So that didn't go over very well. I was rather disgusted with it when I saw it. Everything made of steel was quite rusted up, the pivot bolts at the ski saddles were so worn out I could grab the ski tips and rotate them in small circles. I bet the bushing holes in the aluminum framework were heavily oblonged too given how horrible the play was in those skis...I'm guessing those things are a clean 500 bucks each. All the steering balls were in need of replacement, you could see the play in them at the A-arms, the left shock was closer to the A-arm in front of it than the right shock was suggesting it has been impacted. Both front shocks would weep oil on compression. Shove the front end down, it would only come back up so far and leave a nice slick film behind that you could accumulate onto your finger tip. The rear springs were shot. I could lift the tunnel about 10 inches before the track would lift off the ground. The inner bogeys at the rear were flopping around inside the skid. Started it up and immediately I could hear a loud clattering from either the clutch or valve train. The primary clutch sheaves were heavily grooved at the base, it was fried. The belt was glazed so it must have been held at that edge of clutch engagement for drag race purposes. At the rear left side of the running board where it triangles back into the tunnel, the aluminum at the edge of the weld and back was torn and flexed down, look under the seat at the open area in the tunnel and it looked like a stick had been picked up by the track and jammed through tearing the aluminum down pointing at the track. The headstock bushing on the steering post was shot, it has about 1/4" of front to back movement. I was told it needed nothing, turn key ready. Well after my picking it apart and saying this is what the book value is on it in mint shape and it goes down from there, I'll offer 3200. The old man pipes up and says gee...too bad they don't make a 2019 for you. Needless to say that was a rather insulting thing to say so I stopped everything, looked at it and said no. I'm not willing to do all the work it needs to make it right. I was told it needed nothing, it needs at least $1200 to take care of everything minus the shocks and I don't want to do it. So, my buddy and I packed up and left. I missed out on much better shape sleds in the VMax style for much less because I was hoping this guy was telling me the truth about how much work he did to it and how "well maintained" it is...pfff...liars! lol...oh well, there will definitely be more...many many more. Oh did I mention I was told it was only ever on trails?
I spent 5 hours a few nights ago reorganizing my garage to accept a sled along with everything else, travelled 2 hours one way for that thing, only to find out it was not far from being junk. After picking it all apart the old man also says it sounds like you know what you're talking about. I pulled out the hidden ace card and said well, I've been a certified tech for over 20 years, worked for Polaris, worked for Suzuki and worked for Kawasaki. That was the tipping point when he stopped talking...and insulting lol.
Good thing for me that I'm not in a rush and saved myself from buying a worn out money pit lol. Here in southeastern Ontario where I am, the snow season lasts on a very very good year, 3 months. For a 10 year old machine that works out to about 2 to 2 1/2 years of full time use. When I traded up my 2002 Polaris Sportsman 400 ATV on my 2015 Suzuki KingQuad...the plastics, even with going through loads of brush, looked far better than the plastics on a "trail ridden only sled" did, and it needed NOTHING lol. It had 13 years of hard, aggressive terrain, trail time on it. Not mud time but rocky, forested technical trail condition time. It was used about every weekend or every other weekend over that 13 years. When I knew I was getting ready to move on from Polaris, I made sure that it was healthy BEFORE I let it go lol. It was due for some wheel seals, bearings, and ball joints, the clutch was just like new still with no grooving in the sheaves...I knew anything it needed was a knock against the asking value just like it would be to sell it personally so all needed repairs were done BEFORE letting it go. Nobody wants to buy at the start of the season just to sit on it while they repair the laundry list of problems and potentially not have it ready until next year if parts prices or availability are not possible to attain at the time. Some people I tells ya
So anyway, I would still like a Phazer, but what's the deal with the steering? Is there anyway to clean up the slop in it? That thing had a good few inches of slop and they told me it's because there are 17 ball joints/tie rod ends in there????
What happened to 2 inner and 2 outer? lol
I also should take into consideration that the Phazer is a 2009 for only $300 more than the 2003 VMax. Alright, I'll go look at the Phazer this weekend. There seems to be too much support for it rather than against it.
