mdkuni
TY 4 Stroke Guru
I have been debating on whether or not to take my skid out of my 06 Apex that has 4600 miles on it to replace the bushings. How many miles should I see out of these? If the weather cooperates I hope to see 9500+ miles be the end of the season. I grease the suspension several times a year.
I really do not want to tear into it, but if you convince me it is pretty necessary then I guess I will. Or at least pay the dealer as I did my first skid this year for a 98 Vmax and it was more work then I expected (broken w arm, broken bolt inside one of the shafts that mounts to the tunnel, broken front shock support rod, and several bad bearings) Not bad for over 10,000 miles! Maybe the mono will be easier to work on?
Is anyone selling a bushing kit or do I need to buy them individually?
I really do not want to tear into it, but if you convince me it is pretty necessary then I guess I will. Or at least pay the dealer as I did my first skid this year for a 98 Vmax and it was more work then I expected (broken w arm, broken bolt inside one of the shafts that mounts to the tunnel, broken front shock support rod, and several bad bearings) Not bad for over 10,000 miles! Maybe the mono will be easier to work on?
Is anyone selling a bushing kit or do I need to buy them individually?
Swiss Sledder
TY 4 Stroke God
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I don't believe there is a magic number of miles when the bushings should be replaced. At the end of last season, I started to hear some squeaks so I've asked the dealer to examine the bushings and replace any worn ones. This is after 2750 miles and I always greased the suspension before each trip. On my 03 RX-1, the bushings were fine after 5000 miles. 
Mountain Performance has a complete set of bushings for $95.
Mountain Performance has a complete set of bushings for $95.
RX1-er-2005
Expert
If you grease 'em on a regular base, they should last for a long time, I've got close to 5000kms on mine and checked them out last week and are hardly worn...just keep pumpin' the grease to them and you shouldn't have any problems.
Same goes for front "A" arms bushings (skis)
Same goes for front "A" arms bushings (skis)
welterracer
TY 4 Stroke God
I pump grease in them before every ride..
at 4600 i would say they are probobly shot
at 4600 i would say they are probobly shot
DoktorC
TY 4 Stroke Master
The mono is so easy to remove that it's worth it just to check them out. I did mine this weekend and found that ALL my bushings were gone..like GONE. I did some searching on here and found all of the crazy issues that the 05's had with the mono and that this was fairly normal for 1900 miles (yikes!!!). The 06 mono is far superior in durability and greasabilty 
)) but it's still worth a check. I was just bored but I'm lucky I did check as the front stub shaft were worn half way through..you never know what you'll find!
)) but it's still worth a check. I was just bored but I'm lucky I did check as the front stub shaft were worn half way through..you never know what you'll find!
mdkuni
TY 4 Stroke Guru
Sure, why not another project. I guess I will pull her out and see what I find. I should probably look at the front to. Are the four main bushings on each of the four A-arms all I should be concerned with?
Can anyone give me the torque specs on the front arms and all of the rear suspension bolting points?
Can anyone give me the torque specs on the front arms and all of the rear suspension bolting points?
RX1-er-2005
Expert
A good indication that your suspension bushings are shot is that you'll notice a lot less transfer or lifting the skiis off the ground under hard acceleration...
RX1-er-2005
Expert
welterracer said:
You "MUST" pump grease threw them at least every 500kms
I have the '06 bushings that have bean revised by Yamaha and I've driven close to 5000 kms and are still in very good shape.
Grease quality has a lot to do with durability too.
hondo
VIP Member
I changed all my bushings on my RS Venture at 11,700 miles, which was toward the end of last season. The front end was getting way to sloppy. You will know when its ready to change out the bushings. For me, I couldn't stand the sloppyness anymore.
However, there was a "Sweet Spot" around 7,000-10,000 miles. The front suspension was just right for me. There was just enough loosening where the sled would carve and handle really well.
My .02 cents on my experience with bushings.
Hope the input helps!
However, there was a "Sweet Spot" around 7,000-10,000 miles. The front suspension was just right for me. There was just enough loosening where the sled would carve and handle really well.
My .02 cents on my experience with bushings.
Hope the input helps!
Alatalo
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Seems like frequent maintenance with grease really helps. I just compared my -06 with grease zerks to my -05 without grease zerks:
At 4100 km (2548 miles) my -06 bushings still look like brand new since I have used the grease zerks at least every 500 km (311 miles).
At 3500 km (2175 miles) my -05 bushings were in a very bad condition, yet I took the complete rear suspension out for cleaning and greasing at least three times...
At 4100 km (2548 miles) my -06 bushings still look like brand new since I have used the grease zerks at least every 500 km (311 miles).
At 3500 km (2175 miles) my -05 bushings were in a very bad condition, yet I took the complete rear suspension out for cleaning and greasing at least three times...
mdkuni
TY 4 Stroke Guru
Thanks for all the info. 
Anyone have torque specs?
Anyone have torque specs?
ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
All front & pivot arm mounting points (except shock) 52 ft-lbs
Front & rear pivot arm to shock 35 ft-lbs
Front pivot arm to limiter 2.9 ft-lbs
Idler wheels to slide rails 43 ft-lbs
Rear axle 54 ft-lbs
Yamaha only calls for loctite on all rear pivot arm mounting points, but I also loctite the front pivot arm and idler wheel nuts (I basically loctite every nut and bolt on the sled...).
In my experience I found my rear suspension bushings were close to perfect condition after about 9500 kms (5500 miles) last season. I greased the rear skid pretty much every ride with shell fully synthetic marine grease (all low speed joints).
The front suspension on the other hand badly needed new bushings at 10,000 kms (6000 miles) and needed new bushings again at 9500 kms (5500 miles). There isn't really any way to grease them (without installing grease fittings); although I have heard that if you spray lube at all the joints regularly and start off with well greased bushings they do last much better.
In 05, the rear suspension bushings needed replacing roughly every 2000 kms - the 06 rear skid was much, much better.
Front & rear pivot arm to shock 35 ft-lbs
Front pivot arm to limiter 2.9 ft-lbs
Idler wheels to slide rails 43 ft-lbs
Rear axle 54 ft-lbs
Yamaha only calls for loctite on all rear pivot arm mounting points, but I also loctite the front pivot arm and idler wheel nuts (I basically loctite every nut and bolt on the sled...).
In my experience I found my rear suspension bushings were close to perfect condition after about 9500 kms (5500 miles) last season. I greased the rear skid pretty much every ride with shell fully synthetic marine grease (all low speed joints).
The front suspension on the other hand badly needed new bushings at 10,000 kms (6000 miles) and needed new bushings again at 9500 kms (5500 miles). There isn't really any way to grease them (without installing grease fittings); although I have heard that if you spray lube at all the joints regularly and start off with well greased bushings they do last much better.
In 05, the rear suspension bushings needed replacing roughly every 2000 kms - the 06 rear skid was much, much better.
mdkuni
TY 4 Stroke Guru
Rex thank you very much for the specs.
I found out Pioneer Performance will have a bushing kit available soon for the monoshock. That is the only place I have been able to locate a kit at. The one at Mountain Performance is not for the monoshock.
I found out Pioneer Performance will have a bushing kit available soon for the monoshock. That is the only place I have been able to locate a kit at. The one at Mountain Performance is not for the monoshock.
Thee bushings to use.
The best bushing to use for the RX series mono suspensions is, the oil-lite brass type. Take suspension out, measure up the bushing sizes you need, and order them from any bearing, or other type store. When you are at, it replace aluminum shafts that come with the suspension with stainless steel ones and sit back and enjoy the trouble free sledding. Of course with the 05 suspensions, install at least 8 graese fittings that will help that trouble and super quiet yammy ride.
The best bushing to use for the RX series mono suspensions is, the oil-lite brass type. Take suspension out, measure up the bushing sizes you need, and order them from any bearing, or other type store. When you are at, it replace aluminum shafts that come with the suspension with stainless steel ones and sit back and enjoy the trouble free sledding. Of course with the 05 suspensions, install at least 8 graese fittings that will help that trouble and super quiet yammy ride.
mdkuni
TY 4 Stroke Guru
WOW! I love the monoshock. Taking that skid out was a breeze. I checked all 10 bushings and they are still in excellent shape after 4600 miles. The bearings in the two top wheels were shot and I replaced them. That is valuable top end I was loosing! Tip for putting the skid back in: I found it is much easier to put the front two bolts in first before the rear.
I also was able to see what is clunking on the slow small bumps. It is definitely the transfer rod. To see for your self raise the sled off the ground and push up on the track just below the rail caps and the rod will move and clunk as it gets to the end.
I did not take apart the front suspension but there is an awful lot of free play so I may just have the dealer check it out unless it is not to big of a job...
I also was able to see what is clunking on the slow small bumps. It is definitely the transfer rod. To see for your self raise the sled off the ground and push up on the track just below the rail caps and the rod will move and clunk as it gets to the end.
I did not take apart the front suspension but there is an awful lot of free play so I may just have the dealer check it out unless it is not to big of a job...
