First, make sure the clutch is clean. It could be sticky or binding, and then lets go to engage. Other than that, engagement is pretty much a function of the spring tension vs. the force of the weights. A spring that has a smaller initial force and the same finished force will give you an easier engagement and the same top end performance.

What color spring do you have in the sled now?

 

Clutch

Thanks for your response. The spring is green. I did notice some rust/corrosion on the clutch. If that is the cause, can it be cleaned or do I need to replace the clutch?

 

Depending on where the corrosion is, most of the clutch is aluminum, so any corrosion will be on the surface and doesn't really present a problem. If it's on the sheaves where the belt engages, using a scotch-brite pad and some hot, soapy water should clean it right off. Some guys use sandpaper, a rougher surface on the clutch sheaves helps engage the belt without slipping. I'm chicken, I use a green scotch-brite pad and it seems to work ok (but I'm not racing, or trying for that last MPH!)

The stock spring should be a dark blue/white spring, PN 7041781. The force for that spring is 120/310, which should give you a pretty easy engagement. The only green spring on the chart is a 42/142, which is definitely not approprate for your sled, which makes me believe you have an after-market spring in the clutch. On my 700, I had a Polaris almond spring, (140/330). It engaged at about 3500 rpm.

 

Thanks, I really appreciate the response. It must be an aftermarket spring. It looks as if the previous owner had put a lot of aftermarket parts on the sled. Is it difficult for a novice to replace the spring if I order the correct one for the sled? Again, thanks for the help!

 

Replacing the spring is pretty simple. You can do it on the sled, just loosen the 6 bolts that hold the clutch face on. There will be a bit of spring pressure toward the end. I would take out 4 bolts then loosen the other two (opposite of each other) until the bolts come free. By that time, most of the force of the spring has been relieved.

After the clutch cover is off, simply remove the spring and replace with a new one. When you re-install the cover, there will be an X on the clutch cover, an X on the spider, and an X on the fixed sheave. Make sure to align the X's to keep the clutch balanced. It is sometimes helpful to have another person help get the bolts started. I use a bit of loctite blue on the bolts, although that may not be necessary. Do not over-torque! Those little guys are easy to strip. The torque is less than 10 ft.lbs. (90 inch/lbs).

If you are having a problem starting the bolts, one trick to try... remove the main bolt that holds the clutch on the engine. Get a big washer that is bigger than the hole in the clutch face and put it on the clutch bolt. Put the clutch bolt back through the center of the clutch face. Put the spring back in, then start the clutch bolt back into the engine. As you tighten the clutch bolt, it will compress the spring, allowing you to start the 6 small bolts that hold the clutch face. Once you have the bolts started, remove the clutch bolt. Tighten the small bolts, then reinstall the clutch bolt.