More idler wheels and newer spindles?

[thebenzmane55]

Ive got a 17 ltx dx... Can four idler wheels be installed on the outside of the rails like the newer sleds? if so is there a kit?

I've also debated trying to figure out how to put the newer spindles and upper control arms on but there doesn't seem to be 1 single post about any of this anywhere. its just really hard for me to believe no one else has done this or even thought about it.

 

[Fords4life]

If the newer spindels and arms are so much better, i wonder why the factory cross country sleds are running the older style???? Gotta mean something!!

 

[stgdz]

If the newer spindels and arms are so much better, i wonder why the factory cross country sleds are running the older style???? Gotta mean something!!

Newer spindles work better on 137's with correct rails and front arm
Older spindles work better on 129's with correct rails and front arm


The RX-C uses older spindles and a 129 track for a reason.

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

If the newer spindels and arms are so much better, i wonder why the factory cross country sleds are running the older style???? Gotta mean something!!

Because they need to race the same sled on trail and the ice tracks. So when they suck them down they sit higher. That’s straight from their cross country team manager and the designer/engineer for the catalyst. But he said the new front end flat works better even on the ice tracks and the catalyst will use the new front end across the board. The center shocks bottomed out alot because they sat low in the nose and it blasted the front of skid into moguls and it was already most the way though the travel just sitting there.

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

On the wheels, yes I put 2 I side and 2 outside on each side of the suspension and it clears all the arms and shocks. It’s a 129 but still same basic design.

 

[Big Pussy]

I have posted my suspension changes before but got some replies of how the little wheels looked ridicules. So I will do this again since you asked. First of all this is a 2015 XF7000LXR 137". I believe the early Sidewinder skids are the same rails but probably changed somewhere along the line. Also, I believe that Yamaha had Cat assemble the skids differently to make it not look like a Cat skid. So here goes.

This is my first go round with the sled never even tested on the snow. I did this the summer that I bought it using my Cat knowledge since 1983. Note that there are wheels on the lower shock rocker shaft. This is how Cat does it but I think Yamaha does not. You should be able to do this by simply buying the short spacers between the wheels and the rail from Cat. You need to get over buying Cat parts from a Cat dealer. Note that I moved the outside black wheels to the inside rear and bought 4 green wheels, mounts, bolts, nuts, and center caps. These are on the outside to look good. There are now 5 axles of idlers in there as well as the JT ATV rear wheels and outer wheel mounts with Cat wheels. The draw back here is the cheap 6004 bearings in all these wheels except for the inner JT wheels with real 6205 bearings. All of these cheap bearing wheels can fly off and the sled will keep going.

After a couple of years running it this way, I noticed the only slider wear was at the front curve. I fixed it with more wheels instead of expensive Dupont sliders. Here is how.

I bought 4 wheel kits from Wahl Brothers Racing and had my buddy machine those aluminum blocks to sandwich on the rails. There was no need to drill any holes in the rails so far. I ran this setup last winter and it ran great. I don't remember smelling any burning plastic while running on pavement hard groomed trail. BUT, the objection to small wheels not lasting got me thinking. There is a lot of pressure on the rear most pair of small wheels because they are carrying sled weight. So I improved the situation this summer. This is not yet tried on the snow.

I bought a pair of full size Cat black idlers and a pair of standard mount brackets. Then I had my buddy machine out a new pair of sandwich blocks to mount them in the rear small idler location. I moved the front pair forward to the front end of the triangle slot. There is clearance beside the front shock and clearance to the lower shock mounting shaft. So now there is 7 idler axles like last year but with bigger wheels at the high pressure point. Still no holes were drilled in the rails.

So yes, you can add more wheels but there is no "kit", you have to do some work but nothing good in life is easy. If you look at the last two pictures you can see the wear at the front curve from last winter with the 2 pairs of small wheels. The wear should be much slower now. I also grease all those bearings every two years. It is getting time consuming not, but I believe the sled is the best that it can be with all my mods. It now has 10,000km on it and is finally finished and ready for the long haul.

I also did a similar wheel add on my sons 2017 ZR7000LXR 129". The skid is totally different and I did it a different way. If there is interest in a 129" skid, I will post the pictures and write up.

BP