Team Fast 136" M20 - Apex LTX / Attak, Vector LTX

[Redbeard]

Front arm support plates are powder coated and the skid is installed. I'd like to mention the limiter strap at this point; I rode my Apex M20 for 2 seasons without ever touching the strap, mainly because it rode so nice that I didn't think any change was necessary. Last winter, however, I shortened the strap 1 hole after chatting with Soldiers Papa and Dusty Dan. They both said that pulling the strap up 1 hole made a huge difference in the way their sled's handled. I'm not a suspension wizard and I'm not good at explaining these kinds of things, but the entire sled became more compliant; it just plain handled better and the ride improved...I didn't think it could get any better, but it did!

Now I'm faced with another potential issue...when I fully compress the suspension, the track lugs make contact with rear heat exchanger. I need to do more research and brainstorming on a cure. In the meantime, I'm going to start removing the Hartman 151" tunnel extension to make way for its replacement. Once removed, that will free-up some looking room to decide what can be done with the heat exchanger.

Stay tuned!

 

[Dusty Dan]

Front arm support plates are powder coated and the skid is installed. I'd like to mention the limiter strap at this point. I rode my Apex M20 for 2 seasons without ever touching the strap, mainly because it rode SO MUCH better than stock and I didn't think any change was necessary. Last winter, however, I shortened the strap 1 hole after chatting with Soldiers Papa and Dusty Dan. They both said that pulling the strap up 1 hole made a huge difference in the way their sled's handled. I'm not a suspension wizard and I'm not good at explaining these kinds of things, but the entire sled became more compliant; it just plain handled better and the ride improved...I didn't think it could get any better, but it did!

Now I'm faced with another potential issue...when I fully compress the suspension, the track lugs make contact with rear heat exchanger. I need to do more research and brainstorming on a cure. In the meantime, I'm going to start removing the Hartman 151" tunnel extension to make way for its replacement. Once removed, that will free-up some looking room to decide what can be done with heat exchanger.

Stay tuned!

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When I was installing my M20 I noticed that the studs had impacted the rear cooler on more than one occasion. Using what I had I put about a 1/4" piece of old hifax and a piece if 1/8" aluminum angle to the existing protector and painted it black so it would be easy to see future damage. No problems after over 2000 miles.

 

[Redbeard]

When I was installing my M20 I noticed that the studs had impacted the rear cooler on more than one occasion. Using what I had I put about a 1/4" piece of old hifax and a piece if 1/8" aluminum angle to the existing protector and painted it black so it would be easy to see future damage. No problems after over 2000 miles.View attachment 120083

Thanks for the picture, Dan. I removed my tunnel protectors years ago, but the 1.5" lugs on this new track will still make contact in an extreme bottom-out situation. Dan, can you feel or hear your track make contact with the square tubes under full compression? I'm not sure if I should try and add square tubes back to the cooler, or try a lower profile cooler altogether? I know Travis at Barn of Parts has a custom, lower profile cooler available. I may contact him and see what he says.

I'm open to any suggestion?

 

[Dusty Dan]

Thanks for the picture, Dan. I removed my tunnel protectors years ago, but the 1.5" lugs on this new track will still make contact in an extreme bottom-out situation. Dan, can you feel or hear your track make contact with the square tubes under full compression? I'm not sure if I should try and add square tubes back to the cooler, or try a lower profile cooler altogether? I know Travis at Barn of Parts has a custom, lower profile cooler available. I may contact him and see what he says.

I'm open to any suggestion?

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No, I have never felt or heard the impact, but for sure I had a couple previously, probably do to the impact I was thinking of other things.....like my back. I am not an expert, just lucky that what I did worked for me, I would certainly defer to Travis.

 

[musselman]

Thanks for the picture, Dan. I removed my tunnel protectors years ago, but the 1.5" lugs on this new track will still make contact in an extreme bottom-out situation. Dan, can you feel or hear your track make contact with the square tubes under full compression? I'm not sure if I should try and add square tubes back to the cooler, or try a lower profile cooler altogether? I know Travis at Barn of Parts has a custom, lower profile cooler available. I may contact him and see what he says.

I'm open to any suggestion?

View attachment 120084 View attachment 120085

I had the same issue with my SRX with the M-20, it bent the fins on the heat exhanger and dented up the tunnel extension. What I had to do was lower the entire suspension and also tip up the tunnel extension. This made it much better but would still touch on a tail landing.

 

[Redbeard]

I had the same issue with my SRX with the M-20, it bent the fins on the heat exhanger and dented up the tunnel extension. What I had to do was lower the entire suspension and also tip up the tunnel extension. This made it much better but would still touch on a tail landing.

Thanks for the input!

Like you mentioned above, I also had to lower the 151" M10 suspension because of clearance issues. I tore up the lugs on a brand new track the first time out! Unfortunately, I would have to lower the M20 rear arm more than 1" to get the clearance I need; that starts messing up the geometry and would throw the machined aluminum mounting brackets out the window.

I have a new Muffin Works 136" tunnel extension coming. It will follow the same angle as the tunnel, verses flattening out like the factory extensions do. That will solve that issue, but I'm thinking a different cooler altogether and/or a radiator above the right footwell. I need to talk with Barn of Parts to nail down the best option.

 

[Redbeard]

151" tunnel extension is removed.

 

[Turtle]

You could relocate the cooler up into the tunnel extension. It would be a custom job - but by the looks of your work, you should be up to the task ... Here's a link we put in our forum on a custom job done for a cooler installed in an aftermarket tunnel extension. We get this question once in a while, and this was a nice job we saw done by a fellow TY member. It should fix your clearance issues.

http://www.ty4stroke.com/threads/rear-heat-exchanger-tunnel-extension.108333/

 

[Redbeard]

You could relocate the cooler up into the tunnel extension. It would be a custom job - but by the looks of your work, you should be up to the task ... Here's a link we put in our forum on a custom job done for a cooler installed in an aftermarket tunnel extension. We get this question once in a while, and this was a nice job we saw done by a fellow TY member. It should fix your clearance issues.

http://www.ty4stroke.com/threads/rear-heat-exchanger-tunnel-extension.108333/

Wow! Great information, Thank You!

 

[Redbeard]

Rear heat exchanger is removed. I had to hole-saw the openings to get the elbows through the tunnel, but no big deal.

Chatting with everyone and the link Turtle posted has given me an idea on what to try; minor engineering involved. I'll post up some pics as soon as I have a solution (hopefully).

 

[Redbeard]

In the meantime, I went ahead and began work for the tunnel airline. I wanted to duplicate what I made for my Apex M20 3 years ago, so I pulled out the templates I saved for locating the brackets and holes on the tunnel.

 

[Redbeard]

Chatting with everyone and the link Turtle posted has given me an idea on what to try...

OK...I've been stewing on this rear cooler clearance issue for days. At this time, I believe the factory rear cooler can be moved farther back and higher up without having to modify the cooler or rear diecast portion of the tunnel. Here's what I'm currently working on:

Using angle iron, I constructed a mock-up of where the new Muffin Works tunnel extension will be located, then clamped the cooler in place. This will now make the cooler elbows run around the outside corners of the rear diecast, verses running through it. The coolant hoses are now too short, but new ones can easily be made. All that needs done now is to modify the slots in the Muffin Works tunnel extension when it arrives.

You'll notice in the pictures below that the elbows on the cooler stick up higher than the mounting flanges, so sections of old tunnel protectors were bolted on to space it down. Higher would be better, but there is now enough clearance between the cooler and track when the skid is compressed to its extreme limit.

...stay tuned!

 

[Redbeard]

Between work and the summer heat, I have not gotten much accomplished on the sled lately. I did manage to complete the bracket that supports and protects the airline where it passes through the tunnel. I'm getting old...I have to wear readers to tig weld anymore...

Now I need to make a clamp that secures the airline to the rear swing arm...

 

[hibshman25]

Shipped longer hoses out to you yesterday.

 

[Redbeard]

Shipped longer hoses out to you yesterday.

That's great! Thank you!