06 GT front exchanger damage

[rosco]

I am putting a new track on an 06 Apex GT for a freind. It looks like a stud started to pull on the outside and ripped out about 6-8" of track.

The pictures are of the contact it made with the front heat exchanger on the way out. I am not sure of the thickness of material used for the front exchanger.

There is no leakage from this damage at present . I am faced with a decision of leaving it as is, cleanning up the rough edges and applying something like JB weld, or taking it to be welded.

I am interested in what the general opinion on this damage is from you guys.

 

[deweysgt]

I just replaced mine due to a stud "ripping" thru the exchanger. Believe me, the last thing you want to due is take that exchanger out. If it's not leaking then most likely it's fine. Before my unfortunate incident I had a few nicks that looked simular to yours but nothing to worrie about. your other option is to have someone touch it up but that will also be a pain.[/img]

 

[ben apexgt]

that the main reason why i'm not using a cleated track

 

[Blue Dave]

IMO That looks very minor and nothing that you need to worry about. I wouldn't do anything, just leave it alone.

You should have seen the front heat exchanger on my Viper, I had completely ground away the fins in several grooves from top to bottom and it never leaked a drop.

 

[newfie_eric]

I was going down a lake doing 120km and hit a rock under the snow and bent the rad back about 2 in. and lost all the coolant. When I changed the rad I had to take the track off, remove the chaincase and there about 25 rivets holding this thing in. Since I had the bottom bent up below the engine I also replaced that which helped getting access to the coolant lines. The motor mount bolt which is about 2 feet long even goes through this rad.

It was a lot of work.

 

[rosco]

Just to update everyone, I couldn't sleep at night if it was just left as is, so we had it welded and am glad we did. It wasn't leaking as it was and system at full temp, however a pin hole burst as soon as we got near it with the Tig.

In the end I think the gouge was almost through the full thickness. If taken to a decent welder I think that is the way to go and it wasn't that expensive to have welded.

To add to " ben apex gt" 's comments, the owner of this one doesn't want to go anywere near studs again either.

 

[ben apexgt]

friend of mine was exactly doing that few time with his tig welder for a yamaha dealer most of them phazer 1st production year

 

[apltx08]

I don't run STUDS cuz of that, but I would reccomend a ICE RIPPER or simular pre-studded track, I haven't heard or read bad reviews...

 

[**sj**]

Just to update everyone, I couldn't sleep at night if it was just left as is, so we had it welded and am glad we did. It wasn't leaking as it was and system at full temp, however a pin hole burst as soon as we got near it with the Tig.

In the end I think the gouge was almost through the full thickness. If taken to a decent welder I think that is the way to go and it wasn't that expensive to have welded.

To add to " ben apex gt" 's comments, the owner of this one doesn't want to go anywere near studs again either.

glad you got it taken care of...I have never run a sled WITHOUT STUDS and never hit an exchanger although a dealers installed one did...I am totally anal about the install and choice of studs..

 

[yamadoo]

Rosco

I would clean it and put some JB weld on it. I did this to my 98 yamaha for a quick fix, that sled now has over 11500 miles, more than 6 000 since repair and when I had the sled up on the lift the JB weld looks like the day I put it on.
(mine had a good sized gash and bad leak before the patch)
Yamadoo