Our technicians are the industry's clutching specialists, racing and riding with our products year round. They know snowmobile and ATV drivelines inside and out - clutches, chains, sprockets, helixes, u-joints and more. And they test and use all the major brands - Polaris, Arctic Cat, Ski-Doo, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki & Honda. So, when it comes to snowmobile & ATV performance, our techs have the answers.

We plan on regularly presenting technical tips for snowmobiles and ATV's. See the list on the left for our current Tech Tips archive list. Select any tip in the list to view it. Feel free to print these Tech Tips out to save for future use, or check back here regularly to view new tips as they are added.

Remember, these are strictly Tech Tips. Feel free to contact our technicians directly with any part-specific, or application-specific questions.  Call 218-829-6036 for assistance.

Tech Tip #6:  How Over-Sized Tires Affect Clutching

Oversized tires have a lot of benefits, such as better traction and performance and greater ground clearance. The down fall to these tires is loss in power, throttle response, and increased belt slippage.

Usually, oversized tires weigh more than the stock tires the machine is set up for. It will take more power to turn the extra weight. This is where it helps to use lighter weight rims.

Most oversized tires will offer more aggressive tread, which will make it harder for the motor to turn the tires. Even if the tires and rims are lighter than your stock tires, they will still start out in a higher gear ratio due to the taller tire. With the extra weight, traction, and height there is an increased strain on the clutch system causing belt slippage.

The good news is your clutches can be adjusted to help compensate for oversized tires. An EPI Big Foot Clutch Kit is specially designed for machines with larger, more aggressive tires. This kit will grip your belt better, give you better backshift and throttle response, and more low-end and midrange power. These kits work great and allow you to get the most out of your machine.