DEJA VU I'm at a crossroads

[MarkRTX]

Well with a season that has started very slow here in Maine and some recent running quality issues with my Apex LTX I think this weekend I'm about done with Yamaha. First thing is three years ago almost to the month I totaled my 06 RTX when I hit a chunk of ice in the trail and tore a stud which took out my heat exchanger and cooked my motor. OK maybe just some bad luck well now I'm starting to think piss poor design with the clearance issues of studs on the new Apexes. Well yesterday running down the trail I ran over a coyote that was alive but already hit in the trail by another rider in my party. No big deal stop at local watering hole for drink and bathroom break and head back out on the sleds. Get 12 miles out of town and warning light comes on and I'm thinking oh great what else is wrong since later my apex has had all kinds of little issues electrical suspension and stuff, well I look to see antifreeze leaking from the front exchanger and feel a hole up in there. Can't find and partial torn studs but am sure it was hit by one. I know some will say ever manufacturer has some issues well say and think that all you want. I ride with F7s Turbo Z1s SkiDoos and other Yamahas and to date the only ones that have had issues that effect running quality performance have been Yamaha. All of my friends ride almost or as hard as I do I trail ride 99% of the time so we travel the same speeds and terrain and its been the Yamahas with broken suspensions slider wear wheel issues and the like. Not one of my friends have lost a motor in any of the other brands and not one of the 2 strokes have less than 3000 miles. I thought long and hard yesterday while waiting my truck to pick me up. Doing my own maintenance the past two years I have spent on average for oil changes plugs slids around around a 100 bucks along with my time. My wifes skidoo in the same past 3 seasons 25 bucks for grease plugs and chaincase oil and for the season about 65 in oil so about 90 for hers so doing the math the yamaha is no more cost effective and has cost me WAY more to get it to handle and ride better or on par with my wifes renegade. I have a bad feeling the motor cooked on this one also because after letting it cool for over a hour it barely started or stayed running and sounded like pure S%#T so I'm guessing its toast. I'm really considering a Cat or SkiDoo if my sled is totaled. I like yamaha and how well they keep there value but I WANNA RIDE not worry and worry. I keep up with my maintenance almost to much before this ride I changed the slides and retorqued all my studs and regreased the whole sled these are almost done after every trip. I know some will say don't run studs well here in Maine than can be very dangerous and I rather rip my front heat exchanger and/or cook the motor than wrap myself around a tree besides everyone I ride with has studs and they mostly service there sleds at the begining of the year and then just ride the hell out of them. And the Turbo cats have way more torque than a apex and hes had no issues so please talk me of the cliff I'm losing all faith in my Yamaha what to do??? Just want WINTER to end so I can just smoke the tire of my Harley and ride like a bat out of hell now thats awesome!!!!

 

[cannondale27]

You really think other makes dont throw studs through exchangers?

As long as you stopped when light came on and towed it you should be fine.

 

[pat the rat]

i know it sucks and all,but all this is preventable,i had the exact same thing happen a cpl years back on a warrior,but i dealt with the issue on my vector,no studs,dont want them ever again on a sled,my track is like new with 10000 miles,never had an issue whatsoever,but here,the trails are never icy,always plenty of snow,all brands have issues,but its your choice,you wont be gaining much more reliability with the other 3,just sayin

 

[MarkRTX]

If it wasn't for the icy conditions that happen quite a bit here in Maine then I wouldn't stud but I'm sure you have read the many reports of clearance issues with studs on these newer yamahas the only thing I may do is buy a new one and insist on a 1 inch hacksaw with much shorter studs but tell me why not one of the other brands my friends ride have these same problems and rid eas hard and some ride some serious ditch banging and hit #*$&@ and they don't have the problems I've had hitting lesser objects theres just not enough clearance built into the design in my opinion

 

[cannondale27]

I agree with Pat.On my SRX its just pure luck it hasnt happened since it sheds studs like a Porcupine.If I were concerned safety wise with having studs I would go for a IceRipper.Never heard of one of those embedded studs taking out a exchanger.

 

[CaptCaper]

We don't know your track setup..what kind of studs,track, protection,etc. Not fair to blast Yami before giving us the specifics.
I for one have an 07 Attak with 8000 plus miles with studs..I'm a huge guy..hit lots of bumps,bad trail conditions and never have lost a stud. Bent only one a little.
But I used what Woody's recommened in studs and patterns. Also what others here said about cooler protection...
On the other side of the coin is me. I ride with guys who have all makes and I've been the only one that never had an issue on the trail.
In the 8K miles I've only had to change two wheels that were starting to wobble last year.

 

[woolyviper]

TL DNR

 

[Super Sled]

Sorry about the bad luck, which is what is is, just bad luck.

 

[MarkRTX]

I'm running 162 woodys 1.325s on a stock ripsaw I've got the extra tunnel protectors and the like especially since my first mishap. I know things happen but twice to me and not one other in my group of no yamaha machines is getting to be to incidental to me. CaptCaper I'm sure you ride in very similar conditions as I do and above all places this last one happen in the County which has triple the coverage anywhere else around so what gives I mean this is twice in three years I faithfully re torque my studs just preventive from the first time around What gives and I've talked to a few with the new 2011s and up and they say the clearance issue is even worse and about the ice ripper I saw a sled first hand this weekend before my mishap that on of those small studs came out and caused a hole. The fluid leaked out after sitting a few days and as soon as he took off his light was on. He didn't loose the motor but still a thousand dollar job at the dealer to replace the exchanger. I'd rather have the added security and performance of a real stud then the little nipples on those tracks IMHO won't help you very much going into a corner at 40 mph and its been swept down to ice from all the non studded riders and traffic. So Still on the cliff anyone go right to a 1 inch track on the new 2011 and up sleds

 

[CaptCaper]

What brand or type are the studs?Woody's Gold Diggers? My parts guy at Yami (been one for years) claims they are the best. All other brands,types don't hold up as well.

 

[MarkRTX]

Gold diggers ran the mega bits on my last sled and broke a bunch so changed to golddiggers and until this weekend never broke one and from what I can see I didn't break one but gotta thaw sled out to look closely it sucks turning a track thats full of ice by hand...

 

[yamaha1973]

i just dont run studs, no issues

 

[rindtj]

Some tracks take studs better than others, we have a one inch track with 144 studs in it. I guess I don't know where your studs are going through? Maybe they are prone to tossing in that direction for some reason? I know tons of people that have tossed studs into heat exchangers on new and old sleds and can't say I hear more about Yamaha's. If I ran over a coyote I would expect a little damage?

 

[CaptCaper]

What pattern did you run? the recommened pattern from Woody's? I have a 03 VMax that has studs on the outside and those get pulled out. None inside.
My Attak has them all inside as well per Woddy's template/pattern and like I said in 8k no pull outs. Just one small bent one.
I don't ride hard though. I'm 63. I ride fast once I'm going but I'm careful not to spin the track in poor conditions or were a stud might grab too well.

 

[Panterawill]

OK, now Im worried. What should be done to protect the heat exchanger? Link to pic? Something I buy or make?