Track Alignment Issue

drb · Mar 4, 2009

I've noticed one day when checking over my sled before a ride that it looked like my track was slightly misaligned. When I lift the back of the sled and let the track spin slowly, I notice that the track moves side to side about 1/4" relative to the outside of the rear idler wheels -- That is, to and from a position of correct alignment, so depending on where the track stops, measurement can produce an accurate or inaccurate alignment measurement.

I haven't yet measured the distance along the track that it takes to go through a cycle, but I suspect the issue is with the rear idle wheels, nor have I verified that the idler wheels aren't bent. A visual inspection of the wheels doesn't show anything abnormal.

I had the sled into the dealer last year with a complaint about a vibration that I can feel in the tunnel. I suspect that this side to side track movement, however slight, is producing the vibration at high speed that I have complained about. I would have expected the dealer to have examined and verified everything in this area and thus I paid little attention to it.

My sled is a 2005 Arctic Cat with about 4300 miles on it. Can anyone provide any feedback or comments on my observation.

--drb

extsp2 · Mar 4, 2009

both my sleds do the same thing..........i notice more on our zl short track than i do on my 136" zr

ArcticGabe · Mar 5, 2009

Yup, mine started with a vibration (most noticeable between 50 and 60MPH) after I replaced the track last year.

Unfortunately, I have no answer, although I did not measure the track run-out again this year. By casual observation, though, I know it's not out by a quarter inch. A quick glance and I can see that the distance from the slide rail to the clips on either side of the track are as close as I can tell by eye.

P.S. I was always taught to measure track run-out from a stationary point on the suspension (i.e. the slide rail) instead of a moving part, like the rear wheel.

sledbilly · Mar 5, 2009

one of your rear idlers slightly out of round?

I usually check alignment by looking at track where it starts to go into the tunnel by the upper idler.

drb · Mar 5, 2009

P.S. I was always taught to measure track run-out from a stationary point on the suspension (i.e. the slide rail) instead of a moving part, like the rear wheel.[/b]

Arctic Cat service manual states the following for measurement:

<blockquote>"When the track stops rotating, check the relationship of the rear idler wheels and the inner track drive logs. If the distance from the rear idler wheels to the inner track lugs is the same on both sides, no adjustment is necessary."</blockquote>
In my case, what I actually did check from the distance from the rear idler wheels to the edge of the track. Watching the distance between the rear idler wheels and the edge of the track, the distance varies -- hence I am assuming the track is moving side to side on the wheel. I really need to validate what is moving relative to some other fixed object -- like the tunnel itself.

I've seen idler wheels (not the rear) that wobble a bit and can give this illusion.

BTW. In another thread with the same subject, in another sub-forum, I got a response from someone who PDI'ed Cat's and has observed this on all the out-of-crate cats that he was PDI'ing -- so it may be "normal".

--drb

Track Alignment Issue

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