Got the wife’s XC 500 back from a shop for some unrelated repairs. As I’m looking over the sled I notice the secondary is able to slide in and out on the jackshaft with the bolt torke down. I understand the secondary needs to be shimmed and so it is. However there is about a 3/8 inch of slop between the clutch and shims. How much slop should there be? Or should the clutch be snug with the shims? And how snug?

3/8" may be a little much, but its no big deal. run it

I'm not sure if 3/8" is too much but there is suppose to be some play. Check your manual for the maximum.

Might be wrong here, but I've always run with that much, or more, end play on purpose with the idea that the secondary will maintain its own alignment with the primary if it's allowed to "float" on the jack shaft.

AL

Roger.... that, I'll leave it alone.

You've got to have a certain amount of play there so it can float. I have around 3/8 on my ZRT. Don't worry about it.

talk to my dealer cuz mine does the same..... he said its normal.

If you had a secondary that didn't float you would have constant belt failure.

According to the MRM the secondary is supposed to have some play though 3/8" sounds rather excessive. It says that bearing failure can occur if there is none. I would imagine that it might also be possible to cause damage by that fact that that much play may allow some hammering to occur as the clutch moves. Probably the most important item might be to determine why you have the play. If shims are missing either on inside or the outside of the clutch it is a simple job to replace them. OTOH, that much play may also be caused by something in the chaincase which isn't as it should be. I'd want to find out why.

While I do try to keep my clutches shimmed according to spec I have run my rigs on occasion without the outer shims and or bolts in cases where they have come loose and been lost. I have never had serious problems on that account.

I found this on Snowest.com,

.75 to 1.5mm of float on jack shaft, this will prevent side loads on the bearing.

Some models mount firmly on the shaft they use a snap ring retainer ie Touring, Transport and Sport Touring.

Thanks guys

According to the book it is supposed to be .5mm - .10mm.
Adding or taking away shims is going to change your alignment, so if you do either make sure your recheck your alignment.

i wouldn't worry about it too bad as long as everything seems in order i once forgot to replace the bolt and shims after doing some clutch work and road it over 100 miles that day and nothing happened when i returned home i saw the bolt sitting on the brick ledge outside the garage and just about crapped my pants but no arm done

i really wouldn't worry about it, as said before if you have some slop on the jackshaft for the secondary the slide around on it should align itself and less wear and tear on everything else and less drag