OFT steering locator

[NsNyTro]

I am thinking you may have binding down at the bottom steering block... possibly not quite bent far enough forward/down...Is that flat piece on the steering shaft near the bottom block rubbing?

I just did mine and everything is as tight as I can go and my steering is still free....

Did you make sure to put the longer bushings in the top mount? Don't know if that would affect it but I know the instructions make a point about it...

I just installed mine and it is very stiff. Both Blocks on the bottom slide perfectly on the bolts too. Tall Bushings on the top and short ones on the bottom. But when I tighten it up, it's really stiff. Here's a pic of what happened to the OFT. Not sure here.... Scott is sending me a new one... Anyone else have this problem? Any help...

Mine is showing the same marks as yours..Let us know what the problem was. does anyone have a copy of the installation instructions they could post or Email me..mine have gone missing and i want to make sure everything is correct when i re-install it.

 

[NsNyTro]

just checked OFT's website and instructions are posted there

 

[SledFreak]

did you put the bottom block with the base piece going from thick at the top to thin at the bottom and with the angled piece flush on that bottom mount...?

Just thought of it...

Yes, that was the order I installed it. At one time I had it the other way around, but I tried every sinario with Scott from OFT and this is what happened. Something is not right, so he is sending me another one to try. Maybe, the tollerences are just to tight for my sled.

 

[KHEXX]

Great topic.... Thinking I will buy one of these kits for my sled... Sounds like people are having install issues though. Anything special I should do before the install. Skis suspended or flat on the ground? Any clarity would help me have confidence to get one of these kits on the way....

 

[MotoPsycho]

Great topic.... Thinking I will buy one of these kits for my sled... Sounds like people are having install issues though. Anything special I should do before the install. Skis suspended or flat on the ground? Any clarity would help me have confidence to get one of these kits on the way....

I have watched this thread since its inception.

Although we prefer customers to contact us with their concerns or issues, we decided to sit back and allow the great TY forum members to confer amongst one another... Many minds often outweigh the few.

I am now concerned that 1 or 2 issues in this thread are overshadowing the positive informational content of the thread.

In all of the steering components we have sold (literally thousands), we have not been approached with ANY ISSUES related to engineering, materials, or workmanship in our parts. That is not to say that customers have never had issues, it's just that the issues have never been OFT parts related.

Every issue we have been presented with has been due to one of the following:

#1 - Damaged, or excessively worn OEM parts (bent, egged, spindled, loose, or mutilated OE parts)
#2 - Incorrect installation
#3 - Incorrect product ordered for specific application

We have always offered nop notch customer service, and we want to hear from our customers! If there are ever any concerns with your purchase, please call or email us - we haven't failed to satify a customer yet! (We don't mind a call praising a product once in a while either... )

The instruction sheets for the Relocator can be found here:
http://oftracing.com/Sled Products/Relocator/the relocator.pdf

Thanks, and pray for snow!
Jeff
OFT Racing

 

[Littlehoe]

ya I think these install issues are pretty rare... I put mine together with the sled on those wheel things so I could push it around, plus it let me still turn the steering side to side to make sure for proper movement...

One thing I read is that one of the previous posts mention the bottom block sliding freely on the studs... well I know mine didn't slide freely on the studs... I had to push it on with a little muscle... Now that could be an install error on my part, maybe I bent the studs wrong or something but I do know the relocator works great on the sled and there was no binding...

oh hey is the steering tight with the top panel in place where the post goes up through? did you trim that rubber filler piece out?

I attempted to put it back in with it intact and its a no go...but once I trimed it up it looks great and works great...

 

[thetruck454]

Just to clarify, my intent in starting this post wasn't to badmouth at all. I think the product was top quality, and the instructions were fool proof. I just wanted to double check on the firm steering.

I can't wait to try this out on the trail as I can tell it puts the bars in a much better place.

As "hokey" as the bending of the nuts are, my brother and I couldn't think of a better way aside from cutting off the support and welding on a new one. And that would limit the ability of anyone to be able to do this job. My only thought was maybe send a brace or tool or something that you use to bend the stud, but I'm not sure if the cost/time would be worth it. Overall I would encourage any one to buy the relocator.

 

[sgilbert]

I kinda figured they were watching. I'm with them, they are all made the same, no way they are out of tolerance. especially considering its not a crankshaft. its all in the install. i feel bad for them if they actually send out replacements over an install issue. total waste. absolutely sure new kit will solve nothing

 

[SledFreak]

I kinda figured they were watching. I'm with them, they are all made the same, no way they are out of tolerance. especially considering its not a crankshaft. its all in the install. i feel bad for them if they actually send out replacements over an install issue. total waste. absolutely sure new kit will solve nothing

Everyone Listen, I sat here in my garage with the Scott from OFT on the phone and we went through everything and everything on my sled was correct as far as the OFT was concerned. My sled is was never rolled, wrecked and is in impecable shape. Maybe on my sled the steering tolerances are tighter, which is why it may be binding. Not sure... Anyways, I think it's a great product, but it just was not right on my sled and hopefully a new one will correct it. Scott was going to drill out the holes for the mounts to try and free it up a little more. I am only looking to see how many others had issues, not trying to dis-credit the product.

 

[SledFreak]

Great topic.... Thinking I will buy one of these kits for my sled... Sounds like people are having install issues though. Anything special I should do before the install. Skis suspended or flat on the ground? Any clarity would help me have confidence to get one of these kits on the way....

I have watched this thread since its inception.

Although we prefer customers to contact us with their concerns or issues, we decided to sit back and allow the great TY forum members to confer amongst one another... Many minds often outweigh the few.

I am now concerned that 1 or 2 issues in this thread are overshadowing the positive informational content of the thread.

In all of the steering components we have sold (literally thousands), we have not been approached with ANY ISSUES related to engineering, materials, or workmanship in our parts. That is not to say that customers have never had issues, it's just that the issues have never been OFT parts related.

Every issue we have been presented with has been due to one of the following:

#1 - Damaged, or excessively worn OEM parts (bent, egged, spindled, loose, or mutilated OE parts)
#2 - Incorrect installation
#3 - Incorrect product ordered for specific application

We have always offered nop notch customer service, and we want to hear from our customers! If there are ever any concerns with your purchase, please call or email us - we haven't failed to satify a customer yet! (We don't mind a call praising a product once in a while either... )

The instruction sheets for the Relocator can be found here:
http://oftracing.com/Sled Products/Relocator/the relocator.pdf

Thanks, and pray for snow!
Jeff
OFT Racing

Jeff, looking at my pics, why would it bind up at the top like that?

 

[MotoPsycho]

...Anyways, I think it's a great product, but it just was not right on my sled and hopefully a new one will correct it.... I am only looking to see how many others had issues, not trying to dis-credit the product.

I knew this is what nearly everyone "meant", it's just sometimes in the nameless, faceless, "interweb" some people take comments and discussions wrong.

We just want to be constructive and help out our peeps!

Freak, I am not entirely sure how to answer your question... it's hard when I'm not standing there looking at it.

My first suggestion in your next install is to ensure there is the full weight of the sled on the skis, or at least the outer end of the control arms.

Assemble everything while leaving all fasteners "hand tight". If everything works freely, tighten each component on at a time. Test between each.

It may be necessary to loosen the bolts in the steering gate, as well as the subframe mounting bolts. Grab the bars and give a good pull back and forth, fore and aft between each step in the re-tightening sequence. These two OEM components are tied together through the steering shaft and the side plates. If any of these components have shifted due to the loose fit of the stock bushings, loose bolts, or any other unforeseen issues, they need to be realigned for proper kit fitment.

Good luck, and keep in touch.

Jeff

 

[KHEXX]

Great topic.... Thinking I will buy one of these kits for my sled... Sounds like people are having install issues though. Anything special I should do before the install. Skis suspended or flat on the ground? Any clarity would help me have confidence to get one of these kits on the way....

I have watched this thread since its inception.

Although we prefer customers to contact us with their concerns or issues, we decided to sit back and allow the great TY forum members to confer amongst one another... Many minds often outweigh the few.

I am now concerned that 1 or 2 issues in this thread are overshadowing the positive informational content of the thread.

In all of the steering components we have sold (literally thousands), we have not been approached with ANY ISSUES related to engineering, materials, or workmanship in our parts. That is not to say that customers have never had issues, it's just that the issues have never been OFT parts related.

Every issue we have been presented with has been due to one of the following:

#1 - Damaged, or excessively worn OEM parts (bent, egged, spindled, loose, or mutilated OE parts)
#2 - Incorrect installation
#3 - Incorrect product ordered for specific application

We have always offered nop notch customer service, and we want to hear from our customers! If there are ever any concerns with your purchase, please call or email us - we haven't failed to satify a customer yet! (We don't mind a call praising a product once in a while either... )

The instruction sheets for the Relocator can be found here:
http://oftracing.com/Sled Products/Relocator/the relocator.pdf

Thanks, and pray for snow!
Jeff
OFT Racing

First let me say that I have full intention to order relocator kit. I talked to a few people that have your kits at the snow show this weekend in Milwaukee. Just saw this discussion and was wondering what everyone encountered while installing. I looked at the install instructions and they seem pretty straight forward..........

 

[yamahabandit]

Luv this product, Just wondering what to do about top OFT bracket making contact with Instrument panel. Was thinking of just taking grinder to the IP. Contact is actually bending the IP when everything is fastened. Any suggestions other than the grinder. I repeat , luv the product, not bas hing it.

 

[bottlerocket]

My install was very straightfoward with zero issues. Top notch product with good instructions. I had no binding and just trimmed the rubber in front of steering post.

 

[SledFreak]

My install was very straightfoward with zero issues. Top notch product with good instructions. I had no binding and just trimmed the rubber in front of steering post.

The biggest issue is you need to get the blocks straight to the frame. Too much and it will bind and not enough and it will bind. My blocks went on smooth and did not bind at all, but when tightened up it binded up my steering shaft. It took me a while to get mine straighten out, but it's all good now. The illustrations and the instructions don't match, which I believe is what got me into trouble and few others in the first place.

OFT needs to fix the instructions/illustrations, so they match, followed with maybe a small video of the stud bending process which would go along way and get rid of half of there unnecessary phone calls and emails over the binding of the steering once installed.

Overall,a nice product and my sled feels alot better now as far as ergonomics are concerned. Much more comfortable. Scott from OFT was a great help.