Vector upgrades---- M20, Curve skis, Assault shocks

[Redbeard]

Dan, get some miles on the skid and it will loosen up; joints will wear in, air spring will relax and become more pliable. IMO the skid got even more comfortable after 500 or so miles.

What an amazing suspension!

 

[Dusty Dan]

Dan, get some miles on the skid and it will loosen up; joints will wear in, air spring will relax and become more pliable. IMO the skid got even more comfortable after 500 or so miles.

What an amazing suspension!

I will definitely put some miles on once we get some snow, that is, if we do. :-(

 

[Redbeard]

I hear you!

I have not even touched my good sleds yet. Waiting until I know it's good enough to go.

 

[Soldier'spapa]

As always....good advise from Joe! I had forgotten about how the skid and air spring needs to break in (loosten up).

It's said the memory is the second thing to go (forgot what the first thing was)...

 

[Dusty Dan]

As always....good advise from Joe! I had forgotten about how the skid and air spring needs to break in (loosten up).

It's said the memory is the second thing to go (forgot what the first thing was)...

I certainly agree with the first sentence, but don't want to talk about the last.

 

[Dusty Dan]

As always....good advise from Joe! I had forgotten about how the skid and air spring needs to break in (loosten up).

It's said the memory is the second thing to go (forgot what the first thing was)...

I went out for a ride with 4 others on Thursday and everything was great until we went where the trail was not packed. I was third in line and while going trough a swamp I broke though the ice. The sled was on a 45 degree angle to the right in about knee deep water. To keep the story short, we eventually got it out and on solid ice and while turning around I heard and felt a "knocking" at regular intervals, sounded like the track ratcheting or hitting something.

We turned the machine on it's left side and I found and removed a chunk of ice....it's a bit fuzzy here as we were out there for about 3 hours, I had been in knee deep water and was soaked, just lucky it was not very cold. I think the engine was running when we put it on it's side, but I cannot be sure, for sure it would have been running very briefly.

Anyway, when I tried to start it again the engine warning light and the oil symbol showed up.This was strange because we never saw any signs of oil in the water. I checked a couple of times and the oil was not even touching the float and the sled would not start. Luckily I had a weak cell signal and called my wife who brought oil to the nearest logging road and the guys went and picked it up for me. I put in at least a liter and a half, all I had, and the float was covered but it was below the point of the proper level. The warning lights went out but it would crank but not start. One of the guys was a mechanic who had his own business for years and he was helping trouble shoot. I pulled off the air box and was looking for anything that would cause the problem when we noticed oil pumping out the hose from the oil reservoir tank.....every time it turned over the would be another spurt of oil. We took the dipstick out and now the tank was overflowing. We were totally confused by that point, but I held the liter can to the hose and we kept cranking the engine. The can was filled and I got a bit more in the other can and the sled started............I was just dumb founded to see it.

I can only guess that at some point the engine somehow sucked up a bunch of oil and then released it later, certainly nothing like this ever happened to me before. Had we not been able to start it I was screwed and would have had to leave it, as we could not go forward due to a big hole and to go back I had to do it under good power to keep from getting stuck again, no one could have towed it fast enough through that. It was now going on dusk and I wanted to get home and while I did not find the knocking issue I decided to ride it anyway. A bit up the trail the belt blew apart and the replacement took care of the knocking noise. The sled seemed to run well after that but I have been unable to do any work on it because of a rib injury that I made much worse that day. It's painful just breathing so I suspect I will be at least a few more days until I can investigate.

 

[Redbeard]

Glad you're ok, Dan!

 

[Dusty Dan]

Glad you're ok, Dan!

Thanks Joe. It was a bit of a reminder of how bad things can go.

 

[Redbeard]

The lack of freeze and trail base is THE only reason I have not been north yet. There is some riding going on, but I'm waiting until months end. Hopefully trails will be tip-top by then.

 

[Soldier'spapa]

Glad your ok Dan! I had a little mishap last year and got my sled stuck in a creek. No damage, but a good reminder of how quickly things can go south...
I had to abandon my sled and go for help. I now carry a few additional tools.

Your knocking noice was indeed the belt. I had to change mine a couple weeks ago due to the same type of noise. It must have been flat spotted at some point. Did you by chance smell burning rubber (the belt) when attempting to exit the water?

The oil issue must have something to do with the angle your sled was on along with the dry sump system. I'm unsure exactly how the dry sump system works but your describtion takes my mind in that direction.

 

[Dusty Dan]

Glad your ok Dan! I had a little mishap last year and got my sled stuck in a creek. No damage, but a good reminder of how quickly things can go south...
I had to abandon my sled and go for help. I now carry a few additional tools.

Your knocking noice was indeed the belt. I had to change mine a couple weeks ago due to the same type of noise. It must have been flat spotted at some point. Did you by chance smell burning rubber (the belt) when attempting to exit the water?

The oil issue must have something to do with the angle your sled was on along with the dry sump system. I'm unsure exactly how the dry sump system works but your describtion takes my mind in that direction.

Thanks SP, much appreciated. I think that maybe getting a wake up call is a good thing. I remember approaching the ride lightly, just going a few miles....what can possibly go wrong.....yeah right. I usually travel quite well equipped but even I was a bit light last week, not a good way to be on the trail, back to planning for the unlikely for me. It's a bit funny in hind sight, but I had smelled a bit of rubber at the last stop on the trail and mentioned it, but since I was fourth in line at that point nobody thought much of it as we also had a couple of 2 strokes with us plus one machine was on it's maiden ride and stunk a little. When it was in the water there were large chunks of ice around the track and I remember trying to get some of them out of the way. That is the point where I think it flew apart, sure found a lot of little pieces yesterday. I am still at a total loss over the oil.

My ribs were a bit better yesterday and I checked everything out and pleased to say I could not find any further damage than all of the mud. Spent the day cleaning it up so I'm good to go once we get a tad more snow. Lesson learned.

 

[Dusty Dan]

Thanks SP, much appreciated. I think that maybe getting a wake up call is a good thing. I remember approaching the ride lightly, just going a few miles....what can possibly go wrong.....yeah right. I usually travel quite well equipped but even I was a bit light last week, not a good way to be on the trail, back to planning for the unlikely for me. It's a bit funny in hind sight, but I had smelled a bit of rubber at the last stop on the trail and mentioned it, but since I was fourth in line at that point nobody thought much of it as we also had a couple of 2 strokes with us plus one machine was on it's maiden ride and stunk a little. When it was in the water there were large chunks of ice around the track and I remember trying to get some of them out of the way. That is the point where I think it flew apart, sure found a lot of little pieces yesterday. I am still at a total loss over the oil.

My ribs were a bit better yesterday and I checked everything out and pleased to say I could not find any further damage than all of the mud. Spent the day cleaning it up so I'm good to go once we get a tad more snow. Lesson learned.

I guess it is just not my year. Myself and 2 friends trailered to Timmins on Wednesday, looking forward to 4 days of great riding in northern Ontario. Had plans to go to Cochrane, Abitibi canyon etc. Left Timmins on Thursday morning and had 360 km of the best trails I have experienced. We arrived in Hearst at about 3:45, looking forward to checking into our motel and having a few beers. About a half kilometer from our motel the leader hit the breaks so that we could exit the trail and gas up prior to shutting down for the day. We really were not going fast, but I had to hit the brakes quickly and turned slightly sideways. Just as I was about stopped I heard an engine approaching from the rear and caught movement out of the corner of my eye before I felt the jolt. The next second my friend who was last was lying on the trail and his sled was on the opposite side of the trail on it's side with the ski, shock, say bars all missing from the right side of his machine. He had just looked away at the wrong time, could have happened to any of us. Our trip was over.

Long story short, we spent six hours in the hospital the next day where he discovered he had a cracked shin bone and ligament damage. On the positive side, the people of Hearst were about as nice and helpful as any I have encountered. Everywhere we went, they were great and by the end of that day we found someone who would take us and two machines back to Timmins for our return trip home yesterday.

Yamaha's are damned tough. It looks like the ski hit my track somewhere and he badly hit his knee on the bumper. The impact was such that it appeared that his pant leg was burned smooth where he hit the bar. I have a couple of wrinkles at the back of the tunnel, but I have yet to find anything serious there, although I just got all of the snow and ice melted off the skid. It seems that it also did minor damage to the plastics near the windshield due to the shock of impact. I am working to repair that now. The good news is that he should recover just fine, everything can be fixed and life goes on. At this point though, with winter seemingly near the end I have only put about 20% of the miles that I usually do, rather a wipe-out of a season. I hope all of you fare better.

 

[Redbeard]

Dan, I hate to hear there was an injury on your trip. I'm just glad the outcome wasn't worse!

Keep us posted on your buddy's recovery and again, I'm glad you are all here to tell the story.

 

[Dusty Dan]

Dan, I hate to hear there was an injury on your trip. I'm just glad the outcome wasn't worse!

Keep us posted on your buddy's recovery and again, I'm glad you are all here to tell the story.

Thanks Joe. I think he will be fine, but of course, as we sometimes do, he is being a bit stubborn about getting in to see his own doctor. He does not want a cast because it is his right knee and he is supposed to go to Florida in a week and a half. I'm not sure about that.

I fixed the plastics, although I am just amazed that they were damaged like that, probably would have been good to see on slow motion. I also straightened the tunnel a bit and the old girl seems ready to go. If there is anything else wrong, it will only show up with riding.

Cheers,