Posts by neostar

Quote from FunCycle

Owners of Slingshot have learned that ALL DEALERS ARE NOT GOOD. Also it took quite a while for Polaris to admit that there was a problem. My dealer to start with would not even listen to what I had to say, now he asks my opinion on problems and how to fix them. As to the bearing problems, if we had not done the videos Polaris may have not admitted to the fact that there was even a problem. This is all I have to say on your problem, drive it until it quits and do not worry about it. Better yet sell it.

You made it clear that bearing issue was a problem 4 years ago with 2015 models. Since then there has been swing arm recalls and a hell of a lot more slingshots on the road. If bearings are still an issue then Polaris would act on it.

It is stupid for them to give me a replacement belt after reviewing several videos and hearing my detailed report on the issue if there is any chance it's bearing or axle related.

I will document the new belt install and then video any and all noises afterwards. IF that noise comes back ( and I know how to make it come back) then clearly Polaris just lost some money on a belt and I will be heading to the dealership to deal with a full up bearing and axle inspection/replacement.

I know all about dealer reputations. There is a dealership only 15 miles away from my house but I choose to go friggin 90 miles away because that's how much I don't trust them (scumbags).

And yup, at the end of next year, I expect to have at least 20k miles on it and it will be paid off so I will be selling it. I will be trading it in for an electric vanderhall (0-60 in 4 secs) no gas, no oil and no effing belt drive!!! I will be done with the slingshot!

Quote from BigDan12

Don't forget to take a water spray bottle with you when you're going to bring it home.

I am changing the belt myself.

Quote from Bigdog

To me, if the belt is wobbling from side to side, it suggests either something is bent or not square to where it should be.

Swing arm is wobbling from bad bearing/s or bent axle or belt pulley is bent or has loose bolts.

I doubt that water will make the belt wobble.

The water allows the rubber to make noise that otherwise would not be heard. Think wet sneakers. The belt is permanently warped as a defect and when dry does not produce an audible noise but the excess friction is there, only when wet will the noise be heard. I suspect using silicon lubricant only exacerbated this effect.

Quote from Bigdog

Every one of us has been caught in the rain or the belt was wet from washing the sling, if it was a water on the belt issue wouldn’t we all have heard that noise?

Not if the belt was warped. Like I said in my original post, the belt shows alignment issues where for a 1/4 of the rotation it no longer rides the left side of the pulley track but slides to center than back to the left. This tells me that the belt has a warp which would allow it to ABNORMALLY rub against the metal side and cause the exact sound I am hearing when wet.

When I was experimenting with belt alignment to troubleshoot the noise I noticed that when I align the belt all the way to the right side of the track, the sound will not happen wet or dry.

This confirms there is an alignment issue and therefore could be a cause for the noise when wet.

Quote from BigDan12

I know its a pia but take an empty spray bottle and fill it with water. Drive back to the dealer and 5 or 10 miles away spray a mist of water on the belt then continue to the dealer and let them verify the noise first hand. I am a retired truck mechanic and I know what its like not being able to duplicate a problem.I am sure they will appreciate the effort.

I hear you. I provided them with 4 videos showcasing tire rotation with swingarm loaded and unloaded, driving in a left hand and right hand turn, the coasting video I have in this thread. Since my 2019 SL is only a few months old and the warranty is still in effect, polaris has decided in good will to give me a replacement belt even though they don't have to since the belt is past its warranty.

If they didn't feel certain this was the issue then they wouldn't waste my time and their money with a replacement belt and would be asking me to head back to the dealership for another inspection, think about it. I do not want to take another 180 mile round trip only to hear them say it is a defective belt.

If it was a bearing or axle issue polaris would know it (they have 20+k of these units on the road, so they have seen it all from their dealership reports) and would be taking action on it just like they took action on their defective swing-arms two years ago and the defective fuel line a while back.

But say if I do end up with a bearing issue (I am convinced this is not the case) months if not years down the road (out of warranty) then I will be done with polaris and will sell the sling cheap or trade it in for a vanderhall.

Besides if the replacement belt doesn't work (I will know pretty quickly) then it's clearly an axle or pulley issue and I still am under warranty so it makes no sense for polaris to not get this right the first time else I am off to the dealership for major repairs on their dime.

Quote from FunCycle

You still did not answer the question, DID YOU PULL THE AXLE? It is not a big job to do. You do not have to pull the bearing just the axle. But you already have your mind made up so there is nothing anyone can tell you.

Looks like you made up your mind as well since you didn't read my post where I state that I took it to the dealership to have the vehicle inspected. They saw no issues with the axle or bearings and the sound wasn't even present for them. I don't have the tools to pull the axle nor do I want to push my luck in doing that. Sorry I am not an accomplished mechanic like you.

Furthermore, I confirmed the issue tonight, after two days and 40 miles in dry conditions with no noise and no issues. Tonight after it rained I drove it to verify the issue, started off nice and quiet but 5 miles on wet roads and the noise returns. Clearly it's wet rubber rubbing against a hard surface. More than likely it's a warped belt because I visually noticed that during a 1/4 of the rotation of the cycle, the belt no longer hugs the inside edge (slight teeth showing) like it's suppose to instead it's moved towards the center of the track then returns to the inside edge.

After sitting in my garage for a day and the belt finally drying off (averaging 75 degree dew point outside) the noise as expected would go away. This is not a bearing issue. It's a wet belt rubbing against something with excessive force.

Quote from Bigdog

Have you actually looked at the bearings.

No that was the point of bringing it to the dealership. The fact that they couldn't find anything wrong with it (after I just drove 90 miles) tells me it's not bearing related.

I am confident it's moisture related. I don't have the tools to be pulling bearings nor do I want to go there. Adjusting the belt and changing the oils is as far as I want to go with DIY maintenance. I had no desire to even do that but a 90 mile trip to the nearest dealership for routine maintenance is annoying.

Also I sent that very same video you saw to Polaris, they did not come back telling me it was bearings they said it was belt related. Now if they decide to make that claim to avoid warranty obligations that's just fine because if it does turn out to be bearings down the road, then I am never ever buying a polaris product again. My next toy will be an electric vanderhall or a new vette.

Remember, right now I have gone 40 miles without the noise. If I can bring that noise back with applying moisture (pretty sure I can) then it's not faulty bearings. Could it help greasing the bearings sure and I would do that if it was easy.

All the videos I have seen on bearing issues show a distinct popping noise that I witnessed first hand when I inadvertently had the belt too tight.

Quote from Doc&Ruby

Oh dear, gremlins are the WORST!

Have you tried lubricating the belt once it is clean? I use Liquid Wrench silicone lube, that generally quiets the noise for a couple weeks of daily driving.

At worst, it's a $5 can of lube that's good for all sorts of things around house & garage, so you can't go too far wrong giving it a try.

I usually take the belt shield off, wash with warm soapy water, and a stiff brush. Then I rinse with a hose, let dry for an hour. Then spray the belt, roll the sling forward a bit & repeat until the whole belt is lubricated. Allow the lube to dry 30 minutes or so before you take a test drive.

This was my belt noise salvation when nothing else worked.

Already done the silicone lube, works great for the constant ratchety sound I get from the belt as a result of dirt build-up. Unfortunately it only lasts about a week before I need to apply it again. The lube does nothing for the cyclic sound because it's not related to the teeth. It's a rotational warp pattern which means its related to the pulleys or axle motion. I hope to find some locations where a dab of grease might hit the mark.

Quote from FunCycle

Bearing on the pulley side. How did you determine it was not the bearing? If you have not pulled the axle and inspected! Bin there and done that I was pulling the axle about every 6,000 miles and greasing and saved it for about another 16,000 miles and Polaris finally decided that they had a problem. This was with two 2015 Slingshot's we saved the second one by greasing for another 8,000 miles before the bearing finally came apart. Then Polaris replaced both sets of bearings on both Slingshot's under warranty. We were doing a video each time we pulled them down and sent to Polaris. Grease the bearing if it is still good and loosen the belt tension.

If it was bearing related the noise would not go away. Plus during my one of my early belt adjustments my belt was too tight and I clearly heard what overstressed bearings sound like. Bearings have a popping sound to them. The sound I am dealing with has a clear wet rubber sound to it.

I know there are reports of all kinds of obnoxious noises coming from the back of the slingshot but this one really blows me away.

First off I was worried that it might be related to faulty bearings of the wheel axle or one of the pulleys. Once that was ruled out then the clear choice for me was a defective belt because when I am in a left hand turn or driving straight the noise was loud and consistent but when I am in a right hand turn the noise goes away completely but only in the turn. When the car is lifted and the swing-arm unloaded the noise is barely heard rotating the wheel but when the swing-arm is under load (belt under tension) then the noise is clearly heard when rotating the wheel.

I was so fed up that I finally scheduled a visit at the dealership 90 miles away, I was hearing the noise as I pulled into the dealership but as my luck would have it by the time the service guys took her for a ride, yup you guessed it the noise was missing completely. I blamed it on a rainshower that drenched the car before they got to it and also the belt being way too loose for some reason.

As far as they were concerned there was nothing wrong with the vehicle (see above video to know there is clearly something wrong).

90 miles later I get back to my place (noise still missing) I then reset the tension and alignment of the belt (following to the letter the 25 steps of the service manual) and proceed to clean the belt as per the manual instructions and of course the noise predictably comes back (made the above video right after doing the belt maintenance).

I finally send a bunch of videos to the dealership who passed it on to polaris. I wanted an answer to what the hell was causing that noise. The vehicle is still under warranty (2.5 months old/5k miles) but the belt is not. So for me I just want to know what is the issue. The best answer I got from polaris was a possible defective belt.

Now here is the part that doesn't make sense, for 3 days straight, I drive the car for 20-30 miles a day and the noise is consistently present. I finally take a day off from driving her and the following day without doing a damn thing to her (no cleaning, no adjusting etc) the noise is completely gone. For two days and 40 miles the noise is missing, I am about ready to scream.

I know the way to get the noise back is to wash the belt (as per the manual instructions). My working theory now is that it's moisture acting on a rubber/metal contact producing a wet rubber noise involving either the belt, the wheel axle or pulley axle rubber materials (i.e. o-rings etc).

Once the vehicle is giving some time to sit still (24hours) the natural lubricants and moisture evaporating away will eventually take care of the noise. This is nuts because it means I can't wash the back area without the threat of that noise coming back and hanging around for at least a week. So either I let the back end get all grimey and dirty or I put up with the obnoxious noise for close to a week.

Anyone seen or heard of this before? If I just knew what part was causing this I would lubricate the crap out of it. I was hoping the polaris engineers would have the answer but nope.

Quote from RevDynamics

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment. Looking forward to next year already and hope we get blessed with the same weather.

The camera work was outstanding!

Quote from SC Slinger

How did most drivers/riders get away with NOT wearing a helmet in N.C.??

Virginia law has a helmet exemption if you are in a parade and are doing less then 10 mph you can keep the helmet off.

Quote from Bigdog

I think the manufacturer of the belts might have something to do with it...

So have the belts on the original slingshots remained the same to date? Same materials, same maker?

I first thought the same thing but remember my manual says "2015-2019" with a single value of .4" for the tension check and a mention of .3" for brand new belts that have not been worn-in yet. If polaris changed the belt brands or engineered something different in the following years I would think the manual would have different values for the different model years.

Quote from Neosolidus

I don't want to say that Polaris is wrong but that 0.4 " deflection makes no sense unless they are taking it hot.

Even the 0.63" that the original manual had was too tight and made belts make too much noise and is likely what caused many bearings failure, I run mine at 0.8/0.9" (cold) and to this day no issues with noises other than the crappy angle drive itself.

I currently have mine at .5 I was surprised to see they have tightened the belt tension over the past couple of years. In theory nothing should have changed so why are they using a tighter spec. Remember, the latest service manual I have that is labeled for 2015-2019 models states that brand new belts are coming out of the factory at 0.3 inch deflection and once the belt is worn-in and an adjustment is needed the tension should be set to .4 inches.

I would love to ask the engineers what changed to make the official spec go from .63 to .4

Quote from highiso

Was yours a creaking sound that happened every tire rotation? That seems to be what's happening when I'm driving for a distance anytime it's in the mid to upper 90s. It used to only do it when I was in gear and there was tension on the belt, then last week it would creak when I was coasting out of gear.

Belt is getting too tight as it warms up excessively and is over-stressing the pulley bearings. Need to take to the shop and have the belt tension reset. Fixed my problem 100%.

Quote from wokka

Creaking/grating sound when pushing it in my shop. High pitched whine while driving 30 - 40 in town and trying to have a conversation. Highway speeds couldn't really hear it over wind.

Dealer kept telling me it was normal sounds from an angle drive, but I was never happy with it.

For me, once I reset the belt tension and got the process right, the creaking was gone (for over a week now in hot/mild temps). There is a slight cyclic noise I hear when driving under load but goes away on decel or accel. I am confident that is the belt producing the sound at high speed. My belt has a slight positional warp and the frequency of the noise seems to match it. I am not worried.

Quote from edwardaneal

The "is it a motorcycle or is it an autocycle" question is not a black and white question where it is either one or the other - fact is its both

consider the fact that almost all of the laws that define what an autocycle is start out by saying it is a type of motorcycle even the federal bill that has been pending for a long time now starts out:

“(1) ‘autocycle’ means a motorcycle with 3 wheels in contact with the ground, front-wheel drive, a fully enclosed occupant compartment, and a steering wheel, which is subject to applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards, as determined necessary by the Secretary of Transportation through regulation.”.

not all motorcycles are autocycles, but all autocycles are motorcycles

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I assumed autocycle was it's own category but if it's a sub-category of motorcycle so be it. All the better since motorcycles have less safety regulations than cars.

Quote from Neosolidus

I know a dealer that says in the last year and half he sold more ATV/OHV than everything else combined quite literally can't keep them in stock.

His only complain is the amount of floor space they take given the fact that he was originally a "powersports" dealer so doesn't have the room to have a crapton of vehicles on hand.

Guarantee you the opposite discussion happens with a dealership near an dense urban center. The irony is that polaris by nature is an off-road (rural,snow,water) business so logically their dealerships are located closer to rural than urban dense populations. Time will tell where the autocycle business goes. Judging by discussions I have had with motorcyle riders (who never seen an autocycle) they almost instantly see the appeal of the autocycle especially when married.

Quote from Bigdog

My dealers slingshot show room can hold 6 or 7. The quad showroom is 4 times as big.....and it’s always packed with quads....last time I was there a month ago they had 5 slingshots on the floor....and one parked outside the showroom. .now I know they have a storage building up the road.....that’s where the got mine the day I bought it....

But my guess is they are selling many quads because of their location out in the country....somewhat near a national forest and people that have camps...and farms.

They did have a fully loaded diesel quad for over $30,000

That's my point exactly how many more urban centers are there compared to rural centers (near off-road locations). It's all about population density. I have no doubt that ATVs sell real well in rural locations but that number would be dwarfed compared to urban locations selling on-road rec. vehicles. At some point Honda, Yamaha and others will finally see how Polaris/Vanderhall got the model right and they will play catch-up once they realize the autocycle will compliment their motorcycle sales and not threaten it. With Honda's resources and infrastructure they will quickly catch up, Yamaha on the other hand, would have a longer path unfortunately.

Quote from Bigdog

No good is going to come from another company trying to compete with the slingshot. Especially if they want to start out of the gate by classifying it as an autocycle that will open Pandora’s box...the regulators already have their foot in the door....adding a few words here and a sentence there....next thing you know we’re reclassified and might have to.....depending on your states safety inspection polices ...come into compliance with the new classification. To be considered street legal.....

Which state just dropped the “dune buggy” classification? There is no such thing anymore.....Don’t say it can’t happen...

Well you might not think competition is good but I sure do. Vanderhall would not have offered a $26k Speedster version if it wasn't for the threat from Polaris.

Right now most state laws are already calling the 3 wheel/steering wheel/seat belt vehicle an autocycle. It's still registers as a motorcycle for now but it's inevitable that will change. Vanderhall's CEO talked about their creations a couple of years ago as officially an autocycle on the Jay leno show and if you watched recent reviews of the slingshot, the discussions always highlight that the slingshot is now considered an autocycle.

Here is an example timestamped:

So the label change has already happened and it's old news. Like I said historical crash data will determine the fate of how much car regulation the autocycle will receive in the future.