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IMPORTANT

The Owner's Manual for this vehicle contains warnings, instructions and other information you must read and fully understand before safely riding or performing maintenance on this vehicle. Always follow the warnings and instructions in Owner's Manual.

Click the link above for the Table Of Contents, or download a full PDF of the Owner Manual in the Owner Support area of Polaris.com.

PVT System

WARNING

Failure to comply with the instructions in this warning can result in severe injury or death.

Do not modify any component of the PVT system. Doing so may reduce its strength so that a failure may occur at a high speed. The PVT system has been precision balanced. Any modification will cause the system to be out of balance, creating vibration and additional loads on components.

The PVT system rotates at high speeds, creating large amounts of force on clutch components. Extensive engineering and testing has been conducted to ensure the safety of this product. However, as the owner, you have the following responsibilities to make sure this system remains safe:

  • Always follow all recommended maintenance procedures. Always look for and remove debris inside and around the clutch and vent system when replacing the belt.

  • See your dealer as outlined in the owner's manual.

  • This PVT system is intended for use on POLARIS products only. Do not install it in any other product.

  • Always make sure the PVT housing is securely in place during operation.

The basic operation of the POLARIS PVT system is dependent on engine speed and vehicle torque requirements. As engine speed increases, the force exerted on the movable drive sheave by the flyweights also increases. This, in turn, increases the amount of pinch applied to the drive belt. Similarly, if the engine speed decreases, the amount of centrifugal force decreases, reducing the amount of belt pinch.

The approximate gear ratio difference between high and low range is 1:2.25. This difference in gearing affects the operation of the PVT, especially at speeds less than 7 MPH (11 km/h), due to the system's dependence on engine speed.

For example, when operating at a ground speed of 3 MPH (5 km/h) in low range, the engine speed would be around 3000 RPM. This is well above the engagement speed of 1600 - 1800 RPM. However, in high range at 3 MPH (5 km/h), the engine would be running at only 1500 RPM. Whenever operating this close to the engagement speed, the engine may be running at a speed too low to provide the pinch needed to prevent belt slip. Belt slip is responsible for creating the excessive heat that destroys belts, wears clutch components and causes outer clutch covers to fail.

The air temperature in the clutch cover is substantially reduced by using low range while operating at low ground speeds. Reducing the temperature inside the clutch cover greatly extends the life of the PVT components (belt, cover, etc.).

In this section:

  1. When to Use Low and High Range
  2. PVT Drying