Rattling noise in sled?

[HOGEYE]

I have a 1994 Arctic Cat Panther Deluxe that has a rattle when I get to a certain speed. It sound like a peice of gravel in the clutch or something. I haven't noticed my clutch to be slipping and everything runs fine. It is just noisy and doesn't sound good. It used to do it once in a while when I hit about 30 and up, it still does it now with more frequency. Any ideas? I figure now is a better time to fix than when I need it.

[hanson]

Chaincase perhaps??

Sounds like your chain tension might be off and the chain is slipping on the gears. I would call that more of a grinding noise but I'd check it out anyway.

Otherwise I'd check you crankshaft & jackshaft bearings. They could be going out if they aren't already.

Guess it could be something really simple too. My '89 Polaris Indy Classic had a small piece of metal riveted on to the belly pan near the exhaust pipe that loosened up and rattled like crazy.

You also pointed out the clutch. Can you tell what side the noise is coming from? That would narrow it down a little bit.

[HOGEYE]

The noise is definetly on the left side when on the sled(from the clutch area). Sounds like a loose piece of metal or gravel in the clutch. The sled doesn't shake or anything. The sled only has 1200 miles.

[Steve Bakken]

Our '92 EXT does the same thing. Has for years but it still runs like a top. I think as things wear out a bit they just have a tendedcy to make more noise than when they were new. Especially with all the little moving things in the clutch.

[Bob Clausen]

My older Polaris Sport made the same noise two years ago. Turned out to be the bearing on the drive shaft. I don't know if yours is set up like mine, but the fact that my speedometer cable broke is the first sign that the bearing is going or gone.

[Maxwell]

Check the bushings in the arms of the clutch. When they go bad, it will start to sound like a rattle at certain speeds, (bolt in the belly pan rattle) then it will get to teh point where it rattles all the time.

[HOGEYE]

OK

I took the belt off and ran the sled like this to see if I could still hear the noise and I couldn't. However, when I wiggle the main clutch a little it sounds a little loose in the engine. Their seem to be just a little play in there. I don't know if this is normal. It doesn't sound like everything is nice and tight in there. The sled has only 1500 miles on it and hasn't ever been abused. How do I check to see if the chain is tight? Anyone have any ideas. I took off all the weights and the little washers on each side of the weights(maybe these are bushings) looked fine. Anyone have any ideas??

Thank You!

[efgh]

There should not be any play in either the drive or driven clutch, in some of the older sleds they had two plastic chain tighteners, one on either side of the chain in the chain case, tension was supplyed by a spring, some times the spring broke on one side and let the chain slip on the sprocket. you only heard it jump teeth while accelerating, not just going along easy like.

[HOGEYE]

I just got back from putting about 35 miles on the sled and it is still making the noise. When I am accelerating it doesn't make the noise. I only hear it while holding steady at a given speed. While accelerating it sounds just fine. I put a new belt on today and it helped my top end but didn't help the rattle/gravel noise. I did notice some play in the jack shaft. I don't know if this is normal. This rattle noise doesn't sound severe, but it bugs the heck out of me.