Bulkhead question

[Danno-23]

I can't seem to find any genuine information on the net about whether the bulkhead can be replaced 1 piece at a time, or if both pieces must come out together.
It seems like everyone just quotes someone else, and cant back up their own replacement experience with how it has to come out.
On my 2006 Nytro ER; I broke the ear off my right front bulkhead. Undid all rivets, and bolts, took out the steering rack studs by loctiting the nut to the stud, and backing it off. But for some reason the bulkhead is still stuck, somehow still wedged in. It should slide straight towards the front as there is no steering rack studs preventing the movement.
I am trying my best to avoid undoing the left side bulkhead. Has anyone actually replaced the bulkhead 1 half at a time?
For the record, I don't need a bulkhead saver kit. I already bought the bulkhead, longbolts, and 2 control arms for $300. A good deal.

The upper bulkhead to horseshoe looking bracket nuts are undone too, regardless of the picture.
Please help!

 

[steiner]

Contact MrSled. He has done several bulkhead replacements.

 

[MrSled]

You will have to remove the oil tank return line and push the line back thru and then remove the plastic ring that protects the line... that could be holding it back.

 

[Danno-23]

There it is.
It is possible. MrSled gave me confidence that it can be done. Although there was no oil line going through the front most bulkhead (it does go through the mid frame though). I had a closer look, and noticed the upper bulkheads were male/femaled together with a round protrusion that was preventing the right bulkhead from sliding forward. After undoing the left side bulkhead to horseshoe brace nuts, it was able to move over the 2 or 3 mm that was required (see picture). So the right bulkhead slid forward with great promise. Until the back side of it (picture 2) ran into the horseshoe brace. The upper most rear of the left bulkhead has a high spot which when jammed between the belly pan, you can almost not get it past the horseshoe brace. Took a lot of pounding with a wooden broom handle, a hammer, and some crowbars, but it finally came out.

Hopefully putting the replacement bulkhead IN instead of OUT will be easier, because I can hammer on the front face of it, rather than snaking all inbehind the engine.

 

[MrSled]

There it is.
It is possible. MrSled gave me confidence that it can be done. Although there was no oil line going through the front most bulkhead (it does go through the mid frame though). I had a closer look, and noticed the upper bulkheads were male/femaled together with a round protrusion that was preventing the right bulkhead from sliding forward. After undoing the left side bulkhead to horseshoe brace nuts, it was able to move over the 2 or 3 mm that was required (see picture). So the right bulkhead slid forward with great promise. Until the back side of it (picture 2) ran into the horseshoe brace. The upper most rear of the left bulkhead has a high spot which when jammed between the belly pan, you can almost not get it past the horseshoe brace. Took a lot of pounding with a wooden broom handle, a hammer, and some crowbars, but it finally came out.
Hopefully putting the replacement bulkhead IN instead of OUT will be easier, because I can hammer on the front face of it, rather than snaking all inbehind the engine.

Well at least I helped to give you that boost...

 

[HighSpeedLowDrag]

It will be worth your time to take out the fuel tank and slide the steering gate back 2" to get it back together. Also replace any smoking rivets on the left side as they tend to loosen. If you were closer I would be trying to buy your broken side just to use as an engine mount for the new front suspension geometry I want to build instead of cutting a good one.

 

[Danno-23]

What am I looking at to remove the gas tank? Looks like a fair bit of work.... But I have to get behind it anyway some day to fix an alignment issue that I think can only be solved through the first tie-rod behind the engine.

 

[4strokeluvr111]

While I haven't done it Travis at Barn of Parts said you can replace one side. Almost did it for a friend but he dumped the sled.

 

[hibshman25]

Sorry to see you went through hassle of replacing the bulkhead. We offer a bolt on repair kit for the broken lower ears. You may want to consider putting a saver kit on to prevent a future tear out.

 

[steiner]

What am I looking at to remove the gas tank?

Remove the seat and the gas tank cover. Disconnect the fuel line and fuel pump and remove the two nuts that hold the tank down.
Now slide the tank back a few inches, remove the 10mm bolt that holds the over flow tank to access the fuel return line. Disconnect that line and the fuel sender wires on the other side.
Tank will now slip out.

 

[Danno-23]

Welcome to the snowmobile world, where everyone will rip you off. The bulkhead I bought must have had 8000 miles on it, because the bushing holes are worn out so that the bushings simply slide in with no pressing at all. Now I have a 2500km bulkhead with a torn ear, and a "good shape" bulkhead with worn out bushing holes. Someone give me a time machine so I can go back and just buy the bulkhead repair kit, and do it right.
Now I guess I can either green loctite some oilite bushings into the new bulkhead, and maybe install a bulkhead saver plate.

For now I decided to just get it back together with the worn out bulkhead I picked up, since the snow is fast melting here in Newfoundland. I managed to get the bulkhead in without sliding the steering gate back. Actually slightly easier putting it than taking it out. It looked like it wasnt worth my time to move the steering gate anyway, because all the parking brake and other steering gear gear is bolted to it; and it looked like a mess. But for now, it is caught up on the steering gate bolts near the front at the moment. Once I get a rubber mallet, It should seat itself properly, in go the rivets, and the sled should be back together shortly.
Pictures to follow for those who are curious.

 

[Danno-23]

Got the new (used) bulkhead in and ready to go. Except the front clamp bolts aren't lining up.

Interesting. Either the Nytro bulkhead comes a little shallower than the Apex bulkhead, or someone smashed something good with the Nytro, and bent my bulkheads in like a banana.
Now I am offered a 3rd option in this bulkhead fix. 3) Head it with a torch, and try and bang it out flush.

 

[hibshman25]

Have had several customers use a saver kit and jb weld to fix egged bushing holes. Once saver is in place the bolts no longer rotate so bushings will never wear out.

 

[Danno-23]

Someone want to tell me if this is normal spec for a bulkhead? This is the one I took off. I'll guess this one is bent. Someone clarify it with another bulkhead section view please.
Hard to say if a bulkhead saver kit can fit this banana

 

[T-rav 27]

I know this is an old post but how dis u remove the 2 studs that stick out of the bulkhead from the steering rod that attach both pieces