Oversized idler wheels? Any problems with using them?

[xcsp]

Oversized wheels

One thing I noticed since the shop put the wheels on, is when I went to take the sled off the trailer, it actually rolled back off the trailer when I tilted the trailer.

Reason I question the use of the Polaris wheels is it is my understanding that the weight won't be distributed well, putting pressure mainly at the points where the idler wheels are.

I'm all for better (less) hyfax wear, less rolling resistance, but not at the expense of damage to other components.

 

[Grimm]

Well, I've heard nothing but problems/issues using Yamaha's stock wheel and size, as well as experience in these issues. These include:
- excessive hyfax wear
- warped wheels
- rubber tearing off wheels
- howling possibly caused by premature failing of these skinny and small bearings
- replacement of entire wheel and bearing assembly due to either failure (seems asinine to me)

I haven't heard of any problems regarding the use of larger aftermarket wheels, merely speculation.

So, if you stick with stock wheels, be prepared to change them regularly and the sliders frequently. If you switch to a larger wheel, you might possibly err in the chance of damaging a rail, however I have not heard of this happening, at least not on this forum.

 

[Swiss Sledder]

Like I said, I suffered no problems using the Polaris wheels after 500 miles. Those miles were logged on trails in the Presque Isle area and the UP.

 

[rxmaninblack]

2.5 mm difference in wheel radius is only .098" about 3/32. The amount that a track ballons and flexes should easily compensate for that. Putting larger wheels on the back axle will get the track away from the mono shock as well

 

[pro116]

If your going to use the larger wheels you can use yamaha srx 440 rear wheel's which are 7.5" then your hyfax will wear evennly and last for thousands oof miles and will take away alot of extra drag in low snow condition's.

 

[Sasquatch]

I put the larger Polaris wheels on and ran them for close to 1,500 miles. I then put SLP wear pads in because of the closed third window. I lost a chunk of the rubber off one Polaris wheel at about 3,000 miles so I put the two Yami wheels back on the rear leaving the four Polaris on the front.

With close to 5,000 on the front wheels and the SLP pads I have gone over 3,000 miles on a set of sliders and no cracked rails.

 

[Birdman]

I have found that the bigger wheels worked great on the pro-action skid but each of the wheels mounts were bolted on the rails by 2 bolts or through a cross shaft connecting the rails.On the mono skid 2 of the wheel mounts are only bolted on with the bolt that runs through the wheel, I think this has caused the concern. I have the wheel lowering kit on my 06 and found that the mounts are bolted on the rail in 2 places to help eliminate or reduce the rail flexing and or cracking

 

[tryanATTAK]

Are you guys buying just the idler wheels and then buying 20 mm id bearings? I am new to the Attak but doesn't it have 20 mm id bearings and doesn't ski-doo and polaris have 25mm id bearings? Also what is the real answer on the pioneer kit, does it come with the re-inforcement plates or not? I would like to do this also as I could easily get 4,000 miles out of my hyfax on my ski-doos' and polaris' but the Yammy likes to eat em. Just want to make sure I get all the right stuff before I start replacing things. Thanks, Gene.

 

[Viper_Dave]

When you remove your old wheels, there is a plastic bushing installed in them. Pop them out of your old wheels, pop the Polaris bushings out of the new wheels. Reinstall your OLD bushings in your NEW wheels. VOILA!! Install new wheeels and kiss your hifax problems goodbye. I did this to my Viper 3 yrs. and 4,000 miles ago. YA they are thin, but I'd run 'em. Did this to the Attak and installed new slides. They are not worn 25% in almost 1800 miles. I also changed my track to a Predator 1.25 fully clipped. These 2 things removed a LOT of the friction when moving the track. Ask Maxdlx and Familyman. My Attak is fast.... even witha 300 pound man AND his gear for a weeks trip LOL!!

 

[tryanATTAK]

Thanks for the reply. I am thinking of installing the srx440 rear wheels also, as mentioned above. I hope yamaha can resolve these issues on their own, we shouldn't have to do these type of things to get the hyfax to last a reasonable amount of time. Gene

 

[black john]

larger wheel,s

i have run the pol wheel,s on my 03 since new with out a problem as well as the 7.5 in ET/SRX rear,s as well . note that lot,s of older yamaha,s came with the 7.5 inch rear wheel,s v max 540,s old srx,s et.s so there should be lot,s of them kicking around. i have also found that useing four rear wheel.s seem,s to solve two problem,s 1 they seem to help the track life. 2 also seemed stop racheting as well by evening out the torqe load on the driver,s.

 

[rxrider]

If your going to use the larger wheels you can use yamaha srx 440 rear wheel's which are 7.5" then your hyfax will wear evennly and last for thousands oof miles and will take away alot of extra drag in low snow condition's.

Just what I did when I made my own 4th wheel kit for the turbo, installed 4 SRX rear wheels, works great less wear at the rear of the sliders. I did also use the small rail wheels from the SRX, found them more durable than the ones used on the ProAction and on the Mono skids.

 

[rxrider]

BTW - first set of sliders lasted about 4000 miles or 6000 kms, that was before the turbo. My next sliders was a set of Hiperfax, lasted 2000 miles or 3200 kms. They got toasted on a day running a lot of 130+ mph or 210+ kmt speedruns. They would have lasted way longer with trailriding only.

 

[ReX]

I decided to go for a set of slightly larger idlers this season, but I'm struggling to find the right part number to order. I want to go 2-2.5mm larger in radius, not more (135mm max OD) and go with wheels that are known to be durable (can handle lots of sustained high speeds as well as handle ~5000 miles). I'm finding the wheel sizes are all over the place and there are also different width wheels too:

- Stock Yamaha wheels are spec'd at 130mm in OD, but I just measured my original stock 07 wheels (unused) and they are 128.5-129mm.
- I've been running 04 RX-1 Yamaha wheels and they measure 130mm.
- Polaris wheels are spec'd at 5.375" OD or 136.5mm
- Skidoo REV 03-05 wheels are spec'd at either 135mm or 138mm depending on where you check (part #503190229)
- Skidoo "narrow black high performance wheels" are spec'd at 135mm and are apparently narrower than stock REV wheels. I haven't found any sleds that call for these, but part # is 503190802.
- Skidoo 5.25" (133.35mm) black plastic wheels, part number 414-3679-00.
- Kimpex makes a 135mm plastic wheel; part #04-116-67 or 298871
- Kimpex makes a 5.35" (136mm) wheel; part #04-116-68
- Kimpex also makes a less common 133.35mm plastic wheel (I don't know what it is listed for); part #04-116-74
- Gama makes a 135mm plastic wheel; part #0422600

In my distant past I used to find Kimpex wheels didn't last very well so I've been running OEM wheels for the past 15-20 years (Skidoo, Polaris and Yamaha). Are Kimpex wheels as good as OEM these days?

What are the part numbers for the wheels you tried that worked well? How many miles have you got on them?

BTW, We've been typically getting a good 5000+ miles out of the 04 RX-1 wheels on our 05 and up 4-stroke Yamaha's. I do have one that has just started to delaminate after 4000 miles so I figure if I'm going to change diameters, now is as good a time as any.

 

[ReX]

The original REV 03-05 wheel is now superseeded by the "narrow black high performance wheel", part #503190802.

The Skidoo 5.25" (133.35mm) and Kimpex 04-116-74 133.35mm wheels are discontinued.

Sounds like the 503190802 is probably the wheel to go with - unfortunately all of the local Skidoo dealers I tried are out of stock and the wheels are back ordered.