2007 Apex GT Track Clips Problem

[ApexGTRS4]

I have a 2007 Apex GT with a 2400 miles and we ride as often as possible. I had the hyfax replaced this year, and over the weekend I looked down to find I have no track clips at all any longer.

I have read one other post here on TY with this problem, but does anyone have firsthand experience with loosing track clips on an 06-07 Apex GT?

 

[WinderFab]

There is not even a few left?
I have over 11k on my sled and clips still look good..
Also have 4 other gt's in our group with no problems..
Can you tell if there is damage where the clips were..
There must be something going on..

 

[ApexGTRS4]

There are zero clips left on both sides of the track. The front rail caps are just fine and completely secure to the rails. Yamaha OEM slides were installed, and the idler wheels appear to be good also.

 

[WinderFab]

Wow..
I've seen clips come off before when they are worn,
They will wear out in till there is nothing left then they will come out..
Take a look at the track where the clips were installed and look to see if there is any damage there..
Maybe the clips were not installed right from the factory

 

[Shootinstick]

Did you replace the slides with the wide Yamaha ones? If so, they are a little wider than the rail caps and can catch the clips. I only use the narrow slides now, but you can also bevel the leading edge of the slides where they meet up with the rail caps. I was tearing rail clips off all the time until I figured this out.

 

[82SRX500]

Did you replace the slides with the wide Yamaha ones? If so, they are a little wider than the rail caps and can catch the clips. I only use the narrow slides now, but you can also bevel the leading edge of the slides where they meet up with the rail caps. I was tearing rail clips off all the time until I figured this out.

Anyone have a picture of wide verses narrow? I have never heard of this. I ran 06 and 08 apex's along with my 11's and they all look the same for width to me. Every slide I have put on comes from Yamaha so I would assume they are correct as well. I have seen the sled in question here and it is baffling to see all the clips completely gone for no apparent reason. If Yamaha provides the wrong sized slide should this be a warranted item?

 

[ApexGTRS4]

Did you replace the slides with the wide Yamaha ones? If so, they are a little wider than the rail caps and can catch the clips. I only use the narrow slides now, but you can also bevel the leading edge of the slides where they meet up with the rail caps. I was tearing rail clips off all the time until I figured this out.

I went to the Yamaha dealer and explained I needed slides for my 07 Apex GT, and didn’t ask if they were the wide ones or not.

Very interesting about your comments regarding this issue and the slides. When I was installing some bogie wheels last year I noticed the original slides had some groves down the length of them on the outside which obviously was from the track clips (when they were still attached to the track).

I wonder if Yamaha had received some poorly clipped or tracks with defective clips during the production of some early Apex models? I cant say I noticed anything out of the ordinary on the areas on the outside of the track where the clips were crimped to.

My Apex is going to the dealer this week for this issue and to take a look at the exhaust doughnuts as it backfires after a long run at full throttle. I truly love this sled and we have a ton of fun riding hard on the trails in Northern Wisconsin and the UP.

I do have a 5 year YES warranty and surely hope this issue is covered under warranty and Yamaha stands behind their product.

 

[Shootinstick]

Yamaha will tell you the wide hifax is the correct ones for your sled so not a warranty deal. The narrow ones are from older Yamaha sleds but work better in my opinion. YMMV of course. Don't have a pic available now, but the wide ones are wider on the bottom side that contacts the track than the top side that fits on the rail. There is a very evident step on each side of about 3/16" The older narrow slides are the same width top to bottom. The narrow ones are also easier to change through a track window!

 

[Essarex]

My 06 Apex thru track clips like crazy! I posted here last year but nobody else seemed to be having problems, so no help. I looked for anything that might be protruding, but couldn't locate a cause.

I just ended up replacing a bunch of clips after each ride, until this year when I replaced the stock every-third-clipped ripsaw with a fully clipped cobra. Now, the track clips seem fine. I have about 2000 miles so far and none are missing.

I did find something strange, however, that I will share with you. My tunnel protectors at the very end near the rear of the tunnel, are suspiciously worn, with a somewhat jagged chamfer on their ends. I did not notoce this last year, but hten again I didn't look for it specifically either.

I'm wondering if I was throwing clips whenever the skid bottomed and the protectors "grabbed" the clip's edge on the outside of the track? You would think this would also tear lugs loose, which is not he case with me.

I don't know,,,,I'm still confused as to why I thru so many clips.

 

[ApexGTRS4]

Thanks for the replies. The sled is at the dealer now so we will see if they cover this under warranty. The dealer is going to try do to their best to get this covred and said they have seen this once before as well.

 

[RunninRX1]

Half of the clips were gone on my 06 Attak when I changed the track to a Cobra. Had about 3K miles on it. The ones that are still there do not look worn out or anything. Looked at a 06 GT today.. zero clips left.

 

[WinderFab]

RunninRX1 how many miles on the 06 gt?

I think it's a track problem more than a slider issue IMO...

All of our sleds in our group are apex's including mine which has 11k on the sled still original ripsaw track and all the clips are there...

Interesting to find out what causes this...

ApexGTRS4 let us know what you find out...

 

[82SRX500]

Thanks for the replies. The sled is at the dealer now so we will see if they cover this under warranty. The dealer is going to try do to their best to get this covred and said they have seen this once before as well.

This will be interesting to learn why. With others listing this seems like a problem from Camoplast

 

[Sled_Doctor]

I had this problem with my 06 Attak when new. Seemed like everytime I rode there was a handful of clips missing. After the first riding season, I reclipped the entire track and have not had problems since. My opinioin.....I believe camoplast had group of track that were not crimped tightly enough.

 

[ApexGTRS4]

Update:
Yamaha covered the track clips under warranty, but from what the dealer stated, they didn’t want to.

After speaking with my dealer, he informed me that the track clip utilized on the early Apex models were clipped every third window with clips that utilized two holes in the clip. If you take a look at these style clips they are relatively thin, and lack sufficient surface area so they heat up rapidly.

Apparently it was though that by only opening up every third track window and by utilizing clips with holes in them so the track and clips themselves would hold the snow inside the track better in an effort to lubricate the slides. Well the opposite can happen as well keeping the snow out only to heat up the clips and slides, and zing off go the clips when they get really hot.

Picked up the sled at the dealer on Saturday morning: new battery, new slides (again), new tuning fork bogie wheel (one was bent to the point it had a flat spot in the wheel) chain case oil change, motor oil change with synthetic oil, ski alignment, regrease all zirks and out the door.

Rode the sled home from the dealer, and retained all of the new track clips (solid, thick ones this time) after a thorough inspection once I arrived home and all is well. The sled rides and performs great, and I am looking forward to putting on some miles up in the UP with my good friends every weekend.