Replacing QRS variator rollers on Lynx & Ski-Doo snowmobiles

Disassembling the variator from a snowmobile.

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Step 1: Removing the silencer

Removing the variator begins by opening the exhaust-side cover, which is then completely removed. Next, remove the four silencer springs, the sensor located on the silencer, and its wiring harness from the connector. For removing the sensor, you will need a 17 mm wrench; if it doesn't come loose with reasonable force, it's advisable to disconnect the sensor from the connector near the ECU. After this, the silencer can be moved aside, and you can proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Detaching the chain

First, place a container under the snowmobile to catch the chaincase oil, and then proceed to open the chaincase. The chaincase can be opened by removing the 10 mm bolts; loosen them evenly from all sides. Once the chaincase is open, engage the parking brake and begin loosening the upper sprocket bolt. Loosen the bolt enough so that it can be easily removed later by hand or with a wrench. Also loosen the chain tensioner nut using a 17 mm wrench. Next, loosen the tensioner and remove the loose bolt from the front sprocket. This allows you to remove the entire chain and sprockets. Remember to also save the bushing located under the upper sprocket!

Step 3: Removing the belt and variator

Next, we can move on to the clutch side. First, remove the side cover and the variator cover to remove the variator belt. The belt can be removed with a belt tool or, alternatively, with an M6 bolt if a belt tool is not available. A few turns of loosening are enough, after which the belt comes off easily. Once the belt is removed, remove the retaining plate on the variator tower, which is attached with a 13 mm nut. Next, the variator should come off by tapping it with a rubber hammer. If you want to tap from the chain case side, we recommend putting, for example, a bolt on the variator shaft thread to protect it and avoid hitting the chain case, as this can cause an expensive repair if it cracks.

Disassembling the variator

Step 1: Marking the plates

Next, you can move the variator to a level surface, if one is available. This makes working easier. First, you can mark the plates, for example with a marker, to make assembling the variator easier. However, this is not necessary, as the variator plates and helix already have alignment arrows.

Step 2: Removing the belt adjustment nut and heating the bolts.

First, remove the nut used to adjust the belt; it has a left-hand thread. Loosen the retaining screw and unscrew the nut. Behind the variator, you'll find four Torx-head bolts secured with threadlocker. We recommend heating the bolts slightly to make them easier to remove.

Step 3: Detaching the helix and spring

Unscrew two bolts and tighten threaded rods/fully threaded bolts with washers and nuts against the variator plate in their place. Next, you can also unscrew the remaining two bolts. The helix will start to come loose when you loosen the nuts. Loosen the nuts until the spring is loose. After that, remove the helix and the spring.

Replacing the variator rollers

Step 1: Removing the old rollers

Next, we'll move on to replacing the variator rollers. First, we'll remove the plastic spring washer located under the spring. After that, we'll knock out the visible tube pins with a punch and unscrew the variator roller bolts. The variator rollers are attached to the inside of the plates with bolts on both sides.

Cam-type variators

If the variator is a pin-type, the pins are located between the variator and the rollers. In this case, the variator rollers can be removed using a pin-like tool to pull the pins out from between the variator and the rollers.

Step 2: Installing new rollers

Next, remove the new rollers from their packaging. Apply adhesive to the roller retaining bolts and reinstall them. To align the shock absorber holes, you can use a punch; insert the punch into the hole and tighten the bolt until the punch goes all the way through the hole. We used Next Hight Torque QRS variator rollers.

Step 3: Assembling the variator & putting the variator back on the snowmobile

After this, the variator can be reassembled in reverse order and put back in place. We recommend that you remember to apply threadlocker to the helix and upper gear bolts to ensure they stay fastened. Also remember to check that the alignment marks on the variator are aligned.

Note! In the image, the washer above the variator roller is incorrectly installed. When correctly installed, the washer is located below the roller, on the outer circumference of the variator. Please also note that the washer is only used with Hi-Torque variator rollers.

Tips from Northern Sledparts

At Northern Sledparts, you'll find all the drivetrain parts for Lynx, Ski-Doo, and Polaris snowmobiles. You can browse our selection... Here are some of our favorite durable variator rollers: Heavy Duty QRS Variator Rollers .

Especially the original variator rollers can easily crack, which can put a stop to a nice snowmobile trip. For this reason, we recommend replacing the variator rollers approximately every 4000 km. It is also a good idea to check their condition at least during seasonal maintenance.