Yup, chalk up another busted Phazer..

[SumpBuster]

Rode last night with Barnstormer, me on the 06 RTX and my son on the 05 Vector, and Barn on the 700 mile Phazer FX. Trails are now very rough in the woods...so we pounded the sleds as it's probably the last ride anyway...the RTX and Vector took it all in stride as usual, but the big bump sled Phazer broke the rear suspension linkage....whatever the issue is, it is tough to tell others about Yamaha's reputation, when they are being very quiet about this so far, and they have built an obviously underdesigned system. Oh yeah, the guy I got the RTX from broke his Phazer rear suspension last week..so the only two guys I personally know with them, had them break! That's 100% failure in my little world. Don't get me wrong, I love both my Yammies...but they do not need to do a six sigma project and get more statistical evidence...they have a problem, and should get comforting words out to ALL dealers and ALL customers NOW..AS IN RIGHT AWAY. This will be excellent customer relations. Anything less with cost them more in the long run.
PS, after he rode the RTX, he wished he bought one. He felt it handled most bumps better than his Phazer...and with a shock revalve, would limit the occasional g out bottoming. Which is no big deal...if it breaks it breaks..LOL. But at least it's lasting far longer than the Phazer rear.

 

[MrSled]

Your not alone, I broke mine too after 1100 miles of pounding. Yamaha is working on a fix but I have not seen any updated parts thus far. I welded the crap out of mine and beefed it up. It will not break again but I would like to see the new parts to see how they decided to fix this. I would contact your dealer along with your VIN number and get the problem registered.

 

[phazerfly]

guys the parts have been out for over amonth, there is pics of them on here. there's no use whinning about a bad link, its just a little problem. Every one has there problems, if thats the worst that happens to mine i'd be happy, and i am happy. It seems like somoetimes we think because its Yamaha it can't break. :ORC

 

[SumpBuster]

Well, I'm not really whining, as it's not my sled, but he went with another guy last night and got only a few miles..you know, we're trying to jam in every last ride before melting. Main reason for leaving Doo and going Yammy...you get to ride when you want....more often than the two smokers.
I know stuff can break, and I also know a blown design thought too, being in heavy industry/manufacturing for 40 years with GE. The quest for lightness can be made somewhere else, but not in critical parts, especially suspension areas....a little extra beef here will keep happy customers. You don't want to hear a 'new design lightweight turbine generator coupling' failed and now your lights don't turn on at home..LOL.
And what's with the welding in of grease fittings? I have drill and taps if they want to borrow them...hehe.

 

[MrSled]

phazerfly, I stated the facts, If you think I am whinning then you have come to the wrong place.

 

[GP292]

Does anyone know if they have fixed this suspension problem in the 2008 Phazers?

 

[MrSled]

Yes, just will take some time to get the new parts out to the customer.

 

[SharkAttak]

does anyone have a picture of this part that was broken?

 

[barnstormer]

Well I have a few photos for ya the quality is a little weak but you can see why it brakes. It cracks just past the weld and then has nothing to holding it around the linkage that attaches the shocks. Now I will say that I bottomed the suspension a few times. But still as a bump sled they could have spent a nickel more to weld all the way around. The other thing is that when this happens the front shock pushes right into the track.

 

[SharkAttak]

thanks for the pic's, i'll be checking that, is it under warranty?

 

[barnstormer]

Can't see why it wouldn't be. But if they tell me no I'll make one at the machine shop I work at. Though it may lead to warranty trouble later. None factory parts tend to have that effect.

 

[SumpBuster]

Hey Barnstormer, 'at the machine shop'...what exactly does that mean...do you need permission from someone????? LOL.
We've got some unobtainium left somewhere if you can find it...

 

[keithstef]

Per a dealer that has contacted Yamaha on Front arm failures:
Yamaha's response:
"#1, Tell the customer to SLOW down. This wil get them thru the season so we can work on a fix.
#2 He mentioned that they have parts that they are sending out to fix these issue as they arise.

Slow down..... Jim Blaze doing stunts is ok?

Why a short term fix for a few.... Beef the arm up and do a service bulletin ASAP.

 

[SharkAttak]

Per a dealer that has contacted Yamaha on Front arm failures:
Yamaha's response:
"#1, Tell the customer to SLOW down. This wil get them thru the season so we can work on a fix.
#2 He mentioned that they have parts that they are sending out to fix these issue as they arise.

Slow down..... Jim Blaze doing stunts is ok?

Why a short term fix for a few.... Beef the arm up and do a service bulletin ASAP.

my dealer won't tell me to slow down or i'll slow down buying from him, lol........they'll come out with a fix, there was a few things wrong with the phazer this year, but it is to be expected with a new machine, i have confidence in yamaha that they will fix it