Lack of maintanance

fourbarrel

fourbarrel

VIP Lifetime Member
Joined
May 5, 2003
Messages
2,765
Location
St George,New Brunswick,Canada
It amazes me at the lack of usual maintanace that some people can over look.I have been working on my new to me 01 SRX for a month or so now turning this former drag sled back into a trail runner,I'm presently working on the skid having managed to get the engine back in and bolted up yesterday.When I bought this sled I figured I'd have to replace bearings and most likely bushings so I wasn't surprised by finding the W arm bushings were wore,both the upper and lowers.And bearings yeah I found plenty that are pretty rough but one of the things I found that kind of made me shake my head was one of the extra idlers the previous owner had installed had 2 flat spots wore into it right down to the aluminum.The real telltale that something was wrong was the old rubber all over everything,I mean the guy must have smelled the burning rubber!!!!

I know I didn't look the sled over a closely as I should have because I'm finding things that are obvious now but why I never noticed them the day I bought it I don't know.Still that's no excuse for a lack of maintanance even if you do figure on selling it.
 

Ya I know what ya mean. I thought I looked at everything when buying mine, but overlooked a few things. Some things I knew about but weren't that big of a deal....got them fixed pretty easy. It is my first sled, so I don't really have the knowledge to know what to look for. I had to ask a few buddies and my dad on what to look for. But you'll never find all the problems right away anyways. I have lots of equipment and toys that require regular maintenance, so these high maintenance sleds don't bother me too much. It does make ya wonder though why people buy these things and don't bother to do the proper maintenance. :dunno:
 
I bought my 2000 SRX from a reputable mechanic and have basically repaired/replaced everything on the sled. After 2 years, I think everything is good and ready to go.
 
When I bought my srx it had no scags on it and the ski keel was gone. How did this guy turn? It amazes me too! Working at a dealership, I see 1st oil changes on 40K cars done at 10k miles. Just dont get it!!
 
SRX_700 said:
I bought my 2000 SRX from a reputable mechanic and have basically repaired/replaced everything on the sled. After 2 years, I think everything is good and ready to go.
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With MOST mechanics THEIR vehicles are usually the LAST thing they work on! Kind of like how a carpenters house is never done!
 
Devilin AblueDress! said:
With MOST mechanics THEIR vehicles are usually the LAST thing they work on! Kind of like how a carpenters house is never done!
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That is 100% true. Take a look at your barbers' hair next time you get a haircut.
 
Agree with the mechanic statement I usually don't work on my car till the last minute I'm too busy working on trucks at work I don't want to do the same thing when I get home. The sled on the other had is a different story I can work a 12 hour shift and still work on the sx.
 
if he has any!

i am a mechanic by trade and i will admit that some of my stuff might not look pretty but i am a stickler for making shure it runs and performs properly. i hate walking home and it pisses me off when stuff leaves me on the side of the trail and i could have prevented it. i do my maintenece and fix it when i find a problem or know one will occur.

still have gotten caught by a few surprise ones though.
 
you have to remember a lot of guys do not have mechanical knowledge at all.It is just pull the rope and go,shut it off for the Summer,pull and go in the Winter.A lot of young guys are like that and know a few exactly like that.Buying used is always a crap shoot.I to got screwed when I got my SRX..had to buy a complete used skid.The original was totally wasted..I would really be leary to buy an older used sled now a days...got to stick with something 5 years old or newer these days.
 
Devilin AblueDress! said:
With MOST mechanics THEIR vehicles are usually the LAST thing they work on! Kind of like how a carpenters house is never done!
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I know what your saying there my brother is a carpenter and his place is in a constant state of having one room or another tore apart.LMAO I don't know how my sister in law has put up with him all these years.

I will say this though once I'm done with this SRX project it will be solid and tight,I could not bring myself to rush now and cut corners.If it needs to be fixed I may as well do it now because one thing I hate to do is pull a sled apart in the middle of winter because I got lazy and figured "ah screw it I'll get that later " lol.The only unknown in everything is the engine internals,the sled ran and sounded great before I tore into it so as long as the crank bearings are good I should be in for a trouble free riding season.
 
Not All Mechanics Are That Way I Take Very Good Care Of My Stuff Thats Way My 01 F-150 Has 205,000 Miles And Still Going Strong And I Love Working On My Sled. Not To Mention Take Care Of 3 Snow Groomers For The County. Jmo
 
fourbarrel said:
I know what your saying there my brother is a carpenter and his place is in a constant state of having one room or another tore apart.LMAO I don't know how my sister in law has put up with him all these years.


A carpenter friend gave me some advice years ago about home improvements.

He said if you leave a home remodeling job slightly unfinished (like leaving the 1/4 round modelings undone, partial paint on the trim or leave the handles off the new cabinets) you've got an excuse to not start another honey-do.

"I'm still working on it, dear."

...yeah, it didn't work for me either.
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i bought a sxr 700 last year with hauck pipes from a guy who knew NOTHING about sleds. Someone had the needles set wrong so when i went up north for the first time it melted her down. $800 later i went through that sled from ski loop to snow flap and its a runner
 
2001srx700mod said:
i bought a sxr 700 last year with hauck pipes from a guy who knew NOTHING about sleds. Someone had the needles set wrong so when i went up north for the first time it melted her down. $800 later i went through that sled from ski loop to snow flap and its a runner
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I hope you called and yelled! :o|
 
I hear ya OP. I bought my SRX700 a couple of years ago and it was clear the guy had "let things go." Recoil rope broke the first day (rope was in rough shape). The PV's had pullthrough, one of the plastic buttons was missing on the secondary ramps, the carbides were worn down to nothing, the bearings in the track and drivetrain hadn't been replaced, the wiring was all rubbed through in about 20 different places and carbs were junked up.

I should have known it wasn't well maintained when I bought it. I asked the guy "ever fogged the machine for the summer?" he said "Nope, never had to do anything to the motor"
 
In the late 1980s the only sled me and my brother had was a 1982 elan(had since brand new)and we were looking for a second sled.In town was a 1981 everest F/C for sale(looked sharp).We went to look at the sled.My father said"lets turn it over to look at the bellypan".What we saw look like many,many hits(rivets all directions underneath,holding it together)long store short,left it where it was and a few years later bought a brand new bravo LT.
 
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