Add me to the drive shaft club

[marq]

My 2006 Apex RTX left me on the trail tonight. Broken driveshaft. Sled has 12,250 ish miles on it. I've always read on here about people breaking the shaft around the 10,000 mile mark. Since I was past that I thought perhaps I got lucky or just didn't beat on it as hard as others. I guess not....

 

[Sasquatch]

Broke mine at 9,000 miles at the time it seemed like 6,000 to 9,000 miles was breakage time. You did good to get 12,000 miles. So next one at 24,000 miles!

 

[marq]

Yeah I don't feel too bad about it. Obviously would prefer not to break it, but it seems like I did pretty good.

 

[Blue Dave]

You guys are scaring me! I have 8500 hard miles and I am second guessing myself for not replacing it when I replaced my track this year.

 

[BADSLED]

I have a shaft with drivers off an Apex with 2,300miles. Make me an offer..

 

[Bradford]

You guys are scaring me! I have 8500 hard miles and I am second guessing myself for not replacing it when I replaced my track this year.

I changed my track and drivers at 8600 miles and didn't replace the drive shaft. It snapped at 10265 miles and almost took out the chain case with it. If I still have this sled at 18000 miles, I'll be replacing the drive shaft again before it snaps again

 

[Blue Dave]

Where exactly do they usually break?

Did Yamaha change anything in the Apex drive shaft design since '07 to make it stronger?

Isn't there an aftermarket company that makes a heavy duty drive shaft that is stronger than the Yamaha version?

 

[sleddog66]

oem shaft for your 07 is stiil the same if your replace with oem. Micro belmont makes a HD shaft sold by them, and other suppliers like ulmer. I beleive the 2010 and later is a different oem shaft however, but I may be wrong on that fact.

 

[ersky]

09 has a bigger shaft

 

[marq]

Where exactly do they usually break?

Did Yamaha change anything in the Apex drive shaft design since '07 to make it stronger?

Isn't there an aftermarket company that makes a heavy duty drive shaft that is stronger than the Yamaha version?

I don't have mine apart yet but when tipped on the side it looks like it broke right at the chaincase. Replacement shaft should be here on Wednesday. When I get mine apart I'll get some pictures and post.

 

[Irv]

Curious, is it just the Apex's with this issue or is it the whole line up?

 

[Bradford]

Curious, is it just the Apex's with this issue or is it the whole line up?

Mine is an 06 Nytro. aka a carbed Vector. Mine broke at the chain case too

 

[Blue Dave]

Crap! I was really hoping to be able to trade my '07 in on a "ground breaking, game changing, industry first" '14 Yamaha but after test riding the seriously under powered new Viper YamaCat it looks like I will be hanging onto my Apex for a while. I sure hope that Yamaha steps up and offers us a real replacement for the Apex before my drive shaft breaks!

 

[Bradford]

Crap! I was really hoping to be able to trade my '07 in on a "ground breaking, game changing, industry first" '14 Yamaha but after test riding the seriously under powered new Viper YamaCat it looks like I will be hanging onto my Apex for a while. I sure hope that Yamaha steps up and offers us a real replacement for the Apex before my drive shaft breaks!

I don't think the Viper is going to impress anyone coming off an Apex when it comes to power. I'm sure it would impress me coming off of a carbed 3 holer!

Hopefully they will put a turbo or supercharger on the Viper. I think that would double the sales... Until then, you might want to invest in a new drive shaft

 

[Blue Dave]

Crap! I was really hoping to be able to trade my '07 in on a "ground breaking, game changing, industry first" '14 Yamaha but after test riding the seriously under powered new Viper YamaCat it looks like I will be hanging onto my Apex for a while. I sure hope that Yamaha steps up and offers us a real replacement for the Apex before my drive shaft breaks!

I don't think the Viper is going to impress anyone coming off an Apex when it comes to power. I'm sure it would impress me coming off of a carbed 3 holer!

Hopefully they will put a turbo or supercharger on the Viper. I think that would double the sales... Until then, you might want to invest in a new drive shaft

Good advice, lord only knows how many miles I will have on my Apex before Yamaha comes out with something new that I would actually consider trading in for!