Apex Backcountry Build

[tkuss]

Starting out with my 06 Apex RTX with a ZX-2 Suspension, and hoping to turn it into the Apex Backcountry by the end of summer. Here is a picture of the sled this last winter.

I am going to a 144" long 2" tall challenger track with the ZX-2.
The sled now has 9500 miles on it so I am replacing many bearing, bushing etc.. The sled needs a real good going through and I plan on doing it over summer. This is my first real time taking a sled apart this much, so I am bit nervous, but I have all summer so I am in no rush.


I started ripping her apart and after 5 or 6 hours of working time I have made good headway. Here are some pics of the sled right now. You can see it needs a good cleaning.

Notice all the salt corrosion from trailering in an open trailer.

The ZX-2 still looks brand new, I love how the plastic will look like new forever. The shocks are going to be sent out to get rebuilt and revalved by pioneer performance pretty soon.

Bought a used challenger track with a few hundred miles for a good price.

Here is the old ice ripper showing a bit of wear after 8500 miles of use.

Chaincase cover was a pain to get off.

I have to many new parts to list right now that are going on the sled, but most of them are replacement parts and not performance parts. I should have the old track off in the next few days. From there I need to get my new 8 tooth wahl extroverts installed on the driveshaft, as well as the new chaincase bearings as well as the new jackshaft and driveshaft bearings.

Much more to come after that as well. I don't have internet at the house right now, hopefully will get it soon. So I am only able to check this site once a week or so.

 

[yamahaboy701]

Like the name! You have some cleaning to do, stock up on simple green. I just clean my truck motor/under hood and used turtle wax CD2 engine detailer, works really good, best stuff I have ever used.

 

[YamYboY]

looks good tom, ya I'm with luke, your ganan need alot of simple green and a some sand paper to get rid of the rust, and I would also paint the a arms black right away too! But keep up on the post, should be a pretty swet turn out.

 

[fergdog93]

Sould turn out real sweet. Boy, you have alot of toys in that shop! looks like a dealership Don't be too worried about getting it all back together, as long as you have a service manuel your all set. Have fun!

 

[kinger]

Wow that is a mess to clean it doesn't come off easy and take you touching every surface to get it off trust me I know cause I did it to my RX.

Wow you running boards still have the paint on them, how do you manage that? The apex I just bought has 2500 miles and the boards need to be touched up already.

Dont worry about getting it back together most of us have the sled memorized LOL

 

[yamaslob]

That new track looks sweet! Are you goin black the sled out? Thats what im debating on, my 06 RTX. I like how some guys paint the side panels that glossy black to match front cowl. Trailering in a open trailer seriously does some damage to the sleds, everything gets sprayed with salt it sucks. Keep us posted on the build its goin look sweet, and ride and track much better.

-James

 

[sleddheadd]

Cool! Another build to watch!

 

[tkuss]

Here are the stock plastic steering blocks.

Those blocks contributed to tons of handlebar slop.

Here I replaced those with the new OFT steering blocks and it got the steering play back close to when the sled was new. I am very happy with how much these blocks helped with the steering play.

I am sending out the G-Force shocks to get rebuild and valved stiffer.

A mess of parts laying around the shed.

I got a used set of Hyperfax with the teflon inserts for 35$.

Here is the challenger track. A bit under two inches. After I head out west next year I plan on cutting it down to a bit under 1 3/4 inches.

Got to go.

 

[yamahaboy701]

Wow the rear wheels on a ZX2 are huge. I never noticed that before until I seen them in your picture off the suspension. What size are those?

 

[Jeremy]

You have two inch lugs there. You just measured wrong. I do believe you have to measure from the inside of the track. I have done so forever. Your track would measure exactly 2" if you went from the inside. Thats my .02

 

[T.S.U.Filmz]

Jeremy is correct

 

[tkuss]

I am making good progress on the sled, I am working on it every here and there and am getting things done.

I have replaced the exhaust donuts, the ones that were in there did not have many miles on them, but I wanted to replace them anyway so I could do it myself next time I need to in winter. Here area few pics of the old ones and new ones.


Flex pipes

New ones

Old ones

And I also finally got the track off. I feel once I get the new one on and the chaincase back together in one piece the hard part will be done.


Here are the stock drivers with 9500 miles on them, still in good shape.

And here are the new Wahl 8 tooth extrovert drivers that are to be replacing them.

Under the tunnel with the track off. Notice the tunnel protectors I need to take off in order to fit the 2" track.

I got the top tunnel protectors off that are just held on by rivets by drilling the prying the rivets a bit. It took a while but they came off with not to much trouble.

The front heat exchanger protectors are still on, don't know how I will take those off yet. Probably either use a hand grinder or see if I can get a saws all in there. Just got to be careful of not hurting the heat exchanger.

I am trying to put the 144" ZX-2 extensions on. Turns out I don't have the manual, or the bolts to it fully together yet. I emailed AD Boivin, if you can help me go to the aftermarket suspension section of this forum and answer on my thread or answer here. I am thinking all I need is a few bolts from the hardware store, just want to make sure I do it right.

Here are some bad pictures, I will get better ones later. But there is the new 22 tooth top gear I am replacing the stock 24 tooth with in order to turn the big track. Also the lower gearing of the 8tooth drivers should help with that.

Here are the new bearings I will be replacing the old ones with. I was able to get two parts unlimited bearings and save quite a few bucks that way.

Should be able to get a bit of time to work on the sled in the next day or two.

 

[YamYboY]

looking good tom, I wish I could start my 136 stretch, but ulmers doesnt have the rails til september! Keep up the good work!

 

[tkuss]

That new track looks sweet! Are you goin black the sled out? Thats what im debating on, my 06 RTX. I like how some guys paint the side panels that glossy black to match front cowl. Trailering in a open trailer seriously does some damage to the sleds, everything gets sprayed with salt it sucks. Keep us posted on the build its goin look sweet, and ride and track much better.

-James

I was going to black the sled out, but now I am not going to. I thought maybe the all black apex was not done yet but then after seeing a few people on this site have done it, I am not going to. I like the dark red it has. I am going to try to get some custom stickers made to replace the stickers on only the two side panels that say Apex Backcountry. I want to try and keep the stock look though. Also I want to get custom tunnel supports made by muffinworks that say Apex Backcountry and have them powdercoated the same dark red the rest of the sled is.
http://www.muffinworksltd.com/

But the cosmetic stuff will be the last things I do, if I do them. Right now I am more worried about getting this thing back together.

 

[tkuss]

Wow the rear wheels on a ZX2 are huge. I never noticed that before until I seen them in your picture off the suspension. What size are those?

Yes one of the benefits of the ZX-2 is the huge 8" rear axel wheels they use. Hopefully they make up for the inefficiency's of going to a smaller 8 tooth driver.