With dealers and riders starting to take delivery of the 858 Catalyst (BTW let’s give a round of applause to Arctic Cat on getting these sleds built and delivered before the snow flies) I’ve received emails and messages asking about the “changed” ADAPT clutch found on the big bore buggy. For starters the praises of the ADAPT clutch are many and deserving, and Kale did a great job highlighting those changes and also providing details on how to upgrade your older sled to the new ADAPT clutch. Now the 858 is coming with more changes to this ultra durable system…here’s an inside look.
With higher horsepower engines becoming the norm across the industry, regardless of brand, clutch failure has and is becoming a highly sensitive and emotional subject for owners. What’s more, with horsepower expected to continue to increase, it has the potential to become an even bigger issue. Knowing this, Arctic Cat decided to “fix it with a hammer”, which meant developing a clutch so robust, with extreme durability cycle performance that it not only fixes any potential problems now, but well into the future. The primary changes to the updated ADAPT drive clutch include a steel spider, updated cover casting, the introduction of dowel pins, and new weights. Let’s take a look at each in detail.While the black color of the spider may be the first thing that alerts you that something is different, there’s a lot more going on with this new steel spider than meets the eye. The forged one-piece design is 10-times more durable and offers up twice the material strength versus the previous version. According to Arctic Cat engineering, it also improves clutch balancing and based on early testing, actually extends engine life by reducing unwanted vibration. Oh. and that shiny black color? That’s not just for looks, its an electrophoretic coating that after being subjected to Arctic’s salt spray test adds an additional 200-plus hours of corrosion and rust prohibiting protection.The new clutch cover incorporates several changes that you won’t see at first glance. A new casting process that starts from the center results in increased strength. The casting itself is also twice as thick around the bolt holes and features a wider engagement area onto the moveable towers.The most notable and possibly the most important change to the drive clutch is the use of matched reamed dowel pins to attach the cover to the towers. I’d put this in the bucket of why didn’t someone think of this before category. The use of dowel pins creates a perfect, matched fit cover to tower and results in 6-times less tower spread. It also reduces vibration, improves durability, and delivers smoother, overall shifting. The new drive clutch was durability tested in 18 hour shifts and measured twice a day for changes in tower tolerances in addition to being rigorously field tested.Here’s a close up example of a matched reamed dowel pin where it fits into the tower casting. You may also notice the tower has more material. This not only accommodates the dowel pin, but also provides more material for bol threads. With this change, the cover bolts are now torqued to 18 ft-lbs versus 13 in the previous design.This CAD rendering best illustrates the reamed matched dowel pin (blue area) with the cover affixed to the towers.Here you can see how the cover is drilled to accommodate the dowel pins. You’ll also notice a shoulder that encapsulates the outside of the tower, adding additional strength and improved tolerances.But wait…there’s more. With changes being made to the spider, towers, and cover, the team was given the opportunity to increase the size and surface of the weights and rollers. The new weights are 40% wider (and can be easily seen in this photo of a previous weights and the new design). The result is significantly reduced wear on both the roller and the weight. Field test results revealed the crew could easily put on more than 3,000 miles on one set of weights and rollers.A view of the larger roller that works in tandem with the new 40% wider T-weights.
Thanks, Pat – very good information! Did the clutch on the 600 engines remain the same as last year, or did some of this new tech find its way into the 2025 600 sleds, too? I know the steel spider is only for the big bore, and my guess is that the 600 sleds get last year’s clutch without any changes.
Is it safe to assume that no new parts can be found in the 2025 600 Adapt clutch? Seems like these changes were likely only possible by redesigning the spider. Just wondering the weights and rollers on the 600 clutch are the same as previous years.
I just looked up the part numbers. 2025 600 are the same as 2024. Which is probably a good thing. Adding 3lbs to the end of the 600 crank would probably kill that 118hp motor. Would like to know the performance loss on the 858 with this clutch. Every aftermarket company is probably working on a billet aluminum spider.
UPDATE: My 858 was one of the last ones built. I just picked it up and uncrated it. My 858 primary is 3.1LBS more then my 600 clutch. So my info I got last summer was right. WHERE DO YOU COME UP WITH 1LBS ?
118.7HP its been on a engine & track Dyno. You can go to DynoTech Research and see there results are the same. Peak HP is 77-7800rpm after 7900rpm HP falls off fast. At 8100 your at 101HP.
Not fired, played off. Bad times. Poo and Doo caused this with over building. Back in March, poo and Doo had 37,000 carry overs on sleds alone. Drive by any poo/ doo dealer today and nothing but wheelers and ATV’s. Cats inventory is manageable. The others? Not so much.
Wrong as usual. The official statement says “we are offering severance benefits to effected employee’s including outplacement to help them find new opportunities”
You can try to call it “played off” but their positions are gone. That is not the same as laying off line workers when its slow, or construction workers who get laid off for the winter.
Love this tech info!
Great write up! Question. It’s clear the Adapt drive clutch is a Cat design. What about the driven clutch? Also Cat??
Thanks, Pat – very good information! Did the clutch on the 600 engines remain the same as last year, or did some of this new tech find its way into the 2025 600 sleds, too? I know the steel spider is only for the big bore, and my guess is that the 600 sleds get last year’s clutch without any changes.
The demo ride I did in Munising MI. The young engineer said it was going to be on all models. But the sounds of this article it mite only be the 858.
Love this tech too. Wish there was more and would come out sooner.
Very Interesting!
Is it safe to assume that no new parts can be found in the 2025 600 Adapt clutch? Seems like these changes were likely only possible by redesigning the spider. Just wondering the weights and rollers on the 600 clutch are the same as previous years.
I just looked up the part numbers. 2025 600 are the same as 2024. Which is probably a good thing. Adding 3lbs to the end of the 600 crank would probably kill that 118hp motor. Would like to know the performance loss on the 858 with this clutch. Every aftermarket company is probably working on a billet aluminum spider.
It is not 3 lbs. I is around 1.
Wrong
Nope. lb. Where do you come up with 3?
UPDATE: My 858 was one of the last ones built. I just picked it up and uncrated it. My 858 primary is 3.1LBS more then my 600 clutch. So my info I got last summer was right. WHERE DO YOU COME UP WITH 1LBS ?
Did the 600 loose HP? Thought it was around 130 HP?
It’s around 124-26.
It’s at 125, 126, tight there with the other brands.
Wrong as usual
118.7HP its been on a engine & track Dyno. You can go to DynoTech Research and see there results are the same. Peak HP is 77-7800rpm after 7900rpm HP falls off fast. At 8100 your at 101HP.
But Krom said they do not have any Engineers left? Just kidding. The more durable, the better. Great work team Cat!
How many engineers are left now?? Seems like textron fired at least half of them today…
Not fired, played off. Bad times. Poo and Doo caused this with over building. Back in March, poo and Doo had 37,000 carry overs on sleds alone. Drive by any poo/ doo dealer today and nothing but wheelers and ATV’s. Cats inventory is manageable. The others? Not so much.
Wrong as usual. The official statement says “we are offering severance benefits to effected employee’s including outplacement to help them find new opportunities”
You can try to call it “played off” but their positions are gone. That is not the same as laying off line workers when its slow, or construction workers who get laid off for the winter.
Wonder if these newer clutches will retrofit to the 998?