Anyone breaking front pivot arms?

[ReX]

I can't believe it!! I just finished carefully inspecting my suspension (getting ready for a trip to Gaspe next week) and I found a hairline crack in the front pivot arm in my rear suspension.

I really thought this new 06 updated skid was going to solve all of my suspension problems.

I have been riding aggressively on various trail conditions for almost 6000 kms this season - but still no intentional jumps or significant air. I don't think I've bottomed the suspension out 5 times and very lightly when it did.

Has anyone else found hairline cracks in theirs? The crack is between one of the inner lengthwise/vertical tubes and the upper horizontal tube. This area gets stressed with loads from the shock.

 

[06RTXRider]

no cracks yet but lots of rust poppin up on the welds, won't be long now. maybe a couple more trips to tug hill and she'll be about done. I thoght these were different than the vipers????

 

[ReX]

I just checked Corey Davidson's latest race results:

http://www.stihlusa.com/events_davidson_latest.html

It sounds like his front pivot arm broke in the same spot - it took him less than 500 miles....(actually I have no idea how many miles it took in total, but it broke during the Red Lake 500 Cross Country).

 

[vice108]

No cracks - but my welds are rusting.

 

[ReX]

Here are a few pictures. It turns out both the front and rear pivot arm have cracks in them.

Note: The front arm was powder coated "chrome" before the season started after I had the lower u-bracket that attach to the rails reinforced. The powder coating hasn't held up all that well over the 5750 km (definitely doesn't look chrome anymore).

 

[ReX]

Here are some small cracks I found in the slide rails

Excuse the grease - I tend to grease the skid regularly...

 

[ReX]

For those of you concerned about the shock wearing away where the track rubs it here are a few pictures of the shock wear in 5750 km.

I expect the wear rate will slow down as it wears - hopefully the shock won't wear through and disconnect...

(again the mess on the shock is grease...)

 

[Srxspec]

ReX, Corey's rear pivot arm where the shock connects ripped completely off in the Red Lake 500, it was not a front arm failure.

 

[ReX]

Thanks for the clarification.

I didn't show pictures of them, but there are very small cracks starting on the rear pivot arm at the welds closest to the shock eyelet.

The eyelet is starting to break away from the main cross tube on mine too.

 

[flyingpig]

Man the skid has taken a beating! Mine still looks like new but I only have 560 miles on her!

 

[suprfst]

Here are a few pictures. It turns out both the front and rear pivot arm have cracks in them.

Note: The front arm was powder coated "chrome" before the season started after I had the lower u-bracket that attach to the rails reinforced. The powder coating hasn't held up all that well over the 5750 km (definitely doesn't look chrome anymore).

The chrome powdercoat needs to be topcoated,either with a candy color or with clear.If its not topcoated it doesnt hold up very well.Epoxy colors are the strongest powders ive used,especially silver vien.

 

[tcona-AGT]

Those welds on the front & rear pivot arms appear to be bad welds.On the front arm it looks like the weld is only on one pipe where shown.On the back it looks like a spot between the start & stop of the weld.

 

[ReX]

We just spent the evening pulling the Apex ER's skid apart to inspect it ready for the ~4000 kms trip next week.

It has the same cracks in the same locations as my sled. It only has 4500 kms on it.

We're probably going to reinforce both his front and rear arms the same way as mine (instead of going the warranty route followed by more breakage).

One thing I discovered that really pisses me off.

My sled was not fixed last season starting near the end of February due to back ordered slide rails (mine were cracked). I was told Yamaha was not going to install new ones until the new, stronger 2006 rails were available. I ended up missing out on the last 6 weeks of the season.

It turns out the reason my rails have cracked where they did is because they are retrofitted 2005 rails and there isn't near the meat as the 2006 rails where the cracks formed. After waiting 9 months for my 06 rails to appear to get my sled back together they installed the weaker 05 rails anyway!!!!

 

[ReX]

I just checked the on-line fiche and the 05 rails have been superseded with 06 rails.

(Edit - this is actually incorrect. The rail part number hasn't changed on the 05 skid. IMO, it should have though. The 06 rails are stronger and are a direct bolt in)

Here are a couple of pictures.

 

[ReX]

Here's a better close up shot of the 06 area to compare to the earlier images of my slide rail cracks.

Notice the actual 06 rail has a lot more material where mine cracked.