Hyfax - What's wrong with this picture? What's the solution?

[ReX]

Take a look at these pictures and the descriptions (the next post shows the problem!).

These are pictures of the hyfax on my 07 RTX with 750 miles on it. When I started the day the hyfax was in decent shape. The trails we were on had a good 4+ inches of fresh, loose snow on them so there shouldn't have been any hyfax heating issues.

 

[ReX]

Here's the problem

Here's the problem.

The left hyfax has broken in two and is wrapped around the rear axle!

The hyfax wear looks about the same as on the right side.

 

[ReX]

What do you think is causing this rapid wear at the curve in the rail and the hyfax to break in two?

I'm not sure how many miles I rode with it like this, but I noticed it about 2 hours from home. I ended up waiting almost 3 hours for a buddy I was with to ride home and come back to pick me and my sled up. Not the way I wanted to end my day of sledding.

I melted the snow off my sled just now and it doesn't look like the slide rails have been damaged (much - I'll know better when I take the skid out tomorrow). It also looks like my track has been spared any damage (all the clips are still there, etc.).

The right side (side that didn't break) is not worn through at the curve, but it is worn down close to the wear line.

Is anyone else seeing this sort of wear with their 07 RTX?

 

[studdog]

They all seem to wear there first and then level out. I've had three Yamaha's 04 warrior,06 attak and 07 Attak. All the same. Put marginal snow wheel kit on 07 better wear but still in same place. MY ski-doo's never wore out hyfax. Smells like bad skid design to me.

 

[SRXSRULE]

The hyfax broke because you wore all the way through it. Basicaly burned it in two pieces. I'm guessing you need to adjust your front limiter straps to start with. You can also install slightly larger wheels in that location. Eric

 

[xcsp]

Wheel kit

You could also add the Yamaha accessory Marginal Wheel Kit or the Fix Powersports wheel kit.

Both can be mounted at at or near the rail bend to aid in preventing your problem, that is unless there is something else that needs to be checked out on the skid.

 

[ReX]

My theory is the hyfax wore through at the curve because the track tension was tighter than most guys run theirs (including me). You can see that the rest of the hyfax isn't worn all that much so the problem isn't snow conditions.

I've been having trouble with track ratcheting and after experimenting with tightness of the track (tightening it up until it stops ratcheting - or at least gets it mostly under control) I found I need to run it at the tight end of Yamaha's spec. Even here it will still ratchet a little in deep snow and in certain snow conditions.

The spec is 30-35mm gap with 22 lbs on the track (on most of my sleds I adjust it to the looser end of the spec and let it get looser from there until I check it again several 100 or ever a 1000 miles later).

So - since the track needs to be run this tight to control ratcheting and that (if I am correct) leads to rapid hyfax wear at the curve I have a problem.

I'm pulling the skid out again right now and I'm going to very carefully check the drivers to make sure they were installed properly at the factory (correct spacing, etc.). If there isn't a problem there then I'm probably going to have to resort to either not using full throttle or installing anti-ratchet drivers. I will try tightening up the limiter strap another hole (already 1 hole tighter than stock) to see if that helps, but when I'm cruising the limiter is very loose right now (once the ice builds up, even with the heavy duty springs installed the ride height is a little on the low side) so I can't see that helping much.

Here is a thread on the ratcheting:

http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php?t=39924

 

[Mikecam]

I'll go take some pics of mine. I don't remember any wear at the front. My wear was at the rear just in front of the rear bogey. Melted mine out yesterday so I should be able to get some good pics.

 

[ReX]

Re: Wheel kit

You could also add the Yamaha accessory Marginal Wheel Kit or the Fix Powersports wheel kit.

Both can be mounted at at or near the rail bend to aid in preventing your problem, that is unless there is something else that needs to be checked out on the skid.

I was thinking about adding these too but I'm not sure if that is the best fix durability wise. Those little wheels would have to spin very fast and I could see the bearings going in them quickly.

I don't really care what it costs I just want a sled that can be ridden 1000's of miles without problems. I bought this sled to handle weeks of vacationing in northern Ontario and Quebec. My plan is to do some trips where we put on up to 5000 miles in one trip and the only thing I wanted to schedule in was an oil change and a lube job (of course there will likely be the odd problem too - but I don't want to plan on them other than allowing 1 day in the schedule for maintenance). With my last sled I was able to get 6000 miles out of a pair of hyfax and there was still lots of life left.

Another problem I just discovered that might be somehow be contributing to this is the upper bushings on the front pivot arm are completely shot (I have greased the skid every 100-200 miles) so the arm is loose and riding right on the aluminum shaft. I tried to buy a bunch of additional wear items in advance (I already have a pile of parts stocked in my shop, including brake pads) to make sure I had this sort of thing on hand and discovered these bushings are already back ordered and aren't expected to be available anytime soon. My guess is there is some sort of issue with these wearing quickly on the 07 RTX so I'm thinking of having custom oilite bushings made up and having the shaft machined to press on a hardened sleeve (so the bushing rides on this instead of aluminum).

 

[ReX]

I'll go take some pics of mine. I don't remember any wear at the front. My wear was at the rear just in front of the rear bogey. Melted mine out yesterday so I should be able to get some good pics.

I was expecting any rapid wear to occur just in front of the rear axle too. That's why before I even rode it I installed the 4th wheel kit and the extra accessory pair of idler wheels (I have 6 pairs of regular 04 RX-1 idlers installed - you can see the extra pair in the pictures above).

In my case I haven't had any wear problems in this area.

 

[Mikecam]

Compared to the rear my front wear is almost none. I went up one on the straps and I did loosen my front shock to help with the ratcheting.I took a picture to try to show you the setup. I don't go by 30/35ml anymore. Mine is adj. so once in a blue moon it will ratchet only in powder and only if I hit it from a dead stop. On a packed trail nothing I do will make it ratchet. Did notice that one of my inside wheels has come apart. You can see it in front of the threaded portion of the shock. How do you take it out? Hope you don't have to remove the skid.

 

[welterracer]

I got 1600 miles out of my last set of hyfax and they werent worn threw yet.. could have gone another 200+ miles if there was good snow..

My first set of hyfax only lasted 400 miles.(track set at factory slack). my second set lasted 800 miles..(also set at factory slack)

I then added the SLP wear pads and got 1600 miles out of one set..


I now leave my track VERY LOOSE... about 2-3 inches

I think we have been setting the track tension too tight on these sleds for a long time..

I l

 

[ReX]

I got 1600 miles out of my last set of hyfax and they werent worn threw yet.. could have gone another 200+ miles if there was good snow..

My first set of hyfax only lasted 400 miles.(track set at factory slack). my second set lasted 800 miles..(also set at factory slack)

I then added the SLP wear pads and got 1600 miles out of one set..


I now leave my track VERY LOOSE... about 2-3 inches

I think we have been setting the track tension too tight on these sleds for a long time..

I l

Hang on you're talking about a monoshock skid. I got over 10,000 km (6000 miles) on the hyfax with my monoshock suspension and the hyfax was not nearly worn out. Also not once did I ever have a problem with ratcheting, even riding in extremely deep powder for hours.

My new sled has the ProActive CK and this is the one that went through a set of hyfax in 750 miles (1200 km) and several of us, myself included, have been having problems with ratcheting if we don't run the track tight. Based on my experience if it isn't at the tight end of Yamaha's spec it will ratchet badly.

Also, this season almost all of my mileage has been with a buddy riding an 06 Apex ER. His hyfax is still very good (looking like it should last 6000+ miles at this rate) and he hasn't had any trouble with ratcheting either. Same trails, same conditions, same speeds, same mileage.

 

[welterracer]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!


Ya got me there.. I cant figure out myself why these sleds go threw hyfax soo much when all of my friends go 3000-4000 miles on hyfax with very little wear..


Is your track fully clipped? If not do you run the SLP wear pads??

Ive had hyfax wear problems with every yamaha sled ive owned.. Viper, 2 Rx warriors and my apex..

 

[ReX]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!


Ya got me there.. I cant figure out myself why these sleds go threw hyfax soo much when all of my friends go 3000-4000 miles on hyfax with very little wear..


Is your track fully clipped? If not do you run the SLP wear pads??

Ive had hyfax wear problems with every yamaha sled ive owned.. Viper, 2 Rx warriors and my apex..

Yes my track is fully clipped and it is only a 1" track. My buddy is running the stock Ripsaw, clipped every third, which I'd expect would be worse for hyfax wear.