2006 Apex RTX with white seconday

[polarisconvert]

I just bought this sled and have been getting it mechanically fixed up. You know, slides, bogie wheels, oil change, chain case oil, grease jack shaft and drive axle bearings, exhaust copper donut gaskets, front end oilite bushing, and put a set of 2006 bars and jumper harness on it. The owner kept the 2006 bars for his and put his 2009 bars on mine. I am not wanting to put a lot of money into it making it fast. I don't see the point with the turbo sleds out there. I did change out the stock black/pink secondary spring for a black/white. I took it out for a little spin when I first got it around some local fields back when we had snow with the pink spring but I don't remember looking at the rpms. After putting in the white spring wrapped at 3-3 I took it out for a little spin. We don't have much snow so I was only on the gas for a few seconds in the front yard. It started at 8500 and pulled to 9000 rpms. So I am not sure how high it is going to go on a longer pull but I was very surprised it started that low. The sled is studded and it felt strong. Time will tell.

My 2005 RX1 with mods and running the white secondary spring starts our at 9800 and pulls to 10200. I will have them both out this weekend and let you know how it run.

 

[JROCK]

How did your testing go?

 

[polarisconvert]

Well not so good. I took the sled on a family outing. We had my 2005 RX 1 with a Cat rear skid, with a studded Hacksaw track. My 2006 Apex, Studded 1.25 Ripsaw, and a 2011 Apex XTX not studded and a boosted Z1 Turbo. I let my new son in law drive the Apex (my daughter was not happy) and he has never been sledding before. We were going to start the trip slow so he could get some experience. At about 20 miles in my daughter is lining up with him on a icy road to drag race. My RX1 hooked and was gone. The Apex just sat there and spun. They did some roll on runs and my RX 1 killed it. I had forgot about checking the RPM's or I would have just jumped on it right then. Later we found a snow covered road and they run the two Apexes and my RX1. Again the RX1 was out front by several sleds and then the XTX and then the Apex. When we stopped for lunch I asked him to check WOT RPMS. Later I asked him and he had not done it. I think maybe that was too much to ask a beginner and he was a little scared to look down while on the gas. I thought when we got back to the truck I would take it for a spin and check the RPM's. About 12 miles from the parking lot he pulled up and said there is something wrong with the sled. He said it keeps stalling but he can restart it and keep gong. Right now my heart drops, I know this is not good. I went back to the sled and it smelled super hot. I fired it up and it was on one or two cylinders. I checked the oil and it was burnt and looked as thin as water. The motor is junk. I took it off the trailer last night and a stud ripped out of the track and punctured the rear cross over pipe and drained the cooling system. My new son in law is a super guy and very smart. I couldn't ask for a better person to marry my daughter but I learned this weekend he is not mechanically minded. I thought I thought of all the things to tell a new rider like the trail is a two way street, not to spin studs on the bare road, watch out for icy corners ect...., but I didn't think about the caution light. I have had my RX1 since 2006 and never had a break down. The thought never crossed my mind. So I guess we will never know what RPM's she was spinning. I turned in an insurance claim this morning. Not sure how that will go. They asked me to take to a dealer for an estimate. I am sure if they cover it, it will be a total loss.
P.S. We were all switching sleds throughout the day. I really wish someone else was on the Apex when this happened but that is how it goes. I am really glad it was not the XTX or Turbo. Both sled were borrowed.

 

[JROCK]

That's just bad luck. In defence to your son in law the overheat light might never come on do to the coolant leaking all out. How did the claim go?