Preventative Maintenance - What else to do??

[Budweiser]

Probably gonna get my Vecter out in a month or so and want some opinions on what else I should do to have a trouble free winter. (I know we are going to get lots of snow...I can feel it!) Sled is a 06 Vecter GT with 3400 miles. Here's what I have in mind right now:

1. Take skid out, JB weld the grease zerks that don't work quite right. Replace sliders. (3400 miles and they still look good. Wore quick at first and then just stopped.) I'm getting the shock revalved at Pioneer.

2. Change oil.

3. Change chain case oil.

4. Clean a relube driveshaft and jackshaft bearings.

5. Figure out some sort of rubber washers for the oil reservoir. I am one of the few that had mine crack.


Anything else anyone can think of? I would rather have sled apart in the fall!!!

 

[1CrazySledder]

Probably gonna get my Vecter out in a month or so and want some opinions on what else I should do to have a trouble free winter. (I know we are going to get lots of snow...I can feel it!) Sled is a 06 Vecter GT with 3400 miles. Here's what I have in mind right now:

1. Take skid out, JB weld the grease zerks that don't work quite right. Replace sliders. (3400 miles and they still look good. Wore quick at first and then just stopped.) I'm getting the shock revalved at Pioneer.

2. Change oil.

3. Change chain case oil.

4. Clean a relube driveshaft and jackshaft bearings.

5. Figure out some sort of rubber washers for the oil reservoir. I am one of the few that had mine crack.


Anything else anyone can think of? I would rather have sled apart in the fall!!!

6) Change plugs ( I change them no matter what they look like. )
7) Check the track for dry rot, rips, etc.
8) Inspect all hoses and wire lines to be sure nothing is rubbing
9) Check charge of battery
10) Check ski alignment, skegs. I also check the skis for rips than can
catch on something and rip worse. If you find one, just trim the other
end off. I see this allot from loading on a tilt trailer when the ski
catches.
11) Inspect all idler wheels, bearings
12) Clutch inspection, rollers, buttons, etc.

There is probably a few other things I do, but It's early and I can't think of them off my head.

 

[Shivesy]

Before I would even start it I would siphon all the gas out of the tank and put fresh gas in. Put the old gas in a auto. Last year I washed my air filter in gas then used some filter oil (PJ1) to help catch dirt particles. Man I could not believe how dirty the clean gas became (black) when I was washing the filter. Belt dust I would quess. Might also adjust belt deflection.

 

[Grimm]

1. Take skid out, JB weld the grease zerks that don't work quite right. Replace sliders. (3400 miles and they still look good. Wore quick at first and then just stopped.) I'm getting the shock revalved at Pioneer.

Anything else anyone can think of? I would rather have sled apart in the fall!!!

Save a few bucks and don't replace the sliders. This is common, early wear and then it pretty much stops. When it gets to it's minimum thickness, then replace it, else you're wasting money.

 

[Flipper]

While you have the skid out, check all of the bushings for wear and adequate lubrication.

I found mine were lacking grease when I pulled it apart after the first season.

 

[Mighty]

Replace the jackshaft bearing behind the speedo pickup.

PS Change the oil at the end of the season, not begining. It's better to let the engine set all summer with clean oil

 

[Budweiser]

1. Take skid out, JB weld the grease zerks that don't work quite right. Replace sliders. (3400 miles and they still look good. Wore quick at first and then just stopped.) I'm getting the shock revalved at Pioneer.

Anything else anyone can think of? I would rather have sled apart in the fall!!!

Save a few bucks and don't replace the sliders. This is common, early wear and then it pretty much stops. When it gets to it's minimum thickness, then replace it, else you're wasting money.

Sliders are at the minimum thickness, they have been there for 3000 miles!! I'm replacing them just because the skid will be out and I already have them.

 

[Budweiser]

Replace the jackshaft bearing behind the speedo pickup.

PS Change the oil at the end of the season, not begining. It's better to let the engine set all summer with clean oil

I think I'm just going to clean out bearing and see if I can get the track moving by hand. Seems a lot of people here are doing that with no issues. If it looks bad or I see something wrong, I'll replace.

I know, I should have replaced the oil before summer but I got lazy. I changed the oil last winter, rode the Gaspe for 1200 miles and then put sled away. Still disappointed in myself for that!!!!!

 

[Budweiser]

Before I would even start it I would siphon all the gas out of the tank and put fresh gas in. Put the old gas in a auto. Last year I washed my air filter in gas then used some filter oil (PJ1) to help catch dirt particles. Man I could not believe how dirty the clean gas became (black) when I was washing the filter. Belt dust I would quess. Might also adjust belt deflection.

I have never had any issues with any of my toys with old gas. This includes cars, lawn mowers, ATV's etc. I do put stabil in everything before storage. This year I put Seafoam in the sleds. Heard good things about it.

 

[aVenture]

I don't bother to drain the gas either..... just don't race with that old thing.
As for the Stabil, just a quicky... this is not a drop & forget thing; make sure you run the engine so that the mix goes in the fuel lines, gas pump, fuel bowl etc, as this is where it matters.

 

[Tf18]

Gas

Right or wrong, I don't change my gas either. I put stabil in at the end of the season and I put some high octane in for the first tank. It has seemed to work for me so I stick to it.

 

[Mighty]

When I swapped out my track my dealer asked how many miles on the sled, I said 2,600 and he said replace that bearing! They have seen many fail. Cheap insurance if you ask me.

I ordered some stuff from Port Yamaha and Kevin said the same thing....

 

[BA]

check the chassis bushings where the lower and upper control arms attach to the chassis. All four of my lower bushing were shot at 3000 miles. Steel grinding away the aluminum chassis is no good!!

Unfortunately, you have to remove the airbox, battery, battery mount to get to the nuts on the control arm bolts.

I think hondo called this one out originally...

 

[vecRStor]

In early spring, I went the whole nine yards:

1. Oil change;
2. Grease all drive bearings;
3. Chain case oil change;
4. Greased all zerts;
5. Siliconed and WD40 all vulnerable areas;
6. New LEDs for rear lights;
7. Changed plugs;
8. Left old gas in the tank and left it up to the Fitch capsules to take care of the rest;
9. Run the sled routinely every week (5 miles on the stand so far);
10. New Arctic FX graphics kit.

Just waiting on the snow!

 

[dexter]

with 6,500 miles I replaced every bushing in the skid. The ones that were almost gone completely were with the bottom of the "w" arm and the control rods? others were in decent condition. Also bulkeads and a arms.