Thinking driven clutch is shot.

[Heliarc]

Hi guys, long time since I posted. It's getting warm out so I've been getting the cart ready to roll. All formalities aside, here's my problem.

The cart is first of all an 88 Marathon. Slightly shorter than stock belt, original clutches and everything else. The engine is a fresh rebuild and runs great.

You get to any sort of a hill and it's a straight up dog. It sounds as if it's stuck in it's highest ratio. Just to try and figure it out I took it to a good hill and flogged it till I could see some smoke. Definitely sounds like it isn't downshifting properly. Also I get a vibration at near top speed.

Anyhow I'm thinking, and hoping secondary because it seems to me that it's the one that's more responsible for downshifting with the heavy springs that push the sheaves back together. The drive clutch does have a spring, but I figured this to be intentionally weaker so as not to defeat the weights but to give it a positive return when you let off the gas.

Am I on the mark here? I'm hoping like hell I am. I'm going to take the cover off my primary to make sure the weights are still hanging on but I'm hoping like hell a new secondary spring will solve this.

***EDIT***

I've been reading around. I knew this issue was on the site and I found some of it. Someone else had a bushing that was shot causing a vibration at high speed much like mine as well as a lack of hill climbing power. I've also read about stretching the spring to get some time out of it. I think this will be a diagnostic tool as well. If I stretch the spring and it starts working better, after I pin the vibration down of course, a new spring should help. Ok so now what about ramp shoes and all that. Is that going to be an obvious thing that they're worn out? This is the original as I've said. Nothing has been done to it and the p/o really put this thing through the mill.

Is there an entire kit out there that will have all the parts so I can just do everything in one shot? I think it would be a good idea instead of a piece here and another there.

Thanks for any advice.

PS...Forward and reverse are the wrong way. It still runs and charges fine so it seems negligible, but if there's a reason you shouldn't do this, or an easy fix even if it doesn't matter, I'd sure want to know about it.

[Heliarc]

I know...This issue has been done and done again, but I can't find a real answer on this. Can someone help me out here?

[Heliarc]

Come on guys. I know someone here can nail this. Vibration at high speed, no power on hills. What do I need to check?

[WJ ezgo]

I don't know if I'll be able to help out, but I have read that shimming the driven clutch is easier v. drive clutch to disassemble and shim with 1 1/8 u bolt washers 3/16th thick. (Not sure it could be the other way around.) Shimming I think is part of the uphill/torque problem...but not sure about the vibration thing.

[Heliarc]

I've heard of that too. It gives the spring more resistance to the belt trying to force down into the sheaves making it harder to upshift. I hadn't thought of it though. If I can pin down that vibration and it's still doggy I'm going to give it a try. thanks for the reminder.

[Heliarc]

Back here again...I still don't have anything concrete to go on other than a vibration at high speed, and loss of power on the hills. I took the back cover off yesterday and ran it on a flat that transitions to a steep hill and you have enough time for it to get to high ratio before you hit the hill. The first time I tried it, it pulled the hill pretty good. A few tries later though and it would barely make it half way. I looked back at the belt and it looked like it was in the low ratio position. I stopped and let it cost backwards just a bit, hit the brakes, then gassed it and it started roasting the tires on the gravel. Now I'm just confused as hell. I'm certain the engine itself is ok but it's pulling it down on the hills. On the flats you have plenty of snot off the start and cruising as well. I'm %100 flabbergasted and worried my cart is going to be sitting all summer now. I really need some help guys.

[Heliarc]

Today I took my drive clutch cover off. You can barely see a **** thing in there. Anyhow I broke out the air gun and blew a copious amount of dust out of it. I squirted in some liquid wrench just for the hell of it too. I couldn't tell if the weights are on but working the clutch in and out I can see something moving which I assume to be the weights. I thought I had it but it's still no better.

Going up hill it really looks like the clutch is slipping. The engine is turning 2-3K RPM but you're barely moving at a slow walking pace. Also there's a nylon sort of bushing in the center of the cover and that has some play. Maybe 1/32"-1/16" I'm thinking that could be my vibration but I'm still in the dark.

I've gotten so much help from you guys in the past. If not for this site my cart would have been junked long ago and I appreciate the hell out of that. Like you couldn't even believe. I want to buy each and every one of you a case of beer and a high class hooker. Now, at the risk of sounding like a jerk, I get on this site and I contribute like hell. If I don't have an answer I at least try and refer to someone who does, not just leave people sitting in the dark. So far I've had one answer(Thank you WJ), but not a single other person has bothered to try and help me out. I know that one of you guys who has read this can help me.

Please please please for the love of God, don't let me hang on this. I need an answer to get this fixed and I know one of you has it.

[rabar4]

I see this has been dead for a while now... Im having something similar with my 1989 Marathon. I feel vibration but not until im rolling about 6-10MPH im guessing its coming from the main clutch? happens more forward than it does in reverse. I jacked the cart up and pulled the belt and restarted. It seamed as if I could still hear it but was not as easy to feel. One thing for sure there is a lack of power and speed with this new issue.. thoughts?? I have not tried a hil at all yet. this happened when I was rolling down the road and all of a sudden bam! vibration and slow....

[Heliarc]

Yea, I got most of the issue resolved. My driven clutch was acting up. I got a used one from another user here and it works nice. The vibration is still there but I have no trouble with hills anymore. I can't say what it is on yours but if it's screwing up going up hills, take the rear off if possible and observe the CVT.

[G9ty]

I am having the same issue with my G9. I rebuilt the drive clutch and the issue is the same. It's loud and won't climb hills well. Is there a driven clutch issue that causes this? I haven't pulled it off yet, but it looks as if it's all working properly.