Question On Spindles

[treewhacker]

Hi everyone. I haven't been on here much this summer, how is everyone. Just think, only a couple of months and it'll be snowing.

I was looking at my sled yesterday and noticed that the left spindle is bent. Has anyone had to get warranty on this? I never hit anything but moguls, that shouldn't have bent it. Will they replace it? I'm afraid if I straighten it it would be weaker and bend again. Here's a pic, you can see it bent back compared to the right side. You have to look close to see, but it is deffinitey bent.

 

[SumpBuster]

Tree...if you lived closer, I'd have my toolmakers straighten it for you! If they broke it, they'd have to make you a new one out of titanium.
Anyway, try straightening in a press with the steel spindle inside, or you could collapse or dent some of the cast aluminum. I think the al. is strong enough to take a few bends without breaking. Some low heat will help a little also.
There's not much to lose...I wouldn't worry at all about breaking on the trail, as for the assembly to fail, you would have to break the steel spindle also.
Another thought if that doesn't work would be to take out the steel spindle and get three pieces of round stock about the size of the spindle (close as possible. Put a small pc, maybe an inch long, in the center, at the bend, and the other two next to it...these would be longer, and may stick out. Then try to bend the al. housing back in the press, by pressing on the bent area.
I didn't look at my spindle, but if the other two pieces were long and could stick out the ends, a cheap and dirty way would be get help, hold the bars sticking out, place the bent part against a tree or something, and pull until straight. The 3 pcs will keep the spindle housing from collapsing, but since they are not connected, may allow it to bend back easier. Then straighten the steel spindle separately.
Let us know if you try this and it works.
8)

 

[SumpBuster]

If it was me, they (Yamaha) wouldn't warranty mine...I grazed a buried log (ok, it was a tree), dented the pan underneath, which just caught the end of one of the 6 aluminum extensions on the sump cover, which cracked and lost the oil. Without warning, a mile later, say bye bye to the bottom end.
Wrote letters to no avail, but they did buy me a belly protector. I also put a 3/16" steel plate under the protector. :twisted:
But it was an accident, and they do not cover that stuff. At least not motor accidents.

 

[spray25]

Hmmmm ..... Sump Buster and Treewhacker. I don't think you guys better ride together.

 

[treewhacker]

Thanks guys, I know there were some that posted on this subject last spring but I couldn't remember who. Are the Warriors any different or do they have the exact same spindles?

 

[fstblkwarrior]

Mine looks exactly the same. I thought it looked like a weak link myself. I guess I will have to be really careful!!!

 

[wizard]

My friend bent his spindle exactly like yours. also the a-arms were tweaked as well. he hit a buried stump or log. no luck on the warranty for him since it was an accident. he had our dealer fix it at the end of the season last year, it took quite awhile for the parts to come in though.

How would you be able to argue for it to be covered by warranty? It seems like it would be too easy for yamaha to say it was mis-use. I see there are 2 examples here from accidents, but treewacker's sounds like normal riding; trail conditions vary so moguls are part of "normal riding" right?

 

[Frostbite]

This topic again huh? Yes, Yamaha did warranty one of mine. It was actually a "good will" gesture they said. I have bent mine several times since as well. I bought a $99 arbor press and put it on my garage bench and straightened them back to the best I can get them.
I'd suggest you send this picture to Yamaha. I sent the same thing. This is one area where they really need to refigure their engineering data. There is just so much inertia with this heavy sled that the amount of area they left virtually unsupported is obscene. I have it redesigned in my head but I'd need a Silver streak type fellow to build it and then the cast frame and A arms would probably break instead?
I honestly don't know what the answer is on this one. I wish Yamaha would have a recall and update the spindles and A arms. Powder Blue

 

[spray25]

The answer to this one is to get Sled Nazi to start working more with Titanium!!

 

[SumpBuster]

How easy did the steel spindle bend back? I'm wondering if they were hardened at all...if I take one out, I'll do a hardness check....
One thing for sure, the aluminum spindle housing isn't strong enough to give much support to the spindle.
They must be too soft.
Tree...how was the steering? Did you notice increased resistance when turning?

 

[LazyBastard]

Just remember that if you made the spindle stronger, the arms and/or the bulkhead would become the next weakest link. You dont want to crack your bulkhead to save your spindle.