Well I think the lack of maintenance that I have done (or not done) over the last three seasons has definitely caught up with me and my ’99 SX 600. There has been so little snow in the past three years that I have just yanked the sled out of storage and rode it once maybe twice each year without really looking things over or doing any maintenance. Last year I got two rides in. During the second ride I launched off of an approach and when I landed things went very wrong. Just after landing I noticed something black and round go flying past me. It was the right tensioning wheel of the rear suspension which had broken away and went sailing past me. It did this because the W-arm broke in three places which allowed the track to slacken and shift. When the track shifted it ripped the wheel right off. I stopped and reset the tension on the track as best I could and then rode it about 20 miles back home. That was probably another big mistake but I didn’t care because I knew that I had to rank the skid out to fix the W-arm anyway and I already had a new track ready to install (oh yeah, the inside of the track was severly gouged and torn when the W-arm let go to). I got it back home and decided that I would just clean it up and put it in storage and deal with the repairs this season.
I got the sled back from storage in mid November (bow hunting got in the way of sled repairs during October) and just couldn’t resist ripping across the lawn a couple of times before I put it in the garage for surgery. Again, big mistake – the drive chain broke on me as I grabbed full throttle while standing up which just about sent me over the hood. I had to use the ol' John Deere to pull it into the garage. Fast forward to last night and getting started on tearing the sled down (I know its pretty late in the year to just be starting the repairs but work has had me flying all over the country and having a 2-1/2 year old that likes to have dad play with him when I am home doesn’t leave much time for wrenchin’). I got the skid and track out only to find that both of the front heat exchanger protectors were torn out. I am sure this happened when the W-arm broke and the track went slack. I looked up to find that I had done some good planning and installation when I put the 1.175” studs in the 0.92” track. When the track went slack the studs chewed up the front of the 3/8” thick polypropylene plastic sheet that I had riveted to the under-side of the tunnel between the tunnel protectors. It probably saved the tunnel and the fuel tank. When I opened the chain case I found that it was definitely the drive chain that had broken. I was glad to see that it didn’t do any gear or case damage. It broke because the nut that holds the drive gear in place had some how backed off far enough to allow the gear to move back and forth about a ½-inch. The chain got bound up when the gear moved and it snapped in two. After taking the chain case off I took the drive shaft out only to find that the bearing on the speedo-drive side had cracked and broken open. Again, I think it was a secondary result of the W-arm collapse that helped it to break but, the fact that it was rusty didn’t help matters either (yeah the speedo drive pin and the drive shaft insert for the pin need to be replaced because of the rust to) . I took some time to look over the skid and found that I had greased it properly but the plastic bushings had not survived the 8,000+ miles that are on this sled. I then looked over the front suspension and found that the bushing up front had not fared any better.
After seeing the results of my lack of maintenance lately, looking back and remembering how I rode this sled over the number of miles that are on it and adding up how much it is going to cost me to fix what I have found to this point, I have decided that the entire sled it going to have to come apart for a total rebuild. That includes yanking the engine and sending it out for a total rebuild to. What’s the really bad part of all this? We have ridable snow already this year and more on the way - UUUGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, if you have just ranked your sled out to ride it once or twice over the last three seasons without doing any maintenance or looking the sled over please take a suggestion from me – DO IT or you might just end up staring out your garage window at all that beautiful, ridable snow while your sled is in pieces all over your garage like mine with nothing but $$$ signs staring you back in the face.
I need a beer. No, correct that - I need my old friend Jim Beam for this one!
Mills
I got the sled back from storage in mid November (bow hunting got in the way of sled repairs during October) and just couldn’t resist ripping across the lawn a couple of times before I put it in the garage for surgery. Again, big mistake – the drive chain broke on me as I grabbed full throttle while standing up which just about sent me over the hood. I had to use the ol' John Deere to pull it into the garage. Fast forward to last night and getting started on tearing the sled down (I know its pretty late in the year to just be starting the repairs but work has had me flying all over the country and having a 2-1/2 year old that likes to have dad play with him when I am home doesn’t leave much time for wrenchin’). I got the skid and track out only to find that both of the front heat exchanger protectors were torn out. I am sure this happened when the W-arm broke and the track went slack. I looked up to find that I had done some good planning and installation when I put the 1.175” studs in the 0.92” track. When the track went slack the studs chewed up the front of the 3/8” thick polypropylene plastic sheet that I had riveted to the under-side of the tunnel between the tunnel protectors. It probably saved the tunnel and the fuel tank. When I opened the chain case I found that it was definitely the drive chain that had broken. I was glad to see that it didn’t do any gear or case damage. It broke because the nut that holds the drive gear in place had some how backed off far enough to allow the gear to move back and forth about a ½-inch. The chain got bound up when the gear moved and it snapped in two. After taking the chain case off I took the drive shaft out only to find that the bearing on the speedo-drive side had cracked and broken open. Again, I think it was a secondary result of the W-arm collapse that helped it to break but, the fact that it was rusty didn’t help matters either (yeah the speedo drive pin and the drive shaft insert for the pin need to be replaced because of the rust to) . I took some time to look over the skid and found that I had greased it properly but the plastic bushings had not survived the 8,000+ miles that are on this sled. I then looked over the front suspension and found that the bushing up front had not fared any better.
After seeing the results of my lack of maintenance lately, looking back and remembering how I rode this sled over the number of miles that are on it and adding up how much it is going to cost me to fix what I have found to this point, I have decided that the entire sled it going to have to come apart for a total rebuild. That includes yanking the engine and sending it out for a total rebuild to. What’s the really bad part of all this? We have ridable snow already this year and more on the way - UUUGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, if you have just ranked your sled out to ride it once or twice over the last three seasons without doing any maintenance or looking the sled over please take a suggestion from me – DO IT or you might just end up staring out your garage window at all that beautiful, ridable snow while your sled is in pieces all over your garage like mine with nothing but $$$ signs staring you back in the face.
I need a beer. No, correct that - I need my old friend Jim Beam for this one!
Mills
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Viper Treats
New member
Well, those suspension bushings go weather or not you grease, so that didnt' really cost you. To look on the positive side, your chain case didn't bust, that would have been the most expensive part!
I hear ya Mills, if more people would give the sleds a once over every year before they ride, they would end up with alot less headaches on the first few rides, even tho they are yamaha sleds and alot better quality, they are not immune to needing service.
daman
New member
Wow talk about neglect , you gota lot of work to do,better grab a 30 pack and have at 'er...lol.
Yamahasrx700
Member
I have a set of front protectors I took off my 97 SX700 if you need them. You pay he shipping and they are yours.
Bakemono
New member
I guess I have to question why you would ride the sled when you knew there was something wrong with it. Id also have to question why you wouldnt have made these repairs during the summer.
Id much rathar work on a sled during the summer when its nice and warm and when I dont feel all rushed to get it done than to work on it during the winter when its freezing cold and I feel rushed to get it done so that I dont miss out on riding.
Im not sure where Elk Mound is, but if you dont feel like fixing that sled and want to sell it, lemmie know and maybe we can work out a deal.
I wouldnt be too crazy about an SX with the 600 twin in it (really bad gas milage and the performance isnt too spectacular), but nothing says I couldnt swap out the 600 twin for a 600 or 700 triple.
Id much rathar work on a sled during the summer when its nice and warm and when I dont feel all rushed to get it done than to work on it during the winter when its freezing cold and I feel rushed to get it done so that I dont miss out on riding.
Im not sure where Elk Mound is, but if you dont feel like fixing that sled and want to sell it, lemmie know and maybe we can work out a deal.
I wouldnt be too crazy about an SX with the 600 twin in it (really bad gas milage and the performance isnt too spectacular), but nothing says I couldnt swap out the 600 twin for a 600 or 700 triple.
Its a 600 triple that when properly maintained will hold its own against any mildly massaged 700.
I rode it to get it home because I was by myslef and I was way out in the woods with no one around to help me and I didn't have a cell phone to call for help. It was either ride it home or leave it and walk. It had over 8,000 miles on it so I figured it was in need of a good tear down anyway so I really didn't hurt it much worse than it was already. No matter what the W-arm was going to be coming out of it to be reinforced, i already had the new track waiting to go in and the skid wheels needed to be change out anyway.
It didn't get fixed this summer because we were busy building a new house, taking care of a 2 yr old and my job had me flying all over the country so the snow mobiles, vehicles, ATV and skid steer all have been sorely neglected. With the holidays comes time off and the wrenches are flying. The skid steer got a major tune up and carb/distributor rebuild, the wife's SUV got a major tune up, the work car got tuned up and my truck got some lite maintenace. Now its time for the toys to get some well deserved treatment. When they are done then the fun project will start. My dad gave me the very first sled that I ever rode by myself which I am going to restore. It is a 1974 Yamaha TL433F. The "F" stands for fluid drive. It is a 440 air cooled twin with oil injection and a hydraulic drive. It still runs but is in need of a thorough teardown and rebuild which should be very fun.
Man am I happy to be able to be back in the garage with the tunes going the wrenches flin' and a few tastey beers being emptied along the way.
Mills
I rode it to get it home because I was by myslef and I was way out in the woods with no one around to help me and I didn't have a cell phone to call for help. It was either ride it home or leave it and walk. It had over 8,000 miles on it so I figured it was in need of a good tear down anyway so I really didn't hurt it much worse than it was already. No matter what the W-arm was going to be coming out of it to be reinforced, i already had the new track waiting to go in and the skid wheels needed to be change out anyway.
It didn't get fixed this summer because we were busy building a new house, taking care of a 2 yr old and my job had me flying all over the country so the snow mobiles, vehicles, ATV and skid steer all have been sorely neglected. With the holidays comes time off and the wrenches are flying. The skid steer got a major tune up and carb/distributor rebuild, the wife's SUV got a major tune up, the work car got tuned up and my truck got some lite maintenace. Now its time for the toys to get some well deserved treatment. When they are done then the fun project will start. My dad gave me the very first sled that I ever rode by myself which I am going to restore. It is a 1974 Yamaha TL433F. The "F" stands for fluid drive. It is a 440 air cooled twin with oil injection and a hydraulic drive. It still runs but is in need of a thorough teardown and rebuild which should be very fun.
Man am I happy to be able to be back in the garage with the tunes going the wrenches flin' and a few tastey beers being emptied along the way.
Mills
Yamahasrx700 you have a PM.
Another hydraulic sled on the snow. This guy: RON HYDRAULIC YAM - is a member here and is the guy to talk to about hydraulic sleds.