All UTV's Beware if using a team cluth

[Dlemorande]

I had a very unfortunate experience with Team industries last week. I want to share my experience with everyone in hopes it can save some one from the same outcome. I had over 12k invested in an awesome Can am Maverick setup. Unfortunatly a team clutch was part of my upgrades and after only 100 miles. (Stock clutch lasted 500 miles and was perfect when I did the supposid uprade) The Team industries cluth absolutly exploded and shot a ramp ( with the nut and bolt) through the plastics and stuck in the back of the drivers seat. If it would have been 3" higher this would have gone through the hole in the seat and stabbed me in the neck. Team industries states they only recommend their clutch for stock applications. (interesting as aerocharger includes them with their kit) Team also states that they offer no warrant on their products and it is on the consumer as this is a performance product. I even spoke with Mark the plant manager and he went as far as stating that they dont even have a warranty department. I asked him were the vm for prompt #2 went as it states warranty department on their greeting, he did not have an answer for me. After hours of debating with team industries so called warranty department they will not stand behind their product or do anything for me. When the clutch exploded it took out the motor and several other parts. I am now forced to sell my maverick in pieces due to my trust in team industries. Do your self a favor and spend the extra $ on the STM primary as it could cost you everything if you dont.

Thank you for reading this post as this is my only recourse.

Darren

 

[BiggJim]

All Clutch manufactures have failures.

 

[the stripping shop]

jim you should post your stm clutches for him. never seen the ramp blow off like that wonder if there is a bad casting is there any serial numbers

 

[Dlemorande]

I understand that all clutched can fail. The issue i have and the point I wanted to make is that they dont stand behind their product. I am no materials expert but it looks like a casting issue to me as well. I offered to send the clutch in to Team industries so they could take a look at it. They told me I could do what ever I wanted with it as it is my clutch but he would not guarantee me that they would look at it. Any reputable company that actually cared about their products would at least want to inspect it.
Here is a picture of the ramp that almost took me out.

 

[Dlemorande]

Here is a large one of the clutch. It broke while crusing at about 7000 rpms. My machine wasnt even warmed up yet. The only good news is I was less than a half mile away from home.

 

[the stripping shop]

it looks like the spider actually blew up wonder if the nut came loose. Your never going to get anywere with team industries they are the largest supplier of clutches to all manufacters.

 

[BiggJim]

jim you should post your stm clutches for him. never seen the ramp blow off like that wonder if there is a bad casting is there any serial numbers

No need to throw them under the bus. All manufactures run into issues somewhere down the line. I guess the point I was trying to make to him was....when it comes to performance products usually folks warrant that when it leave their facility it is in good working order and when it breaks they get to keep both halves.

In the 100 miles he drove that deal there is not telling what happened to it.

 

[Dlemorande]

BiggJim
I politely have to disagree. I absolutely have to through them under the bus, put it in reverse and run them over again. Unfortunately it is all I can do.

Here is a basic recap from my perspective.
1. I had an issue with their product.
2.Called for help, received none,
3.Post my experience on here to enlighten other about what happened
4. Next thing I know Vendors are jumping in to stand up for the manufacture and imply I did something wrong in the first 100 miles.

(this may be my ignorance but how can you be too hard on a clutch?)
The worst thing I can think of would be over revving it, It that were the case it would have certainly hurt something else. Besides these things all have rev limiters.

 

[BiggJim]

BiggJim
I politely have to disagree. I absolutely have to through them under the bus, put it in reverse and run them over again. Unfortunately it is all I can do.

Here is a basic recap from my perspective.
1. I had an issue with their product.
2.Called for help, received none,
3.Post my experience on here to enlighten other about what happened
4. Next thing I know Vendors are jumping in to stand up for the manufacture and imply I did something wrong in the first 100 miles.

(this may be my ignorance but how can you be too hard on a clutch?)
The worst thing I can think of would be over revving it, It that were the case it would have certainly hurt something else. Besides these things all have rev limiters.

That comment was directed at Stripping shop when HE told me I should show YOU my STM pictures. I see no reason as to throw STM under the bus.

Im not "jumping in" for Team or any vendor...I simply stated that clutches fail....if you think they dont then this will be an eye opening experience for you. ALL of them fail. The fancy 3000 dollar billet ones down to the 500 dollar OEM ones.

Clearly your new to forums and dont know how the "QUOTE" feature works......

 

[HCR-Brit]

I know of 6 people that have had this identical thing happen.... Maverick specific

 

[megadesertdiesel]

the Rotax motor has some weird engine harmonics that tear clutches up. Been there done that.

 

[george.felix]

Not surprised they didn't help u out. I'm going to guess just like the machines themselves the parts are outsourced as much as possible to the lowest bidder. For example, one would think a transmission you don't even shift would be bulletproof. They understood when they decided to source these parts that an acceptable number would fail and apparently also decided at that time it was not to their economic detriment since you were going to pay for it. It's the 75% rule......it might be big or it might be minor but 75% if the time something isn't going to be like it's suppose to be and/or someone didn't do their job right. The upside is when they charge enough and the market is tired enough then someone will see an opportunity to make money by doing it right. So you may very well have got a shitty clutch parts and/or labor. I believe one of the top sponsored pro drivers had a loose nut on a new Team clutch and just didn't have time to check it I guess cuz it was new. Cost him a new Rzr1000.

FYI it's not just UTV's either....it's pretty widespread IMO. Epidemic at times.

 

[crazywatson]

Not too many people give a s*** about doing it right now days.