Can't get rear suspensions skit out SX7000R/SXR-7000

Rebmo

Rebmo

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Jan 11, 2014
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Rural SE Wisconsin
I have the rear of the sled jacked about 12". I followed this procedure. (I also searched the forum for answers) >>>>Remove your pro-action skid frame by slightly elevating the rear of the sled so the track is about 2" off the ground. Using a 17 mm and 19 mm wrench loosen the rear shaft slightly. Take a 14 mm socket and ratchet and release the track tension. Be sure to count the turns equally off the rear adjusters. (This will aid you in slipping the stock suspension back through the track.) Next remove the (6) 14mm bolts from the tunnel and drop the skid to the floor.

I'm just about there, but the rear wheels are stuck inside the belt tracks and cannot relieve enough belt tension to pull out the skid. It's close, but no cigar. Every time I compress the rear wheels the front seems to take up the slack I create. This is my first time removing the skid so could use some advice from those with experience in this undertaking. My goal is to remove the skid to replace the slides and go over the suspension. a couple wheels need replacement and I'd like to lubricated and clean up a couple surface rust spots. The sled has 3K on it and is in great shape. The slides are right at the end of their life. The track is studded.

TIA for any advice or pointers to a hint on how to finagle the suspension out.

Reb
 
Make sure W arm is above the drive shaft in the tunnel. If you cant get it back up there try lifting back end more. That way you are able to push the skid up in the tunnel farther to allow more slack on back of track. Its a PIA the first time or two untill you learn the tricks. Also make sure that the rear axle is all the way loose. Put those adjuster bolts all the way to the end (you will have to realign and adjust track tension) the right way when done anyway. Just moving the adjuster bolts back to where you started will not give you proper alignment and tension. And ive had to remove the axle all together a couple of times to get it out. Just keep track of all the spacers as you remove stuff.
 
super1c said:
Make sure W arm is above the drive shaft in the tunnel. If you cant get it back up there try lifting back end more. That way you are able to push the skid up in the tunnel farther to allow more slack on back of track. Its a PIA the first time or two untill you learn the tricks. Also make sure that the rear axle is all the way loose. Put those adjuster bolts all the way to the end (you will have to realign and adjust track tension) the right way when done anyway. Just moving the adjuster bolts back to where you started will not give you proper alignment and tension. And ive had to remove the axle all together a couple of times to get it out. Just keep track of all the spacers as you remove stuff.
Click to expand...

Got it! Thanks. I was able to move the W arm a bit more above the drive shaft and also noticed my rear lift was tilted forward a bit. I backed the sled up a couple inches and the slack in the track needed was there to work it out one inner groove at a time. I was at that point I didn't want to make things worse, but you are right, it just takes some finesse and finagling and out it comes. The nice thing is that I was able to get the second slide off in like 5 minutes. The other one took about an hour of tapping it out on the sled. Never going to do that again. So now inspecting and touching up a few surface rust spots before they get bad. Any words of wisdom on going over and maintaining the suspension as long as I have it out?

Thanks! Reb
 
While the skids out if you have a few extra bucks have the shocks rebuilt and revalved for your weight and riding style. I use pioneer performance, great service and price. Also a for sure whether or not you can rebuild the shocks do the betheviper skid fix. All you need is some time and a little tin. I have done this to all my skids and it makes a ton of difference. Then follow his skid set up and you will be a happy man. Follow the links!

Follow this one first to fix skid : http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/threads/30541-Rear-Skid-Fix-Long

Then this one to set up skid : http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/threads/34503-setting-up-your-suspension

This post does all the above with great pics, great read : http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/threads/72977-Rear-Skid-Rebuild?highlight=skid+fix

Well worth your time seeing the skids out and got a few before the snow flies!
 
super1c said:
While the skids out if you have a few extra bucks have the shocks rebuilt and revalved for your weight and riding style. I use pioneer performance, great service and price. Also a for sure whether or not you can rebuild the shocks do the betheviper skid fix. All you need is some time and a little tin. I have done this to all my skids and it makes a ton of difference. Then follow his skid set up and you will be a happy man. Follow the links!

Follow this one first to fix skid : http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/threads/30541-Rear-Skid-Fix-Long

Then this one to set up skid : http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/threads/34503-setting-up-your-suspension

This post does all the above with great pics, great read : http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/threads/72977-Rear-Skid-Rebuild?highlight=skid+fix

Well worth your time seeing the skids out and got a few before the snow flies!
Click to expand...


Wow, Lots of great improvements. What would you think appropriate for my 13 year old son. He is very responsible and coordinated. He is taking the Wisconsin snowmobile safety course this year and this will be his sled to learn on. We have a lot of flat open areas he can learn on and won't be pinning the throttle under adult supervision. He drives ATVs and ZT mowers on the farm so even though it's a 700 he knows how to use brakes and not lay on the throttle and keep small vehicles under control. That said he only weighs about 90 lbs and won't be pushing the suspension with ditch banging or weight loading in turns. I think I'll go over the skid and let him ride this season and set up for the reinforcements for next season as he adds to his weight and starts to use the suspension. Is this a good plan? The suspension is in good condition currently. There is rust on the welds but no cracks. I was going to paint and coat later with grease. A few wheels are a little rough but I would like to replace them while the skid is out.

As far as setup goes, I'm thinking of setting it up softer for a guest sled and my wife(rides occasionally)/son. It will be hard to set up for my son at 90lbs, but he will be riding at low speeds on our property and following me on nearby trails.

Any thoughts/suggestions for a "general" setup for adult/teen mixed use?
 
Your son will be fine on this sled. My daughter has been riding a viper on trails with us since she was 13. Started out on a vmaxx 600 for a year. As far as suspension I would let all the preload out of center shock. Run the limiters at about 15-20 mm from base of nut to top of thread showing on adjuster but. Then set rear shock for a 50/50 gap on transfer rods with the primary riders weight on the sled. Then have FRA in middle. Then when a lighter persons on sled moved FRA to top for soft ride and FRA to bottom for stiffer ride for heavier person. I'll try to dig up some info for ya but do a search on setting limiters and FRA and read for days.
 
It's always easier to do the skid with a buddy there to help. Getting it back in is even harder than removing it. Get a friend to help you out and it takes just a few minutes
 
a good trick to do when putting the skid back in is to lay down a couple of broom handles or similar rod across the track lugs ...the sus. will slide right in! also removing a bolt outa the front shock will help line up the upper sus.bolts , immensely
 
Thanks for all the replies. I have some homework to do on the setup. Some great ideas with the broom handles for getting the track back in and compressing the suspension. I'm not sure if it helped but I used a ratchet strap to compress the suspension when I removed it, but it seemed to help. I thinks I'll compress it before I put it back in and remove one bolt from the front shock as suggested. I went through all the parts showing wear and ordered them today. 5 wheels and a few other hardware pieces. I cleaned up the slide tracks and emery polished a few hack marks from a previous slide replacement I assume. I slid a new slide about 1/3 of the way on to check it out and it went on very easy. I'll lubricate them before trying to get them all the way on. This has been a good learning experience so far for me and my son. It' really helps to get to know what's all going on under there. It was certainly time for a few wheels to be replaced. One bearing was shot, and a couple more were starting to get rough. They will be good for spares but don't want to be on a trail with my son and find out their time was up.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions and sources for suspension tuning and maintenance.

Reb
 
I have the suspension out and have replaced all the wheels and bearings/bushings that were in need of attention. I was able to press out all the axle/wheels without any issues. I noticed that extra grease fittings had been added by the PO who really took care of this sled that I aquired 4 years back.

I replaced the slides and greased all the bushings and greased all the zerks. The only remaining area I now noticed needing attention are the plastic shim/seals (broken) on each end of the wheels on the control arms. I notice the plastic pushing out in pieces when I was greasing the rear pivot arm zerk. So I started to look over what it would take to replace these plastic bushings and am not sure my press can handle removing the wheels? With the control rods and rear pivot arm all attached I need some advice on how to press the wheels off. What is also strange is that there are no C-clips retaining these wheels?

Any advice on how to press these wheels off would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I need to take the rear pivot arm assembly in to a shop with a bigger press or can I build a 2x4 or 2x8 frame under my press cylinder, or?? I can't see a way to get the assembly under the press to get the wheels off?

TIA Reb
 
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