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What is a Duraclutch? A Duraclutch is a whole new clutch system that functions similar to the stock system but different at the same time, it is NOT a clutch kit, it is a whole new system with a new primary, new secondary and new belt. Features: The Duraclutch Primary clutch not only looks different than your stock clutch but functions differently. The biggest difference in the two as far as function is concerned is idling and belt engagement. The stock clutch has two sides of the clutch, the movable and fixed plate side, the belt rides in the middle of the two with some space on each side of it riding on a bearing at idle. So the engine is allowed to run and not engage the belt due to them not touching the belt, when you give it the gas the movable side comes in and squeezes the belt against the fixed side grabbing it and then you start moving. This is the spot that most belts are burned in bad situations like rock crawling and mud bogging etc with large heavy tires and the point where you get jerky starts. The belt is slipping at this point and the clutch is spinning against it. So if the load (tires etc) is greater than the amount of belt grip you get belt slippage and then burned belts. The Duraclutch on the other hand already has the belt in contact with both sides of the belt and is already squeezing on it at rest. The way the engine is able to idle and you not move is the big difference in the two clutches. The Duraclutch has a pair of centrifugal clutches much like say a chain saw has, a go kart etc. As you apply the gas the shoes spring out and grab so they do the slipping if you will and not the belt. They engage quickly and they are designed to slip on initial take off where a belt is not, every time it slips any it wears. So what you end up with is a huge change in take off, 50% more pulling power down low compared to stock clutching due to no belt slippage and belts last much longer, so long in fact that Duraclutch warrants belts for 5000 miles or a year if you burn one due to the unit failing. If you are a guy who goes through belts regularly then the Duraclutch can pay for itself by not buying those belts. That is the biggest feature but the next is engine braking. Depending on what model vehicle you have and most Polaris vehicles do not have EBS (Engine Braking System) so they will free-wheel down hills and even free-wheel under 10-15 mph. The Duraclutch has two parts that provide the EBS, one it has the EBS secondary we are used to seeing on some Polaris models, called EBS, roller secondary or even the HD secondary. Fact is this style of secondary is much better built than the Rapid Reaction used on most models so even without engine braking this secondary is a much better unit. But anyway it has a removable helix in the rear of it that has what is called a EBS notch in it, causes the primary to stay closed up more and give you what I call natural engine braking meaning belt is fully engaged at all times and using the engine compression to do the braking. Then once RPM drops down further, the Duraclutch has a one way bearing in the primary, similar to the one in the stock clutch on the models that have EBS but different at same time. This one way is wider, designed slightly differently and sealed better for long life compared to the short life span of the Polaris one way bearing again it is used on in the models that have EBS and they are few models. So in the end you get what I call full on engine braking until to you stop. Who would want or need one? All Rangers owners would want one. Why? They are typically more concerned about hauling heavy loads, pulling trailers, have large tires for slower trail riding, mud riding or rock crawling. All these activities are rough on belts or simply go through them often due to what they are doing. RZR owners who once again have large tires, mud guys, rock crawlers and steep mountain trail riders where they have heavy starting off loads, drives slow and needs full belt engagement and or needs the full on EBS. Once again like the Ranger owners these activities are rough on belts. These type activities there is a lot of belt slipping going on, how can it not. Say you are sitting in a mud hole with larger tires idling, you give it gas and you are in bind, the tires are not moving but you have giving it gas and the engine is running, what is going on here? The primary is slipping on the belt, wearing it away putting a flat spot on it then if you keep pushing, a smoked belt. Who does NOT need one? Anyone who does mostly high speed riding or does a lot of jumping. It is not that that performance or top speed is decreased for high speed riders, it is just that the main benefits are for high loads and slow driving plus normally people who jump their vehicles do not like engine braking and want to reduce it or get rid of it. So in a nut shell here are the benefits Benefits: Tuning of clutch parts, this has been quite the debate for me and manufacturer but in the end I finally see their point. For a stock clutch when we do a clutch kit, we are trying to give more belt grip with stiffer secondary springs, weight changes etc for the the large tire guys or heavy load guys. Well once you totally change the way the clutch works like meaning the Duraclutch then then the clutch calibration is not going to matter that much because we have the belt grip already. Also the owners of this clutch are not typically going to be top speed performance guys so squeezing every bit of the power you can out of the clutch system for acceleration above say 30-40 mph is just not that important. Keep in mind stock clutches with a good clutch kit like the Dalton we sell and this system is really for two different people in a way. Now don't try and catch me in a cross fire here. If you are going to keep your stock clutches and you have big tires etc then you certainly need to reclutch it for better performance and more belt grip hence the need for the Dalton. Two different set ups really or applications. With stock clutches the Dalton can't be beat, but the Dalton is not competing with this clutch system, the stock clutch system with it's short comings is, not the stock clutch calibration, just the parts and how it works. Hope that makes sense. So if you are not going to buy a Duraclutch but you are a big tire guy then best you can do is the Dalton with your stock clutches. I personally use one in a Ranger 900 and all I can say is I love it, our first adopters were Ranger owners since that is the vehicle that it came out for and not one time has anyone said, this was a mistake, every one always says, totally different machine, pricey but after the fact so worth the price. Install? All you need is a primary clutch puller which we sell, pull primary off, secondary off and reinstall both clutches and the belt, you are done. |
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