Angry Wisconsin snowmowbiler???

GD23RTF2

GD23RTF2

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2013
Messages
229
Age
55
Location
Wisconsin
I am either the coolest, most awesome Dad ever, or the stupidest man alive.....

Since I got my SXR, I've had 2 of my 3 kids out for a few rides with me, and so far they have absolutely loved it. My shoulders burn, I'm exhausted and crippled up after 30-50 miles, but they loved it. The two girls are already WAY pushing it for riding 2 up on a single rider machine. The boy.....well, he's got 50 lbs on me, so I wouldn't even try to ride with him on the back. I remember snowmobiling was some of my best memories as a kid, so I've been keeping my eyes open for a machine for them to fight over. Something cheap, reliable, and good for them to learn on. Something rough enough so if they nailed something I wouldn't have a brain hemorrhage, but nice enough where still looks cool, and it isn't embarrassing to own. Tricky part is the kids are between 12-16 and I can only afford something cheap.
Ideally, if I could, I would get them my sled, but with less power. THAT would be perfect. A 500 or 600 SX, SXR, or XTC would be great. Problem is, they still want a mint for those. Closing in on double for what I laid out for my SXR. and I'm not gonna pay a lot for this muffler!!!
Went and looked at a couple strutted Phazers. Meh....No guts, and too tippy. Awful lot to ask of a machine for my boy. Exciters? Yea there's motor, but still tippy and no real brake and they are thirsty. Strutted XTs? STILL expensive. As much as I hated to admit it, for what I could spend, a Yamaha that fit my criteria in my price range was pretty much out.
Then I remembered the old Polaris wedges handled fairly decent and started researching old XLTs. Zeroed in on the 94 580s. Piston ported, low, wide, ok suspension, hydraulic brake, didn't have the crank problems the 95 & 96 did. Moderate power, and decent on gas with the small carbs. Unmodded they should last quite a while, and easy to rebuild if I need to.
Found one for $550 that sat for over a year, was a bit neglected, but brought it home with me. Figured I better get it, as cheap, halfway decent sleds have gone SUPER QUICK this year.
Spent half a day getting it running well then took it for a ride. Aw, man....vibrates like hell from 20-ish mph on up, and oh no....no speedo. That would explain the vibration. So much so, it could almost pass for a Harley at midrange.Well..... Guess we know what to do.
Spent most of the day Thursday in body man mode. Straightening, the front bumper. Polishing, and buffing, and waxing, buffing some more, and painting the vents, and touch up and general detailing. Wanted it to be at least pretty for when the kids got home from school. At least that worked out. Looks like a totally different machine now.
Tore it apart Friday and got into into the driveshaft and chaincase bearings yesterday. I swear, this machine is held together with carriage bolts!!! Then, as I just about got from tearing apart to putting back together mode, Damnit!!! Busted the $80 brake sensor when I was starting to put it back together. Enough for one night. Buttoned up the chaincase and called it quits for the evening.
Tore back in today, and put the exhaust, and the clutch side bearing, and speedo stuff back together, and started in on the skid before I put that back in. Wanted to get it all put back together today, but I must have been getting a bit punchy after a day full of snags,(I won't even go int them) and cut one of the slides wrong and am stuck until I can pick up another slide. Put on the new Scott ATV grips (just like the soft Yamaha grips)and bar ends and called it quits.
So, since I had all this extra time on my hands, I started adding up what I all spent after the initial purchase. That number is already about $375. With assorted powders, potions, soaps and lotions. Parts, supplies, and a couple tools I needed. (Broke 2 snap ring pliers). That's not counting the time and fuel for 5 trips to the dealer, and at least 3 to the aftermarket outfit. Probably a dozen trips to NAPA, and close to that many to the hardware store for odds and ends. It's going to be closer to $400+ when I'm done. All I'm waiting on is a new speedo cable.....(why not right?)and then there's that damn slide I effed up.

I could have spent more to start with, and maybe gotten something that they could have just rode. Or.....if I would have spent a grand on something to start out with, I could have stuck in another $400-$500.
On the bright side, I'll know the thing should be good when I'm done.

So.....I'm either the coolest, most awesome Dad ever, or the stupidest man alive.....

Kinda got that nice guys finish last feeling, or a bit of the angry Ontario snowmobiler thing going on right now. This is cutting into my last few days of riding time.
The things we do for our kids.....
 
Ah yes. The things we do for our kids. They never really understand the time,blood, sweat and money we shed until there are as old as us.By then we have forgotten but they have not. Is it worth the time and effort? You bet. Every penny,every baindaid and every second is worth more than its weight in gold.
 
I have a cottage I have ben snowplowing for 10-12 years now. Its owned by 4 guys but really only 2 of them use it regularly. The had a 92 poo indy 500 (488 fuji actually) Had sat on a open 2 place so long the cover had rotted off it. Met up with them a couple falls ago and it was offered up for $100 or $150 in trade towards snowplowing. Being as that would cost me at most $50(out of pocket) I JUMPED at it, stuffed it in the back of the truck then and there. Had a 1/2 tank of varnish but THANK GOD poo's come factory with a shut off valve and they had used it. Pulled fuel line of valve and varnish was so thick it didnt want to flow! Added 2 gallons to tank to thin it out. Shook the snot out of sled sloshing it around and then used compressed air to push tank dry. Put 2 more gallons in, hooked line back up and started what I thought was going to a 100 pulls to start episode......FIFTH PULL it fired and idled like a champ! This was late sept/early oct so ZERO snow, SoI limited by shake down run to about FOUR MILES keeping sled in the grass I really should have ben mowing than dinking around on the sled! Daughter rode it all the following winter. I hopped on it a few times and FLOGGED the wee out of it...after all I had like a $100 out of pocket on this sled! Daughter started the second season on it before laying claim on a 98 SRX 600 I had wheeled and dealed on. She is now 16, Sporting a leather yamaha suit (I got from Yamahead) She/we had gotten a few weird looks when her modular opens to reveal a teenaged GIRL! Her step dad ending up giving me $500 for the poo and is now his pride and joy!
 
Devilin AblueDress! said:
I have a cottage I have ben snowplowing for 10-12 years now. Its owned by 4 guys but really only 2 of them use it regularly. The had a 92 poo indy 500 (488 fuji actually) Had sat on a open 2 place so long the cover had rotted off it. Met up with them a couple falls ago and it was offered up for $100 or $150 in trade towards snowplowing. Being as that would cost me at most $50(out of pocket) I JUMPED at it, stuffed it in the back of the truck then and there. Had a 1/2 tank of varnish but THANK GOD poo's come factory with a shut off valve and they had used it. Pulled fuel line of valve and varnish was so thick it didnt want to flow! Added 2 gallons to tank to thin it out. Shook the snot out of sled sloshing it around and then used compressed air to push tank dry. Put 2 more gallons in, hooked line back up and started what I thought was going to a 100 pulls to start episode......FIFTH PULL it fired and idled like a champ! This was late sept/early oct so ZERO snow, SoI limited by shake down run to about FOUR MILES keeping sled in the grass I really should have ben mowing than dinking around on the sled! Daughter rode it all the following winter. I hopped on it a few times and FLOGGED the wee out of it...after all I had like a $100 out of pocket on this sled! Daughter started the second season on it before laying claim on a 98 SRX 600 I had wheeled and dealed on. She is now 16, Sporting a leather yamaha suit (I got from Yamahead) She/we had gotten a few weird looks when her modular opens to reveal a teenaged GIRL! Her step dad ending up giving me $500 for the poo and is now his pride and joy!
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Wish I had been that lucky. The more I tear apart, the more I'm like, "well.....since it's already apart I may as well replace this, and this, and this." I get obsessive like that with things.
This thing is nickle and dime-ing me to death!!!
I'm afraid if I don't get it out on the snow quick-like, next thing you know, motor will be coming apart and at least get re ringed.....
 
bluemonster1 said:
b ring the sled here,lots of snow for you to ride yet...lol
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Would love to. Always wanted to make it up to the Great White North. Doubt they'd let me across the border though with my somewhat, um, "colorful" driving record. :o|
 
Well.....I'm sure they'd probably let me in, just don't know if they'd let me drive in country. A little too much fun in my 20s. Stupid kid, doing stupid stuff.
We'd probably be best off going to Ontario through the U.P.
 
A sled, car, boat, bike ect ect that you have purchased used and then dismantled, repaired, improved ect ends up being YOURS. That is how I roll. Pretty well everything I own has come into my shop and been dismantled, repaired, broken ect until I am satisfied it is mine...if I don't get there ...I sell it again. My two boys have reaped the rewards of this...even though they may not always know the extent of labour that has gone into everything. Even my wifes sportscar I bought her a few years back came down the driveway, I gave it to her and then it disapeared into the shop and never saw the light of day for 6 months as I systematically diassembled it from the front to rear bumpers...until I was happy with it.
 
sideshowBob said:
A sled, car, boat, bike ect ect that you have purchased used and then dismantled, repaired, improved ect ends up being YOURS. That is how I roll. Pretty well everything I own has come into my shop and been dismantled, repaired, broken ect until I am satisfied it is mine...if I don't get there ...I sell it again. My two boys have reaped the rewards of this...even though they may not always know the extent of labour that has gone into everything. Even my wifes sportscar I bought her a few years back came down the driveway, I gave it to her and then it disapeared into the shop and never saw the light of day for 6 months as I systematically diassembled it from the front to rear bumpers...until I was happy with it.
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Well.....I just hope that the kids end up appreciating this. With the exception of the 11 year old girl, I'm not even quite satisfied with the level of enthusiasm over this whole project.
I didn't have my kids this weekend and wanted to get it ready for them considering we only have a couple riding days left, but even my son's buddy was breaking his balls tonight on our way to Hockey how HE should be working on it, or at least helping me out with it because that what he's had to do is work on his own stuff. He came with us tonight and rode in the back of my car on the way and was going through the stack of receipts in the back seat from this whole project, and was trying to make a point with my son about what I was trying to do for him and his sisters. Unfortunately I think it fell on deaf ears.
He told his buddy he helped me. Yea....holding the hood while I put in the vents and the cable was helpful, but it doesn't amount to much.
My Dad wasn't that handy, but if he ever did anything to my stuff, I was definitely out there TRYING to help, or at the very least there to hold things, grab him tools, or hold the trouble light or whatever. What I SHOULD do is wait to go get the last couple parts, and put in the skid until they come over at 3:00 and make them get their hands dirty a little, or hold the light, or be there for moral support or SOMETHING.
Grrrrr. I don't know....This is NOT working out like I had hoped and I'm starting to feel a little frustrated and under appreciated over this whole deal. The "Oh, yea, cool. Well, you don't really need to do all that stuff to it. It would have been fine" isn't exactly what I was hoping for. It's not like I have a pile of money, and I'm kind of stretching it a little on this whole deal as it is. If they don't come around, I ought to just turn the damn thing next fall and maybe I'll break even or even make a buck or two.....
Damn kids.
 
At least I don't have to worry about my kids,they are both girls ,going on 25 and 28.They don't live with me and really don't care about things like sledding.They say they want to ride but they never come around to anyways..Saving something I guess..they make their own money,they can buy their own toys..but I doubt they ever will..just having a good car is all that is important to them,and they have gone through many over the years.
 
bluemonster1 said:
At least I don't have to worry about my kids,they are both girls ,going on 25 and 28.They don't live with me and really don't care about things like sledding.They say they want to ride but they never come around to anyways..Saving something I guess..they make their own money,they can buy their own toys..but I doubt they ever will..just having a good car is all that is important to them,and they have gone through many over the years.
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.....you forgot the cell phone. Always gotta have their nose buried in the damn cell phone.....
 
GD23RTF2 said:
.....you forgot the cell phone. Always gotta have their nose buried in the damn cell phone.....
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they actually don't go hog wild with the phones.they are not textmaniacs as other are..one just bought a standard Flip phone just to receive calls for work and the younger still has the old BlackBerry Phone...
I personally don't own a cell phone for the past 3 years,don't need one.If I go out riding I borrow my wife's Flip Phone that she only pays $15 a month for.It is just an emergency phone really,just in case car breaks down or she hits the ditch during winter driving to work nights.Otherwise a cell phone is not an important part of our lives.For me sledding is way more important,rather spend the money there instead.When I hear of people paying $1000 for the latest Iphone(like my nephew did) and pay large phone Bills every month..I laugh.I think what did people do years back before these phones..ah..they actually talked to each other face to face..and didn't have to text their friends telling them they had to go to the bayhroom or something stupid..lmao
 
I did basicaly the same as you did, bought a 99 vmax 500 for my oldest to ride, hes 10. I paid 900$ and put probably 400$ more into it, track, studs, bearings, speedo housing, and transfer rods. its a pretty fun little sled to ride, and he loves riding it. I don't expect him to work on it or pay for the parts. I enjoy doing it. BUT if something is wrong with it and I'M going riding on mine, I'm not sittin out in the barn workin on his by myself so he can ride it. once he sees dad rippin around on the 700 hes's all about helping with the 500. its supposed to be fun, and kids are waaay different than when we were young. enjoy it they're only kids once!
 
s10mike said:
I did basicaly the same as you did, bought a 99 vmax 500 for my oldest to ride, hes 10. I paid 900$ and put probably 400$ more into it, track, studs, bearings, speedo housing, and transfer rods. its a pretty fun little sled to ride, and he loves riding it. I don't expect him to work on it or pay for the parts. I enjoy doing it. BUT if something is wrong with it and I'M going riding on mine, I'm not sittin out in the barn workin on his by myself so he can ride it. once he sees dad rippin around on the 700 hes's all about helping with the 500. its supposed to be fun, and kids are waaay different than when we were young. enjoy it they're only kids once!
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I wish I could have found exactly that for my kids. I've already got over $900 into it, and it breaks my heart to have been a Yamaha guy and talked them up to the kids forever and then go and put them on a poo. It was the only thing that fit all of my criteria for them that I could get into cheap though.
The 500-600 trailing arm Yamahas around here are just unbelievably priced. I've been looking since I took the girls on their first ride and I am stunned. Honestly, you could get an SRX in any year for about the same money. REALLY!!!
I know they are only young once and I only want them happy. They are just lazy and spoiled like most kids today and I guess I was just venting. My boy is going to help me tonight he said. Not much left to do though, but at least it's something. I'm thinking that he wants to ride it as they are on spring break this week. All that's left is to replace the broken spring roller(may as well replace both right?) on the rails, put on the slide I effed up, put the skid back in, tighten up the track, put on the front bumper, pull the rope and go.
I'm nervous about the studs and may pull them. The front exchanger is already all bashed to hell where they run, but no fresh scratches on it. I don't need any more headaches if they are too close. Only a 5/8" lug track, and the studs are only 1/4" taller. You would think there would be enough room. The PO must not have had the track tight enough at one point when he installed them and the center section took a beating.
Guess we'll find out.
 
GD23RTF2 said:
snip -I'm nervous about the studs and may pull them. The front exchanger is already all bashed to hell where they run, but no fresh scratches on it. I don't need any more headaches if they are too close. Only a 5/8" lug track, and the studs are only 1/4" taller. You would think there would be enough room. The PO must not have had the track tight enough at one point when he installed them and the center section took a beating.
Guess we'll find out.
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I ran my wedge tracks too loose back then and had what sounds like similar scrathes on the front HX. If it ain't leaking yet you're probably fine as long as you keep the tension to spec or slightly looser but not -loose 'til ratchet- loose.

If I understand your kid's ages correctly, I might be more worried of the affects of pulling the studs.

I can think of more than a few occasions during my early years on a fiji L/C twin what would have happened if I did not have studs.

Just a thought.

Enjoy.
 
bluemonster1 said:
they actually don't go hog wild with the phones.they are not textmaniacs as other are..one just bought a standard Flip phone just to receive calls for work and the younger still has the old BlackBerry Phone...
I personally don't own a cell phone for the past 3 years,don't need one.If I go out riding I borrow my wife's Flip Phone that she only pays $15 a month for.It is just an emergency phone really,just in case car breaks down or she hits the ditch during winter driving to work nights.Otherwise a cell phone is not an important part of our lives.For me sledding is way more important,rather spend the money there instead.When I hear of people paying $1000 for the latest Iphone(like my nephew did) and pay large phone Bills every month..I laugh.I think what did people do years back before these phones..ah..they actually talked to each other face to face..and didn't have to text their friends telling them they had to go to the bayhroom or something stupid..lmao
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Lol, talk to each other face to face...
And what are you doing? typing to strangers on a forum...lol.
I have an iPhone I payed $150 for it brand new. This thing makes me money! I buy/sell from it, do everthing. don't ever need a computer either.. I have a laptop but I have barley used it since I got my iPhone. so it's not expensive at all to me for what I get out of it
 
I really don't want to be bothered with the phone,carrying around all the time..I prefer the computer to buy and sell also..bigger screen.Got a house phone but don't even use it much at all..I do all my stuff thru the computer.I know all this tech is bad.I rarely phone my mom anymore and her also me..We e-mail..now that is not right..My last cell phone over 3 years ago sat in the cupboard more then being used,cost me over $1200 just sitting there,so finally cancelled it.
 
GD23RTF2 said:
I wish I could have found exactly that for my kids. I've already got over $900 into it, and it breaks my heart to have been a Yamaha guy and talked them up to the kids forever and then go and put them on a poo. It was the only thing that fit all of my criteria for them that I could get into cheap though.
The 500-600 trailing arm Yamahas around here are just unbelievably priced. I've been looking since I took the girls on their first ride and I am stunned. Honestly, you could get an SRX in any year for about the same money. REALLY!!!
I know they are only young once and I only want them happy. They are just lazy and spoiled like most kids today and I guess I was just venting. My boy is going to help me tonight he said. Not much left to do though, but at least it's something. I'm thinking that he wants to ride it as they are on spring break this week. All that's left is to replace the broken spring roller(may as well replace both right?) on the rails, put on the slide I effed up, put the skid back in, tighten up the track, put on the front bumper, pull the rope and go.
I'm nervous about the studs and may pull them. The front exchanger is already all bashed to hell where they run, but no fresh scratches on it. I don't need any more headaches if they are too close. Only a 5/8" lug track, and the studs are only 1/4" taller. You would think there would be enough room. The PO must not have had the track tight enough at one point when he installed them and the center section took a beating.
Guess we'll find out.
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ditch that dam poo and put em on an srx. screw it, teach them how not to full throttle it, put the wrenches down. that way they wont outgrow it to soon, and it will hold its value better than some old poo. then you guys can ride instead of wrench. i think all the 500-600's are more expensive than an srx is because the used srx's have all been beat on, modified and blown up and rebuilt. oh yeah, have that son of yours use his fancy phone to help, look up parts, research, ask ty guys questions! that phone could just be what brings you two closer. that's what really matters, sleds come and go and are easily replaced. your kids will be grown and gone before you blink an eye. by the way, that 500 of mine uses more gas than my 700. sell the poo, get em an srx!!! this aint PY!!! have a good one
 
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