remove the hex bolt and washer that’s securing the upper gear to the jackshaft. Use snap ring pliers to remove the retention circlip on the lower gear. Slide the silent chain and the two gears off the drive and jackshaft. The countershaft spacer on the jackshaft must be removed as well and placed with the other snowmobile parts.
5. Remove the Secondary Clutch/Brake Components
Turn to the other side of the snowmobile. Pull the retaining pins to take the belt guard off and loosen the three screws securing the disc brake guard to the sled chassis. With some snowmobile models, you might need more room to work with, so you can go ahead and remove the secondary clutch and belt, too.
Before you start removing the brake caliper bracket, you should turn the driven pulley in order to align the caliper bracket screw with the brake disc slots. Then remove the bracket screws that secure the caliper bracket by using a socket driver or a screwdriver. Also, remove the bolt holding the caliper to the chassis and move it out of the way. Remove the circlip that’s holding on the disc from the driveshaft and slide the disc off of the shaft splines.
Remove the bearing carrier off the driveshaft by loosening the bolts that hold it on. To do so, you might need to disconnect the sled speedometer from the carrier. The key that operates the speedometer also must be removed.
6. Remove the Drive Shaft & Old Track
Now we need to remove the driveshaft. You’ll have to get under the snowmobile to gain access to it. Slide the driveshaft towards the chaincase till the driveshaft on the brake side drops into the tunnel. You’ll see a bearing flange between the driveshaft and the tunnel, so pull out the driveshaft and remove the tunnel, placing them in safe storage so that you don’t lose them.
Once the driveshaft has been removed, the snowmobile track can easily be pulled out from underneath the tunnel.
7. Inspect the Suspension, Drive, and Brake Components
Now you have the perfect opportunity to inspect all the components while they’re out, as they don’t normally get inspected the way they should. Start with your rear suspension skid: make sure that the springs and shocks are working properly and that the limiter straps are solid. If the slides are too thin, they need to be replaced.
Check bearings by rotating each wheel to ensure that each bearing spins freely. If you feel any resistance, consider replacing some of the wheel bearings. Inspect your suspension arms as well: they may have some bends and cracks. You might want to grease your suspension, too, especially if you haven’t done that in a while.
Don’t forget to inspect fittings, lines, and caliper – the brake components – to make sure that there are no signs of damage or wear. Check if you need to replace the rotor or pads, and take a look at the brake lines to see if they are damaged.
Inspect the splines on the driveshaft – they should be straight. There should be no missing teeth on the chaincase gears, and the cog drivers must be solid.
8. Install a New Track
Finally, it’s time to install the new track. You should line the track up with the tunnel, slide the new track over the drive axle, and align the drive lugs with the sprockets and windows with the cog drivers. Once the new track has been installed, install all of the other components in the reverse order of their removal.
9. Install the Remaining Parts in Reverse Order of Removal
Putting the parts back should not be difficult, as they are to be installed in the reverse order of their disassembly. Install the driveshaft and the drive axle on the brake side of the snowmobile. Mount all the chaincase components and proceed to install the brake rotor, brake caliper, and rare suspension.
When installing the chaincase cover, don’t forget to refill the chaincase with lube or oil through the upper fill hole. Place the battery in the tray, and make sure to fasten the strap over the battery. Now, install the muffler by using an exhaust spring puller.
10. Test & Adjust
This is the most nerve-wracking part, as you surely want your sled to work correctly again. There won’t be any issues if you’ve put everything back in the right place. Start up the snowmobile, engage the clutches, and turn over the track.
Check if all the parts are working properly. If everything looks good, tighten and align the track according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
How Long Does It Take to Change a Track?
The amount of time it takes to replace a snowmobile track depends fully on your track installation skills. If you know the theory and understand how a sled works but have never changed a track yourself, it might still take you over two hours to get it done. After you’ve changed a snowmobile track a few times, it won’t take more than one hour.
FAQ
Is It Hard to Change a Snowmobile Track?
It might seem a little challenging for those who’ve never done it before, but overall, it’s not hard. You can absolutely change a sled track by yourself, regardless of your experience. Just follow the steps, and you’ll be fine.
How Do You Check a Snowmobile Tack?
To check your snowmobile track, raise the rear of the snowmobile and visually inspect the track. If you see any tears or shredding, the track should be replaced right away. Check the clips for any damage, as well as the track tension. Make sure that the bearings rotate freely. The track alignment should be evenly aligned on both sides.
How Do I Know If My Snowmobile Track Is Bad?
If you notice any of these signs, consider changing your track as soon as possible:
- Torn or worn sled tracks
- Missing track clips
- Dry-rotter rubber (the result of ultraviolet and ozone damage)
- Missing lugs