Build of a $600 SR Viper

[kinger]

Your going to have a concussion soon! 3/8" off?!?! That is like a mile when dealing with suspension geometry. Just when I see you post I think it can't get any worse then the previous and it does ! Amazing. At first I thought $600 What a deal! It actually looks like it was priced right LOL.

 

[Katannilik1]

[QOTE="kinger, post: 1370470, member: 1981"]Your going to have a concussion soon! 3/8" off?!?! That is like a mile when dealing with suspension geometry. Just when I see you post I think it can't get any worse then the previous and it does ! Amazing. At first I thought $600 What a deal! It actually looks like it was priced right LOL.[/QUOTE]

I am still considering it a deal "money wise" that is. I'll have maybe around $3000-$4000 Cad invested. But, if I had to pay shop rate to get it fixed then it wouldn't have been worth it. Also with the current exchange rate you can knock an additional 25% off the top, so that works out to what around $2250-$3000 USD. So that ain't bad for a 2014 with a whole bunch of new bits and aftermarket pieces on it.

I figured I could drop about $7000 Cad on it before it actually started to cost me excess amounts, the reason I say that amount, is that was about the cheapest I could find one on Kijiji at the time I picked this one up.

 

[Katannilik1]

Oh, and Um, just to add more to the pile fun, I found some more hack. This time it's on the center shock, the shock must have broke at the same time the cross shaft broke tearing the top eyelet and spring keeper off. So again, some crusty welding and hack it with a grinder with absolutely no control, they wiped out a bunch of the chrome on the shaft and this led to tearing apart the shocks seal and whatever else in the center shock the first time the suspension was cycled, so it's puking all its oil out at the moment. So it also needs to be replaced. I am not quite sure though if I will replace with factory, FOX or spend the extra bucks and buy the ELKA's. I will get some pics of this up some time tomorrow.

It's just craziness or laziness but most of what is bad on this machine has all been stemmed from a wicked lack of maintenance, butch repairs or hitting rocks.
I am not quite sure if the previous owner realized that the handle bars on this sled actually turned and he could have gone around the rocks rather then over them.

All I got to say is, I am looking forward to having a play machine again, so my spirits are still high about this. The last number of years I have had all work machines and being able to get out and rip on something again is very alluring to me.

 

[Katannilik1]

Well here we go Yamaha sending the wrong parts in the right labeled bags.

These new collars are supposed to be the same as the aluminum ones above it, these locate the center shock on the skid. You can see how bad a shape the original ones are in, they are actually supposed to be twice as long as they are.
View attachment 128562

And I don't care what any one says that spring does not look like a hose.
View attachment 128563

But not that big a deal at the moment I was just looking at the front Pivot arm of the suspension and the whole thing has been broken and then welded at some time. Which is understandable, accept for the fact that when they welded it, they put it off center about 3/8" to the right of the machine. So this has miss aligned the front of the rails by 3/8" to the left. <- everywhere turn, I'm banging my head, my forehead is getting very flat and sore. I have about a month left of snow hopefully I will get this together before it is all gone.

So I have been dealing with the dealership on these wrongly labelled parts, they had to deal with Yamaha Canada which dealt with Yamaha USA which dealt with Arctic Cat, finally got the confirmation today that they are going to be shipping the proper pieces here and the good thing is I don't have to send the others back. I even had to hold the bags up to the window and take back lite pics of the Yamaha tag on the bag so they could see the Cat part # underneath it so that the dealership could show the problem.

My heavy duty riveter showed up yesterday(picked it up today from the post office) but we have had a snow storm all day so no more planes till Monday, so no more mail will be available till Monday afternoon at the earliest, the pain of living so far north is everything is flown in. I am still waiting for the 4 wheel kit, Hygear dual chambers and rivets from Wahl Bros. The rivets are what are holding me up now from putting the front frame back together. Once the front of the machine is all tied back together on the new lower a frame I bought I can start reassembling everything. Once I get the rivets it should go quick.

 

[Katannilik1]

Another $550 spent on parts today, new pivot arm, bushings and some other bits. I am going to have to do a detailed list of money spent soon because right now I can't remember everything. I also think tomorrow I will order the Fox track kit for this. I like the ELKA suspension but for twice the price I don't think they will be twice as good, for me that is anyway.

Also sorry to say guys, but the Turbo is going to have to wait. With the build going as it is and the usual (always to pop up at the wrong time) life's unexpected expenses it will have to wait till next year. I want to make sure the chassis is tight first and then pump the HP's to it. I still want to get some more sweet pieces to personalize this more, but just not that elaborate at the moment.

more to come stay tuned

 

[le700]

Wow, incredible amount of abuse on this machine. Nice to see it getting restored.

I saw you got the hygear fox float chamber, and were wondering if they would be a good upgrade on my rear suspension float, as it sags a bit.. Do you know if they are worth the money?

 

[Katannilik1]

Wow, incredible amount of abuse on this machine. Nice to see it getting restored.

I saw you got the hygear fox float chamber, and were wondering if they would be a good upgrade on my rear suspension float, as it sags a bit.. Do you know if they are worth the money?

le700, I can't tell you much yet about them because I haven't received them yet, they are still in the mail. But I can tell you the reason for me going with them and that was ease of install. I was looking at upgrading with Fox's EVOL chambers but that meant disassembly of the shock and with the Hygear Duals replacing the schrader valve that was missing on my one shock, it made sense to me to purchase these instead. 2 other bonuses are they are a little cheaper than the EVOL upgrade and also they hold more air. The larger air capacity would make me think they are able to dampen more smoothly then even Fox's own EVOL upgrade, by not ramping the internal pressure of the shock so abruptly as the suspension is compressed.

I hope this helps a little, and I am sure either these or the EVOL upgrade will be much better at dampening the bumps and supporting the sled better. I am patiently waiting getting these in place, completing the machine, joining the frequent flyers club by airing this sucker out and checking just how well they work.
I will definitely post pics when that time comes.

 

[le700]

Thanks

 

[Katannilik1]

Well, I just found out today that I am the 7th owner of this machine. I find it amazing that a machine that is only 3 years old has been through that many hands.

 

[kinger]

7th and BEST the sled loves you, hopefully will be forever grateful to end the cycle of neglect and abuse and treat you well for many years to come. Its like rescuing a dog from the shelter haha.

 

[Katannilik1]

7th and BEST the sled loves you, hopefully will be forever grateful to end the cycle of neglect and abuse and treat you well for many years to come. Its like rescuing a dog from the shelter haha.

Ha kinger, that made me laugh. Yep it's a pound puppy that's for sure, one that's got the mange. But a little medicine and it will be all better.

top of shock ground and welded back together, would be all right if they didn't hit the chrome. So this needs replacing


a whole bunch of I don't get it, and look at the chicken S**T welds also the alignment is terrible from the mount to the rail tip, that's almost 1/2". Good thing new pivot arm is in the mail.

 

[Katannilik1]

2 planes made it here today in the break of weather we had and look what showed up in the mail. Hygear dual chambers and all my rivets from WAHL Bros



Finally I can start reassembling this thing

 

[Katannilik1]

So it's Friday, I have a whole bunch of parts to get this project rolling and I am stoked right now!!

So let the games begin


The bottom a frame was so bent, in order for me to get the suspensions lower a-arm mounting bolts out I had to use the recipsaw and cut it right in half. Soon as I did that, it all fell apart. Going to work on this lots tonight, the wifey wants to go to the floe edge tomorrow to do some hunting and then on Sunday go fishing for some Char, so my weekend is shot. Well no shot, it will still be a blast but no work will be done on the sled.

Have a good weekend everyone.

 

[Katannilik1]

I inquired about a C3 belt drive to C3 Powersports and here was the response,


Some components will fit the Yamaha but not all. Currently we do not offer a kit for the Yamaha. Before this fall i am told we will have a kit available and at that point we will be able to tell you what will and wont work.

Thanks

Warren Desjardins

C3 POWERSPORTS
YETI SNOW-MX
19 Renault Crescent
St. Albert, Alberta
T8N 4B7
780-419-2040 or 1-888-267-5554

I also contacted BDX about it and here was there response,


There is kit available for the Yamaha too. I just need to get it on the website still. It take a different jackshaft for the Yamaha style clutch.


Erich Long
Black Diamond Xtreme Engineering / Speed Shop Inc.
www.bd-xtreme.com
www.speedshopinc.com
Shop 507.263.2244
Direct 612.270.0529

So by the sounds of it, there is going to be a production belt drive from C3 for the SR-Vipers by the fall, and I really hope Erich from BDX gets back to me asap about maybe being able to put a kit together something.

this belt drive will cut a whole bunch of weight off.

 

[cannondale27]

This is a great build thread! Thank you and don't give up.