slane
Newbie
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2007
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 281
- Location
- Millinocket, Maine
- Website
- www.northerntimbercruisers.com
yellowknife....the fuel caddys for the tunnel sides.....were they for specifically your sled or is this a one size fits all sleds?
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,105
- Reaction score
- 54
- Points
- 988
- Location
- Yellowknife, NT, Canada
- Website
- www.youtube.com
Thanks!dburu2 said:Yellowknife great posts! I've been reading your posts for awhile now very interesting. I may have missed it but what type of headgear do you and your friends find work the best. I'm just thinking if it works for your weather situations it should work anywhere. Some of my buds have problems but I think its usually from over dressing ,could also be from cheaping out on gear after buying supposedly quality gear only to have it not work. thanks for all the info that you share.
For Headgear I’ve been using a BVS Helmet from BRP – I did a review on it…
http://www.dootalk.com/forums/index.php ... ied+tested
After reading that, you can only take it as one opinion. Basically I’ve known more guys who hate this helmet in my conditions than like it. Lots of guys still use open face with goggles even at -40. I think this is one of the area’s that come down to personal preference more than anything. You’ve got to try stuff on, borrow and beg, before buying.
Not sure if you were just referring to helmets or not.
They are designed for the MTX for sure – but I’m not sure if they fit on the regular Nytro’s or not…all you need is tunnel space to mount it to…and if it is not for a Nytro, you just have to make sure there is enough space between the running board and the top of the tunnel where you mount the bracket, and I think it would work on any sled.slane said:
Zoomsplat
Newbie
Great photos and info, Yellowknife. Now, if Yamaha would just let us do their cold weather testing...... 
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,105
- Reaction score
- 54
- Points
- 988
- Location
- Yellowknife, NT, Canada
- Website
- www.youtube.com
Zoomsplat said:Great photos and info, Yellowknife. Now, if Yamaha would just let us do their cold weather testing......
Indeed!!
Speaking of which - today was the COLDEST start that I have been able to put the MTX through.
The air temperature was -42 C. I have it on video tape, but the sled would NOT fire up.
The next coldest temp I have tried it at was -35 C and it fired up really well - SO - as the temps climb, I will find out what the tipping point is between -35 and -42.
We have been in a deep freeze here for nearly 2 weeks, with temps as low as -48 C and averaging -45 at night and -38 during the day.
My work schedule is returning to normal tomorrow and I will be able to get some cold weather riding in with this engine at -40 to see how it performs.
mmaxcarver
Newbie
Pretty interesting.. Keep it coming..
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,105
- Reaction score
- 54
- Points
- 988
- Location
- Yellowknife, NT, Canada
- Website
- www.youtube.com
Rides and Updates:
It’s been cold. Very cold….for what has seemed like over 3 weeks now. Lots of –40’s = lots of cold weather testing on the Nytro, and here’s the scoop
This engine will start with Yamalube’s 5w-30 semi-synthetic down to –37 C (-35 F)
It took 3 tries to get it going. It would blip and almost go in the first two tries.
This was after the sled had sat outside at –37C for 16 hours after the previous ride.
This temperature appears to be the fine edge of the cut-off to start this engine without plugging it in. I’ve very happy with this number, and wish the Phazer would start just as low. It is still waiting on cold weather updates but is in the shop for that now.
Another testing issue to report – The Hitch offered by Yamaha (currently on hold?? Not sure)
I have been able to put roughly 500 km’s (300mi) of towing onto this hitch and unfortunately it gets a failing grade.
Yamaha was generous in sending me a hitch early in the season for testing and feedback. You may recall my initial comments after it was installed. I though that the 4 spot welds on the bumper were too weak, and that the base of the hitch should have been welded along the bumper, not just in four spots.
I was right.
During our camping adventure this past weekend, we were riding over 2 foot drifts on the lakes that were solid as cement - but despite the rough snow conditions, we were averaging 20 km/h (12mph) which isn’t fast at all, so we weren’t beating up on the thing.
The welds simply aren’t strong enough – and the bumper carries more towing weight than the upper design of the hitch which connects into the tunnel.
Here are some shots of the breakage:
You can see the spot welds…
So, the folks at Yamaha should redesign the hitch to be welding across the bumper, not just in four spots, and it will handle any load.
I’ve had the hitch welded to the bumper, and will get pics of that next ride out.
As for the past few weeks, there hasn’t been much riding from –48 to –37 on average, but despite –40 temps on the weekend we were tired of staying in town and headed out Friday night for the Wall Tent:
We took it slow and it took nearly two hours but we got there without any problems. We took two boggans with us, one of which had a bunk bed that we were going to assemble in the tent.
Of coarse, the bunk bed wasn’t as much of a priority as this…
It wasn’t long before the crew didn’t feel the cold anymore…
We were up till 4am playing liars dice.
Saturday was step two of the weekend, we had to pack up and head to our friends lodge for that night to open it up for the first time in 2 years. Again we dealt with –40 temps, we didn’t actually leave the wall tent until 4:30pm on Saturday, but we made it without any issues. It took a long time, we had to break trail to get into the lodge but the Nytro handled that beautifully and now the trail looks like a highway.
It took a while to get things warm in such a large space at –40, including working on the thermometer to see just how crazy we were…
At first standing next to the stove pipe was the only source of heat…it was a little cold…
We were exhausted and after eating and getting the place warm, it was bed time…someone doesn’t like to sleep alone…
Sunday I went powder riding before we packed up to head home…it had warmed up to –26 C (-15 F) which was nice, but little did we know, it wasn’t the cold that was going to cause us problems for the weekend, it was the ride home that turned into disaster.
On the way back Greg’s sled started running on one cylinder. We got it to the highway at Reid Lake and it was perfect timing, because a wildlife truck was just coming down and we flagged it to pick up Greg and his sled.
Trevor and I continued the other half of the trip alone, everything was going well until the pin popped out of his boggan hitch from all the drifts we were riding over.
We wrigged up a spare and it worked…we got closer to town and had to cross an ice road when Trevor accidentally rolled his sled and busted his windshield like glass.
Shortly after getting going again, we were climbing a hill near Con Mine and seen that my hitch was busted, then I slid off of the hill and rolled my sled. That took awhile to get unstuck. When we got it out, I had to use a rope to tie the boggan to my bumper to tow it the rest of the way home. It flipped upside down on a snowbank. What a bunch of chaos. Finally we get home, there’s a flat on my trailer tire and the furnace in the house is busted so no heat or hot water.
Everyone was worried that things would go wrong in the cold…I guess we should have stayed out there cause the trip home made up for how well everything else went beforehand!!
More camping to follow this weekend. And hopefully warmer temps – but there’s nothing like the experience of –40 on a sled. It changes the ball game – but hats off to Yamaha’s engine’s – spot on, -40 or not.
Cheers,
YK
It’s been cold. Very cold….for what has seemed like over 3 weeks now. Lots of –40’s = lots of cold weather testing on the Nytro, and here’s the scoop
This engine will start with Yamalube’s 5w-30 semi-synthetic down to –37 C (-35 F)
It took 3 tries to get it going. It would blip and almost go in the first two tries.
This was after the sled had sat outside at –37C for 16 hours after the previous ride.
This temperature appears to be the fine edge of the cut-off to start this engine without plugging it in. I’ve very happy with this number, and wish the Phazer would start just as low. It is still waiting on cold weather updates but is in the shop for that now.
Another testing issue to report – The Hitch offered by Yamaha (currently on hold?? Not sure)
I have been able to put roughly 500 km’s (300mi) of towing onto this hitch and unfortunately it gets a failing grade.
Yamaha was generous in sending me a hitch early in the season for testing and feedback. You may recall my initial comments after it was installed. I though that the 4 spot welds on the bumper were too weak, and that the base of the hitch should have been welded along the bumper, not just in four spots.
I was right.
During our camping adventure this past weekend, we were riding over 2 foot drifts on the lakes that were solid as cement - but despite the rough snow conditions, we were averaging 20 km/h (12mph) which isn’t fast at all, so we weren’t beating up on the thing.
The welds simply aren’t strong enough – and the bumper carries more towing weight than the upper design of the hitch which connects into the tunnel.
Here are some shots of the breakage:
You can see the spot welds…
So, the folks at Yamaha should redesign the hitch to be welding across the bumper, not just in four spots, and it will handle any load.
I’ve had the hitch welded to the bumper, and will get pics of that next ride out.
As for the past few weeks, there hasn’t been much riding from –48 to –37 on average, but despite –40 temps on the weekend we were tired of staying in town and headed out Friday night for the Wall Tent:
We took it slow and it took nearly two hours but we got there without any problems. We took two boggans with us, one of which had a bunk bed that we were going to assemble in the tent.
Of coarse, the bunk bed wasn’t as much of a priority as this…
It wasn’t long before the crew didn’t feel the cold anymore…
We were up till 4am playing liars dice.
Saturday was step two of the weekend, we had to pack up and head to our friends lodge for that night to open it up for the first time in 2 years. Again we dealt with –40 temps, we didn’t actually leave the wall tent until 4:30pm on Saturday, but we made it without any issues. It took a long time, we had to break trail to get into the lodge but the Nytro handled that beautifully and now the trail looks like a highway.
It took a while to get things warm in such a large space at –40, including working on the thermometer to see just how crazy we were…
At first standing next to the stove pipe was the only source of heat…it was a little cold…
We were exhausted and after eating and getting the place warm, it was bed time…someone doesn’t like to sleep alone…
Sunday I went powder riding before we packed up to head home…it had warmed up to –26 C (-15 F) which was nice, but little did we know, it wasn’t the cold that was going to cause us problems for the weekend, it was the ride home that turned into disaster.
On the way back Greg’s sled started running on one cylinder. We got it to the highway at Reid Lake and it was perfect timing, because a wildlife truck was just coming down and we flagged it to pick up Greg and his sled.
Trevor and I continued the other half of the trip alone, everything was going well until the pin popped out of his boggan hitch from all the drifts we were riding over.
We wrigged up a spare and it worked…we got closer to town and had to cross an ice road when Trevor accidentally rolled his sled and busted his windshield like glass.
Shortly after getting going again, we were climbing a hill near Con Mine and seen that my hitch was busted, then I slid off of the hill and rolled my sled. That took awhile to get unstuck. When we got it out, I had to use a rope to tie the boggan to my bumper to tow it the rest of the way home. It flipped upside down on a snowbank. What a bunch of chaos. Finally we get home, there’s a flat on my trailer tire and the furnace in the house is busted so no heat or hot water.
Everyone was worried that things would go wrong in the cold…I guess we should have stayed out there cause the trip home made up for how well everything else went beforehand!!
More camping to follow this weekend. And hopefully warmer temps – but there’s nothing like the experience of –40 on a sled. It changes the ball game – but hats off to Yamaha’s engine’s – spot on, -40 or not.
Cheers,
YK
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,105
- Reaction score
- 54
- Points
- 988
- Location
- Yellowknife, NT, Canada
- Website
- www.youtube.com
Ride Update:
This past Friday myself, Janice and Greg headed out to the Wall Tent. I doubled Janice on the back of the Nytro and it was surprisingly able to handle the two up riding very well despite the rough drifts on the lakes. The snow had been falling and helped soften things up a little…
Saturday Trevor and Katrina came out for a visit, we were fishing and cutting down trees…
Later Saturday afternoon, we were relying on some trout to eat for dinner, and Janice came through!!
The sun came down and it was time to head back to the tent. We had dinner and watched a couple movies…some of us were not impressed with the content…
Yes, it’s all about being lazy at the wall tent…
Nobody smiles but me…
Oh – and the highlight of the weekend was watching the entire season of Ice Road Truckers. Finally I got to see what all the hype was about…and I’ve decided that it’s time to show each of you what the REAL ice road truckers – or maybe Pick-Up-Truck-Truckers is like here in Yellowknife. I will have a video release on that in the near future.
Sunday we had a relaxing morning/afternoon and headed out before sunset…
I forgot to take pics of my welded hitch, but that is coming, along with pictures of the new GPS mount on the dash of the Nytro.
Cheers,
YK
This past Friday myself, Janice and Greg headed out to the Wall Tent. I doubled Janice on the back of the Nytro and it was surprisingly able to handle the two up riding very well despite the rough drifts on the lakes. The snow had been falling and helped soften things up a little…
Saturday Trevor and Katrina came out for a visit, we were fishing and cutting down trees…
Later Saturday afternoon, we were relying on some trout to eat for dinner, and Janice came through!!
The sun came down and it was time to head back to the tent. We had dinner and watched a couple movies…some of us were not impressed with the content…
Yes, it’s all about being lazy at the wall tent…
Nobody smiles but me…
Oh – and the highlight of the weekend was watching the entire season of Ice Road Truckers. Finally I got to see what all the hype was about…and I’ve decided that it’s time to show each of you what the REAL ice road truckers – or maybe Pick-Up-Truck-Truckers is like here in Yellowknife. I will have a video release on that in the near future.
Sunday we had a relaxing morning/afternoon and headed out before sunset…
I forgot to take pics of my welded hitch, but that is coming, along with pictures of the new GPS mount on the dash of the Nytro.
Cheers,
YK
OST
Expert
Yellowknife said:Nobody smiles but me…
Just another looney tunes night at the wall tent! Gettin ready to howl at the moon were we YK?
Good to see you guys (and gal) having a time of it there! Great photos and story!
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,105
- Reaction score
- 54
- Points
- 988
- Location
- Yellowknife, NT, Canada
- Website
- www.youtube.com
LOL
Ride Updates:
Monday and Tuesday night Nate and I went riding, looking for powder and climbing some rocky hills. I still can’t believe we hill climb around here, if you ever looked at these things in the summer you’d think it was impossible and a death trap for the sled with all the boulders, but once you give it a shot it’s amazing what you can climb.
Of coarse, it doesn’t always go so well…
But when it does, you get shots like these…
Downtown Yellowknife in the background, experimenting with my camera’s night shots…
It actually looks like daylight here from the camera’s settings, but it was pitch black outside…
We stumbled upon an abandoned mobile home in the bush – and guess what we found on one of the doors? Just for all you ice road trucker fans…
Apparently he ran for mayor back in the day and he was driving around town with his campaign on car doors.
We are running a story tonight on CBC about a kid who’s birthday wish was to fly to Yellowknife to meet the famous ice road trucker, and so his dad flew him up. Not sure what the details are on the story at this point, but you can watch it tonight on our show live at 8pm eastern time tonight at cbc.ca/north ….just click on the link to watch CBC Northbeat live, you can catch it afterwards as well when the show is encoded to the website after the live broadcast. I’m not sure where during our one hour show the story will be aired, so you’ll just have to watch from the beginning.
And of coarse, last night wouldn’t have been complete without getting stuck 5 times in a row and only being able to move 2 feet each time…
Cheers,
YK
Ride Updates:
Monday and Tuesday night Nate and I went riding, looking for powder and climbing some rocky hills. I still can’t believe we hill climb around here, if you ever looked at these things in the summer you’d think it was impossible and a death trap for the sled with all the boulders, but once you give it a shot it’s amazing what you can climb.
Of coarse, it doesn’t always go so well…
But when it does, you get shots like these…
Downtown Yellowknife in the background, experimenting with my camera’s night shots…
It actually looks like daylight here from the camera’s settings, but it was pitch black outside…
We stumbled upon an abandoned mobile home in the bush – and guess what we found on one of the doors? Just for all you ice road trucker fans…
Apparently he ran for mayor back in the day and he was driving around town with his campaign on car doors.
We are running a story tonight on CBC about a kid who’s birthday wish was to fly to Yellowknife to meet the famous ice road trucker, and so his dad flew him up. Not sure what the details are on the story at this point, but you can watch it tonight on our show live at 8pm eastern time tonight at cbc.ca/north ….just click on the link to watch CBC Northbeat live, you can catch it afterwards as well when the show is encoded to the website after the live broadcast. I’m not sure where during our one hour show the story will be aired, so you’ll just have to watch from the beginning.
And of coarse, last night wouldn’t have been complete without getting stuck 5 times in a row and only being able to move 2 feet each time…
Cheers,
YK
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,105
- Reaction score
- 54
- Points
- 988
- Location
- Yellowknife, NT, Canada
- Website
- www.youtube.com
I count myself lucky...definitely...
It's a unique place to live...
I've been behind (as usual) on the Video front - but never fear, I have Part 1 of December's Mileage Log Video Installment here for viewing.
It is my longest video yet, and only covers half of the month's adventures. It is 14 minutes long, so if the download is choppy, give it time, because it is funnier if you get to watch it with smooth playback instead of choppy buffering junk.
Speakers required as usual - my sad attempt at a comedian is for your entertainment in this one. Enjoy the show! There's plenty more to come...
http://media.putfile.com/December-2007-Sleding-Part-1
It's a unique place to live...
I've been behind (as usual) on the Video front - but never fear, I have Part 1 of December's Mileage Log Video Installment here for viewing.
It is my longest video yet, and only covers half of the month's adventures. It is 14 minutes long, so if the download is choppy, give it time, because it is funnier if you get to watch it with smooth playback instead of choppy buffering junk.
Speakers required as usual - my sad attempt at a comedian is for your entertainment in this one. Enjoy the show! There's plenty more to come...
http://media.putfile.com/December-2007-Sleding-Part-1
skidooboy
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
allen you guys gotta get some snow bungies to get unstuck, lot better than digging, pulling, picking up the rear of the sled ect..
get the sled to sled unit, hook to the unstuck sled rear bumper, hook to front upper a arm of the stuck sled, give it to the unstuck sled, do not get on the stuck sled, stand next to it and burp the throttle on the stuck unit, and it pops right out.
i'll see if we can get a vid for you, works great.
as always, enjoy the updates. ski
get the sled to sled unit, hook to the unstuck sled rear bumper, hook to front upper a arm of the stuck sled, give it to the unstuck sled, do not get on the stuck sled, stand next to it and burp the throttle on the stuck unit, and it pops right out.
i'll see if we can get a vid for you, works great.
as always, enjoy the updates. ski
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,105
- Reaction score
- 54
- Points
- 988
- Location
- Yellowknife, NT, Canada
- Website
- www.youtube.com
We have snow bungies! lol
Actually, i'm interested in the video and links etc. A couple of friends have made their own, but I lost mine already!
Actually, i'm interested in the video and links etc. A couple of friends have made their own, but I lost mine already!
mmaxcarver
Newbie
Best snowmobile tool in the world, would never ride without one ever again......
http://www.highliftjack.com/
http://www.highliftjack.com/
skidooboy
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
allen not a vid but a pic for you. sled to sled bungie. ski
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,105
- Reaction score
- 54
- Points
- 988
- Location
- Yellowknife, NT, Canada
- Website
- www.youtube.com
Thanks for the pics and links guys...here's a trip update:
I stayed up till 2am fighting with Windows Movie Maker and Putfile.com
BLAST!! Anyway, it's not exactly as I wanted it to be 'edit for edit' but it's good enough till I find some real software.
Here's a taste of our trip;
We departed Yellowknife Sunday, February 24th and had 4 full days of riding from the decks of Glacier House Resort in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada.
It was Ray's 3rd trip to this location, but Mike and myself had never been riding in the mountains before - I'd only ever seen mountains in person once before, so this was a huge challenge. Throw in a fear of heights and my blood pressure must have been insane. There was no time to think though, which was good. Push the throttle to the bar and climb baby climb.
This is a summary video of the fun we had - more detailed video and pictures will come, hope you enjoy!
Cheers,
YK
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xFMBCi34qgE
I stayed up till 2am fighting with Windows Movie Maker and Putfile.com
BLAST!! Anyway, it's not exactly as I wanted it to be 'edit for edit' but it's good enough till I find some real software.
Here's a taste of our trip;
We departed Yellowknife Sunday, February 24th and had 4 full days of riding from the decks of Glacier House Resort in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada.
It was Ray's 3rd trip to this location, but Mike and myself had never been riding in the mountains before - I'd only ever seen mountains in person once before, so this was a huge challenge. Throw in a fear of heights and my blood pressure must have been insane. There was no time to think though, which was good. Push the throttle to the bar and climb baby climb.
This is a summary video of the fun we had - more detailed video and pictures will come, hope you enjoy!
Cheers,
YK
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xFMBCi34qgE
