Cracked "W" arm in the rear skid

[RX1Jim]

I have my rear skid frame out of my 03 RX1 to clean it, replace the bushings and hyfax strips. I know people have said the W arm has cracked, mine looks fine, none of the welds are cracked. While the frame is apart I am going to reinforce the W arm as shown in the picture shown in the Maxx Perf. catalog. Where do these arms usually crack? After the welding is done I'm going to get it powder coated along with the rest of the painted frame parts. Thanks!!!

 

[JDMCRX]

Bump i want the same info can people post a pic

thanks

 

[Bob Miller]

Jim,
I rewelded mine! I noticed very fine hairline cracks on several of the welds. The reason for this is the welds where undercut, meaning when they where manufactured the welds where either too hot or run at the wrong wire feed speed, so therefore the edge of the weld actually thinned out the sguare tubing, thus making it the weakest part of the structure

 

[4Fighter]

W-arms don't crack, do they? LOL

It's better to weld and reinforce them, than to have Yamaha replace it under warranty.

First one, Yamaha replaced. The second, I welded it, reinforced it, then put the skid on eBay. Good luck

 

[RX1Jim]

Can anyone post pics of how they reinforced the W arm? A pic is worth 10,00 words!! Thanks

 

[Honk]

they brake right by the rubber bumpers. but check all the welds closely. hairline cracks if caught early enough

 

[LazyBastard]

It works like this - when the straps are pulled tight FAST, the rails want to keep going forward. They crack RIGHT WHERE THE STRAP PASSES THROUGH and should be reinforced on the BOTTOM.

With the skid out, invision bending the arm up after the strap is fully extended. THAT is the spot.

 

[Yamadog]

Yeah this is a fairly common problem not only limited to the front arm. I replaced my suspension with a Bender ReAction mono unit and almost every weld was cracked and the upper inner tubes next to the bumpers were broke completly off. I just pulled the skid on my 98 sx700 and it was just as bad. I have welded all the cracks and added reinforcment plates over the weak points. I have been at a shop and seen more than 5 RX-1's there with rears out being welded.

 

[RX1Jim]

What are you guys riding on to cause the welds to crack like this??? All 4 of my sleds (with a combined mileage of 30,000 miles) do not have a single crack. Nonetheless, I am going to reinforce the W arms and other points that look weak.

I don't want to end up adding a lot of extra weight due to the reinforcement.

Thanks!!

 

[Yamadog]

Same crap as everyone else. You should see what is left of the RX-1 suspension. Both ends broke off the transfer rods one flange completely off the rear bracket theat mounts to the rails, all of the welds broken on the front W arm and the 2 inner tubes snapped clean off. I weigh 170 geared up. I don't ditch bang all riding is done in the UP. My Sx 700 broke the rod where the front W arm mounts to the tunnel. It bored a hole through the mounting brackets in the tunnel and lunched the plastick bushings. W arm had 4 cracked welds and the 1 inner upper tube was broken free. I just had the skid out at the beginning of the season and went over everything. I Put 600 miles on this sled this year. All is repaired but waiting on the new mounting plates for the tunnel and hope to have it out this weekend.

 

[whits-end]

What LB said!
But also, the other side can crack from hard bottoming.
Just saw a 700 V-Max that broke the bottom bolts that attach that W-arm.
(horizontal ones)
Never seen that before, but I'm guessing it must be from hard bottoming.

 

[yamahauler]

On all 3 of my Yamaha's I have cracked the W arms, just cracked my RX-1 this weekend, had 3000 miles on it before the ride all the welds looked fine, thought hey this one might last, WRONG, after about 700 miles into our 1000 mile 5 day trip it broke 20 miles out of big bay, had to get it welded up there for a quick fix, if you ride them hard they will crack eventually, 3 other guys I ride with have all cracked theirs too, the best way to reinforce them is to take 3/4" angle iron and add them the full length everywhere you can, then take 1' flat stock and connect the outer and inner tubes together wherever you can at least one piece at the top and one in the middle, this one was the worst one so far I've seen it broke in half in 3 spots and the welds failed in about 4 other spots.

 

[Len Todd]

I guess if you don't want the thing to crack, you just don't ever look, right? I never look and I never find any cracks.

Really, .... This is a good thread. I have had cats for 30+ years and never had a crack in a skid. I never really thought there could be a problem with this in our RXes. I just had the skid out to replace most of the wheel bearings and nothing fell off. So I guess it will last til summer.

 

[snappy]

mine cracked in the usuall spots after 2 seasons, gave to someone had it rewelded and gussets added it cracked again after 1 season.threw it in the trash and bought a new one from yamaha.