Contagious sled problem

Viktory2k1

Viktory2k1

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Joined
Dec 10, 2014
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654
Age
53
Location
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Went for a cruise today and not going really fast or anything, I did go 80mph once. I was slowing down for the drifts on lake and looked down and noticed speedo stopped working. I thought ahh, the cable musta came loose or something. I stopped and looked at the track alignment and looked fine. Fired back up again and stopped in the tavern for a Coke or 2. Left to check out the speedo. Pulled in the garage and put sled on dollies, turned it around and took off the secondary clutch and pulled the speedo drive. You'll never guess what I saw! I was just reading a post Monday night about this even making a joke like once you replaced the link how long did that one last? I never heard anything or felt anything at all.
I had some things on my mind but to never hear anything? C'mon now. I had to drive it about a mile or so like that to get home. Thankfully, the outer race didn't get chewed away. No oil leaks on chain side either. I put it back together and parked it. I ordered OEM parts. I hope they ship fast.
 

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Yep I put new bearings in every other year if they need them or not
 
It was fine end of last season. I had a problem with speedo march of 14 and took it apart and it looked like link was too short to fit all the way in so just bought a new link. Bearing was tight and no rust stains. I've been pounding the sled pretty good this year. Weird how the OEM bearing is cheaper then aftermarket. The 3 times I had skid out this year, I grabbed driveshaft and no movement. Am I checking this wrong or just change every other season like JSTYER? It could have been worse, thats the bright side.
 
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I check mine 2 ways. by spinning it and by pulling the seal. if I am doing it in the sled, I just pull the seal. if the rust has etched the balls I replace it, otherwise I re-pack it. good one to check every year as it sees more water than the other ones do.
 
Like Maim said. Every fall I pop the seals on both bearings on that side. Clean out the old grease with brake cleaner and compressed air, inspect and repack with fresh grease.
 
staggs65 said:
Like Maim said. Every fall I pop the seals on both bearings on that side. Clean out the old grease with brake cleaner and compressed air, inspect and repack with fresh grease.
Click to expand...

X3. I Go even further of removing drive bearing to clean and repack. Easy to do and prevents this.
 
Jackshaft bearing is tight and I will definitly take seal off and repack if not etched with rust. I looked again and no dampness below chaincase, Whew. I was hoping this would last for the rest of season. The parts didn't even ship yet.
 
I like the idea of removing it every season and inspecting/repacking it or replacing. Those allen set screws should be anti-siezed.
I called the dealer I ordered from and they won't have the parts until next Tuesday so I probably won't have them until next Friday. Man, thats a long time for a normal wear part like this and this dealer is cheaper then most. I should have just ordered from Port Yamaha instead of Yamaha sports plaza. Port is not far at all from me but more $$. I ordered these parts the same day I ordered the cat parts and those came today. Anyone have good luck with aftermarket bearings for these? I have used Dennis Kirk for these on other older sleds, just not on these and seemed to last the same.
 
That bearing is the most overlooked, under-maintained bearing on sleds since sleds were invented. I had only one sled, a brand X yellos sled that actually had a grease fitting on that bearing, excellent idea. That bearing will last a long-time if it gets cleaned and repacked every season. The best time to service that bearing is at the end of the season so the accumulated water does not sit in the bearing all summer causing rust. I had that bearing fail on a trip in Quebec, 250 miles from home base and no place to service it on the return trip. Ever since, that bearing gets removed, cleaned and repacked with fresh water-resistant synthetic grease at the end of the season, then again mid-season on every sled we ride. The seal pops out easily with a pick tool, I soak the bearing in WD 40 to dissolve the original grease, give it a good cleaning and repack it full. The excess grease will work its way out of the seal without popping it off. I put a small amout of antisieze on the drive shaft and the inside of the bearing wich makes removal for the next servicing easy. I made a wedge shaped tool using a section of 1/2" square brass, cut and shaped it into a wedge to help remove the bearing by pushing the tool in between the bearing and the drice sprocket. Make sure the Torx screws are not messed up/chewed up or else you creating more work for yourself next time. Make sure the threads are clean and I use blue loctite (medium strength), red loctite is for high strength connections, usually used on permanent connections. The locking actiion of the loctitite can always be overcome with a little heat (but often not so easy to apply). You definitley want to make sure the 2 torx screws are firmly tightened or else the shaft will spin inside the bearing wearing it. BTW, I do the exact same thing the the next most unappreciated bearing in the sled, the jackshaft bearing right behind the secondary clutch pulley.

Jim
 
Yep, that bearing is tight and no rust stains but I will repack it when doing this if I ever get the bearing. Maybe thursday or friday. I hope I have the skid done by then so I can do that too. It seems I can only work on it for an hour before by body craps out. The skid swap will be real fun. Now I wish I had a lift. What ever the doctor did to my back has been killing me ever since last thursday. I have 3 blown disks from 17 years ago and I think its really catching up with me. Thats why I am doing the skid swap. I can ride the wildcat all day with the skid I put in there but this srx no-action just isn't going to cut it anymore. I just went through it also. It will be for sale soon, I hope. actually, I'll have 2 for sale. I didn't look at the speedo gear housing to see if its damaged from the shaft. I just think the shipping time is crazy, I wonder if they had to get it from Japan. Thats why I was asking if aftermarket ones are any good. Dennis Kirk could have had it here next day.
 
I called them and its the joint thats holding up my order. I probably could have found one locally if I had known this before. I might even have one in the mess I call the garage. (I lost 6 idler wheels today in there, I finally found them under an avalanche of boxes).
 
Finally, it happened! My parts showed up. I replaced the bearing and repacked the jackshaft bearing also(must have been replaced not too long ago, looked good). It was a little hard to get off the driveshaft, there must have been a burr on shaft or something. Now all the snow is gone for the most part. It was 51 tuesday.
 
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