Rust.....

[Apex_GT]

I just took my apex gt to the dealer to have it summerized..Was going over the sled with the mechanic of what I wanted done to it: ie battery charged, washed, joints greased, etc...Looking over the skid I noticed every joint is beginning to rust..Thought that was kind of unusual for something so new...Kind of sucks..Anyway gonna take skid out in the fall and get it powder coated black...Am I the only one here...Dealer said that they don't warrenty for rust..Its not for a lack of maintenance or cleaning either as I'm quite anal about that...Yamaha really should coat these things better.. :cry: :cry: :cry:

 

[cameljockey]

i think it is from flex at the welds, mine is the same way only at the welds.

 

[yamaouch08]

mine is also rusting pretty bad, i dont get it I always clean it after every trip and I haul it in a covered trailer!!

 

[FormulaPro]

There are a couple of threads on this issue already... this concerns me a great deal as someone already pointed out, rust at welds means flex and flexing weld joints mean pending failure. Not good.

 

[Superman]

I am planning on having mine powdercoated this summer. Either Silver or blue.

 

[Iceman57]

I'm getting mine ceramic coated. It’s much more resistant to chipping and scratching, an all around more durable coating. I got the exhaust done on my daughters Vmax 600sx a few years ago and it looks like it was done yesterday.

 

[RedRX1]

What kind of ceramic coating are you using. some kind of PVD, a baked on paint, or something else.

 

[Red2003]

Powder coating or ceramic coating isn't going to stop the flexing problem and if the welds are flexing enough to pop the paint off, they will fail soon after. I'd check real close for cracks at all teh points that are rusting. Lots of guys on here have documented that rust turns to cracks turns to broken suspension parts in a hurry.

 

[y_guy]

i have rust all over my welds too. i was a little disappointed.

 

[BlueMax]

I don't think the welds are flexing. The weld material will be harder than the base metal. Some of the welds may fail due to not following the proper procedures. The parts are rusting due to improper metal prep prior to priming and painting. The welds may have cooled in a very humid environment and rusted prior to painting.

 

[FormulaPro]

Red... this is exactly what I was just saying (2 or 3 above).

So what is the remedy here? Doesn't sound like re-welding is an option as it will weaken the surrounding metal? (forgive me... I know less than nothing about metal working).

This concerns me... as I occasionally come across the rough trail and prefer to bash through it rather than putt over it.

 

[NY_Nytro]

I think part of the problem is poor paint adhesion to the welds (poor cleaning of the weld prior to painting) and also that welds tend to lumpy/bumpy and have nooks & crannys that are difficult to get good paint coverage thus leaving a small amount of unpainted weld.

 

[LJ 452]

Given the function of rear suspension, if the metal or any material on it for that mater didn't flex to some degree it would snap like a twig. Without flex there is breakage, obviously this alowable flex is just that flex not bend. Those of you whom are concerned about your welds rusting, take a look under your vehicle (assuming you don't have a unibody) the welds on your frame will be the first thing to rust. Not to say I wouldn't try to reduce or remove it, I just wouldn't claim failure at the first sight of rust. Look at any brand of sleds rear suspension after a season of riding it will be in the same condition. Just the nature of an automated weld surface that is painted. Yes it has a lot to do with the prep prior to painting but the cost of properly prepairing the surface (still with little chance of it surviving is simply not worth it. To powdercoat/ceramic coat the rear suspension would be extremely expensive as well. Just not going to happen in a production environment. People aready bitch about the price now add another grand and for what the chance that it might last a season. Just not likely to occur. I plan on blasing the rust and then smoothing out the welds prior to repainting it before next season but I know I'll be doing the same thing next year, just part of the deal.

 

[Yamahammer485]

On a few sleds we have had, we spray something called "Rust Check", its kind of like a lube. Just spray it on and whatever it is that your spraying wont rust, just keep coating through the season, every once in a while. you can use any lube to do the same thing preety much, but this stuff removes all the water and stuff and bubbles if thers any crap around, its really neat.