i found out ive been dooped!

[sleddog66]

I have seen as much or even more corrosion on sleds due to storage in damp places.

I for one will clean my sled after every trip, and store it in a heated garage. Any sled that I buy new, still looks new even after 4 or 5 years. I did just pick up a used 07 attak, and you could tell that it was stored in a damp,musty barn. I don't think it was ever cleaned real well. Well I powder caoted the skid, put some S.S. hardware on the skies, and a few other spots. Did some aluminum cleaneing, some polishing, rubbing, waxing, and all kinds of other stuff. Now the sled looks decent, but still not as good as I keep a new one....Oh well.About 1/3 the price of new I guess...and $$ is a little tight right now

 

[big z]

what would it look like under the seat?
i have pics.

i tried replacing all the exhaust donuts on the sled 2 weeks ago thanks to the forum, but couldn't because the exhaust bolts were SO rusty. the guy i bought it from was a mechanic and did say it was on an open trailer... and i only have an open trailer. ill take some more pics of the sled today and even a video. thanks guys, you make me feel better as maybe my sled wasnt sunk.
heres a pic of the sleds rear skid. not the greatest pic
http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll29 ... C07422.jpg

 

[sleddog66]

Thats about how my skid looked, now after a Beef Up Kit and powder coat, it looks new. The factory paint on the mono skid is crap!

 

[Irv]

Thats about how my skid looked, now after a Beef Up Kit and powder coat, it looks new. The factory paint on the mono skid is crap!

X2, my 08 with only 2,100 miles didn't look any better than that one.

I removed it, sanded and repainted it with silver Tremclad.
Not sure how it will hold up but it is a lot better than what it looked like.

 

[big z]

ill take some more pics today. say guys, what are you getting for gas milage as now i think i may sell the apex, but get a rtx more for my riding style

 

[sheetwright]

Especially if the guy was an A$$ and trailered it without the cover on the sled while on an open trailer. I had an idiot do that to me once dropping it off, and I could of killed him. Took a lot of elbow grease to get her looking sharp. They are right salt then letting it sit a bit will eat your sled up. Need to do more investigating before you believe a buyer. Just my opinion though

 

[speedjunky]

I don't think you were talking with a YAMAHA GOD. I think he was a tire kicker. I feel a an open trailer with road salt will kill your sled. I also think if the sled was sunk the electronics all over the sled would have been poor.

 

[Super Sled]

Send that skid off to Welteracer to be sand blasted and powder coated. It'll look better than new.

 

[nate007]

I've both sunk my sled, and trailered on open trailers, and yes, the salt KILLS everything, and fast! Tjhe first couple years I traveled with my sled, I got very god at tearing my sled down and rebuilding it. I ended up powdercoating and polishing everything I could get my hands on. It definitely helps.

If you're mechanically inclined, get yourself a shop manual and don't hesitate to take as much apart as you need to in order to clean everything up. A good weekend project for sure, but a few different small brushes (brass for all the bolts), some WD (or similar) and a good spray oil/storage/rust preventative can help. I don't use WD for storage, simply because it won't last through the summer months without multiple applications. I use an industrial spray oil from Grainger. Can't remember the name off hand, but it's made for electric motor storage. Works great, and washes off easily when you need to.
PM me if you want to. I've been through your situation a few times..
http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php?t=60432

 

[Irv]

I've both sunk my sled, and trailered on open trailers, and yes, the salt KILLS everything, and fast! Tjhe first couple years I traveled with my sled, I got very god at tearing my sled down and rebuilding it. I ended up powdercoating and polishing everything I could get my hands on. It definitely helps.

If you're mechanically inclined, get yourself a shop manual and don't hesitate to take as much apart as you need to in order to clean everything up. A good weekend project for sure, but a few different small brushes (brass for all the bolts), some WD (or similar) and a good spray oil/storage/rust preventative can help. I don't use WD for storage, simply because it won't last through the summer months without multiple applications. I use an industrial spray oil from Grainger. Can't remember the name off hand, but it's made for electric motor storage. Works great, and washes off easily when you need to.
PM me if you want to. I've been through your situation a few times..
http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php?t=60432

Same here, "I don't use WD-40" I use a good rust preventative such as Rust Check or Krown undercoating, it won't hurt anything and lasts a long time.

A bit of elbow grease and some spray will have it back looking good in no time, just doing periodic mtce/cleaning goes a long way!
This is my 95 XLT SP and I get teased all the time about how good of shape it is in, which suits me fine

 

[mr. shide]

i use silicone spray lube on dam near everything, keeps stuff shiny and well protected. i hate corrosion, hate it. i would rather see grease slopped all over my spindles and skid than a spec of corrosion. hard to get rid of corrosion, grease, not so much. I bought the wife a 2001 sxr last year and it had 5000 miles. it must have never even seen a spec of salt ever and had anal owners!! the thing looks mint and i'm gonna keep it that way. YAMAHA actually sells a spray lube protectant but silicone spray works just as well

 

[spike337]

I un-fortunately have to trailer on an open trailer also. I use an old junk cover over my good cover, and spray the front arms, spindles and skid down with WD before i trailer. When i have my skid pulled during maint, i usually rub the bars down a little with my hands to make a little bit of a gease film on it.
Give it some tlc and run it.

 

[Honk]

what would it look like under the seat?
i have pics.

i tried replacing all the exhaust donuts on the sled 2 weeks ago thanks to the forum, but couldn't because the exhaust bolts were SO rusty. the guy i bought it from was a mechanic and did say it was on an open trailer... and i only have an open trailer. ill take some more pics of the sled today and even a video. thanks guys, you make me feel better as maybe my sled wasnt sunk.
heres a pic of the sleds rear skid. not the greatest pic
http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll29 ... C07422.jpg

They are always rusted, and probally you will either bust them off or strip out the top too! Just add a little heat, and it will come right out! I was very surprized that the two kid mechanics at the dealer didn't know this. They were workin way harder than they needed to. the heat cured this in a matter of seconds, took longer to get the tourchs out. No need to fight it! just work with it

 

[SnowBandit]

what would it look like under the seat?
i have pics.

i tried replacing all the exhaust donuts on the sled 2 weeks ago thanks to the forum, but couldn't because the exhaust bolts were SO rusty. the guy i bought it from was a mechanic and did say it was on an open trailer... and i only have an open trailer. ill take some more pics of the sled today and even a video. thanks guys, you make me feel better as maybe my sled wasnt sunk.
heres a pic of the sleds rear skid. not the greatest pic
http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll29 ... C07422.jpg

Thats how my 06 looked before I sent it out for beef up kit and powder coating.... Mine was trailered in an enclosed trailer all the time, I know of a few people that their rear skid looks just like that. The sled has never been sunk or even come close to being down. I don't ride on any frozen bodies of water unless I know it can support a tank! (Yup I am way scared of going through) My rear skid did have like 6,000+ miles on it. I now have close to 9,000 on it, 3,000 since powder coating and it still looks great. If it ever snows here in the Northeast I will get close to 12,000 and I am pretty sure it will still be perfect...I am hard on my sled and have taken both sets of A-arms out and a blukhead. Rivets were loose on one side this year too. But you know what the dang thing starts first try... My dad was even surprised when I went to pull it out of the garaged "That thing sounds great even after all those miles. Like the day you bought it" I ride in NH on some of the most beat trails in the world and the sled just keeps coming back for more... Go through the sled and then ride it... These things take a beating and keep coming back for more...

 

[Newfie Apex]

I do the same...I use a rustproofing spray on my skid...I spray it all the time...before I ride and after I come home and the sled dries out...I spray it everywhere..Skid, Tunnel, underhood, front suspension, everywhere...