The Rockmeister Express

[Rockmeister]

The Rockmeister Express

Starting more major mods to my '05 RX-1 Warrior.

Will be posting info and pics as I do it, much like rxrider has with his Turbo Garage! Go dude!

My goals for the beginning of this season are as follows:
(Hoping I remember everything here! lol)

Install new (to me) 121" SC 10 III skid to improve handling and lower weight. DONE for now
Install 121-136" 6 degree tip-up custom rail extensions. DONE
Design & build reverse lever mechanism to use parking brake lever as reverse and eliminate more weight.
Design & build Parking brake lever using hydraulic brake system.
Mod & Install new rear cooler on tunnel extension.
Install new HID lighting, Less Power use and more light.
Re-paint hood and upper plastic Gloss Black. DONE Thanks Mark!
Apply Custom Graphics. DONE
Install new jackshaft and driveshaft bearings. DONE
Install new seals on shafts/cases. DONE
Install custom LED lighting.
Stud track. DONE
Install new Predator track. DONE
Install Pioneer 13mm sway bar. DONE
Install Doo 9 tooth extrovert drivers. DONE
Install new snow flap. DONE

Ride and have fun!! WELL DONE!!!

 

[rxrider]

Way to go rockmeister, can't wait to see your project

 

[Rockmeister]

The sled started life as a "Special Edition".
This must be Japanese for UGLY... Lol

Flat black hood and other plastic...

+Flat Silver Lower panels.
+Black and Silver Seat cover with NO storage.
+Flat black painted A-arms...
= One VERY dull, ugly sled!

Yamaha! Wake up! This thing looked BAAAAAD!
Why did I buy it? I got a great deal and planned from the moment I bought it to change the ugly!

Here goes!
Last year I removed all the lower panels&A-arms and painted over the ugly silver with gloss black. That alone helped a great deal.

Early pic showing the ugly silver lower panels.

When I added the foam to raise the seat, I added the underseat storage Yamaha "forgot".
Also covered the Ugly silver seat material with blue, made a big change, no more ugly yet was still kind of "dull".

Pic after skid plate, Mountain Skis, Seat Mods, Lower panels, & A-arms painted.
Besides adding color, the mountain skis were a huge improvement in flotation off-trail and tracking on-trail, would do that again.

Pic of existing hood paint, the flash on the camera makes it look much better than it is, its VERY flat, basically dull black primer.

With the changes coming very fast, the "dull" is evaporating!!!
YEAH!!!

Removed all the stickers & graphics from the hood and plastic body panels with a heat gun.
Removed the hood and all plastic to be painted.

Looks like the sled exploded! lol

 

[Rockmeister]

Thanks RX!

Hoping to do ya proud! lol

Removed all the lower panels today & started by removing all the items that kept me from getting the track & driveshaft out.

Pics to be posted soon. Need to do a few things then the weekly chat is tonight!

 

[sobfrogg]

Looking good Rock,

Mabey I'll start a project

 

[Rockmeister]

Thanks Scott!

My goal is to be ready to ride by the 15th of this month, will see how it goes!

Doesn't it figure, MI has snow NOW!!! lol

Dropped off my plastic(Hood Etc) to be painted at a friends last weekend, he promised to be ready for pick-up by this weekend. Go Mark!

Some relatively heavy useless parts I removed last night that I plan on not re-installing.
Plan on using the Parking brake cable to actuate the reverse in the future.

Linkages are not in this pic, yet will be eliminated.

Two years ago had blown a belt in the UP, it took out the cooling hose and the speedo wiring under the clutches.
Cleaned ALOT of Kevlar strands out of the sled for a long time! lol
I made a guard for this out of thin aluminum to help prevent hose & wiring damage in the future.

You can see the speedo sensor and the hose under the guard.

The "kink" is for driveshaft bearing mounting bolt clearance.


This is how much drivechain tensioner adjustment I had left.

Last year had an aftermarket 68 chain break, used my existing 70 chain to finish the year.
(This is with 21 tooth top gear and 38 bottom gear W/Reverse.)

When I opened the chaincase, could see a small amount of metal in the oil.
Tracking down the source, found the metal had come from the back of the tensioner.

(Just leaned the tensioner on the gear to keep it upright for pic.)

The adjustment bolt was so far in that just the edge of the bolt touched the tensioner, the load on the small surface area of the bolt edge cut into the tensioner, allowing the chain to loosen a bit.

With the slack in the chain, the chain rubbed on the back of the tensioner, wearing away a bit of material.
Nothing too major, but here is the outcome.
Just happy I was able to ride!

 

[Rockmeister]

After removing the entire chaincase, I switched to the other side and removed the secondary clutch and the speedo sensor etc.

Finally, removed the skid, driveshaft, jackshaft, and track.

These ratcheting things are gone!

to be replaced with these nice extrovert drivers.

Unfortunately, when I ordered the extroverts, they sent me them mounted on a driveshaft. Apparently they were out of the drivers themselves and sent an assembly they had.
I may have to shim the drivers with mylar sheet when mounting them on the Yamaha shaft.

Know anyone that needs a brand new Ski Doo driveshaft for a REV?
This one is for sale! lol

This is my wrenching partner, in a relaxed moment! lol
He usually comes over whenever I am lying under a machine to make sure I have enough attention! Too funny...

 

[Rockmeister]

The Warrior 136" skid.

The skid is for sale also with a heavily re-enforced W arm!
Didn't want it to break again!!!

Had to re-build the W arm before the Muni trip last year.
The W arm is re-boxed with 1/8" angle steel, with trusses added to stiffen and strengthen the assembly.
(The original metal is approximately 1/16" thin.)
It held up quite well after re-building it!
Shocks are still good, fully functioning.

Has the Ulmer Roller kit installed where the track rubs against the top of the front shock.
Skid has re-located front idlers for much longer hyfax life.
(See re-locating Front Idlers for increased hyfax life in Tech Section.)

Can make your sled a long track...

The 136" Ripsaw Track:

You can see some of the studs broken in the pic.
Note that ALL the broken ones are with the aluminum backers.
I would NOT suggest using a Woodys Gold series stud on anything!

If you use studs, use the Signature Stainless Series, they hold up and worst case, simply bend.
Every single stud with the round black plastic backer is a stainless replacement for the Woodys Gold Series studs.
This is a perfect test, both types went through almost the exact same stresses on the same track, you can really see how much better the Stainless ones are with plastic backers.

This is how all the Gold series ones broke.

Have never had a stud tear out on a track, then again, I never stud the outside, use ~1/4" penetration, and use plastic backers.
(The aluminum backed studs came on the track, with 500 easy miles on them.)

Worst spot on the track, lost a knob on the edge. Not all bad for near 9000 miles!

Lost almost all my track clips towards the end of last year, replaced half of them in the bitter cold with vise grips on the trailer in Muni last year.
THAT was Fun!
Will re-clip before selling.

Will probably sell the skid and track as a set.

My poor sled after all this ripping apart! :exc:

 

[Rockmeister]

Have a 3000 Lb "skyhook" attached to steel plate re-enforced trusses above.
(Ceilings are 12 foot)

This helps ALOT in lifting the sled.

Use a 3000 lb come-along for lifting.

9838H162 Pre-drilled 136x15x1" Predator track.
Temporarily using studs just stuck in the holes to check out stud pattern.
Can't wait to get this puppy on and try it out!!!

TracksUSA was awesome to deal with BTW!

Won't be using all 166 stud holes, probably 106 to 144 of them, depends on how the pattern works out.
All I really care about is turning and stopping, especially on ice, they are a major safety factor.
If it spins some on take-off, big deal... lol

This weekend:
Will be pressing off, then on, new extrovert drivers on driveshaft.
Picking up painted hood and other plastic. Goooooo Mark! lol

Ordering 7" Black wheels for back of Doo skid in just a few moments.
(Current ones are yellow, Ick!)

Ordering a few seals for chaincase and shafts.
(May as well replace them all, good time to do it!)

Should be getting a bunch of parts UPS today!
It's like Christmas at Rockmeisters'!!!

Hoping my skid extensions show up...

 

[Rockmeister]

WoooooHooo!!!

It was kinda like Christmas!

This all came in today:

New Modular helmet with electric shield.
New Stainless studs for track.
New ski clamps for new enclosed trailer (Another project)
2 hole plastic backers.
Book on Turbocharging, maybe another project...
Snobunje 4 point towing straps, light & easy to store. (hopefully won't need it! lol)
Caliber Trailer lift to keep trailer tilted while loading.

No rail extensions yet...

 

[gerbie]

look's good rock! hey is that pic of that shitty kitty your girlfriends. man last time i seen that sled it was wrapped around a metal pole. glad she was alright

 

[Rockmeister]

Hahhahhaha!

Heyya Gerbie!

Sure is! That's my back-up sled.
I have to do some uhhhhhh...
"Re-building" on that also!
Gonna remove the VERY large magnet in the front while I am at it...
At least it didn't have a cast potmetal bulkhead to dis-integrate and leave her stranded! lol

Chuck (the crash test dummy) rode it back some 50 miles afterwards.

Funny, gerbie was there helping during my cussing while I was "convincing" the track clips to go on while freezing in Muni!

You ready for Muni dude?

 

[gerbie]

yea, i've got a couple of trips to take before muni,atleast the gas prices won't be to bad for you this year, we'll see you then!

 

[suprfst]

Hey Rock if it will help motivate you I can send you some pics when we are out riding tomorrow

 

[kinger]

I'l be interested in how you make reverse work with the E-brake, would love to do mine tht way...ie think two when your making something