I had an 02 and an 04, I liked them both.
If it's the 03 Vertical Escape, it's the lightest 800 RMK that Polaris produced. Nice sled
The 800 engine is a bit of a problem, especially in the long track sleds. A weak case design can cause premature failure of the PTO end of the crankshaft. Tearing the engine apart and doing a wide-bearing upgrade helps that problem. Keeping the primary clutch balanced also seems to help a lot. I had engine plates and torque stops/push stops on both of mine to keep the engine planted, and never had a problem. If the case isn't perfect, the wide bearing may give you a bit more time before the engine breaks. That engine is really happy with perfect cases...
Take a look at the VES guillotine valves, as well. If they are aluminum, consider replacing them with the Stainless Steel valves. There is no cooling around the valve assembly and with hard running, the engine can build enough heat that the guillotine can melt the aluminum and parts can fall into the cylinder. SS solves that issue.
Welcome to the forum!
Linear Mode
