Replacing rear axle idler wheel in sxviper er?

T

Toydevil48

New member
Joined
Jul 9, 2013
Messages
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Age
39
Location
New York
Hello, this is my first post and I've found a lot of great info on this site (thanks guys!!!)but I couldn't find anything about replacing my rear axle idler wheel, the middle wheel on my sled is completely missing the bearing and is just flopping around. I have purchased a new wheel but wanted to know if there is a trick to pulling the shaft out and changing this?
 

Hello Toydevil and welcome to the site. It is a pretty easy process to change that wheel. You will need to lift the rear of the sled and hold it off the ground with a suport under the rear bumper then loosen the large nut on the axle. At the rear of the slide rails, just to the inside of the large rear wheels, you will find the track tensioners. You will need a 14 mm deep socket to loosen the adjustment. These nuts are used to adjust the tension on the track and align it. Loosen the nuts all the way but there is no need to remove the nuts from the adjustment studs. The track should be very loose now so it is not putting tension on the rear axle and wheels. You can hold the sled up by putting something under the track. Before I had a sled stand i used a plastic bottle crate. Now go back and take the large nut off the axle. You may need a plastic hammer to tap the axle out of the wheel bearings and spacers. If the axle has not been out of the sled for a few years, it will be a little stubborn to remove. DO NOT Beat on the axle, DO NOT use a metal hammer, the thread are soft aluminum!!! There are a number of washers and spacers on the axles between the wheels. Carefully and slowly pull the axle out keeping track of which spacer and washer goes where, make a drawing as you remove items. You can pull the axle only far enough to get the center wheel out then install the new one OR I suggest you remove all of the wheels and see what the bearings sound and feel like. Chances are the other bearings are on their way out as well, might as well fix them all now rather than in the middle of the riding season. I am not sure if the wheels on your sled has removeable/replaceable bearings or not. If you see a snap ring holding in the bearing, the bearing can be replaced. If the bearings are removeable, remove the snap ring and you can push the old bearing out using some sockets and short pieces of pipe in a bench vise or a lightweight hydraulic press. Once you replace the bearings or have replacement wheels, reverse the order and assemble the axle and wheels. I usually polish the corrosion and crud off the aluminum axle with some emory cloth to make it slide through the parts easier. It is a bit tricky to get the axle in and past the spacers, wheels and washers since they get caught on the shoulder of the threaded side of the axle. There is a bullet shaped tool that threads onto the end of the axle to help guide the axle through the parts but you can do it without it with some patience and a screwdriver and/or needle-nose pliers to manipulate the spacers and washers. Double check the order of all the parts, then you are ready to tighten up and align the track.

Jim
 
The metal washers (4) of them go up against the rails. The rest is pretty easy to figure out how it goes back. Just remember the washers protect the rails. Good write up Jim.
 
While you have it apart it would be a good time to upgrade to a 4th wheel. Search "4th" or "4th wheel kit" adds a second inner wheel, I think there may be a right up in the tech section.
 
Wow!,I was just hoping someone would respond with a "hello"because I am new to this site,I appreciate your time and that write up so much...great info and I will give it a try, I have 2 new wheels with the new replaceable bearings that I bought but maybe I will just buy 2 more and do the 4th wheel kit..mine are all original because the don't have replaceable bearings..what are the benefits of the 4th wheel? Thanks so much!!!
 
Also running the 4th wheel kit alows you to keep running if you loose one of those wheels on a ride. I spun two outer boggies on 2 different trips last year and with the 4th wheel kit just kept on riding and replaced the broken boggie next day! Without that your done for the day and riding back for the trailer!
 
Totally agree with the 4th wheel mod. I have done this on every sled we own. Easy to build, simple measure and cut. Al
 
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