2010 front end bent

[09nytro24]

Thanks again YamaMTX...just read your post on the other thread. So did you go with a New one instead of straightening the old one? I already had it all pullled apart because i thought the a-arm was bent....replaced it and it was bent because it was a little better but i knew something still wasn't right....I just think its BS that Yamaha isn't going to recall this issue and stand behind their product....i have owned Yammi's for years and never had a problem like this but im pretty upset.

 

[09nytro24]

I'm not taking it to the dealer right now or i have a feeling i'll be out for the season....The dealer i bought it from sux...i wonder if i should just try and deal with Yamaha directly, or if they will make me take it to a dealer.

 

[YamaMTX]

I did just replace it because I got Yamaha to pay for some of it. If you want youcan find new ones for $380-450 range. I hear you on the BS This is my first time on a Yamaha, came from Polaris and there are many days I feel like I regret my discision. I love the four stroke so far.

I would start calling Yamaha customer relations, but be prepared they will tell you no at first. The more people we get to call the more likely they will recall this crap. Don't give up! The only thing Yamaha will want is an estimate from a certified tech

 

[09nytro24]

#*$&@ my deductable is $500 thats why initially i said i'll spend the couple hundred bucks and replace the a-arms...replaced them both and still bent...I want to try the "ski tie down bars, bend back, method" but i don't want to replace more effing a-arms...

I wonder if it would work to pry both ways simoutaniously for an even amount of pressure to straighten it out...the more i read the more i know for sure its bent because the one shock is up against the front of the a-arm and the other side is up against the back of the a-arm...

This is what i get for spending 9k on a new sled?????Come on...thats BS

 

[sprintcat]

YamaMTX . you would have been better off with smaller welds . when ever you weld something like the way you did it will distort and bend. to much heat all in one place. just my opinion. I am sure somebody will chime in not trying to bust you up but I have been welding for years.

 

[YamaMTX]

alot of those welds I went back and forth from one weld to another to try and prevent warping while I did it. Hopefully it will be all good. Like I said previously the welds suck as that welder and I don't get along. I can go to the shop and use the more powerful one and the beads look like I do it for a living. I feel it is under powered not enough heat to do anything but thin stuff.

 

[09nytro24]

To those of you who "bent it back" did you do it with the sled on the ground, or jack it up and do it with the sled in the air??

I am thinking of "temp bending it back", but Yamaha will be getting a call tomorrow.

 

[NyTrOMaNIaC]

To those of you who "bent it back" did you do it with the sled on the ground, or jack it up and do it with the sled in the air??

I am thinking of "temp bending it back", but Yamaha will be getting a call tomorrow.

I straightened mine on the garage floor a few times. Used a large prybar and placed it straight down between the upper and lower A arms near where they attach to the spindles. Cover the A arms with some thick cloths or towels, and pull/push back towards the rear of the sled until the shocks are centered between the upper A arms. I know it sounds pre-historic, but it works, and it's a lot easier and safer than strapping the sled to a truck or heavy machine and using pulling power, which might possibly tweak something else or cause injury if something were to snap !

 

[09nytro24]

Yea i was thinking the same thing. I was going to pull from both sides though because one side is tweaked one way and the other is tweaked the other way. This way even pressure is being pulled on both ends but just the opposite ways....i hope that made sense??

 

[yamahaboy701]

To those of you who "bent it back" did you do it with the sled on the ground, or jack it up and do it with the sled in the air??

I am thinking of "temp bending it back", but Yamaha will be getting a call tomorrow.

To make it ridable I just used two big ratchet straps to get the spring away from the upper a-arm. That force alone will lift the front of the sled a little. When I got it back into my garage I was able to use both the ratchet straps and a pry bar to get it back even more. I think no matter how you try to straighten it it will just bend right back.

When I get back from my trip this weekend it is going to the dealer to see if they will warranty it AGAIN. I had the 2008 covered under warranty so hopefully they cover this one as well.

09nytro24,
If this is your first time bending it I would take it to the dealer. If Yamaha says no to the warranty claim you can always call up Yamaha and talk to them about this issue. That is how I got my first one warrantied.

 

[yamahaboy701]

Just curious, how do you know these gussets are installed where they will provide the greatest advantage? And, what type loading are you attempting to support?

Lets have the engineers aspect on how to strengthen the subframe...

 

[grizztracks]

The bottom plate normally deforms when the frame is bent so the first step is to strengthen that area. The plate that Yamaha added is far from being strong enough and needs to be improved. What concerns me is that if the plate is strengthened where is the next weakest point and will it be even more prone to bending? I'm going to start with the bottom plating because I think it bends way to easy and then go from there.

 

[arteeex]

Lets have the engineers aspect on how to strengthen the subframe...

Okay, but first a few observations. I don't know how the analysis was done on the existing frame, what types or magnitudes of loads were considered, how the results of the analysis was verified or if fatigue was considered. Also, there had to be some consideration for how the loads would transfer into the die cast panels and what might or should fail first. The point here is there are a lot of variables and trade-offs to make in a design this complex. Given that we haven't experienced any catastrophic failures of the sub-frame (as in, none have fallen off the machine), I'm willing to say that overall the design has its merits.

The sub-frame bent on my sled when I hit a buried root right at the ski bolt while turning hard left. This impact barely transferred to me. All I felt was a slight thud through the handlebars. When the skis came out of the snow with a large offset it was immediately obvious something was not right.

After stripping the sled down I found the frame had twisted several degrees counterclockwise. Based on my sample size of one and the fact that I had been tackling bumps and jumps head-on for over 2000-miles, my impression was the frame was weak in torsion. If I'm right, a method to address this is adding gussets or cross-braces that tie the left and right sides of the frame together in the vertical plane (essentially horizontal to the motor). This is something I don't see the gussets added in '09 doing to any great effect.

I agree the mounting points for the a-arms look wimpy, but they don't seem to be the direct cause of the frame bending. If anything, I would expect these mounting points to give up before the frame bends.

So, if the frame were my design the first thing I would do is reduce to the greatest extent possible the compound bends in the load bearing tubing. I would look to build a simple superstructure to carry the bulk of the loads and then add gusseting to better support torsional and axial forces from the suspension components. All the body panel and component mounting points would be superficial add-ons to the superstructure. While I'm at it the a-arm mounts would get a face lift too.

When I'm done with this, I'd look into why the spindles need 3-degrees of freedom at the lower ball joint. Actually, one degree is fixed by the upper a-arm, which is then loaded by the moment created through rearward force on the the ski. Unless something clever is going on with the suspension geometry this seems like a weak link too.

 

[09nytro24]

Alright....need a little help....I want to take the sled to a GOOD dealer because the dealer that i bought it from SUCKS!!! Anyone from Michigan know what dealer to take it to where they are aware of the issue and will go to bat for me with yamaha??

 

[yamahabandit]

I'm starting to wonder why so many guys are bending subframes and a-arms. wonder if Yamaha is getting from different suppliers. I've taken some nasty landings and have had no issues in 7000km.
What is bothering me is some guys are saying that they really didn't hit anything. Are some of these components of poorer quality than others?
just wondering whats going on here.