anyone know if this sled is considered a ck3 . I heard it started in 1998, but the sleds look identical. any help is greatly appreciated

Nope. 1997 and older triples were in the F-2000 chassis. 98-up triples were in the CK3 chassis.

Here's my sled, a 1997 Mach 1.

trying to align the clutches. bought a snostuff tool and cannot figure out how it mounts on the secondary. does the secondary need to be in the open position?

what were the main differences between the f 2000 and the ck3?

Which sno stuff tool did to get? I think most tools need to have the secondary expanded anyways, because you are aligning both fixed halves of your clutches (i.e. engine side on the primary is fixed, and the front side of the secondary is also fixed.)

I haven't had good luck with any of the aftermarket alignment tools being any good. I use a steel bar and a steel ruler to align and adjust my clutches.

I really don't know the differences between the F-2000 and CKIII chassis, other than the CKIII looks more "egg" like, or "bubbly", and the F-2000 chassis looks like it's been squished down. The F-2000 chassis was made from 1993 (I think)-1997, and the CKIII was made from 1998-2003. Front suspension was changed between the two chassis, seats were different, the heat exchangers are the same, but the CKIII added a bulkhead cooler, and the suspension to heat exchanger clearance was a little better in the CKIII. The F-2000 just has a single headlight bulb, where the CKIII has two bulbs. The F-2000 chassis did have some two cylinder engines in it in the first few years, where the CKIII never had a two cylinder engine in it (from the factory, at least).

There's probably more differences that I am forgetting, but that should be the major ones.

Jim