Backorders on front axel???

[Sidewinder Bob]

Just called my yamaha dealer and they said complete axle is B/O till 2/20/2020. I ordered before thanksgiving. He said yamaha is waiting for a/c to get them in. lol. Good thing I have 2 sleds.

 

[Turboflash]

IMO, the basic design is the problem, not necessarily the parts. Rarely (if ever) does anyone report a failed bearing there. Fundamentally, the design is flawed. Full stop. There is no way this design will work (not having the bearing and shaft attached to each other somehow). It will never work no matter what quality the parts are. Cannot have a slip fit because shaft will always eventually start spinning in bearing. Over the last 50 years, there have been numerous successful designs for the front track drive. Issues like we have now NEVER happened unless the bearing seized. Remember eccentric locking bearings? Remember bearings with set screws in them? Remember collar-lock bearings, etc?

Cannot understand why Cat engineers just don't get it. The current design will never work.

 

[Mtnviper]

It looks to be the shaft used in the Cat Mountain sleds. Jackshaft is hollow and Driveshaft is Aluminum just like that.

The aluminum ones are different Steve, they are hollow like you mentioned. However the hex drive continues across the shaft with out it tapering down. For a sealing surface on the caliper side they use a steel (possibly stainless steel) sleeve that also acts as a stop for the bearing to but up against. From there outwards the rotor slides on and everything is secured with 2 jamb nuts torqued to 100lbs.
It appears to be a much better design and I haven't had any issues with the aluminum shaft.
Interestingly enough when I did the Alpha conversion, the new aluminum drive axle came with double splines on the chain case end (circled in Red) like it was made so that it could be used with four stroke sleds and their additional reverse gear mounting.
The original aluminum shaft did not have the second set of splines. The attached pic is of a stock Mountain Cat axle, unfortunately I didn't get a pic of the Alpha axle with it's double splines.

 

[Byam]

IMO, the basic design is the problem, not necessarily the parts. Rarely (if ever) does anyone report a failed bearing there. Fundamentally, the design is flawed. Full stop. There is no way this design will work (not having the bearing and shaft attached to each other somehow). It will never work no matter what quality the parts are. Cannot have a slip fit because shaft will always eventually start spinning in bearing. Over the last 50 years, there have been numerous successful designs for the front track drive. Issues like we have now NEVER happened unless the bearing seized. Remember eccentric locking bearings? Remember bearings with set screws in them? Remember collar-lock bearings, etc?

Cannot understand why Cat engineers just don't get it. The current design will never work.

I had bearing failure in 2015 on my viperT at ++/~~ 5 oookm ...

200km away from civilization. Cost me 500$ to get out of the woods . Bearing and labor was under warranty ..lol. Didn’t put the original one it was BO at the time.! Whit the new parts in hand, we understand how shity it will be in the future...;-/
I had a big argument face to face whit a guy called stephane( crooked eye) in charge of warranty departement Quebec. It’s been almost 5 years...

I am not sure if this guy can change a belt on his proper sled.... fact