Just bought a 2005 RS Rage and there are a few issues.....

[NLP_SLED_GUY]

Ordered the cam chain tensioner parts. But that engine mount tool is tough to find. I found K&L by they don't have it listed on the site. I sent an email asking about it.

Looks like I'm in a holding pattern for parts.

Thanks for the input. You can never value community support enough!

Ed

 

[RobX-1]

Nice. Having it torn down this far and now knowing it may have been ran rough and neglected, you might want to replace that jack shaft bearing and the drive axle bearing. You don't have to open up the chain case to replace the bearing if it ends needing to be replaced. If anything, pry off the outer seal on the bearing and spray out old grease and add new.

 

[NLP_SLED_GUY]

Nice. Having it torn down this far and now knowing it may have been ran rough and neglected, you might want to replace that jack shaft bearing and the drive axle bearing. You don't have to open up the chain case to replace the bearing if it ends needing to be replaced. If anything, pry off the outer seal on the bearing and spray out old grease and add new.

Thanks, I kinda hoped I didn't have to do that right away. But you are right. It's apart.... I ordered all of the driver, jackshaft and chaincase bearings and seals this morning.

Spent the morning driving to Mickey's Sled in Midland to get the center shock rebuilt. That will be maybe a week.

Got home and started to clean up and inspect the secondary. It's toast. Both sheaves are full of cracks. Not casting lines. But you can follow them around to the opposite sides. In the area where the sheaves would meet at maximum travel. since there wasn't really a secondary spring in it that might make sense.

This sled is starting to add up!

Thanks again,

Ed

 

[RobX-1]

Well, if it hasn't already been mentioned in this post, get a hold of Travis @hibshman25 of Barn Of Parts as he parts out Yamaha 4 stroke snowmobiles and I suspect he would probably have some good used OEM parts to replace your worn/broken parts but at a much reduced price than buying new.

 

[NLP_SLED_GUY]

Well, if it hasn't already been mentioned in this post, get a hold of Travis @hibshman25 of Barn Of Parts as he parts out Yamaha 4 stroke snowmobiles and I suspect he would probably have some good used OEM parts to replace your worn/broken parts but at a much reduced price than buying new.

He has been mentioned thank you!

I did find one fairly close for the entire clutch for about $90. I consider that cheap compared to everything else. It looks a lot better than the one on the machine.

I'm sure I'll need more parts the way things are going with this sled. I'll be sure to keep him in mind the next time.... part....

I'm getting ready to take out the front control arms. Parts aren't here yet, but it gives me time to look for other problems and clean things up. Then when parts show up and can just put it back together.

I knew it would need some fixing. Don't all used snowmobiles? I've worked on several like this now. Used sleds are a can of worms. It' just matters how hard you look. And it seems the used sled sellers are worse than used car salesmen!

Thanks again all. I'll take a few pictures and maybe a short video.

Ed

 

[thrasher]

Ordered the cam chain tensioner parts. But that engine mount tool is tough to find. I found K&L by they don't have it listed on the site. I sent an email asking about it.

Looks like I'm in a holding pattern for parts.

Thanks for the input. You can never value community support enough!

Ed

Again, follow grizztracks post as a sticky on how to change the cam chain tensioner. He shows how to make the engine mount tool out of a socket. I made mine as he shows out of an unused long socket. Worked just fine.

 

[NLP_SLED_GUY]

Again, follow grizztracks post as a sticky on how to change the cam chain tensioner. He shows how to make the engine mount tool out of a socket. I made mine as he shows out of an unused long socket. Worked just fine.

I saw and read the thread, but I clearly missed that part. I was reading where some gents fashioned a tool out of some sort of channeling. I figured looked like a socket. I'll take a better look. My bad.

Thanks,

Ed

EDIT:

I went back and realized I did read it. Even looked at the picture. I just missed it. Never clicked.

I plan on doing the chain case bearings and seals. It appears that having the jack shaft out might buy some operating space.

Ed

 

[NLP_SLED_GUY]

I've further broken the sled down. Pics in a bit. The entire project is only hold for parts. I'm finding that most of the online parts warehouses have become unreliable for various reasons. Most stating the they have parts in stock that simply aren't. Then holding up the orders for these parts. I've basically received nothing but a few parts from Dennis Kirk and off of ebay.

The biggest hold up right now is the new cam chain tensioners. Everybody says they have them until you order one. Back ordered from Japan. It's hard to get anything done with the old tensioner out and the engine cocked up. So I clean the carbs. Also clean and painted a bunch of things. Also finding a lot of little things that don't always need new parts. Just finding little clues that I'm not the first to have this sled mostly apart.

Another hard to find parts are the primary weights. Mine are trashed. Some problem as the tensioner. The dates they keep quoting come and go.

Thanks,

Ed

 

[maim]

back ordered parts always suck.

as to the clutch weights, have you looked to see if someone on here is selling a set? most convert to aftermarket clutching for better performance.

 

[NLP_SLED_GUY]

back ordered parts always suck.

as to the clutch weights, have you looked to see if someone on here is selling a set? most convert to aftermarket clutching for better performance.

I'll check, but is there a recommended clutch kit or two? I've found some but the prices seem to vary considerably. Are the improvements due to clutch re-calibration worth the money? Hauck and Ulmer are two shops I found with clutch kits.

I've also looked at exhaust modifications. But the prices are wild to me. For half the price I put a stainless catback on my street car! Same thing goes for shocks on sleds. Crazy costs compared to the same quality on a car.

Thank you,

Ed

 

[maim]

i have ran ulmers kit on my rx war and liked it. he sets it for how you plan to ride it. mine was set for best corner to corner performance and i liked it. the guys at thunder product would be willing to hook you up as well.

on the carb sleds, the clutching on factory was not ideal and there was big improvements with aftermarket kits or weights being used.

 

[NLP_SLED_GUY]

i have ran ulmers kit on my rx war and liked it. he sets it for how you plan to ride it. mine was set for best corner to corner performance and i liked it. the guys at thunder product would be willing to hook you up as well.

on the carb sleds, the clutching on factory was not ideal and there was big improvements with aftermarket kits or weights being used.

Thank you!

Ed

 

[RobX-1]

It seems here lately that the reason for the backorders is due to no US Yamaha warehouses carrying inventory like they used to and the parts have to come from Japan. I had two orders that were on backorder due to this; one order was placed on 3/29 and received the last part on 5/4 and the other order placed on 7/11 and received the final part on 8/25. At least they partially shipped my orders so I was able to receive the items that were available but sure doesn't help when the part you need the most is the one with the longest ETA.

As for clutching, I always thought Yamaha left a lot on the table when it came to their clutching and I always found aftermarkets to be so much more of an improvement over stock. I too run Ulmer's clutching kits in both of my Apex's but also purchased the Power Commanders and for the 08, the Ignition Module setups from him as well as run his air box mod and am very pleased with them. When the 08 was my primary sled, I ran an MBRP exhaust for one season but ended up going back to stock and didn't feel I lost much as the Apex still ran strong and still does to this day.

Since you're waiting for parts and are in a holding pattern but have the sled torn down as far as you do, something to bide the time might be to polish your tunnel but I will say it's a labor of love. Always wished Yamaha would have offered painted tunnels as I always hated the dull aluminum look they naturally turn to. This was my 18 before it even had a single mile on it. I had it apart to swap out the 1.75" track for a 1.25" track and in doing so, also switched back to the 9 tooth drivers. Since it was torn apart like that, made it the perfect opportunity to give the tunnel a nice polish. I actually do it now every season on the two Apex's and if you stay up on it, isn't that bad to maintain. Just a thought in case you were looking for an excuse to hang out in the garage in the evenings and still be "working on sleds".

 

[NLP_SLED_GUY]

That's actually what I have been doing. Not sure to the extent I plan on going. I'm still finding layers of belt dust and oil in the bottom of the sled. I have started cleaning up parts like the nasty battery bracket, Cam cover and anything that looks like it's worth putting effort into.

Like I mentioned, the front is pretty much done and needs aligning. The rear actually looks pretty decent and the only bad part in the rear was the center shock which was sent out for rebuilding. I need to get an update on that. I'll probably take the rear end apart to give things a much closer look. Get rid of the old grease and maybe put a coat of paint on a few things. I'm finding that it appears to be fairly low mileage, 5800. But hasn't seen any real love.

I do have a VMAX 700 in the background that I need to finish. But it's the same with the parts. Even things that should be stocked like simple spindle bushings are hard to get if you order them from a parts house at the moment. In the last two days I have canceled 6 orders and modified 2 just to get things moving again. I can't believe that ebay is the most reliable source currently. But you have to watch out, some of these parts houses are trolling on ebay saying they have the parts in stock but don't. ugh.

I only owned it a day or so before tearing it apart. I have to look at pictures to remember what it looks like together.

Thanks,

Ed

 

[thrasher]

One item that no one seems to have mentioned, which is far more likely to fail than the cam chain tensioner, is the failure of the paper thin oil tank on these sleds. These oil tanks are infamous for cracking at the lower front edge due to vibration and being not allowed to move. This has happened to me personally, and almost ruined a week long tour. I ended up fixing mine with a new tank and rubber wire grommets and improvised bolts. Barn of Parts does sell an oil tank saver kit for this known issue. It would be high on my list of things to fix.