from my friend.....i think that drifter his dealer and yami are fixing the problem
Rode into work - rode home - 1/8 mile from my house - chunk - front arm Breaks and takes the RA adjuster with it. I'll try to get pics in a bit.
Ouch - Drifter is already on the phone with Yammi!
Heres a recap
The outer part of the bracket broke off and the bolt is gone.
This is what it should look like
RA Adjuster went - holes are ovaled out.
Track tension adjustment screw got bent upwards - other side is gone
Track got ripped up
Drifter - the transfer rod is in the exact same spot we had put it - and while it came loose yesterday and adjusted way loose - it never did come fully unthreaded - not sure if that would have made a difference.
I noticed a little more track whine for about 1/4 mile before I got a big thud sound coming off the top of a small hill - then the noises got bad. I was only 3/4 mile from home so I figured the track whine could wait.
My guess is the bracket broke and caused the track to loosen up quite a bit which vibrated and tore the hell out of the RA which may have came loose and got caught up in the track - not sure though - just a guess - but it is a cluster you know what.
Rode into work - rode home - 1/8 mile from my house - chunk - front arm Breaks and takes the RA adjuster with it. I'll try to get pics in a bit.
Ouch - Drifter is already on the phone with Yammi!
Heres a recap
The outer part of the bracket broke off and the bolt is gone.
This is what it should look like
RA Adjuster went - holes are ovaled out.
Track tension adjustment screw got bent upwards - other side is gone
Track got ripped up
Drifter - the transfer rod is in the exact same spot we had put it - and while it came loose yesterday and adjusted way loose - it never did come fully unthreaded - not sure if that would have made a difference.
I noticed a little more track whine for about 1/4 mile before I got a big thud sound coming off the top of a small hill - then the noises got bad. I was only 3/4 mile from home so I figured the track whine could wait.
My guess is the bracket broke and caused the track to loosen up quite a bit which vibrated and tore the hell out of the RA which may have came loose and got caught up in the track - not sure though - just a guess - but it is a cluster you know what.
ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
snowsweat
Pro
This may sound like a dumb question, but how tight was the track prior to the failure?
Top one was run with between 1"-2" of sag with a little weight on it - fairly loose. More than 2" and it starts to ratchet and studs scrape on brace under the seat.
ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
Here's my take on it (based on cracking 3 of these pivot arms last year in the same way):
- The pivot arm fatigued after (I expect) lots of "moderately" aggressive miles of riding (around 2500+). My theory is high speed cornering over small stutter bumps causes this specific weakness to show up. IMO, this should not happen to these arms. I don't know what Yamaha changed (material?), but the 06 pivot arms don't seem to crack (05's the paint would start to flake off within a few hundred aggressive miles; the 06 don't). I've also noticed this pivot arm failure occurs faster (paint flakes off in fewer miles) shortly after installing new bushings at the bottom of the pivot arm. All of my broken pivot arm brackets occured within a few hundred miles of installing new lower pivot arm bushings.
- After the outer portion of the mounting U cracked through, the bolt was loaded in single shear. The bolt held on for a while (oval hole in the remaining side of the mounting U) and eventually broke in two.
- At that point the track loosened way off and my guess is at some point misaligned enough that the rear adjusters got hammered by the drive cogs.
- The RA adjuster looks like it loosened off somehow. The oval holes in the tunnel suggest that the bolts didn't come out quickly. Once the screws fell out....
If you look at the bracket that bolts to the left slide rail that the pivot arm attaches to you'll notice that it should be changed too. The arm will have hammered the mounting bracket at the top front.
How many miles on the sled? What's your buddies riding style?
- The pivot arm fatigued after (I expect) lots of "moderately" aggressive miles of riding (around 2500+). My theory is high speed cornering over small stutter bumps causes this specific weakness to show up. IMO, this should not happen to these arms. I don't know what Yamaha changed (material?), but the 06 pivot arms don't seem to crack (05's the paint would start to flake off within a few hundred aggressive miles; the 06 don't). I've also noticed this pivot arm failure occurs faster (paint flakes off in fewer miles) shortly after installing new bushings at the bottom of the pivot arm. All of my broken pivot arm brackets occured within a few hundred miles of installing new lower pivot arm bushings.
- After the outer portion of the mounting U cracked through, the bolt was loaded in single shear. The bolt held on for a while (oval hole in the remaining side of the mounting U) and eventually broke in two.
- At that point the track loosened way off and my guess is at some point misaligned enough that the rear adjusters got hammered by the drive cogs.
- The RA adjuster looks like it loosened off somehow. The oval holes in the tunnel suggest that the bolts didn't come out quickly. Once the screws fell out....
If you look at the bracket that bolts to the left slide rail that the pivot arm attaches to you'll notice that it should be changed too. The arm will have hammered the mounting bracket at the top front.
How many miles on the sled? What's your buddies riding style?
ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
1900 miles and an aggressive rider. A friend gave me his account to post under. I figured there will be more down the line and hope this helps someone else.
Everything happened inside of about 3/4 - half mile. There got to be some more track whine and noise than before - but not brutal or anything. Was only 1/2 mile from home so figured it could wait (just thought maybe the track loosened up a little bit). In northern mn the snow is very hard packed and a lot of ice so there is a lot of noise period. I was on some tight and twisty trails right before that last part and the track definitely wasn't loose then.
Looks like the front arm broke first which loosened up the track just enough for it start rubbin against the RA adjuster (small chunks were taking out all along the left side of the track right where it would rub against it. Amazingly it got those screws loose and out (or sheared very quickly). I came up off a small crest just barely got the whole sled off the ground and that is when the loud noise came. Got off the sled and noticed the carnage. Went back to look for the RA but couldn;t find it anywhere - must have got throw to the side in some deeper snow.
Not sure what caused the track tension bolts to get busted up, the track getting tore and one of the sprockets up front had some teeth bent up. Guessing the really loose track.
Still bewilders me there wasn't more track noise.
Thanks for the info Rex
Everything happened inside of about 3/4 - half mile. There got to be some more track whine and noise than before - but not brutal or anything. Was only 1/2 mile from home so figured it could wait (just thought maybe the track loosened up a little bit). In northern mn the snow is very hard packed and a lot of ice so there is a lot of noise period. I was on some tight and twisty trails right before that last part and the track definitely wasn't loose then.
Looks like the front arm broke first which loosened up the track just enough for it start rubbin against the RA adjuster (small chunks were taking out all along the left side of the track right where it would rub against it. Amazingly it got those screws loose and out (or sheared very quickly). I came up off a small crest just barely got the whole sled off the ground and that is when the loud noise came. Got off the sled and noticed the carnage. Went back to look for the RA but couldn;t find it anywhere - must have got throw to the side in some deeper snow.
Not sure what caused the track tension bolts to get busted up, the track getting tore and one of the sprockets up front had some teeth bent up. Guessing the really loose track.
Still bewilders me there wasn't more track noise.
Thanks for the info Rex
ssvolvo
Veteran
typical Yammy suspension......GARBAGE
Mr Sled,
I went to my dealer this fall to have my 05 RX1ER updated as well as to have some warranty work I had told him about back in the spring time done.
He told me there were no updates on record and that "you can't believe all that Internet crap". I had to pay to replace the bad battery and bad hand warmer as well.
As a manufacturer, it should be up to Yamaha to keep their dealers up to par on these issues. It just hurts the brand to let this continue.
The Factory will be here this weekend to put on a demo, If I am able to make it, I hope to discuss this with them. This is my 11th Yamaha sled, It did not used to be this way.
I went to my dealer this fall to have my 05 RX1ER updated as well as to have some warranty work I had told him about back in the spring time done.
He told me there were no updates on record and that "you can't believe all that Internet crap". I had to pay to replace the bad battery and bad hand warmer as well.
As a manufacturer, it should be up to Yamaha to keep their dealers up to par on these issues. It just hurts the brand to let this continue.
The Factory will be here this weekend to put on a demo, If I am able to make it, I hope to discuss this with them. This is my 11th Yamaha sled, It did not used to be this way.
Tom-RX1
Expert
I have been looking at my buddys 05 with the mono . This suspention looks like it was designed to break . terrific forces in too many directions .
Tom-RX1
Tom-RX1
I have to say that after I put the fat boy spring in, it's been a great ride. I just hope they get the durability issues taken care of on the 05's.
ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
The mono-suspension design definitely has much higher loads on the suspension arms than any suspension I've seen before - however, the 06 skid is not showing any of the weaknesses of the 05.
My 05 has 06 arms and rails in it (basically it's an 06 skid with a couple of 05 parts) as well as minor reinforcements I made to the front pivot arm. I have been pounding this skid harder than I've ever pounded on one before.
With close to 3000 kms of rough trails this season with lots of air (couple of feet - not huge air) and lots of hard landings as well plus lots of high speed cornering over stutter bumps and it isn't showing any signs of over stress at all (yet). With the 05 skid I would have probably already broken the front pivot arm and cracks would have started on the rails.
My 05 has 06 arms and rails in it (basically it's an 06 skid with a couple of 05 parts) as well as minor reinforcements I made to the front pivot arm. I have been pounding this skid harder than I've ever pounded on one before.
With close to 3000 kms of rough trails this season with lots of air (couple of feet - not huge air) and lots of hard landings as well plus lots of high speed cornering over stutter bumps and it isn't showing any signs of over stress at all (yet). With the 05 skid I would have probably already broken the front pivot arm and cracks would have started on the rails.
Yamaha is on the right track with the 06's
Update:
Yamaha initially "goodwilled" part of the repair money. I decided to call them one more time and it made a difference (3rd conversation with a snowmobile tech). They came back and offered to handle the parts side of it. If you truly believe that you know you are in the right and convince Yamaha of that - they will help. Kudos to Yamaha - they may have saved at least one customer if not more.
Yamaha initially "goodwilled" part of the repair money. I decided to call them one more time and it made a difference (3rd conversation with a snowmobile tech). They came back and offered to handle the parts side of it. If you truly believe that you know you are in the right and convince Yamaha of that - they will help. Kudos to Yamaha - they may have saved at least one customer if not more.
Snorover
Expert
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2003
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- 2017 Viper
snofisher,
I experienced exactly the same failure this past weekend on the left side and it's cracked on the right side. Waiting to find out what Yamaha is going to do for me.
I experienced exactly the same failure this past weekend on the left side and it's cracked on the right side. Waiting to find out what Yamaha is going to do for me.
