Clutch Interchange???? - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

Joelk · 10-30-2009, 02:13 PM

I have a collection of older sleds and parts, primarily older (early 70s) Arctic Cats. None are in great condition and I only intend to make a few of them operational so I want to take the best parts off of them and use them on the ones I plan to try to run.

One of the sleds that I am trying to get operational is a 79 El Tigre 5000. It came (or at least I got it with) with a Hex Style Clutch Primary Clutch and the clutch seems to have more wear than some of the other clutches I have to choose from.

I have several different syles of primary clutches. Another Hex style off of 77 El Tigre 5000, a hex off of a 440 Panther (Kaw 440) another Early Cat Clutch that resembles the Hex Clutch but has no Hex, a clutch off of a 79 Polaris 440, and a Comet 102 C off of an 81 John Deer Trailfire 440.

I know that each clutch is set up for the engine and sled that it will go on, so springs/adjustments may not be correct, but will all of these clutches bolt on and line up properly?

If not, which ones will and which ones won't. And for those that won't what would be needed to get them to bolt on and line up?

I would prefer to avoid changing springs, ramps etc and just clean up a clutch and install it, if will work well, as is.

Of the ones that will bolt on and line up, which of the above clutches would you recommend I use on the El Tigre, assuing all are in the same general condition.

**RJ Gleason** · 10-30-2009, 02:47 PM

Use the Comet, it's easier to tune and you can use the same springs and weights available at the Cat dealer.
All of them should be interchangeable (30mm taper shaft)

Joelk · 10-30-2009, 08:04 PM

I am putting the sled back together and trial fitted several of the clutches. Of the ones I tried, all of them lined up in the same place(or very close) except for the Comet.

I put a piece of 1/8" bar stock between the sheeves of the secondary clutch and looked at where it lined up on the primary clutch. The others were about 1/8 - 3/16" from the inside sheeve of the primary clutch and the Comet was about 3/8 - 7/16" away.

OK to run the Comet with this alignment?

**RJ Gleason** · 11-01-2009, 08:14 AM

You take some of the spacers from behind the secondary to adjust for the offset.