No issue. You are floating the clutch right? Belt will blow before you would have issue. The clutch side of Winders and Vipers is a press fit but bearing is not very tight and is in aluminum spar. No clip.
Nikolai
TY 4 Stroke God
Yes, I am floating the clutch a little and alignment is perfect.
74Nitro
VIP Member
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2013
- Messages
- 5,266
- Age
- 52
- Location
- Dublin Ontario
- Country
- Canada
- Snowmobile
- 2019 Sidewinder LTX
You have to float the clutch a little if you are just using the bearing with set screws otherwise it is likely to push the bearing when tightening the clutch bolt.
Nikolai
TY 4 Stroke God
Header bracket. Made from 3 pieces of .040 chromoly plate welded together, made it as light as possible. Had originally planned on 0.25 lbs for this and it came in at 0.06 lbs so I saved quite a bit. Time will tell if it holds up.
Need to tack weld it still and then I’ll finish weld it next time I pull the frame from the jig.
Tab for turbo is next.
Need to tack weld it still and then I’ll finish weld it next time I pull the frame from the jig.
Tab for turbo is next.
Nikolai
TY 4 Stroke God
Waiting on new flex joints to get here before I make the turbo mount so I’m working on some other stuff.
Can anyone with Apex knowledge confirm if the gear is suppose to be off the end of the driveshaft? I’m 99% sure my spacers and gear are from a Apex. Reason for asking is I was thinking of making a washer from a 7075 aluminum that would take up the dead space and get rid of the steel washer and then use a Ti bolt. Unless that gear needs to be preloaded on the shaft like that?
Can anyone with Apex knowledge confirm if the gear is suppose to be off the end of the driveshaft? I’m 99% sure my spacers and gear are from a Apex. Reason for asking is I was thinking of making a washer from a 7075 aluminum that would take up the dead space and get rid of the steel washer and then use a Ti bolt. Unless that gear needs to be preloaded on the shaft like that?
RobX-1
VIP Member
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2003
- Messages
- 2,147
- Location
- Coldwater, OH
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- 18 50th Apex XT-X, 08 40th Apex LTX GT, 08 40th Nytro RTX, & 03 RX-1
I would venture to say that most, if not all, Apex's came with reverse so the setup is different as the reverse gear is positioned over the gear in your image:
Dan Lance
VIP Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2019
- Messages
- 69
- Age
- 52
- Location
- Eagle River Ak
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- nytro,apex,summit,rs vneture,phazer
I've had that bolt break and ruin a trip out of Nelly. And the chaincase. I'm pretty sure ive read somewhere alot of Apex guys leave them out. I've pulled apart Nytros and had that bolt head floating in the reverse shift collar.
Nikolai
TY 4 Stroke God
I’ve read the same thing but I think that was only on reverse cases, non-reverse Nytros did not have that same issue from what I remember.
I think I’ll make the aluminum washer so it’s tight but the bolt bottoms out on the shaft as the washer hits the gear. Can’t imagine having any issues that way.
On another note the jackshaft threaded just fine.
Even if I keep the snap ring which I’ll likely do, I wanted to be able to use a bolt down the road if needed. I also found an aluminum plug that will work to plug the shaft and keep oil out.
I think I’ll make the aluminum washer so it’s tight but the bolt bottoms out on the shaft as the washer hits the gear. Can’t imagine having any issues that way.
On another note the jackshaft threaded just fine.
Even if I keep the snap ring which I’ll likely do, I wanted to be able to use a bolt down the road if needed. I also found an aluminum plug that will work to plug the shaft and keep oil out.
Dan Lance
VIP Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2019
- Messages
- 69
- Age
- 52
- Location
- Eagle River Ak
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- nytro,apex,summit,rs vneture,phazer
Good plan. Mine was a non-reverse Apex
Nikolai
TY 4 Stroke God
Dang, you broke a non-reverse lower bolt?
If that’s the case I’m definitely making a washer that fills the space and takes the load off the bolt.
RobX-1
VIP Member
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2003
- Messages
- 2,147
- Location
- Coldwater, OH
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- 18 50th Apex XT-X, 08 40th Apex LTX GT, 08 40th Nytro RTX, & 03 RX-1
I have close to 20,000mi on my 08 Apex and never had an issue with that bolt coming loose and/or backing out. At some point Yamaha switched to using a circlip as a means to prevent the bolt from backing out completely as that setup is what is on my 18 Apex. But like the saying goes, better safe than sorry. 
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2004
- Messages
- 7,734
- Location
- sudbury on
- Country
- Canada
- Snowmobile
- 2016 apex xtx
2011 apex xtx
2009 phaser rtx/x
1997 et410t/r
1988 vk 540
the snap ring is on my 11 apex xtx. that bolt did come out once and it did mark the chain case cover but no leak from wearing through.I have close to 20,000mi on my 08 Apex and never had an issue with that bolt coming loose and/or backing out. At some point Yamaha switched to using a circlip as a means to prevent the bolt from backing out completely as that setup is what is on my 18 Apex. But like the saying goes, better safe than sorry.
progress is looking good.
Nikolai
TY 4 Stroke God
7075 aluminum washer made. Exact fit to gear.
Permanent marker on washer and crudely lapped against gear to check for fitment.
After I got the tapered portion sized correctly and before I cut it off, I turned it down .002 at a time until all movement was gone from the gear with the bolt tight. Total thickness is 0.230, outer flange is 0.160 so gap from end of drive shaft to gear is 0.65. Made it thicker than oem steel washer since it’s aluminum.
And done. Despite the larger size it’s still lighter. Most importantly it takes nearly all the load off the bolt so I can use a Ti bolt with no concerns.
Steel is 17.25 g
Alu is 12.04 g
Also got the jackshaft rigged back in the lathe and faced the end so it’s flat for the drain plug I have coming. Also found a fuzz thicker washer to put behind the snap ring so there’s no play now. Barely have to tap snap ring with a punch to get it seated.
Last steel part to get rid of was the steel washer against the driven clutch.
Oem steel 0.180 wide is 27.26 grams
7075 Alu 0.190 wide is 11.46 grams
Permanent marker on washer and crudely lapped against gear to check for fitment.
After I got the tapered portion sized correctly and before I cut it off, I turned it down .002 at a time until all movement was gone from the gear with the bolt tight. Total thickness is 0.230, outer flange is 0.160 so gap from end of drive shaft to gear is 0.65. Made it thicker than oem steel washer since it’s aluminum.
And done. Despite the larger size it’s still lighter. Most importantly it takes nearly all the load off the bolt so I can use a Ti bolt with no concerns.
Steel is 17.25 g
Alu is 12.04 g
Also got the jackshaft rigged back in the lathe and faced the end so it’s flat for the drain plug I have coming. Also found a fuzz thicker washer to put behind the snap ring so there’s no play now. Barely have to tap snap ring with a punch to get it seated.
Last steel part to get rid of was the steel washer against the driven clutch.
Oem steel 0.180 wide is 27.26 grams
7075 Alu 0.190 wide is 11.46 grams
Last edited:
Nikolai
TY 4 Stroke God
Placed another order with RaceTi in UK a few weeks ago which showed up today.
(6) 8mm upper bearing flange bolts
steel - 69.88 g
Ti - 31.26 g
difference 38.72 g
(Bottom bolts are brake caliper)
(2) 10mm brake caliper bolts
steel - 43.37 g
Ti (20mm cut down to 14mm) - 15.94 g
difference - 27.43 g
(2) 10mm lower rear a-arm bolts
steel - 94.85 g
Ti - 45.90 g
difference - 48.95 g
(2) 12mm lower front a-arm bolts
steel - 163.93 g
Ti (70mm cut down to 65mm) - 73.78 g
difference - 90.15 g
(4) 12mm engine mount bolts
steel (cut to 66mm & drilled) - 232.41 g
Ti (70mm, did not cut these) - 156.65 g
difference - 75.76 g
Ti is 40% lighter than steel but with the reduced socket sized & dished heads the titanium bolts are over 50% lighter if comparing equal length bolts.
Total weight reduction for all the bolts was 0.62 lbs. Eventually I’ll end up doing a 3rd order when I get further along.
(6) 8mm upper bearing flange bolts
steel - 69.88 g
Ti - 31.26 g
difference 38.72 g
(Bottom bolts are brake caliper)
(2) 10mm brake caliper bolts
steel - 43.37 g
Ti (20mm cut down to 14mm) - 15.94 g
difference - 27.43 g
(2) 10mm lower rear a-arm bolts
steel - 94.85 g
Ti - 45.90 g
difference - 48.95 g
(2) 12mm lower front a-arm bolts
steel - 163.93 g
Ti (70mm cut down to 65mm) - 73.78 g
difference - 90.15 g
(4) 12mm engine mount bolts
steel (cut to 66mm & drilled) - 232.41 g
Ti (70mm, did not cut these) - 156.65 g
difference - 75.76 g
Ti is 40% lighter than steel but with the reduced socket sized & dished heads the titanium bolts are over 50% lighter if comparing equal length bolts.
Total weight reduction for all the bolts was 0.62 lbs. Eventually I’ll end up doing a 3rd order when I get further along.
Nikolai
TY 4 Stroke God
Some more boring hardware stuff while I wait for parts.
Ti bolt for upper gear. I’m going to stick with the snap ring for now & see how it holds up but this will be option 2 of the snap ring gives me any problems.
30.81 g
4.24 g 6061 aluminum drain plug. It came with an aluminum crush washer but I threw it away and used Yamabond 4 on the threads to seal it and act as loctite. Torqued to 10 ft lbs.
Have a Ti lower gear bolt and Ti tensioner bolt on the way from Mettec and then the drivetrain will finally be done. Wasn’t planning on doing all the Ti hardware but as I build the sled I find myself buying more and more. Likely be the last sled I build since time is scarce with kids so I’m doing this one exactly how I want.
Probably just should have done a belt drive to start with but hindsight is 20/20. One nice thing about the chaincase is not having to worry about snow ingestion, body work on that side can be simple.
Ti bolt for upper gear. I’m going to stick with the snap ring for now & see how it holds up but this will be option 2 of the snap ring gives me any problems.
30.81 g
4.24 g 6061 aluminum drain plug. It came with an aluminum crush washer but I threw it away and used Yamabond 4 on the threads to seal it and act as loctite. Torqued to 10 ft lbs.
Have a Ti lower gear bolt and Ti tensioner bolt on the way from Mettec and then the drivetrain will finally be done. Wasn’t planning on doing all the Ti hardware but as I build the sled I find myself buying more and more. Likely be the last sled I build since time is scarce with kids so I’m doing this one exactly how I want.
Probably just should have done a belt drive to start with but hindsight is 20/20. One nice thing about the chaincase is not having to worry about snow ingestion, body work on that side can be simple.
