2011 Apex XTX gas mileage

[Sasquatch]

Checked out the gas system no leaks anywhere that I could find, or smell.

I removed the rear tunnel protectors ( see photo) and they were definitely rubbing.

Other photo is of the front cooler protectors. They are touching but just the tip. Should I let them wear down 1/32" of an inch to clear, clip the top of those lugs, or pull everything to knock those protectors off?

Also do you think the track rubbing the tunnel protectors could have eaten into mpg that much?

Maybe just try it with them in! The track balloons up in the middle, you removed those protectors as you can see they are hitting hard. Track does not balloon out on the front drive or I would think it does not. Hard to see by the pics if its rubbing and to what extent. Is the protector black with rubber like the top protectors? Pull the belt and turn track by hand, take a piece of paper and hold it to the protector turn track so lug wipes over it. If you can hold the paper there and the lug does not pull it then it hardly or not touching.

Personally I would drop the track again and remove the protectors rather then cut the lugs. Ya its a bit of work but option two is cut down all the lugs that rub. Up side to that is the protectors are still there for the next guy and you just save the ones you took out as well for the next guy. Looks like there is a line you can follow on the lug. Lube the knife with dishsoap or WD and don't cut free hand. Brace your arm on the track and cut with your wrist not your arm. You have better control that way! You don't have to cut every lug and you don't have to cut them all the way across only where they rub. Good luck!

 

[HABS 1]

i to would drop it , cut em out and its done properly, it does suck to go through all that again but youll be glad u went this way when done, with no coolent leaks or track damage!!whats another 4-5 hours!!!!

 

[karlburns]

So I crawled under it and it looks like the front protectors clear but by a hair. I'm going to run the track this weekend and see what happens. If they rub at all I'm going to lift the whole sled and see if I can cut them off without dropping the track. I've got an air hammer with an 18" chisel that I can easily get up there and whack the welds off. Looks like it should only take about 15 minutes and as long as I don't hit the cooler won't harm anything.

 

[Redbeard]

I've got an air hammer with an 18" chisel that I can easily get up there and whack the welds off.

Karl, it's easy for me to say, but I'd drop the skid, track, chaincase and drive axle! This will allow easier access to the cooler and the opportunity to re-check your drive line components. I'd hate for you to chop out your protectors and snip the track just find that's not the problem.

Your chisel idea may work, but that worries me?? The top of the tunnel is made of die cast aluminum that's quite brittle...one slip of the air hammer and that chisel is going right through! It would be awful easy to damage the cooler as well. Even if you were to chisel the protectors out, the welds should be ground smooth so your track lugs won't become gouged. As mentioned above, another 4-5 hrs of work might turn out to be the cheapest labor!

I'm not picking on you, just be careful!

 

[karlburns]

This sled makes the 5th one I'd knocked the protectors out of so I'm getting pretty good at it lol. My biggest issue with dropping the skid is I don't have anyone in town for the next couple weeks to help me put it back in if I need help getting the bolts aligned.

Once I knock the protectors out there's no way this track could ever touch the welds. If I were to put a bigger lug on the sled obviously at that point I could grind the leftovers off the front.

 

[sgauthier]

if the front is not really touching then i'd just leave them in for protection.

FYI. it is easier if you have help but I can remove and reinstall my XTX skid myself. I've had back problems for years and i'm now 53 years old so i've learned over the years to work smarter not harder so if i can do it then you should be able too. i use a ratchet strap to compress the front shock to hold it down for more room, another strap to hold the track up away from the rear upper idlers hooked to the running boards. after its in the track i then undo both straps then come in from the front of the sled with my floor jack, place it under the track to lift the skid in place, lift it up, add the front bolts, remove jack, then lower the sled to get the back lined up. i have an electric hoist/winch in my ceiling with a controller (paid $140 and lifts 400 lbs ) i can reach while i'm lying on the floor so i can align my back bolts. Once it's close I then use a small pry bar to push the rear idler forward approx 1/2 " to 3/4" to be able to insert the rear bolts . i make sure my square pry bar is hooked against the inside track lug and i'm pushing against the wheel so i don't do any damage. never had a problem doing it this way in the 3 years i've owned this sled. i use the same principal with my pro-action sleds, only difference on those is i can loosen my transfer rods to make it easier to align the rear fasteners.

hope you get it figured out

 

[ranger1]

I just lift the rear high with the hoist, unhook the rear springs, put the front in first & install bolts, lower the rear & align the holes. Easy peasy.

 

[karlburns]

I just lift the rear high with the hoist, unhook the rear springs, put the front in first & install bolts, lower the rear & align the holes. Easy peasy.

That's how I do it as well. But with my back I still need a hand to align the front bolt holes.

Hopefully they don't have to come out and it's a non issue. We shall find out soon enough.

 

[Sasquatch]

if the front is not really touching then i'd just leave them in for protection.

FYI. it is easier if you have help but I can remove and reinstall my XTX skid myself. I've had back problems for years and i'm now 53 years old so i've learned over the years to work smarter not harder so if i can do it then you should be able too. i use a ratchet strap to compress the front shock to hold it down for more room, another strap to hold the track up away from the rear upper idlers hooked to the running boards. after its in the track i then undo both straps then come in from the front of the sled with my floor jack, place it under the track to lift the skid in place, lift it up, add the front bolts, remove jack, then lower the sled to get the back lined up. i have an electric hoist/winch in my ceiling with a controller (paid $140 and lifts 400 lbs ) i can reach while i'm lying on the floor so i can align my back bolts. Once it's close I then use a small pry bar to push the rear idler forward approx 1/2 " to 3/4" to be able to insert the rear bolts . i make sure my square pry bar is hooked against the inside track lug and i'm pushing against the wheel so i don't do any damage. never had a problem doing it this way in the 3 years i've owned this sled. i use the same principal with my pro-action sleds, only difference on those is i can loosen my transfer rods to make it easier to align the rear fasteners.

hope you get it figured out

I also use a floor jack to lift the skid but I lift the front of the sled with a motorcycle lift jack. The back I lift with a sled stand. once I have the front bolted up I lift the rear of the skid up with the jack and bolt. Then I re-wrap the springs. So similar idea on the floor jack!

 

[thor452]

I just tie a rope to the bumper and the celing with sled up on the lift then i raise and lower the lift til front lines up i put ratchet strap on rear spring and compress about 1 inch and raise and lower lift till rear line up easy as pie. the worst part is getting the skid back in the track but i hear two broom sticks make that easy too. took me 20 mins to get skid fully reinstalled by my self last week.

 

[crk1333]

So how did you make out with all of this?

 

[karlburns]

So how did you make out with all of this?

Which parts are you asking about?

 

[thor452]

did you figure out the fuel millage?

 

[karlburns]

did you figure out the fuel millage?

My issue was chain got put in but the oil didn't lol. Actually it had a small crack that it ran out of, once that case got super warm from running it apparently was killing the gas mileage. They don't put oil in there for its looks.

 

[thor452]

Thanks for sharing your findings

Sent from my XT1564 using Tapatalk