Exhaust/muffler removal

[thor452]

not really they are kind of in a compartment. it really is not that much work to take it the rest of the way apart and its not like its going to snow in the next month. take the time now so you don't have to when its snowing. I can be into the exhaust donuts in 10 mins with a sled that is completely together. now is the time to spend the time. We all know we don't want to waste precious ridding time wrenching that's why we ride Yamaha.

 

[steveg_nh]

Yikes! I'm in. And yeah, that really was easy! Piece of cake. Luckily the tank only had about 2 gallons in it so easy to drain...

So now I have access to the flex pipes. All looks good, but I assume I should pull those clamps to actually see the donuts?

 

[steveg_nh]

Clamps soaking with PB Blaster to aid in removal. And aftermarket exhaust is out. No clamps. WTH. Is that right? Doesn't matter as the new one I have to install has the clamps on it...I'll wait to put that in until I make sure I don't need to do any donut work.

 

[CaptCaper]

You should heat the clamps on the ypipes at the donuts to loosen them They may strip ..depends.. anyway once you loosen those clamps you will see the donuts. Take a good look at the flanges on the ypipes and see if they are chipped or cracking. Donuts should be good shape not uneven etc. If you need to change the Donuts or ypipes you'll have to either remove the flex pipes or drill out the rivets holding the ypipe bracket. The ypipes won't slide back far enough unless you do this. Taking the flex pipes off allows you to slide the pipes ahead so they drop from the bracket. Drilling the riviets on the bracket allows the pipes and bracket to just drop down. I always removed the ypipes.. I don't have a good rivet gun and don't know where to get those good rivets.. If you get new donuts get the copper ones. I don't know how to tell if the pipes are SS or Ti ..maybe some one here can tell you..If Ti I would change them out if your going to keep the machine.

 

[steveg_nh]

I think I am good to go. Clamps came off super easy...of course I think letting them soak for 3 hours helped big time. Pipes look fantastic. Ran my fingers all around them and no rough parts I could feel, so I'd imagine no cracks or chips. The donuts don't look like copper, but they look nice and even and all in one piece. Any reason to really get into changing those? I learned along time ago, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Doesn't look broke to me. I do about 1000 miles a season in a good year.

 

[steveg_nh]

Oh yeah, I'm thinking before I button her all up I should put some grease on those steering fittings. Yes?

 

[CaptCaper]

You should be good then for now. You'll know when or if the ypipes chip or donuts get trashed. Noisy.. and now you know how to do it so it will go fast next time.
When you tighten those clamps they will bottom out. Some grind down the meeting point but I didn't bother and that worked out of course. I would get new allen head bolts grd 8 with a deeper head from a good hardware store to put to the brackets up front. The ones under the rubber plugs that loosen the ypipes. The oem head is shallow and if you have to take them off down the line you may strip them unless heat is applied. A deeper allen head recess will aid in that next time.
See this post.../https://ty4stroke.com/threads/y-pipe-bracket-problem.131303/

 

[CaptCaper]

Oh yeah, I thinking before I button her all up I should put some grease on those steering fittings. Yes?

The steering bushens can get worn and many here including me replaced them. They are cheap. One down deep is hard to get to I think.. I did it a while ago. Can't remember but while it's out take a look and see which ones you can get to easy and order them from Partszilla or dealer.

 

[CaptCaper]

The steering column bushings can get worn and many here including me replaced them. They are cheap. One down deep is hard to get to I think.. I did it a while ago. Can't remember but while it's out take a look and see which ones you can get to easy and order them from Partszilla or dealer.

 

[steveg_nh]

You should be good then for now. You'll know when or if the ypipes chip or donuts get trashed. Noisy.. and now you know how to do it so it will go fast next time.
When you tighten those clamps they will bottom out. Some grind down the meeting point but I didn't bother and that worked out of course. I would get new allen head bolts grd 8 with a deeper head from a good hardware store to put to the brackets up front. The ones under the rubber plugs that loosen the ypipes. The oem head is shallow and if you have to take them off down the line you may strip them unless heat is applied. A deeper allen head recess will aid in that next time.
See this post.../https://ty4stroke.com/threads/y-pipe-bracket-problem.131303/

I'm not following. Are you talking about the bolts for the donut clamps, the ones on the head (where the flex pipe connects to the head), or under the tunnel? You mention rubber plugs so I'm thinking you meant somewhere in the tunnel.

As for steering bushings, I know what they are, but never really done them before. Are they on the tie rods? I need to some homework on that I guess. I really just want to put it all back together now. LOL.

 

[maim]

would not hurt.

did you check if any of the tunnel rivits are loose while you are there? better to check now than when it breaks a pipe later.

 

[steveg_nh]

Reassembly has begun. Muffler next. One clamp was really loose so I ground some off that one. It's snug but still moves but good enough. I don't want to overdue it.

And yes I did look for loose rivets. I did find the rearmost 4, under the exhaust were completely worn through. The support square tubes were barely attached to the tunnel. Fixed that right up with through bolts and large washers since the river holes were enlarged.

 

[CaptCaper]

I was talking about the bolts that hold the ypipes up .. not the flex (donut) clamp bolts. And not the clamps that tie the yipes into the muffler. See the post I linked above in my post. That shows his issue with them and picture of the bracket he had to remove.

Your donuts might be wearing is the reason the clamps are loose. Copper donuts or new ones would make the clamps tight.

This link shows all the parts and their costs. http://www.partzilla.com/parts/search/Yamaha/Snowmobile/2007/ATTAK+GT+-+RXW10GTW/parts.html

Search posts here on steering bushings. Not the A arm bushings..those will need replacing too at some point. Mine were bad at 8k To find out about them you pick the front up so the ski's are in the air.. grab the a arms and twist them,etc. you'll see the slop and play in them if it's there. Don't wait too long as the arm bolts in the bulk head will oblongate the holes making it hard to get new oillite bushings in. Yami uses plastic bushings on these machines in A arm's and in the skid.. oil lite's for the skid can be had as well from vendors.

 

[steveg_nh]

I know all the front end bushings were done already. I have a receipt for that from previous owner. Not sure about steering, but just felt skis, and no slack really. They feel good.

I am trying to wiggle the new muffler onto the Y pipers without dropping the rear of the track. I'm pretty sure this will be impossible to do, correct? The pipes aren't lined up just right and I can't get my hand in there to move them around. I was going to pull the skid anyway, but after all this was done. Must I drop the rear of the skid to make it easier to get the muffler on the Y pipes?

To drop the skid, I'm used to two bolts up front, and two in the back. I might be wrong, but it looks like this skid mounts towards the rear in two different places, so 4 bolts in the back, and two up front. Is that right? See pic. Circled bolts are what I think I need to remove. I know I could easily find this if I search, but we have this going, so I thought I'd ask...It has to be just the forward rear bolts right, painted orange? I'm thinking the rear wheels are all with the skid. Looking underneath though, it sure looks attached to the tunnel.

 

[CaptCaper]

yes you should and have too drop the skid..you can remove the 4 rear bolts. Leave the front two in. It will swing down out of the way. The bolts you need to take out are in the upper wheels. Loosen one bolt then reinstall it. Loosen the other then reinstall it. Then go back to the first one and take it out..Then the other side take out. This works if the shaft spins on you.
The bolts midway ( you circled the spot ok) between the front and upper wheels are in the side..can't miss them. They go into the rear pivot arm.Be careful when putting them back. You can strip them. Start them by hand.