You’re blasting down a trail, mud flying, engine roaring. Suddenly, you feel a hesitation, hear a new whine, or smell that dreaded scent of burning rubber. Your heart sinks. Nothing kills a good ride faster than transmission trouble.
We’ve all been there. The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) in your Renegade is a marvel of engineering, delivering seamless power to the wheels. But it’s also the heart of your ATV’s drivetrain, and it takes a beating every time you ride.
Ignoring it is a recipe for a very expensive, very frustrating day. But what if you could diagnose issues before they sideline you, perform key maintenance yourself, and understand exactly how to keep it bulletproof?
Stick with us. This comprehensive can am renegade transmission guide is your new playbook. We’re diving deep into maintenance, troubleshooting, and pro tips to keep you on the trail and out of the shop.
Understanding Your Can-Am Renegade Transmission: The CVT Explained
Before we grab any wrenches, let’s get on the same page. Your Renegade doesn’t have a traditional gearbox with cogs and gears like a manual car. It uses a CVT, which stands for Continuously Variable Transmission.
Think of it like a sophisticated system of two pulleys connected by a heavy-duty drive belt. One pulley is connected to the engine (the primary clutch) and the other to the driveshaft (the secondary clutch).
As you hit the throttle, the primary clutch squeezes together, forcing the belt to ride higher. This changes the gear ratio smoothly and instantly, providing constant, optimal power. It’s brilliant, but it means the CVT belt and clutches are critical wear items.
The Good: Why a CVT Rocks for Off-Roading
There are clear benefits of can am renegade transmission design for the kind of riding we do. The system keeps the engine in its ideal powerband, giving you instant acceleration out of corners and for climbing hills. No missed shifts, no jerky gear changes—just smooth, usable power on demand.
The Challenge: Heat and Wear
The biggest enemies of any CVT are heat and friction. Aggressive riding, oversized tires, and deep mud put immense strain on the belt and clutches. This generates heat, which can glaze the belt, cause it to slip, and eventually lead to catastrophic failure on the trail.
Essential Maintenance: The Can-Am Renegade Transmission Care Guide
Consistent maintenance is not a suggestion; it’s a requirement for a reliable machine. Following these can am renegade transmission best practices will save you thousands in the long run and prevent you from getting stranded 20 miles from your truck. This is how to get it done.
Step 1: Checking and Changing the Transmission Fluid
While the CVT is a “dry” system (the belt and clutches), your Renegade still has a separate gearbox with gear oil. This fluid lubricates the internal gears for forward, reverse, high, and low ranges.
Most riders forget about this until it’s too late. Check your owner’s manual for the specific service interval, but a good rule of thumb is to check it every few rides and change it at least once a season, or more if you frequently ride in deep water or mud.
Warm up the machine for a few minutes to get the fluid circulating.
Park on a level surface and locate the transmission fill and drain plugs. They are typically on the right side of the engine case.
Clean the area around the plugs thoroughly to prevent dirt from entering the gearbox.
Place a drain pan underneath and remove the drain plug. Let the old oil drain completely.
Inspect the magnetic drain plug for excessive metal shavings. A fine paste is normal, but large chunks signal internal problems.
Reinstall the drain plug and torque it to spec. Do not overtighten!
Remove the fill plug and add the correct type and amount of gear oil (typically 75W-90 or 75W-140 synthetic, but always check your manual). Fill until the oil is level with the bottom of the fill plug threads.
Reinstall the fill plug, and you’re done.
Step 2: Inspecting and Replacing the CVT Drive Belt
The drive belt is the soul of your can am renegade transmission. A worn or damaged belt is the number one cause of performance loss and failure.
Inspection: Every 25-50 hours of riding, pull the CVT cover. Look for glazing (shiny spots), cracking, fraying, or missing cogs on the belt. Measure its width with a caliper; if it’s below the service limit in your manual, replace it.
Replacement: Always carry a spare belt and the tools to change it on the trail. You’ll need a belt-changing tool (it often comes in the factory toolkit) to spread the secondary clutch sheaves, allowing you to slip the old belt off and a new one on.
Pro Tip: Before installing a new belt, wash it with hot, soapy water to remove any mold release agents from the factory. Let it air dry completely. This helps it grip better and last longer.
Step 3: Keeping Your Clutches Clean
Dust from the belt and dirt from the environment can build up on your clutch faces, causing slipping and poor performance. When you have the CVT cover off, use compressed air and a clean rag with brake cleaner to wipe the primary and secondary clutch sheaves clean. A clean clutch is a happy clutch.
Diagnosing Common Problems with Can-Am Renegade Transmission
Your Renegade is great at telling you when something is wrong—you just need to learn its language. Here are some of the most common symptoms and what they likely mean.
Symptom: Belt Slipping or a Burning Smell
This is the classic sign of a worn, glazed, or wet belt. If you smell burning rubber or feel the engine RPMs rise without a corresponding increase in speed, your belt is slipping. This could be due to an old belt, water in the CVT housing, or contaminated clutch faces.
The Fix: Stop immediately. Let it cool. If you just came through water, you may need to drain the CVT housing. Otherwise, it’s time to inspect and likely replace your belt.
Symptom: Whining, Grinding, or Clunking Noises
A high-pitched whine that changes with speed can indicate a failing bearing in the transmission or clutches. A harsh grinding or clunking, especially when shifting, points toward worn or broken gears in the gearbox. This is one of those common problems with can am renegade transmission that you can’t ignore.
The Fix: These noises often signal serious internal damage. This is beyond a simple belt change. If you hear these, it’s best to stop riding and get the machine to a qualified mechanic for a teardown and inspection. Pushing it could turn a minor repair into a full transmission replacement.
Symptom: Difficulty Shifting or Failure to Engage
If your shifter feels stiff or the machine lurches or stalls when you put it in gear, it’s often an issue with the idle speed being too high or a problem with the one-way bearing in the primary clutch. A misadjusted shift linkage can also be the culprit.
The Fix: First, check that your idle speed is within the factory spec. If it is, the problem is likely in the primary clutch. A sticky one-way bearing may need to be cleaned or replaced.
How to Maximize Performance and Longevity: Pro Tips
Want your transmission to survive the abuse you throw at it? These are the can am renegade transmission tips that separate the pros from the rookies.
The Magic of a Clutch Kit
If you’ve added bigger tires or a power-adder like an exhaust or tuner, your stock clutching is no longer optimized. A clutch kit comes with different weights and springs to adjust how and when your clutches engage. This helps back-shift faster, keeps the belt cooler, and restores the power lost to heavy, oversized tires. It’s one of the best performance mods you can make.
The All-Important Belt Break-In
You can’t just slap a new belt on and go full throttle. A new belt needs a proper break-in period to seat correctly and mate with the clutch sheaves.
For the first 20-30 miles, keep your riding varied.
Avoid sustained high speeds or aggressive acceleration.
Use a mix of high and low range, gently accelerating and decelerating.
This process heat-cycles the belt, dramatically increasing its lifespan and reliability.
Riding Techniques to Save Your Drivetrain
How you ride has a massive impact. Always use Low range when rock crawling, loading onto a trailer, or navigating slow, technical terrain. Using High range in these situations puts immense strain on the belt, generating excessive heat and causing premature wear. Be smart with the shifter.
Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Can-Am Renegade Transmission Practices
Being a responsible rider extends to how we maintain our machines. A few simple steps can minimize our environmental impact.
When you perform your eco-friendly can am renegade transmission service, always capture old gear oil in a sealed container. Never dump it on the ground or in the trash. Take it to your local auto parts store or municipal recycling center for proper disposal.
Furthermore, a well-maintained transmission is an efficient one. By keeping your clutches clean and your belt in good shape, your machine runs more efficiently, using less fuel and producing fewer emissions. Choosing high-quality, durable replacement parts also means creating less waste over time. This is the core of a sustainable can am renegade transmission approach.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Can-Am Renegade Transmission
How often should I change my Can-Am Renegade CVT belt?
There’s no single answer, as it depends heavily on your riding style. A casual trail rider might get over 1,000 miles from a belt. An aggressive mud bogger might only get 200. The best practice is to inspect it every 500 miles or twice a season and replace it at the first sign of significant wear.
What is the best CVT belt for a Can-Am Renegade?
For most riders, the OEM BRP belt is the gold standard for reliability and performance. It was designed specifically for your machine’s clutching. However, some aftermarket companies like Gates (G-Force) and Ultimax offer excellent heavy-duty options, especially for modified machines.
Can I ride with a wet CVT belt?
If you get water in your CVT housing, you will experience severe belt slippage. You should stop, put the ATV in Neutral, and rev the engine gently to help expel the water through the CVT exhaust. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to remove the housing’s drain plug to let the water out. Riding with a slipping wet belt can destroy it in minutes.
The can am renegade transmission is a robust and effective system, but it’s not invincible. By understanding how it works, committing to a regular maintenance schedule, and learning to spot the early warning signs of trouble, you can ensure it serves you reliably for years of hard riding.
Listen to your machine, use the right fluids and parts, and never hesitate to carry a spare belt. Your future self, deep in the backcountry, will thank you.
Now get out there. Ride hard, ride smart, and we’ll see you on the trail!
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