Thinking of jumping from the RX to the Apex. Some Questions

[ReX]

For '08 the front arm on the rear suspension was beefed up BIG time and the shock valving was re-calibrated...

Can you post some pictures of the 08 pivot arm?

What was reinforced?

Why hasn't anyone else talked about the reinforced pivot arm on the 08s?

What I do know is a buddy of mine, last week, got his Apex ER back after a bunch of slow warranty work (exhaust, pivot arm, slide rails, etc.) and the new pivot arm looks identical to the original 06 pivot arm. If there is a stronger 08 pivot arm available, why didn't his sled get it? This is at least his 4th front pivot arm on that sled.

 

[apltx08]

For '08 the front arm on the rear suspension was beefed up BIG time and the shock valving was re-calibrated...

Can you post some pictures of the 08 pivot arm?

What was reinforced?

Why hasn't anyone else talked about the reinforced pivot arm on the 08s?

What I do know is a buddy of mine, last week, got his Apex ER back after a bunch of slow warranty work (exhaust, pivot arm, slide rails, etc.) and the new pivot arm looks identical to the original 06 pivot arm. If there is a stronger 08 pivot arm available, why didn't his sled get it? This is at least his 4th front pivot arm on that sled.

I posted early in the season on this subject and no 1 caught on I guess...let me pull out the camera tonight and I'll try to post it, for once YAM did a good job reinforcing it...

 

[mdkuni]

For '08 the front arm on the rear suspension was beefed up BIG time and the shock valving was re-calibrated...

Can you post some pictures of the 08 pivot arm?

What was reinforced?

Why hasn't anyone else talked about the reinforced pivot arm on the 08s?

What I do know is a buddy of mine, last week, got his Apex ER back after a bunch of slow warranty work (exhaust, pivot arm, slide rails, etc.) and the new pivot arm looks identical to the original 06 pivot arm. If there is a stronger 08 pivot arm available, why didn't his sled get it? This is at least his 4th front pivot arm on that sled.

I never got the updated arm for my broken ones either. I have seen the reinforced arm and it still does not cover all of the stress areas (the ones you and I know all about to well) unless they increased the thickness of the arm as a whole.

 

[apltx08]

They've reinforced top and bottom mounting points, double up at rail mounting...I'll try to get all the angles tonight, a PICTURE is 1000 words

Just go and check in YAM parts, the '07 & '08 #'s are different...now are they compatible??? this is another thing, you'd think they would be.

For guys getting up-dated by the dealers and saying that they're not getting a '08 arm, I just think that the dealers DON'T even know about '08 being BEEFED-UP!

 

[ReX]

They've reinforced top and bottom mounting points, double up at rail mounting...I'll try to get all the angles tonight, a PICTURE is 1000 words

Just go and check in YAM parts, the '07 & '08 #'s are different...now are they compatible??? this is another thing, you'd think they would be.

For guys getting up-dated by the dealers and saying that they're not getting a '08 arm, I just think that the dealers DON'T even know about '08 being BEEFED-UP!

I just checked the on-line part numbers with Yamaha and you are correct:

08 front pivot arm: 8FT-47331-01-00
06/07 front pivot arm: 8FT-47331-00-00
05 front pivot arm: 8FU-47331-00-00

I strongly suspect the 08 pivot arm can be used on all monoshocks, including 05. I know for certain that the 06/07 pivot arm was used to update 05 RX-1s. I also know that if only the second last or last number changes in a Yamaha part number that the parts are normally interchangeable.

The strange thing is we specifically asked a couple of tech reps from Yamaha if there was an update to the front pivot arm for 2008 and we were told "no" and that the 08's use the same original pivot arm that the 06/07s use - they claimed there were no 08 updates to the arm. We even asked again, after someone mentioned here that they tought the 08 pivot arm was stronger. Yamaha told us again that no stronger pivot arm exists for 08.

Its too bad pictures of this stronger arm haven't been floating around here. Two of the guys I ride with have had new pivot arms installed in the past 2 months on their 06 Apex ERs and the new pivot arms look just like the original ones (that they keep breaking over and over). They probably could have convinced Yamaha to install the updated ones.

 

[SLEDSTART]

Well...I'm glad my thread might be helping figure out the deal on the arms. I have 6500 miles on my 05 original arm. I always pull it every season and look it over. I assume the common places they crack are at the welds?

I'm also the kind of guy that if it's REALLY rough, I take it easier. I have broke 2 other suspensions 100 plus miles from the cabin and it sucks. These machines can only take so much abuse. Thousands and thousands bumps that suspension sucks up...I don't care how it's made...eventually SOMETHINGS gonna give!

Man...I think I may just hang on to my 05....
But I really want the new riding position...

 

[atv]

I traded my '03 RX 1 for a new '06 RTX. The ride and handling are sooo much better.

The hand warmer issue was pretty much taken care of with the factory recall. They are still not what we were used to years ago, when your hand and thumb warmers would steam wet gloves, but they worked well enough for me in -20 deg F weather last year.

One of my riding buddies has an '07 Attak GT. I can't tell that much difference in ride, but my wife likes the ride of the RTX a little better than that of the Attak Both are pretty good.

Personally, I think the RTX handles a bit better than the Attak. If I can't easily catch him on the straight trails, I can catch him in the curves. I think the RTX is a little faster on top end, but pretty close in acceration.

The bottom line is you would probably be be very happy with either one.

 

[welterracer]

They've reinforced top and bottom mounting points, double up at rail mounting...I'll try to get all the angles tonight, a PICTURE is 1000 words

Just go and check in YAM parts, the '07 & '08 #'s are different...now are they compatible??? this is another thing, you'd think they would be.

For guys getting up-dated by the dealers and saying that they're not getting a '08 arm, I just think that the dealers DON'T even know about '08 being BEEFED-UP!

I just checked the on-line part numbers with Yamaha and you are correct:

08 front pivot arm: 8FT-47331-01-00
06/07 front pivot arm: 8FT-47331-00-00
05 front pivot arm: 8FU-47331-00-00

I strongly suspect the 08 pivot arm can be used on all monoshocks, including 05. I know for certain that the 06/07 pivot arm was used to update 05 RX-1s. I also know that if only the second last or last number changes in a Yamaha part number that the parts are normally interchangeable.

The strange thing is we specifically asked a couple of tech reps from Yamaha if there was an update to the front pivot arm for 2008 and we were told "no" and that the 08's use the same original pivot arm that the 06/07s use - they claimed there were no 08 updates to the arm. We even asked again, after someone mentioned here that they tought the 08 pivot arm was stronger. Yamaha told us again that no stronger pivot arm exists for 08.

Its too bad pictures of this stronger arm haven't been floating around here. Two of the guys I ride with have had new pivot arms installed in the past 2 months on their 06 Apex ERs and the new pivot arms look just like the original ones (that they keep breaking over and over). They probably could have convinced Yamaha to install the updated ones.

If yamaha were to tell you they did beef up the 08 arm, then they would be admitting that the old ones were weak.. therefore they would be required to warrantee out the old ones or have a recall... and we all know they dont do recalls.. they do upgrades..

 

[apltx08]

Here you go...pics of my '08 front arm, soory kind of new to me posting pics I doubled up on a few but atleast you got pics...

 

[welterracer]

WOW.. that is beefed up.

 

[crf]

have been following all the posts on apexes for a while now, but as to the lack of snow this year have been holding off on a new sled, i guess i will wait for the 09 line up. i see some posts on the ltx starting to come in, i ride lots of stubble feilds and mixed non groomed trails. how do they make out in 12 to 24" of snow in open fields?? i am thinking of a ltx with mountian skis and a 1.5 track anyone have one?(attack)

 

[ReX]

WOW.. that is beefed up.

It does look like it would be a lot stronger.

It still doesn't have reinforcements in a couple of places where I've seen them break, but the extra stiffening might help "unload" those other weak areas.

I'm still annoyed that Yamaha doesn't put this new pivot arm on all of the "being repaired" 06/07 Apex out there.

My buddies are all trying to sell their Apex's right now (ads are already out) and the reason for this the fact these pivot arms keep breaking. It is foolish for Yamaha to keep installing the old weak pivot arms when stronger ones are available.

Right now my buddies are mostly riding REV-XPs and some are undecided on what to do with their Apex. They dislike the 2-stroke stink, but the REV suspensions, even on the lightweight REV-XP's, absolutely do not break - ever (with our riding anyway). One has decided if he can't get a decent price for his Apex, he might install a Skidoo suspension and keep it. He knows if he rides the Apex, he'll only break the pivot arm again. This particular Apex only has 7000 miles on it and is now on its 5th front pivot arm (we were talking about it yesterday and he confirmed 5!).

His REV-XP has 3500 miles on it so far and the suspension literally looks mint. We had it in my garage yesterday and I looked over it carefully. These isn't even a spec of rust anywhere, let alone signs of stress. On top of that, he's been riding the REV-XP far harder than he ever rode the Apex. He even set up a 5' jump on his property to "play with" for the REV-XP MXZ. I've been pounding on my 07 RTX harder than ever to keep up with him on the rough trails (plus have broken both the front and rear pivot arms on my 07 RTX in the process - and the ProActive CK is MUCH stronger than the Monoshock). In my case I've heavily reinforced both front and rear pivot arms on my RTX. Hopefully I can now keep up with the REVs without breaking my suspension again.

 

[ReX]

One thing I thought I'd point out in the pictures of the 08 pivot arm.

If you take a look at the very first picture (along with several others), and look at the bottom cross tube near the center, you'll see what looks like a ring of rust about a mm away from the weld. This weld holds the mounting bracket for the weight transfer rod to the cross tube.

That ring of rust is caused by the metal slightly deforming locally (some might call it "micro-yielding") and this deformation, assuming it isn't from a single hard hit, will eventually cause the metal to fatigue and crack.

Also, looking closely where that same cross tube is welded the the vertical tubes, again you can see another area where deformation has caused another ring of paint flaking.

I don't know how many miles are on that sled, but I predict that it is extremely likely that the front pivot arm will, just like all the rest, eventually develop fatigue cracks and fail. These cracks will start in the regions mentioned above - likely right at the weld/base metal transition, and slowly make their way through the arm.

The rest of the pivot arm, I have to admit, does look very good as far as signs of stress are concerned.

Edit: it has 5000km (3125 miles) on it so far and does look like it has quite a lot of life left before it suffers from structural fatigue cracks.

apltx08, we keep saying we should get together for a ride. What are your plans for this weekend?

 

[SLEDSTART]

I'm still annoyed that Yamaha doesn't put this new pivot arm on all of the "being repaired" 06/07 Apex out there.

My buddies are all trying to sell their Apex's right now (ads are already out) and the reason for this the fact these pivot arms keep breaking. It is foolish for Yamaha to keep installing the old weak pivot arms when stronger ones are available.

It's called business. They most likely have a crap load of those arm still on the shelf.

You need to tell your buddies to DEMAND that arm or their jumping ship. Worked for me with Yami in the past with my 05 rails.

 

[ReX]

It's called business. They most likely have a crap load of those arm still on the shelf.

You need to tell your buddies to DEMAND that arm or their jumping ship. Worked for me with Yami in the past with my 05 rails.

If you look at it from a cost perspective, when you have a sled that is now having its 5th pivot arm installed and there is a chance that installing a stronger one would save all the labor associated with replacing the pivot arm yet again...

Believe me, had he known there was a stronger one available, he would have demanded it. I did read here that there was a stronger one and told him, but when Yamaha insisted that there wasn't one, he stopped pushing for it. Without a picture or something concrete, all he could do was believe Yamaha.