Need help identifying item discovered in Tunnel

[GudeMN]

My Nytro was very loud last weekend. While inspecting I found my header pipe had separated from the muffler a bit. While taking a look I also noticed what appears to be a broken bracket in my tunnel.

The sled is an ‘09 RTX SE which was stretched to 144. I bought the sled with the MBRP header/muffler installed. The previous owner did some work in there with said header/muffler. He also installed a mountain cooler.

Any idea what this may have been? Something I need to replace?

 

[maim]

those are the tunnel protectors that keep the track off the exh. from the looks of how the exh broke, i would check for loose rivits under the fuel tank that hold the tunnel to the bulkhead. on the delta box sleds, the exhaust would break like that when those rivits came loose.

 

[RobX-1]

Don't have Nytro to confirm but judging by the parts schematics and the description of part #23 (PROTECTOR, MUFFLER), I will venture to say it is that:

 

[74Nitro]

Don't have Nytro to confirm but judging by the parts schematics and the description of part #23 (PROTECTOR, MUFFLER), I will venture to say it is that:

View attachment 170898

I'd say #56,57

 

[GudeMN]

I'd say #56,57

I think you're right. 56, 57 is what's left. They probably hold 23 in place.

 

[RobX-1]

After further review, I believe you are correct @74Nitro as the part I highlighted did not have the prominent drop down tabs like #56/57 show.

 

[74Nitro]

That machine must be awfully loud with that exhaust pipe broke!!

 

[GudeMN]

That machine must be awfully loud with that exhaust pipe broke!!

It was roaring like the Beast it is….ha ha.
I was wearing ear plugs by the end of the weekend.

 

[GudeMN]

It looks like the exhaust protector is integrated with the tunnel protectors and brackets. Can anyone confirm? I’m putting my parts list together

 

[74Nitro]

It looks like the exhaust protector is integrated with the tunnel protectors and brackets. Can anyone confirm? I’m putting my parts list together

No, I don't think so.

 

[RobX-1]

It was roaring like the Beast it is….ha ha.
I was wearing ear plugs by the end of the weekend.

This happened last year on my 08 Apex on the last day of a snowmobile trip with my son and I. It was definitely loud but only ran it like for the day so can only image what yours was like. Regarding the muffler's longevity, not too shabby for having over 19,000mi.

 

[GudeMN]

So I don’t have any picks in the track and never plan on it. Do you think I can go without tunnel protectors? Or do I need them to protect the muffler protector once replaced?

The previous owner ran without them.

 

[GudeMN]

To close this thread I'll share what I learned putting my Nytro back together.

Last season, I had an unloading mishap on a really cold evening in 2021. I couldn't get the Nytro to stay in reverse to get off the trailer, so I reaching across with my left hand to gain some leverage to pull the reverse lever out farther. When I did that my left arm blipped the throttle and the sled lurched backwards. The lurch threw me into the throttle harder and it rocket off the trailer backwards! It dumped me on the way of the trailer so I got to watch it travel 30 feet and smack into the back of my wife's vehicle. A bent bumper and tunnel extension was the result. Or so I thought.

This season the header failed which I noticed after a really loud weekend of riding. I'm pretty sure the impact with the vehicle is what tweaked/cracked the header which led to its failure this season. I say this because after pulling the header and repairing it we couldn't get the pipes to line up with the manifold when trying to re-install. We had to heat and bend them to get a good fit.

Those broken brackets were indeed tunnel protector mounts. When I bought my sled it had been stretched to 144 for off trail UP riding. The protectors had already been removed to accommodate a 2in Challenger track. I guess hacking them off was good enough for the other guy.
I drilled out the rivets and removed them for my peace of mind.

Well, it's been an educational and valuable project. I now know how to get the seat off and remove the gas tank for servicing purposes. I have a Skinz seat so that was pretty easy. While I was in there I replaced the spark plugs, put in new copper donuts, and replaced my tail light which was damaged in the collision as well. I had zero gasket material left so hopefully my muffler will be a little tamer than it was even before the collision. It's an MBRP Race Can and the drone does get old.

If anyone has an MBRP Trail Can or an Ultra-Q, I'd like to give a different muffler a try down the road.

Anyway, thanks for the input all of you provided. And remember, don't reach across with your left hand to engage the reverse lever!!!