Introduced on the MXZx 600RS race sled in 2016 and then expanded deeper into the Ski-Doo lineup for 2017, the pDrive primary clutch is a smooth-shifting, low-maintenance unit that in many ways matches the supreme attention-to-detail found on other parts of the brand’s modern, refined snowmobiles.
Like any mechanical part that is used in intense environments, however, the pDrive needs occasional cleaning and maintenance. Due to its smart design, though, a lot of the most common service work can be done with the clutch still on the machine, and it doesn’t require many (or any, if you’re a bit crafty) specialty tools.
Beyond that, the clutch is also easy to tune. Ski-Doo carried over the “clicker” aspect of its previous TRA (Total Range Adjustable), allowing riders to change their top engine speed in increments of 200 RPM in a matter of minutes by rotating simple cams within the primary. This can be important when riding at altitude or when making engine mods. Also, changing the weight that affects the ramp arms (and thus the clutch shift-out rate and the force the ramps place on the belt) is also a simple process that can be done in any tuner’s garage or even at the trailhead.
We had a complete, how-to story in the November 2021 issue of Snow Goer, but at the same time shot the video that is shown below. We utilized a relatively high-mile 2018 Summit X 850 E-TEC to show simple cleaning, troubleshooting and maintenance, as well as the process for adjusting the clickers and changing the weights.
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I love reading Snowgoer magazine and follow things really well but I have a question that no one seems to want to or can’t answer, and that is if Polaris owns Walker Evans shock absorbers, then WHY are they using Fox shocks for their new shock system? Is that in case they don’t work like they should they can pass the buck and say “We didn’t build them” not our fault ,as they already are having enough problems with the massive recalls and I’m sure they are not going to be done for YEARS to come.