CVT use in All Terrain Vehicles

Long a mainstay in the recreational vehicle market, belt type continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) are found in many ATV designs. Although this type of transmission has been successfully used within the snowmobile market, these belt type CVTs frequently fall short of delivering the performance and reliability that today’s ATV operators demand.

ATVs are often operated in all types of conditions and their transmissions need to keep functioning when riders take them through terrain where snowmobiles never go. The sealed, compact Milner Continuously Variable Transmission (MCVT) provides ease of operation and reliability for the demanding conditions where ATV’s are designed to operate.

Pack Performance and Reliability into your ATV with a Milner CVT

Continuously variable transmissions are able to adjust the ratio between their input and output speeds like a geared transmission does, but they do so in a “step-less” manner with the following benefits:

  • Ratio change can be done under load
  • Ratio change occurs without the need to clutch and change gears so there is no interruption of power delivered to load
  • The prime mover (engine) can be set to run at the optimum rpm for power or fuel efficiency and the MCVT ratio controls the vehicle speed instead of the throttle setting controlling the speed.
  • More control and performance options available to vehicle designers compared to the use of rubber belt type CVTs.

The MCVT delivers performance and efficiency improvements over existing ATV transmissions as well. A compromise that belt type CVTs must typically be designed around is performance versus efficiency. The pulleys on a belt type CVT must “squeeze” the belt tight enough to keep the belt from slipping. However, if the belt is squeezed too tightly, frictional losses cause excessive wear and a loss of efficiency. Fail to squeeze the belt tight enough and the belt will slip, resulting in poor performance and, again, excessive wear. The automatic torque adjusting feature of the MCVT delivers both efficiency and performance without needing to compromise between them. This automatic adjustment is accomplished without a horsepower robbing hydraulic or electrical control system.

Performance, reliability, efficiency: the MCVT can provide the features that today’s ATV owners are demanding from manufacturers.