Rubbing sound at front of skid

[Wannaviper]

I know this is an old thread, but it looks like I have the same problem on my brand new 2016 XTX almost a year later. I finally got to take it out on fresh snow in my yard, and everytime I went over a bump, uneven terrain, etc. there was a rubbing, grinding noise that I thought was the track hitting, under my right foot. After letting everything thaw out, I got under it, and it looks like my track is not evenly spaced to the left and right. After finding this thread, I looked, and my skid is in the upper hole. I am thinking that the track needs to be properly aligned, but does the skid need to be lowered to the bottom hole? Obviously my dealer's set up left a lot to be desired, and I am not happy. Does Yamaha officially take a position on which holes should be used for the skid in setting up an XTX? I am just wondering if my dealer messed up on that as well?

 

[Happyhours]

I know this is an old thread, but it looks like I have the same problem on my brand new 2016 XTX almost a year later. I finally got to take it out on fresh snow in my yard, and everytime I went over a bump, uneven terrain, etc. there was a rubbing, grinding noise that I thought was the track hitting, under my right foot. After letting everything thaw out, I got under it, and it looks like my track is not evenly spaced to the left and right. After finding this thread, I looked, and my skid is in the upper hole. I am thinking that the track needs to be properly aligned, but does the skid need to be lowered to the bottom hole? Obviously my dealer's set up left a lot to be desired, and I am not happy. Does Yamaha officially take a position on which holes should be used for the skid in setting up an XTX? I am just wondering if my dealer messed up on that as well?

Move it to the bottom hole and you will not have that problem. I have 3000 miles on mine and it did not make the grinding noise since I moved the skid down.

 

[InRBigness]

Yes they actually came out with an update. The 16 xtx/mtx skid is a bit different than previous years and has slightly different angles so it needs to be in the bottom hole at the front and in the middle hole in the back.

 

[Wannaviper]

Yes they actually came out with an update. The 16 xtx/mtx skid is a bit different than previous years and has slightly different angles so it needs to be in the bottom hole at the front and in the middle hole in the back.

I took my sled down to the dealer and they are actually working on it. They say that they can't find a bulletin that applies, and say that according to what they have, the skid is in the correct hole (upper). Has anyone seen the bulletin, or have information so that I can give it to my dealer and help them fix the sled? Thanks in advance for any help!

An update. The dealer says that they can't find anything wrong with the sled, and that it is set up properly. According to them, it is only the MTX that gets set up in the bottom hole. They will be happy to do that for me, but will charge me an hour's labor to drop the skid.

Is anyone else seeing an issue with their 2016 XTX's? What about the 2017's? When anyone has taken delivery of their XTX, what holes have the skids been in? I am just wondering if this is another one of those inexplicable Viper inconsistencies, where most of the sleds are fine, and there are only a few unlucky ones that have the issue? Unfortunately for me, this time I am on the "unlucky" side with my sled.

 

[InRBigness]

I believe I was the first to have it and the first to solve it last year in Mesa Colorado at Thanksgiving. I solved it in the parking lot on the ground with a very simple set of tools and a few helpful hands to lift. The XTX has the MTX rails on it so they are the same. If you read this whole thread you will see that almost all have had to lower it. Mine was especially bad when slowing down over bumps. My Dealer mentioned it to me when I took it back for the 500 mile oil change and I laughed and said I already did it two months ago. Just lower it and move on it is a small issue and never had it again.

 

[Yehaf]

I believe I was the first to have it and the first to solve it last year in Mesa Colorado at Thanksgiving. I solved it in the parking lot on the ground with a very simple set of tools and a few helpful hands to lift. The XTX has the MTX rails on it so they are the same. If you read this whole thread you will see that almost all have had to lower it. Mine was especially bad when slowing down over bumps. My Dealer mentioned it to me when I took it back for the 500 mile oil change and I laughed and said I already did it two months ago. Just lower it and move on it is a small issue and never had it again.

Yeah, my dealer didn't want to drop it either at first, I finally showed them the picture on this sight of what was happening then they did it. I went back in to dealer a couple weeks later and checked out another xtx on the floor, they had lowered it as well. I've had no issues since. I tried doing it myself at first, but had a hard time lining it up in the holes so I told them to do it.

 

[cannondale27]

I believe I was the first to have it and the first to solve it last year in Mesa Colorado at Thanksgiving. I solved it in the parking lot on the ground with a very simple set of tools and a few helpful hands to lift. The XTX has the MTX rails on it so they are the same. If you read this whole thread you will see that almost all have had to lower it. Mine was especially bad when slowing down over bumps. My Dealer mentioned it to me when I took it back for the 500 mile oil change and I laughed and said I already did it two months ago. Just lower it and move on it is a small issue and never had it again.

Yes you were the first I heard of. Thank you!

 

[Kevin]

Has anyone noticed track rubbing on the SW?

 

[Wannaviper]

My dealer is saying that the lower hole is only for the MTX, and necessary only because of the longer track lugs. I have the XTX SE, so only the 1.6" lugs. It doesn't seem like the noise is from the lugs hitting the tunnel; it is more like something is binding up, maybe hitting the side or front. Is the lower hole only a solution for the longer LE lugs, or should all the XTX's be set up that way?

 

[InRBigness]

Well I have 1.6 track as well. It has to do with the fact that the geometry of the shock placement on the rails has changed from what I have been told. XTX and MTX share the same front profile on the rails. The MTX ones are just longer. ALL 2016 xtx should be set up this way.

 

[Wannaviper]

Well I have 1.6 track as well. It has to do with the fact that the geometry of the shock placement on the rails has changed from what I have been told. XTX and MTX share the same front profile on the rails. The MTX ones are just longer. ALL 2016 xtx should be set up this way.

Thank you for your thoughts and experience on the issue. For now, my dealer is leaving the skid in the same holes and sending it home saying he can't re-create the condition that I experienced. I plan to put 100+ miles in on Saturday, so we will see if the noise is gone, or whether it is just hiding from the dealer!

 

[InRBigness]

Not sure why you are so reticent to just lower it and fix the problem. Where on here have you ever read that a dealer knows more than the people on this forum? If you read this whole thread there is a link to HCS that has a better readable service bulletin fron Arctic Cat for the High Country.

Anyway, more than a few, in fact all of the people who have had this issue have fixed it by doing what we have suggested but its your sled.

 

[Wannaviper]

Not sure why you are so reticent to just lower it and fix the problem. Where on here have you ever read that a dealer knows more than the people on this forum? Anyway, more than a few have fixed their issue by doing what we have suggested but its your sled.

I don't understand either, and I definitely believe in the collective knowledge and wisdom found on this forum. My dealer says that there is no prohibition against lowering the skid, and they would do it if I wanted, it just would not be covered by the warranty! Even though I clearly experienced a problem, they have not been able to re-create it in the shop, or in a ride around the parking lot, so they say that there is no problem. They haven't said it, but I almost feel like they think I am making it up. I am going to ride it; if the noise and rubbing are gone, great. If the noise and rubbing are still there, I am going to video it on my phone!

Ironically, I just got my delivery survey from Yamaha in the mail after I took the sled in with this problem. I am going to wait until I ride the sled this weekend before I fill out the survey.

 

[InRBigness]

This may make you feel better. Out of curiousity, what would lowering the skid have to do with warranty? My dealer was actually aware of it and mentioned it to me but I had already done it.

 

[Wannaviper]

View attachment 123990

This may make you feel better. Out of curiousity, what would lowering the skid have to do with warranty? My dealer was actually aware of it and mentioned it to me but I had already done it.

I told the dealer about the Cat service bulletin, but he said that applied to the Cat mountain sled, and he agreed that the Viper MTX should be mounted in the lower holes. Since the Yamaha specs do not call for the XTX skid to be mounted in the lower holes, it would be optional work done at my election, and he would charge me an hour's labor to move it.