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Question about a sudden belt failure on a cold morning ride

Last winter near Lake Placid, I was about 15 miles into a trail when my sled's drive belt snapped with a loud pop. The machine just stopped moving forward, leaving me stuck in deep powder. I had to dig out my spare belt from the storage compartment, which took almost an hour because my fingers were so cold. Has anyone else had a belt go at the worst possible moment, and what's your trick for a faster trailside swap?
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3 Comments
the_charles
An hour for a belt swap is rough. I keep my spare in a heated storage bag, makes a huge difference when your hands are freezing.
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ryanh91
ryanh912mo ago
Yeah, that heated bag idea is smart. Last season I got stuck doing a swap in deep powder and my fingers went numb trying to thread the belt on. Now I just keep the spare tucked right under the hood against the engine block while I ride, so it's at least warm when I need it. Makes the whole job way less miserable when you're not fumbling with a frozen brick of rubber.
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hunt.miles
hunt.miles2mo ago
Honestly, a belt swap is just part of sledding, not some huge emergency.
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