2011 Apex XTX gas mileage

[karlburns]

Ok so I ran this sled from Tok to Dawson last year and went over 120 miles without running out of gas. My fuel light was on but it didn't hit that true E...

Went for a ride about a month ago, rode about 80 miles with 40 of those busting trail in three feet of powder and overflow but had between 3/8 and 1/4 when I got back to the truck.

Decided after that ride that I really should get rid of the ripsaw track because I'm on a low snow intake diet (sick of the nickname the mole lol).

So I installed a soft start spring and put a 1.5" cross over track on the sled. No other changes made to clutching or gearing. Took the sled out last weekend and rode 80 miles. The fuel light came on at 75 miles on flat ground. About 70 of those miles were on groomed trail with few hills.

Has anyone else swapped tracks and had an issue like this? I swapped my vector this year from the 136" ripsaw to a 144" backcountry and saw almost no change in gas mileage. I feel like something is either screwed up or broke. How much track sag are people with 1.5" and 1.75" running?

 

[Sasquatch]

So many variables. I rode from Nipawin to Candle Lake Saskatchewan. At about 110 miles the light came on at 130 miles stopped for fuel and figured that I had less then a gallon left. Was pushing it a bit but being real easy on and off the throttle. Another day and the light came on at 90 miles and at 110 miles had similar fuel up. Riding about the same speeds but was harder on the throttle. Longer lug is supposed to use more fuel and cut top end a bit but that is to much of a difference to blame it all on that. If ya lost 10 miles to the tank I'd say it was the taller lug but you've lost over 30 miles to the tank.

I'd check track tension, check bearings over but if you changed the track Id think you already did that, something could be binding, id put the stock spring back in to see if it made a difference but I would not think so! I'm puzzled because I would not expect a .125 increase in lug to do that. Only one thing really changed and that is the track. Go through and check over everything that was taken apart and put back together. Maybe you had a Brain Fart like so many of us from time to time. I've done a few over the years! Doh!

 

[karlburns]

Checked all the bearings when I swapped the track out. I'm going to put the stock spring back in and see if that makes a difference but I'm thinking its binding somewhere as well. I didn't pull the tunnel protectors because all the threads I found on here said 1.5 was fine to leave them. They seem mighty close.

 

[karlburns]

Ok so I'm out in the garage working on the sled and I have two questions for anyone else running these skids.

The rear suspension drop brackets. Is the second hole to lower the suspension?

Second question. On those rear drop brackets does everyone's track sit as sung as mine is? If you look at the photo it's literally almost against the side. I've read of people running 16" wide tracks in these tunnels but mine is rubbing the side with a 15". I measured the track just to be certain it wasn't labeled wrong and it's a true 15".

I looked up the tunnel and the drop brackets are the only spot that it pinches like that. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[ranger1]

Ok so I'm out in the garage working on the sled and I have two questions for anyone else running these skids.

The rear suspension drop brackets. Is the second hole to lower the suspension?

Second question. On those rear drop brackets does everyone's track sit as sung as mine is? If you look at the photo it's literally almost against the side. I've read of people running 16" wide tracks in these tunnels but mine is rubbing the side with a 15". I measured the track just to be certain it wasn't labeled wrong and it's a true 15".

I looked up the tunnel and the drop brackets are the only spot that it pinches like that. Anyone have any thoughts?

Looking at your first photo it looks like your whole track is running to the right as not only is there a big gap between the hyfax & the rubber nubs on the out side of the right rail but on the inside of the left rail also.

 

[karlburns]

Looking at your first photo it looks like your whole track is running to the right as not only is there a big gap between the hyfax & the rubber nubs on the out side of the right rail but on the inside of the left rail also.

That's just from the angle of the photo and the sled being lifted. The track had a lot of sag and was actually closer on the right then the left. The rub spot you see on the track is a lot worse on the other side from the drop brackets.

I tightened the track to just a hair over 1" sag and realigned the track. Going out moose hunting in the morning so we shall see what happens then.

 

[ranger1]

That's just from the angle of the photo and the sled being lifted. The track had a lot of sag and was actually closer on the right then the left. The rub spot you see on the track is a lot worse on the other side from the drop brackets.

I tightened the track to just a hair over 1" sag and realigned the track. Going out moose hunting in the morning so we shall see what happens then.

Oh so it's wearing on both sides, whoa, that is strange!

 

[Sasquatch]

I can only say with stock 144 there is a spacer that hold the wheel out from the drop bracket about an inch and a half or so. The track overhangs the wheel about an inch so there is about a half inch clearance on the drop bracket. There is over an inch of clearance to the tunnel. If you look at the picture there is a ton of room. Only conclusion I can come to is the track is wider then the ripsaw or you somehow squeezed the tunnel together by putting in a shorter shaft and leaving out pieces (doubt that very much) at the drop brackets! Measure your ripsaw!

 

[karlburns]

Measured the ripsaw and new track both of which are just a hair over 15".

Took the sled out today and the fuel light came on at 60 miles..............

I did however have a second separate/possibly related problem. The sled randomly wouldn't start. The pump would kick on with the key but it wasn't sucking gas. Would turn the key off and on like 30 times then it would prime. Once it started it ran just fine.

I noticed when I looked in the tank there was air bubbles coming up constantly in the tank. My vector had a couple bubbles now and again but the apex has like a rolling boil for lack of better way to put it.

This sled is another short ride from being on craigslist. On the brighter side we got a moose.

 

[TBay Sledhead]

Take a pic like Sasquatch did and post it. I think that the spacer between the bracket and wheel is mia.

 

[karlburns]

Spacers are there.. Can someone measure the gap between their upper wheels outside to outside. See if it's the same I've got.

Anyone got any thoughts on the gas bubbling thing? Anytime I opened the gas tank the fumes you could literally watch role out of the tank.

 

[Sasquatch]

Spacers are there.. Can someone measure the gap between their upper wheels outside to outside. See if it's the same I've got.

Anyone got any thoughts on the gas bubbling thing? Anytime I opened the gas tank the fumes you could literally watch role out of the tank.

Then where the hell is the area that is rubbing? From that pic everything is perfect. The gas bubbling or not starting I can't say but only guess that the pump is sucking air.

 

[karlburns]

In that photo the track is almost right up against the bracket. When I centered the track and adjusted the tension it had about 1/16th of an inch clearance on either side. Problem is that's so close when you rev it up unless I have the track really tight it shakes just enough to rub.

 

[Redbeard]

Karl, I don't think there's anything wrong with your drop brackets. My XTX no longer has the factory drop brackets due to an aftermarket skid, but my track rubbed these brackets from time to time; just like you're experiencing. The track rubs the raised area that I outlined in the pic below. You can even see a bit of rubber transfer at the arrow. I agree, there's not much clearance between these brackets and the track, but that's just how they are. Even a perfectly aligned track will wander from side to side a little bit.

As far as fuel economy goes: 13...maybe 13.5 is the best I see.

I hope this helps!

 

[sgauthier]

like Northern said. it is very tight between the brackets but if you're running your track on the loose side it will wonder. i wouldn't worry about it, my track looks the same but is aligned and it has over 12000km. maybe add the 4th rear wheel, that might help keep it aligned better.