[Ralph M]

I've been waiting for the weather to improve to fit a new Gates belt on the 400,
anyway my hand as been forced over the last 100 miles or so I noticed while the scoot
was behaving normally up to about 50 mph it started to rev faster once over that
and was doing about 7500 at 70mph so I decided to strip it down and have a look.
I was impressed by how clean it was inside the belt case the filter was clean oil
in the gear box was like new the belt was within spec but showing the first signs
of slight cracking between one or two teeth, little dust in the clutch bell shoes don't
look any different than 6500 miles ago.
But on opening the variator I found 2 of the Doc Pulley sliders had flipped all 8 showed
signs of minor wear but nothing I would worry about and when weighed were still 18g,
the variator had lots of black dust that I can only think is from the belt and it was
caked on including the tracks the sliders run in, and I suspect this is why they have
flipped, I am going back to the org rollers but will miss the sliders and suspect that
if I could be botherd to strip and clean the cvt at 4 or 5000 mile intervals then all would
be fine. Cant remember all this dust the first time I striped it and find it a bit strange
that there was so much inside the variator yet the rest was so clean, anyway it's all
going back tomorrow hopefully and for the time being I will have to put up with the
standard rollers.

 

[Desert Rat]

Never had my DP slides ever flip. Installed them at 13k & sold with 46k+ miles. The dust is very normal, just wondering why you aren't putting the sliders back in. :?

 

[Ralph M]

Lots of miles to do this summer and wile they may never do it again I don't want to
be messing about with it when I could be riding, the dust I find strange, I may think
again when the next inspection is due. I was very impressed with them but here in
the UK you have to make the most of what passes for summer.

 

[InfernoST]

I had sliders in my 400 and never had a problem with them flipping. I would always take apart the variator to clean it out when I changed the final drive oil which was every other oil change. FYI, always had lots of belt dust in there.

 

[Ralph M]

I was surprised when I found 2 of them flipped but am pretty sure it was the dust,
how long do you go between cleaning it out ? I expected to find the belt worn or
the weights worn neither was the case. They were 2 together and had flipped backwards
as though they flipped as the revs dropped I think the dust and it was on the track and
as the revs dropped it rotated them backwards.

 

[InfernoST]

I went every 6000 miles for cleaning out the CVT and changing the final drive oil and about 2750 to 3000 for changing the crankcase oil. Also changed out the oil filter at every final drive oil change.

 

[utter chaos]

The belt lasts about 25K miles for me. I am on my second replacement. I use 18g sliders. With a new belt and clutch, my RPM's are just under 6K at the speedometer 80MPH mark. Prior to the new parts, my RPM's were about 6700 RPM's at 80MPH. My worn belt measured .995 thick.

Pay attention to your RPM's at certain speeds. It will tell you how worn your parts are. My sliders are a little worn from the transition of the curve to the flat spot but seem to be working ok. I do not think the sliders flip while driving. If the holding plate isn't tight when putting the pulley back on, then they could roll. Especially the ones on the bottom.

 

[Daboo]

I never had mine flip in the combined 55,000+ miles of using the sliders. The dust, I've always found in there.

I have had the sliders flip by the time I pull off the variator and turn it over to remove the moveable disk, but that's to be expected.

Chris

 

[Ralph M]

The belt would have most likely done another 5 k but is just showing signs of failing at the root of on or two of the inside teeth,
I am absolutely sure they flipped in use as the revs going up at high speed is what drew my attention to it, they had behaved faultlessly
for over 5000 miles I also thought those that had problems with them flipping had not held the plate in during re fitting and I took
great care when stripping it and am sure they did not get moved then. Anyway it's back up n running with the old weights and Gates
belt, only had it up to 50mph so don't yet know how it is at high speed but as expected the revs are lower up to that point, the
most noticeable thing is how slow it feels up to 10 or 15 mph then theres a very noticeable surge as it catches up. With the sliders
it was just one long push I much prefer the performance with sliders but I am a lazy sod that prefers to ride it than fix it.

 

[Daboo]

My 400 hit some high revs this past week. I sat in stop and go traffic on a hill with the clutch slipping a bunch. By the time I got out of the area of the wreck ahead, it was taking 5000 rpms just to get moving. It had me pretty worried. I pulled it apart the next day and found the clutch bell had turned brown from the heat. Could it be that's your problem and the sliders flipped taking them out?

Chris

 

[Ralph M]

Na the clutch is as good as the day Mr Suzy fitted it, there is absolutely no doubt they flipped in use
and I am 99.9% sure it was dust that caused it.

I did toy with the idea that as the flimsy retainer ring the one held with 4 screws on the back o
the variator seemed to have helped retain the dust of leaving it off and putting the sliders back,
but thought better of it.

 

[mike1nw]

Early on, I found that BELT DUST caused the stock rollers to rattle etc. So I clean every 2-3000 miles. (I have Dr Pulley 19g sliders now) No more problems. Plus my homemade mods to vent the CVT case seem to help get rid of belt dust.

How so much belt dust gets in the variator is a mystery to me. But it does.

Ride on

 

[Daboo]

When I had my 2007 400 and before I got the courage to take things apart (don't laugh, I knew I was going to end up with something not going back together right if I touched it)...anyway, I'd take some compressed air and blow out the dust behind the variator where the rollers were.

It must've worked, because when I put my first sliders in at about 22,000 miles, the rollers looked like new still with no flat spots.

Chris

 

[Mike337]

That's what snomobilers do to their clutches all the time, blow them out. Heck, dealers even do it and charge you for 'cleaning' them. Clutch/belt dust will cloud up a small garage when blown out after 500 miles. They create a lot of dust!

 

[Ralph M]

I must admit I miss the sliders but don't think I have the time or patience to strip it
every 2 or 3k miles, it's coming up to 3 years old now usually have a change around
the 3 year mark though up to this happening I did think it was a keeper, will likely run
it to the end of what passes for summer then have a change.

 

[Ralph M]

Sliders are back in but modified so they are now 20g turning 6000 rpm at 70
see how it goes but they do make it much more pleasant to ride.