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what tools are required to remove the jackshaft to replace bearings

9K views 47 replies 12 participants last post by  dave583 
#1 ·
I got the airbox out the way , clutchs off, carbs off and im going to drain and gut the chaincase next day off.once i got the sprockets out of the chaincase and the flangette off on the clutch side, whats left to do/how do i go about getting it out of there?


once its out of there , what do i need to do to get the bearing replaced and back in proper?


lamens dummy terms preferred. never attempted this part of it before?:bc:
 
#2 ·
Honestly i would spin the shaft after removing the chain in the case. If you dont hear any noise, rough feeling , or feel any up and down play in the bearing, than i wouldn't replace it. ( upper ) i personally have never experienced a bad upper case bearing on the edge sleds, even with 15,000 miles on them.
If you feel the need to replace it, than i understand.
 
#5 ·
ill check it out after I gut the case. that's great news.id rather not mess with it if I do not need to.

I just figured where my speedo stopped working that the driveshaft bearing was most likely shot and while I have all that stuff off if that bearings shot the upper should be as well. ill definitely check it and if theres no unusual play ill leave it for now and just do the driveshaft.:bc2:
 
#6 ·
I just figured where the speedo quit the bearings most likely toast on the clutch side, so I figuredthe case side would be shot as well on the lower and the upper would be as well.


if I can get by with just doing the driveshaft im happy.:bc:

ill spin the shafts once the case is gutted and see whats what.i already have two bearings so I may just do both sides of the driveshaft this year and leave the jackshaft be for a later date if I can get away with it.
 
#7 ·
I have the bearing kit, speedo key and a new speedo cable.should be all I need to fix the speedo issue or is there something else I should order as well?
 
#8 ·
only other piece of that puzzle is the speedo angle drive. which is not very common to fail. i see them bad from time to time on older poorly maintained sleds. probably the bearing is failing? and it sheared the speedo key off? most common scenario.

removing the jackshaft on a edge chassis sled is a piece of cake. there's a slot in the chassis to just lift it out once it clears the chain case. just common tools needed to remove and replace the bearing. a ball joint tool that fits over the shaft to remove the old bearing. that and a hammer. find a piece of pipe that just clears the shaft and hits the inner bearing race and drive it on. it's a press fit but not that bad. nothing like a crank bearing that can take 20 tons to get it moving. that's why heat is your friend.
 
#18 ·
i have a polaris bearing and 2 of whatever royal distributing deems equivalent.

if i can get by with just the clutchside drive shaft bearing ill be using the polaris for sure.
 
#20 ·
bro, you need to swing that shit over here to Manitoba, we'll drink some locally made Crown Royal (with ginger or coke) and bust that beast up and fix it right. Talk shit about that asswhip Trudeau then, hug, high five, chest bump and i'll get your ass outta my shop. It's easy as shit, just come by. lol
 
#24 ·
so the best way to remove the skid from what i gather is ;


loosen the 4 bolts holding the skid to the tunnel

shut the fuel off

tip er up on its left side

loosen off the track tension bolts all the way

take tension off the torsion springs

pull front out first

swear a lot

about right?


i didn't loosen the track or take the tension off the springs when i removed the skid from the rmk last year in minus 10 outside...fun times.not thinking at all.
 
#30 ·
the noise in the jackshaft sounds like the pads touching the disc or something?partially stuck on maybe?they should auto adjust as the pads wear no?

normal operation or should I be concerned?
 
#32 ·
anything that looks like rust and grease mixed is bad. the drive shaft bearing should be replaced. the purple grease is Polaris o.e.m. grease. i can show pic's of that side bearing on axys and pro-r chassis there is no brown or what looks like rust and greased mixed. even 5-6 years old. all Polaris seal bearings today have white lithium grease in them. the Polaris grease is dyed lithium grease. we use mobil 1 syn. grease. it's red.

the only way unless really bad to check a bearing is in your hand. if there's wear or damage from rust you will feel it. i've seen bearings that looked just fine and seemed to spin just find on the shaft. but were way worse than you would think. if the speedo side bearing has any play or the key has sheered off you need to replace the lower chain case bearing as well. and replace the seal. smear some grease in the lip of the seal before installing the drive shaft.

the sled is a 2005? it's 19 years old. the maintenance has been questionable at best? if it were me i would not skimp at this point. you have it all apart replace all the bearings seal's etc. the chain case is only held on with three carriage bolts. good time to clean it all up anyway.
 
#33 ·
yep I already have the bearings , ill do both sides of the driveshaft.


for some reason , I tried getting the rear suspension bolts out, but one broke loose while the other refuses to, it just continues to spin and work the same side out while staying tight on the other.i tried tightening back up the side that broke free and try to get the other side started, no dice.


am I supposed to have the rear elevated or something im not doing right?
 
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#34 ·
Those chaincase's should be installed back with an alignment tool for best performance...we blueprinted my 00 600 ves chassis back in the day. Best is inscribe marks on the bulkhead where the surface of the chaincase sits against so at least it can go back where polaris installed it.
If the chaincase hyvo fluid was changed every year chances are the bearings should be ok. I've seen sleds that were maintained like this from the 90's with close to 10k miles with bearings/seals still good in the chaincase.
 
#37 ·
im thinking ill leave the chaincase on , just grease the jackshaft on the clutch side and rmove the suspension and driveshaft to get the new bearings pressed on there.


do I need a tool to align just the driveshaft?youd think it be pretty snug with new bearings ?
 
#39 ·
No, if your not going to remove the chain case. Once you pull the speedo side flanges and gears in the chain case, just make sure the track is up out of the way of the drive sprockets.....the driveshaft should slide to the speedo side far enough to wiggle it out. Might take a little persuasion to initially slide trough the chain case bearing. Your lucky this sled hasn't 4 sprockets on the driveshaft.:wall:
 
#43 ·
pull out a track tensioner bolt on one side, put it in the front mount and tighten the lock nut against the tunnel. Then you should have a better chance at getting out the bolt on the other side.
 
#44 ·
got the rear bolts out , had the other one that wouldn't start out 50 percent or so , finished removing the other , and now the 1 cunt holding me up is 50 percent out and for some reason im having a hell of a time lining up the other hole to try retightening again.


shits irritating lol.any other tricks?
 
#45 ·
nvm , got em.

took the tension off the springs.those fuckers got some tension on em lol.when the block came out she almost got my finger. still got the old reflexs.
 
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#46 ·
I went to a Polaris dealer and asked them to press off the bearing on the jackshaft and press a new one on. The service guy gave me a funny look and said that as long as it spins okay to leave it alone. He said they avoid replacing those until they fail.

They lost me as a customer with that comment - what a stupid thing to say. Anyway, I was mad enough that I went home, got my angle grinder out and cut the bearing off without damaging the shaft. I then tapped the new bearing on straight. Once even with the shaft, I used a 1 inch ID pipe and a hammer to pound it all the way home.

Not difficult at all, problem solved, and I'll probably never have to do that to that sled again (hopefully, assuming I sell it before it needs another one).

I once lost an entire season due to a seized jackshaft bearing and will never do that again. IMO, I don't care if it spins freely - if I have the thing apart, and it's got 4-5,000 miles on the bearing (which that one did), then it's going to be replaced, period. The All Balls kit is so cheap that it doesn't make sense not to do it.

Just make sure to keep the bearings on the clutch side greased, that's something easily overlooked.
 
#47 ·
Its basically the same our service manager says about the jackshaft bearing...as long as it spins freely and not rough, its ok, just be sure to keep it greased. This guy is one of the best poo techs around the area and now owns the business. Personally i've never replaced them on any of my own sleds. Had nearly 9k miles on my other 05 600, that bearing is still like new. I've always pumped a shot of low temp grease in it after every big ride. Hey if you feel that bearing isn't good or just time to replace it for peace of mind...its ok to.:bc2:
 
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