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Diagnosing the issue with your X3 properly is important to determine the best course of action. Here are a few possible causes for the hard shifting between gears:

1. Clutch misalignment: The belt could be touching or very close to one of the primary sheaves at idle due to a factory misalignment. This issue can sometimes be masked by the weak factory clutch calibration. To resolve this, you can have BRP replace the clutches under warranty or send your clutches to a specialist like KWI for the Full Float Mod, which will allow you to adjust the alignment and prevent future issues.

2. Damaged primary clutch bearing: If the bearing is not spinning smoothly or has seized on the shaft, it can drag the belt and spin the secondary, causing hard shifting. In this case, the bearing will need to be replaced.

3. Damaged or broken secondary clutch rollers: This can also cause hard shifting. If you send your clutches in for the Full Float Mod, upgraded rollers can be installed to prevent this issue. Alternatively, you can replace the rollers using parts from specialists like KWI.

4. If you have the KWI Float Mod verify all Float Mod spring, billet spacer, shims are installed correctly per the instructions below.
5. Secondary clutch grease or dirty gearbox shaft issue: If you have KWI Full Floating clutches and hard shifting occurs, it may be because the clutch is not sliding freely on the gearbox input shaft due to rust/dirt or a lack of grease. To address this, remove the clutch from the splined shaft, remove any and all rust, dirt and grease from the shaft, clean and re-grease the splines and shaft with good quality MOLY or CV grease and then reinstall.

It's always a good idea to consult a professional mechanic to accurately diagnose and fix the issue. Proper maintenance of your vehicle's transmission and clutch system will help ensure smooth shifting and prolong the life of these components.

Before tweaking your clutch calibration, ensure your vehicle is in optimal condition as KWI clutching calibrations are typically precise from the start. Consider the following:

1. Fuel Quality: Use fresh fuel (less than a week old) with the minimum octane rating required for your tune.
2. Boost Leaks: Avoid power loss due to boost leaks. Check for leaks using our "KWI BOOST LEAK TESTER" (instructions found HERE).
3. Wastegate and Boost: Ensure correct wastegate crack pressure and boost levels as per your tuner's instructions. Use tools like a mighty-vac and a datalogger for accurate verification.
4. Intercooler and Temperature: Verify your intercooler fan functions properly and charge temperatures stay below 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Use data logging devices like Maptuner X or AIM for monitoring.
5. Engine Health: Check each cylinder's compression with a compression tester to confirm engine power.
6. Drivetrain Resistance: Ensure the vehicle moves smoothly on a hard surface to rule out issues like binding CV joints or dragging brakes.

For troubleshooting, KWI offers a "performance troubleshooting kit" with tools like a compression tester and boost leak tester for rental. Contact our shop for more details.

All model years of 120HP version, all 2107 models and all early production 2018 Can AM X3 models came with a primary clutch outer half design that was a thinner, all-aluminum casting and suffers from accelerated tower wear at the slider shoe contact surface, especially in higher HP units (over 120HP). This older design was also noisy.  If constant maintenance is not performed to monitor the wear and replace components as necessary then you will end up with a damaged outer half and governor cup which will cost approx $700 to replace. To prevent this accelerated wear and damage we suggest you send your clutches in to us to have the outer half replaced with the new design that is much more robust, has steel wear plates, will not wear like the older models and is much quieter..