How to Change the Drive Belt on a Can-Am Defender

Length: 2:53
Created: June 24, 2019

Do you have a worn or broken drive belt on your Can-Am Defender? Today I’m gonna show you how to change that. I’m Kristen, and this is Maintenance Matters.

Start by removing the tire to ease access to the clutch cover. Now remove all the screws out of the clutch cover. Now that the clutch cover is removed, use the Can-Am clutch remover tool on the secondary clutch so we can loosen it up and get the belt off. This threads straight into the secondary. Once it’s tight, use a little piece of metal behind this bolt because it’s going to tighten down to the face of your secondary and you don’t want to scratch it up.

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Once it’s loose enough, pull the belt off. Once it’s slid off, look for an arrow. If it doesn’t have an arrow, check the numbers on the belt. The numbers or the arrows will indicate rotation. If you’re using the same belt, put it on the same way it came off. If you’re putting on a new belt, make sure you put it on in the direction indicated by the arrows.

With the belt removed, check your clutch. Make sure they’re clean and blow it out with an air gun to make sure there’s no excess dust or dirt. It can cause damage to your clutch leading to replacement.

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Use a clean rag to wipe down the sheaves on the primary and secondary clutches. Check for any deep scratches or excess grooving. If you do have grooves, you will need to replace your clutch. If there is any excess belt dust stuck on the clutch sheaves, use brake cleaner or any kind of solvent. Just be sure it dries completely before reinstalling your belt.

Now that the clutch sheaves are clean, it’s time to reinstall the belt. If your belt had any kind of wear or cracks in it, it needs replaced. This time we’re going to reuse this one because it’s in good shape.

With the belt back in place, remove the clutch removal tool. Then spin the secondary to tighten up the belt. Now that it’s tightened, reinstall the clutch cover and tire and you’re good to go!