New Yamaha owner needs advise on fixing viper skid or replacing with edge skid

YAMAPOOCATDOO

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Thanks for the great resource. I just bought an 03 viper er and it's putting me through the paces. It's an original owner sled and in good shape but It needed more attention than I thought. First thing I noticed was it was hitting 9 grand on the tach and breaking up so I replaced the springs and added a little weight. It has 142.5 mains and the plugs were looking a little white at wot so I unplugged the carb vent and their golden now. Chain was loose finger tightened it and it broke which I expected with the amount of aluminum on the magnet. So now I'm in need of chain and sprockets. Should I gear down, I primarily ride trails. I also found the front torque arm was cracked on the skid. I have an 02 edge skid which needs a torque arm but shocks are fresh. Should I swap it in or fix the original skid? Thanks Guys
 

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I'm on a budget and there's good snow here. What are the odds of another torque arm cracking if I just replaced it for now?
 
I see that it's a common problem. Can you beef them up a little with gussets or should I not waste my time.
 
I see that it's a common problem. Can you beef them up a little with gussets or should I not waste my time.

They can be reinforced, should be a number of threads on here showing what people have done, there might even be a listing in TY Tech but I haven't checked recently.

You should also clean the carbs unless they've been done this winter already and you are 100% sure they are clean and right. Also raise the needles for a little extra safety with today's ethanol gas. You can search on here for all the carb info as well as the torque arm/W-arm reinforcement, lots of good reading and advice for these sleds.
 
If those mains are 142.5 your really lean. I would take carbs apart and find exactly what you got going on. Stock is mains 156.3, pilot 45, 2 turns out on fuel screws. As far as skid the edge to s better but a new W arm is cheap.
 
I would contact old owner and find out why he messed with the jets unless your way above sea level. "w" arms are the weak link and there is a reinforcment guide here somewhere. Looks like someone tried to weld yours once before. They break more often if suspension is set up wrong. As a mater of fact, my SRX has one labeled "03 rx1". Id just get another one on here or ebay and reinforce it. I would not gear it yet because who knows what else has been done to sled Ist it piped? Why would you jet it leaner for pipes? Contact old owner. Chain broke while tightening it? or next ride? I used a wrench on mine, not to tighten it but to free it from locknut and then finger tightened it. I had some "aluminum" on magnet also. Not much but some. Just looked at your pics again, hard to tell but I would check the jackshaft bearings. Gear looks like a little uneven wear.
 
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FYI....which ever route you go replacing, re-enforcing yours while repairing yours or the edge skid I would do it sooner than later. I just bought an 02 Viper ER for a song due to W arm breaking, bending front shock and then RH tube of W arm knocked off a few driver nubs before going threw the track window and nearly ripped it right out. Removed the track with a razor knife.......
 
It broke after I finger tightened it but the tensioner was way out of adjustment. The chain was worn thin and I only made it about 10 miles before it broke. No pipes on it that I know of. It's defiantly running on the edge of lean even with the caribs unplugged. I got some stock mains to put back in it. Previous owner payed someone to go through the sled before he sold it. So far I found a missing motor mount bolt, primary spring shimmed out with snap rings, zerks welded on skid, tors out of adjustment, and lean condition.
 
I got a nice W arm locally, no welds or cracks. Reinforcements are being added tomorrow. Has anyone ever tried relocating the limiter straps so they aren't wrapped over the cross support ?
 


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