09 Venture GT Pivot Arm issue

[MitchRS]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this thread but have been active on snowmobile fanatic. I purchased a 09 RS Venture GT last season and got to ride it quite a bit which was a blast and nothing really seemed wrong with the machine at the time.

I started digging into the sled this summer for a maintenance inspection and oh boy! Did I have a lot of work to do.

Needed to replace the windshield support bracket

Intake boots were installed incorrectly and had high temp silicone around them

I installed new sealed connectors for the rear passenger hand warmers as all the pins were corroded

I installed a F/X garage flex pipe kit and needed a clamp and gasket for the mid section. The previous owner had also used high temp silicone between the exhaust flanges and gasket as well as in-between the gasket and head ‍♂

I ordered all 10 130mm track wheels as most of them are cracked and shot

There is a bit of hardware that's missing and bushings that need to be replaced

Now that I'm getting things back together, I noticed that my pivot arm seems to be bent. When I put the shaft through the upper support, the shaft doesn't line up in the center at both ends. I cleared some dried up grease that was inside and that helped a little but not quite enough.

These pivot arms seem built well enough to not bend but I guess not? It's this normal with these? I noticed a couple posts about them breaking, but not bending. I think the shock was set way too tight by the previous owner and the arm just took most of the impact from riding.

What do you folks think, I'm pretty certain the shaft should be aligned in the middle.

*** I can't post pictures as they are too large. I'll try posting some tomorrow***

Thanks

Mitch

 

[MrSled]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this thread but have been active on snowmobile fanatic. I purchased a 09 RS Venture GT last season and got to ride it quite a bit which was a blast and nothing really seemed wrong with the machine at the time.

I started digging into the sled this summer for a maintenance inspection and oh boy! Did I have a lot of work to do.

Needed to replace the windshield support bracket

Intake boots were installed incorrectly and had high temp silicone around them

I installed new sealed connectors for the rear passenger hand warmers as all the pins were corroded

I installed a F/X garage flex pipe kit and needed a clamp and gasket for the mid section. The previous owner had also used high temp silicone between the exhaust flanges and gasket as well as in-between the gasket and head ‍♂

I ordered all 10 130mm track wheels as most of them are cracked and shot

There is a bit of hardware that's missing and bushings that need to be replaced

Now that I'm getting things back together, I noticed that my pivot arm seems to be bent. When I put the shaft through the upper support, the shaft doesn't line up in the center at both ends. I cleared some dried up grease that was inside and that helped a little but not quite enough.

These pivot arms seem built well enough to not bend but I guess not? It's this normal with these? I noticed a couple posts about them breaking, but not bending. I think the shock was set way too tight by the previous owner and the arm just took most of the impact from riding.

What do you folks think, I'm pretty certain the shaft should be aligned in the middle.

*** I can't post pictures as they are too large. I'll try posting some tomorrow***

Thanks

Mitch

It’s not common. So you are saying the spindle is twisted? It would take a big impact to do that. It would not be from stiff shock settings.

 

[MitchRS]

It’s not common. So you are saying the spindle is twisted? It would take a big impact to do that. It would not be from stiff shock settings.

Hello MrSled, the spindle is straight and seems in good condition. I was able to load some pictures, this is how the spindle sits inside the arm. In the third picture, you can see how it's slightly bent towards the middle

 

[MrSled]

Hello MrSled, the spindle is straight and seems in good condition. I was able to load some pictures, this is how the spindle sits inside the arm. In the third picture, you can see how it's slightly bent towards the middle

View attachment 168807

View attachment 168806View attachment 168805

That’s definitely bent. I would change that for sure. This is not the spindle. This would be the shaft inside the center w-arm on the rear skid. I’f you don’t change it and try to push in the plastic bushing that go in the out ends they will break.

 

[MrSled]

Can you push that aluminum shaft out? Once you get it out you can roll it and see how bad it is and might be able to bend back in a press.

 

[MitchRS]

That’s definitely bent. I would change that for sure. This is not the spindle. This would be the shaft inside the center w-arm on the rear skid. I’f you don’t change it and try to push in the plastic bushing that go in the out ends they will break.

Can you push that aluminum shaft out? Once you get it out you can roll it and see how bad it is and might be able to bend back in a press.

uugghh I was afraid of that, I've spent quite a bit on this sled this summer to get her back to normal, oh well!!
I was able to get the shaft out and it doesn't appear to be out of round... I'm starting to think that I should just order a new pivot arm and shaft..

 

[MitchRS]

I went ahead and ordered a new pivot arm and shaft on partzilla. Parts are really slow to arrive lately as stock is low or non existent within north America so some of these are coming out of Japan. I've already ordered the bushings and all that on a past order that I have yet to receive.

 

[Mooseman]

Another option is a good used one. There are a few sled parts dealers in Ontario that do ship.

Edit: Just saw you ordered them while I was typing this. Maybe still check around and if you find one, cancel the order?

 

[MitchRS]

Another option is a good used one. There are a few sled parts dealers in Ontario that do ship.

Edit: Just saw you ordered them while I was typing this. Maybe still check around and if you find one, cancel the order?

I did take a look at a few used ones but I'm always weary when ordering used parts like this. Couple hundred dollars more and I know I'm good for a quite a while, especially that I will be maintaining the sled. I think the previous owner really neglected to do simple maintenance like greasing and whatnot. I found a lot of dried out grease.

 

[Fast Lane]

I use Motomaster synthetic grease. Roughy 10 bucks at Canadian Tire. It works great in the cold. I try to pump grease in that pivot arm during the season too. When I dropped the skid the first time I was surprised how bad the factory grease stood up. It was dried up and lumpy. Ive never had an issue with synthetic grease.

 

[MitchRS]

I use Motomaster synthetic grease. Roughy 10 bucks at Canadian Tire. It works great in the cold. I try to pump grease in that pivot arm during the season too. When I dropped the skid the first time I was surprised how bad the factory grease stood up. It was dried up and lumpy. Ive never had an issue with synthetic grease.

I also have a tube of Motomaster grease up at the cottage, however it's Moly Extreme pressure grease and I only picked it up this summer since I was working on the sled and noticed all the dried up grease from before.

That's a good note to keep in mind, I'll definitely grease during the season as well.