Front Sprocket Failure

[PMK]

I'm confused: is the Moly 77 used on the bolt thread, or on the spline?

Splines on countershaft and splines inside pulley are cleaned and dried. Then coated with Molykote. Bolt should be torqued with clean dry threads to specs unless adjustments are made to convert to wet torque.

[PMK]

This will the first time I am replacing myself since warranty has expired. The other times the local dealer has been replacing them. I will be using Moly paste, new bolt, new washer and new sprocket. Shaft is still within specs.

The remark that the shaft is within spec is curiously interesting. Has BRP released / published a dimensional check that determines if the shaft is worn beyond limits or are you saying within spec based on your own visual inspection?

[ulflyer]

Splines on countershaft and splines inside pulley are cleaned and dried. Then coated with Molykote. Bolt should be torqued with clean dry threads to specs unless adjustments are made to convert to wet torque.

Thanks for the info.
Has anyone come up with any theories as to why these failures seem more prevalent on the F3 than on Rt's?

[Bottomline2000]

This will the first time I am replacing myself since warranty has expired. The other times the local dealer has been replacing them. I will be using Moly paste, new bolt, new washer and new sprocket. Shaft is still within specs.

Did the dealer replace your sprocket dry with no lube? Curious as I have the paste you specified, but want to make sure it's not an issue also.

[den]

The failure is the bolt coming loose. Its not the pulley that is the problem. Once the bolt is loose, either the pulley or the shaft is going to fail, the pulley is the easy to replace part so designed to fail first.

Check the bolt torque on that pulley every oil change.

Hey JC, I just replaced my sprocket. What is the correct torque?

[bikerchris1270]

Hey JC, I just replaced my sprocket. What is the correct torque?

111 ft lbs using new bolt.

[jneg2]

I carry the upgraded white sprocket around with me just in case it fails a second time!

[askitee]

My '17 RTL is on version 3 of the sprocket. Each one has been replaced under warranty and the last one was replaced this year.

For those of you who have paid for this yourself, contact BRP for a reimbursement of your part and labour.

These forums are littered with reports of these failing, my latest one was replaced at 60'000kms and started making a noise less than 5000kms later...

While I've heard many reports from BRP Tech and others as to the cause I'm not convinced the Bolt tension is the issue, nor belt tension.

[Peter Aawen]

I carry the upgraded white sprocket around with me just in case it fails a second time!

Not belittling that 'just in case' approach at all (cos it does sound like it might be a good idea... ) but I thought that the 'upgraded sprocket' had nothing to do with the 'sprocket working loose on the driveshaft splines' issue, but everything to do with the 'wind noise' that many complained about with the release of the 'new model' shape in 2020 that had even less tupperware to contain the noise!?!

After all, the white bit on the 'upgraded sprocket' is effectively just a ceramic coating on the same old same old sprocket, so that the wind noise is lessened but not completely eliminated! I don't know how that would make any difference to the ongoing tightness of the sprocket on the splines, even if there is a new bolt involved!

[Jbandauskas]

I just had the same thing happen. Thank god i wasn’t on the expressway, i was riding on the az 303. Average speed is 80 mph. I would have died. The following morNing i was driving to work and i just lost all power.
Repair is $600. Brp is a joke. Machine is can am technician maintained.
I don’t think i will trust it again. Buyer beware!

[ssmcclub]

Can I take the belt off to change front sprocket by just removing the shock bolt?

[Bartender]

You don't need to even take the shock bolt out. My experience was that I loosened the bolt in the front sprocket then just jacked up the rear of the Spyder, released the parking brake and walked the belt off of the back sprocket while turning the back tire by hand. Used a gear puller to remove the front sprocket, put moly paste on the new splines and installed the new front sprocket. After replacing the front sprocket and putting the belt in place on the new front sprocket, I walked the belt back on the back sprocket, lowered the bike off the jack, reengaged the parking brake and torqued the bolt on the new sprocket and that was it. Very easy to do. No big deal.

[BryanSD]

Seam Smoaks just put up a video showing him changing the front sprocket. He's posted something similar in the past, but this video is a good "State of the Front Sprocket in 2022" summary. Topic of interest beings as you approach 3 minutes into the video.

[kroache]

Not sure if this has been discussed already but some good information on the white pulley from Mr. Smoak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVBh...TheSmoaksVlogs

[RickWB]

Took my F3 to the dealer today, due to the squeal/whine about 2,300 rpm. I asked them to replace the sprocket with the new white one, plus a new bolt. I was prepared to pay for it, but dealer got it done under warranty. The squeal/whine is no longer.

If only I can deal with the exhaust drone I would be happier; ear plugs help some.

Rick