Bent Tunnel on the Apex

[Iceman57]

I think the tunnel is bending from the weight of the silencer and everything else mounted on the rear of the sled when bottoming the suspension hard, not to mention all the ice build-up. The exhaust is roughly 17lbs. and most of it is in the silencer. If you are carrying anything heavy in the rear compartment or even have a trunk bag it can really add to the weight then add the weight of the ice. If you think about all the weight at the very back of the tunnel and where the suspension is mounted on the tunnel if you bottom out the suspension hard all that weight slamming down to a stop could cause the tunnel to bend. There is a lot of leverage back there due to all the weight at the very end and I think it needs more support. I think an aftermarket exhaust is a good option due to the weight savings alone. Just my .02 worth.

 

[ROCKERDAN]

also if backed up in reverse and flap gets caught under track like off a steep trailer,or studded track gets caught it will pull down with major force on rear of tunnel..

dan

 

[welterracer]

It would take alot more leverage than a few pounds in the trunk and a 17lb muffler to bend the tunnel.. Yamaha has already checked into that..

 

[Iceman57]

Add a trunk bag with contents, let’s say 7lbs., 4lbs in the rear compartment (tool kit and what ever), 17lbs. of muffler, Ice lets say 10lbs. (that’s after a good build-up) and your close to 40lbs. Compress the suspension all the way down and drop 40lbs on the very end of the tunnel from a couple of feet above to simulate the slam from hitting a bump at a high speed. Tell me that could not contribute to the bent tunnel.

 

[yamrx1]

Add a trunk bag with contents, let’s say 7lbs., 4lbs in the rear compartment (tool kit and what ever), 17lbs. of muffler, Ice lets say 10lbs. (that’s after a good build-up) and your close to 40lbs. Compress the suspension all the way down and drop 40lbs on the very end of the tunnel from a couple of feet above to simulate the slam from hitting a bump at a high speed. Tell me that could not contribute to the bent tunnel.

You have a good point ,sure would add stress,I have a rear gas rack on my RX1 mtn will have to look into strengthing my tunnel before putting a gas can in it any more even though i haven't had any trouble the one time i used it.THANKS

 

[ZR800EFI]

I don't have a problem with mine yet, but don't by into the weight on the back of the sled and the studs grabbing the flap causing it.

My buddy was on an '00 SXr700 a few years ago with his wife on the back riding two-up. It was his first sled with reverse and we missed a turn...I didn't have reverse. We stopped beside each other, he looked at me, smiled and waved since he now had reverse and when he hit the throttle to back up, his flap sucked down, jerked the front of the sled up, then the flap ripped right off the back of the sled.

No bent tunnel.

Maybe some of what you guys are saying is contributing to the bent tunnel, but I think there must be something else involved too. Just my opinion...

 

[ROCKERDAN]

I don't have a problem with mine yet, but don't by into the weight on the back of the sled and the studs grabbing the flap causing it.

My buddy was on an '00 SXr700 a few years ago with his wife on the back riding two-up. It was his first sled with reverse and we missed a turn...I didn't have reverse. We stopped beside each other, he looked at me, smiled and waved since he now had reverse and when he hit the throttle to back up, his flap sucked down, jerked the front of the sled up, then the flap ripped right off the back of the sled.

No bent tunnel.

Maybe some of what you guys are saying is contributing to the bent tunnel, but I think there must be something else involved too. Just my opinion...

different sled your talking about...the 4 strokers have a different tunnel completely...not as strong IMO...due to the muffler and tunnel is peiced together and trying to save weight..

I have yet to see one bend myself,but i would get this can happen by what ive been reading here.
dan

 

[jimmie d]

Happened twice on the same RTX, riding with other guys hit a bump too hard twice. His sled the only one damaged.

Jim

 

[actionjack]

also if backed up in reverse and flap gets caught under track like off a steep trailer,or studded track gets caught it will pull down with major force on rear of tunnel..

dan

My tunnel is not bent, but I had that exact thing happen. We got 20", I went to my brothers house and backed my GT off the trailer in his yard. The sled would not come completey off. The snow was very soft and the track was going down to the ground catching the flap. I tried it once real hard and got jerked pretty good but didn't damage the tunnel. Wound up backing off as far as I could go then pulling the truck forward.

Wolfie seems sure his bent on a hard G bump somewhere in QC and his shock was blown. I think the flap could do it if the tunnel is weak enough and the flap is attached well enough.

 

[wolfie]

Add a trunk bag with contents, let’s say 7lbs., 4lbs in the rear compartment (tool kit and what ever), 17lbs. of muffler, Ice lets say 10lbs. (that’s after a good build-up) and your close to 40lbs. Compress the suspension all the way down and drop 40lbs on the very end of the tunnel from a couple of feet above to simulate the slam from hitting a bump at a high speed. Tell me that could not contribute to the bent tunnel.

Really, the only difference between the yamaha's and any other sled in this area is the muffler. So, for comparative purposes, the Yamaha has 17 more pounds on the rear than any other sled. They all get ice, they all run bags, etc. The problem, THE PROBLEM.........YAMAHA........is that the suspensions are calibrated way too soft. Any sled that bottoms out hard enough can break the suspension or bend the tunnel. If you look at the mono, it's a very stout unit, but I almost wished that would bend or break before the tunnel did.

 

[apex yooper]

Is the tunnel different, in the back, than the 03-05?

 

[SnowBandit]

Add a trunk bag with contents, let’s say 7lbs., 4lbs in the rear compartment (tool kit and what ever), 17lbs. of muffler, Ice lets say 10lbs. (that’s after a good build-up) and your close to 40lbs. Compress the suspension all the way down and drop 40lbs on the very end of the tunnel from a couple of feet above to simulate the slam from hitting a bump at a high speed. Tell me that could not contribute to the bent tunnel.

You have a good point ,sure would add stress,I have a rear gas rack on my RX1 mtn will have to look into strengthing my tunnel before putting a gas can in it any more even though i haven't had any trouble the one time i used it.THANKS

Can you tell me where you got those turn outs on the exhaust? I like to put a rack on my Attak to carry a chain saw from time to time... Or even a small bag..

Thanks

 

[87gtNOS]

I am still not understanding how if this suspension is 'too' soft, and supposedly bottoming out and bending the tunnels, when the wrinkles that have been shown are behind the rear suspension mounts. It would make more sense if the wrinkles were in front of the mounts.

I could see the ripple happening if you landed a jump with the front too high up and you bottomed the bumper on the ground.

 

[06RTXRider]

I agree 87gtnos , thats why it seems the weight of the exhaust, although not that heavy seems like it might be the only logical explanation. There is a lot of tunnel out behind the rear suspension mount and when the sled bottoms that mount point becomes the fulcrum. May be far fetched but i doubt it's the studs catching the flap

 

[BA APEX]

I am still not understanding how if this suspension is 'too' soft, and supposedly bottoming out and bending the tunnels, when the wrinkles that have been shown are behind the rear suspension mounts. It would make more sense if the wrinkles were in front of the mounts.

I could see the ripple happening if you landed a jump with the front too high up and you bottomed the bumper on the ground.

I think they mean, when the suspension bottoms the rest of the tunnel behind the mounts keeps going down.
example. swinging a stick down on a solid object, breaking the stick right at the overhanging site.
solid site being the mounts, rest of the tunnel being the part that breaks off.
not sure if i explained it the way i meant. but i tried. lol