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Somethings bent, Shock hit upper a-arm UPDATE! OPINIONS?

DeerHuntr

TY 4 Stroke Guru
Joined
Jan 26, 2004
Messages
759
Location
Moorhead MN
Hey guys, 09 Nytro RTX with 2600 miles. Same old story, never hit anything that I'm aware of. Rode 180 miles on Sunday in very rough conditions and noticed when I was covering the sled that there was a ding in my Fox Float rite at the seal and a corresponding mark on the back part of the top a-arm. The shock is not centerd in the a- arm anymore but there is approx 1" of clearance between the shock and the a- arm. i cannot believe it flexed enough to contact the shock and then sprung back, makes no sense. Took it to the dealer and he said it would do no good submiting to Yamaha cause they will do nothing for me, told me to go through insurance. So I get the estimate done, he says it needs both upper and lower a arms, a new float and a new spindle, said the subframe looks fine but there is a slight wrinkle in the plate. Total estimate is just shy of $1500 bucks. I see no damage to the spindle at all and to be honest I think it is fine, I also think my lower a arm is fine but I believe the upper may be tweeked. How do i tell if the a arms are tweeked??? Will my Float continue to function with a ding in the seal area?? I assume that seal is just to keep debris out of the shock not to hold the air correct?? Rite now I am thinking about trying to tweek the top arm back so the shock is centerd and ride it, just want to be certain I am safe doing so. I am also thinking about checking to see if my a arm bolt is still tight, damage is on the same side as the recall and it may be worth a look. I am a little frustrated at the moment, looking for opinions.
 

I wouldn't take your dealers word for Yamaha not doing anything. The dealer and Yamaha are trained to tell people that so a guy like yourself says ok and looks for another way to pay for it and you just saved them $1500 They told me no on my subframe several times and I kept after it, they finally got sick of me and struck a deal. My dad has been a Polaris dealer for many years and he has said the key to getting something warrantied is a good dealer and some power crying!
 
I think it speaks volumes when the Dealer even tells you that Yamaha isn't going to do anything for you. Is the Dealer just being honest regarding Yamaha? I can't fathom Yamaha directing their Dealers to say such a thing.

I also think it's pathetic that the mere suggestion of going through insurance to pay for the repair is preposterous.

Definitely contact Yamaha regarding this issue and lodge a complaint, both regarding the refusal to have this warrantied, as well as the Dealer's comment regarding Yamaha.

What ever happened to customer service?
Remember last year when Yamaha released the 2010 sleds, and BNGs, they were pushing the whole customer satisfaction promotion. What happened to that marketing plan?
 
Re: Somethings bent, Shock hit upper a-arm

DeerHuntr said:
said the subframe looks fine but there is a slight wrinkle in the plate.

Looks fine but there is a wrinkle? Sorry but i would say your subframe is what is causing a lot of the miss alignment. The truth will come out though when you put new a-arms on it. :o|
 
Re: Somethings bent, Shock hit upper a-arm

yamahaboy701 said:
DeerHuntr said:
said the subframe looks fine but there is a slight wrinkle in the plate.

Looks fine but there is a wrinkle? Sorry but i would say your subframe is what is causing a lot of the miss alignment. The truth will come out though when you put new a-arms on it. :o|

i agree. if theres a wrinkle on that plate the subframe is tweaked as well and that'll cost more than $1500.
 
To be sure...
Check your arms with a straight edge steel ruler.
Put it up agains the arms in different spots.
If you see any curve in the arms you have a bent them.
 
Same exact thing happened to me today. Same ding on Fox Float and same scuff/ding on a-arm. Already straightened the upper a-arm on the other side just to get me through this last snow and/or till the new one arrived. Now the other side is tweaked. I had to work nightshift tonight, so I guess I will be pulling the plastics off in the A.M. to investigate.
 
How did you staighten the upper a arm??? Was thinking about trying to but not sure how to go about it.
 
Bent subframe

Had the same exact damage occur when I caught a manhole cover at less then 5 mph. It is amazing that the shock can contact the upper a arm enough to dent both the shock and the A arm and then spring back. Place a 2x4 vertically between the upper and lower A arm and bend back into place. I was able to bend mine back so it is close to stock, how :4STroke: ever I will be replacing the sub frame in the off season. Have ridden the sled 300 miles since and the shock seems fine (had the same dent in the seal area). Anyone know who has the best pricing on the sub frame? Thanks
 
DeerHuntr said:
How did you staighten the upper a arm??? Was thinking about trying to but not sure how to go about it.

Mine was a full contact shot directly to the a-arm when I met an old school ZR head on. It was an icy corner and we were both trying to stop, so I have no idea how fast we were going at point of impact, but not very. Still don't understand how/why the sub-frame didn't bend on that occasion. The first pic is the only bent/wrecked pic I have. The second is how I straightened it. A little heat here and there helps, but it doesn't take much.
 

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Just did some rough measuring. Both lower a-arms are the same distance from the point of reference on the tunnel/footholds. The upper a-arm on the side in question is about a 1/2 inch ahead of the other side. Is this the standard, upper a-arm bent forward? I guess there is no standard for bent stuff, but say, most common?
 
Substandard frame replacement should cost ya less than $900 unless you whack something direct with the A arms I cant see how you would bend one with the awesome spongamatic substandard frames...
 
Somethings bent, shock hit upper a arm PART 2!!!! opinions??

Well guys after the first dealer refused to submit my front end damage to yamaha for warranty and diagnosed the problem as bent upper and lower a arm and spindle I decided to get a second opinion. I hauled my sled down to a freind of my brother in law who happens to own a Yamaha dealership about 2 hrs from where I live. They diagnosed the problem as a bent subframe, big surprise huh?? They said the a arms and spindle are fine. They did try to get it warrantied but no dice, Yamaha said they don't consider it to be a defective part so it isn't covered by warranty. He argued that the sled shows no signs of impact yet it is bent so in his eyes it is defective but they didn't see it that way. They did however tell him when they order the subframe for replacement they could order a 2010 frame that is stronger then the 09 and it will bolt right in. So the fact that the subframe is on its third revision doesn't mean version 1 and 2 are defective, apparently they are strengthening them for no reason. Here is my question, are the 2010 subframes any stronger?? I don't want to turn this thing in for insurace and pay my $500 deductable and have it bend again on the first ride, I may as well just ride it bent. My only problem with riding it the way it is is the ding in the shock on the seal area, I don't want the shock to fail next season and have my machine down when I should be riding. The estimate is going to be around $2000 to repair from what it sounded like with subframe and shock replacement so it is worth turning it in for insurance I think as long as it doesn't bend again but I have my doubts. So do I ride it tweeked or fix it?? I called my insurance co and they are fine with me waiting till fall to fix it wich I will probably do, maybe the 2011 version will be stronger :o| . I love my sled but am really disapointed in Yamaha's unwillingness to repair a known problem on their dime. For as much as these damn things cost they should stand behind them better and I honestly doubt I will buy Yamaha again because of this. I had a claim on my 06 Polaris Fusion under extended warranty for the front skid shock and lower mount and it was coverd no questions asked and I hit something so hard it about threw me off the sled, on my Yamaha I've never even hit anything and it's not coverd??? Pretty crappy if you ask me. Guess Im pretty bumbed out about it, the new Assault Switchback is looking pretty sexy to me right now......
 


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