Comet 780 and Clonda belt slip

[cclingma]

Too hot to work on it anymore so I came here for expert help. My Comet 780 and Clonda setup has been working great for about two years. Yesterday it decides not to pull its self up hills anymore. The driven clutch looks fine and the belt is all the way to the top at idle. The drive clutch looked very shiney so I lightly sanded it with 320 grit sandpaper. I lightly hit the sides of the belt with the paper too. Engine and trans both feel tight like nothing has moved. The belt was 1-3/16 new and now measures about 1-1/8 so I gues I have lost about a 1/16". Is that 1/16" enough to cause this much trouble? The Comet only has about 45 hours on it and the driven was rebuilt by CPP including machining at about the same time. Any ideas?

[Flintrock]

Sounds like a belt problem to me.. you need a spare anyway so try that inexpensive fix first and see what happens.....

[sho305]

The secondary is the one that manages belt tension; how hard it grips the belt. I'd check the ramps and shoes and secondary spring.

But what is it doing, slipping and revving up? Bogging out? If the belt slips it often smokes.

Could try sanding the moving side of the secondary, as that grips more under torque. Sand in/out of it.

Make sure you don't have a broken primary, something else broken or got oil on belt/etc. It is unusual for them to suddenly act different the wear items happen gradually.

[cclingma]

It will rev, shake, and hardly move if at all on a steep grade. It does smoke a little and really let out a nice smoke signal when I was trying to gently get up on my tilt trailer. I watched the primary open and close when reving and thought the secondary/driven looked like it functioned properly as well. I'll have watch it a little closer and get my hands on a new belt too. Thanks.

[sho305]

Belt should be at top of secondary, if it pulls in when you take off that is the problem the secondary is weak. Also check the motor mounts if the engine pulls over to the trans; the primary engages in 'higher gear', belt is not low at the bottom and it will grab/shudder like that and not want to go (due to too much belt slack). Could also be a broken primary and its not grabbing the belt with pressure it should, one of the weights or rollers is messed up. I bet you something is broken I'd pop the cover on the primary and have a look. The belt can break inside and stretch too but never heard of a cart doing that with its low HP even 30HP is low HP for a sled.

[cclingma]

Well here's what I found. Maybe it will help someone else somewhere along the way. My driven clutch was the problem. The key that ties the helix portion to the shaft/shank of the clutch was gone. This allowed the two halves of the clutch to rotate independently which wasn't making it happen. I cut a new key that is of a length that is captured and should never fall out. I'm back to being able to creap up hills as slow or agressive as I want.