There is something wrong with either the clutch/clutch setup, or the nut behind the wheel. I run our '18 XPT from time to time, when the rail is down or just for shits 'n giggles. I know I've posted these pics on this forum multiple times, but this wa a hot day (90+) late in the season when the dunes were empty and we were jamming. I did have to slow-up for ECTs (not dangerous, but when I get to 217-219 I check up) after a looooong session following these guys (well, following 2, I passed the Tatum) but I had NO belt issues on this run:
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The Funco is a Gen6 with a E85 TT LS3. The AlumiCraft is a ~415cui 4.0L Whipple LS3 (pump gas, I think) and the Tatum was also a 4.0L Whipple LS3 (I believe also ~415, and it might have been on good fuel). All the drivers spend a LOT of time in the dunes and know what they're doing. Now, I want to be clear - I'm not saying they were trying to shake me, or going 10/10. I'm not saying I could hang with any of them 1:1. But my point is, it was a pretty fast ride with 3 of the best cars in the industry, all with 5x the HP I had in the XPT, and I hung with NO belt problems.
A common thing I see is a guy will go ~1k miles without blowing a belt. Then they'll blow their first belt, and after that they shred them non-stop. For some reason that never seems to strike anybody as strange, or wrong. Almost always the clutches were damaged in some way when that first belt went, and that is causing the accelerated subsequent belt failures. I used to have a long thread w/ pics/instructions on clutch removal, disassembly, maintenance and cleaning but I think it got lost in the sever failure.
Oh, that brings up another point: belt covers. There are those that refuse to run without them, but IMHO for duning you simply CANNOT run a belt cover on a turbo machine. I only have lost one belt in my stock-motor RZRs and that was in my '16 XPT when I still ran the cover. After that I tried no cover, and saw 100+ belt temp reductions (using an infrared belt temp sensor pointed at the belt itself, so TRUE belt time). Once I stopped running the cover, I never had another failure (*knock on wood*). Of course, my 40psi of boost, 2300+lbs Z1 machine was a different story and ate belts, but it had all sorts of issues and was just too much power (300+ to the tires at 40psi) for such a heavy machine (and Yuge paddles).
People will argue that the sand getting in the clutches accelerates wear, but I've been running our '18 XPT this way in G the whole time, and I disassemble the clutches often. So far I replaced 3 sliders in the secondary at $15/ea and they weren't even shot, just showing some wear. IMHO you see far more damage (and far more expensive damage) to the clutches when belts break. Also, on RZRs (might be same for X3s) when you shred a belt and pieces wrap up around the crank or trans input haft behind the clutch, you can kill those seals which are way more $/work to replace. Finally, if you've ever taken a belt cover off a SxS that runs in G a lot what do you always find? Sand. So, I figure open up at least the clutches can chuck the sand out, stay cool, and not get damaged by belt failures.
-TJ
