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Rustyrivets

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Blown up sled east of Heyden. Voltage regular going south between D'ville & Wawa.

 

Nuff said...

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Does a groomer count. Here is the list over the last 2 weeks for our 2004 BR180. 

 

1) Electrical short took out all the work lights (down 2 days)

2) frozen fuel filters. (down 1 1/2 days)

3) broken spindle on driver Side walking beam (down 2 days)

4) busted battery causing no start. Down 1 day. 
 

this unit has been very reliable for us for many years. Has all the regular maintenance done. Just seems to be a string of almost nuisance repairs. Thankfully they have all been straight forward repairs And hopefully we can put back to back grooming shifts together. 

 

 

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My Polaris edge 800 dropped an exhaust valve into the cylinder about 5min into the ride. Kicker is my dad lost his top end at the exact same time, we were 50ft from each other. Wasn't all bad, I had someone to drink with back at the cottage.

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3 minutes ago, Poo Man said:

My Polaris edge 800 dropped an exhaust valve into the cylinder about 5min into the ride. Kicker is my dad lost his top end at the exact same time, we were 50ft from each other. Wasn't all bad, I had someone to drink with back at the cottage.

I was trying to load the sled on the trailer night before 3 day trip.  It didn't get coupled properly....YEP...when sled went on back of trailer, bam off the hitch and through back window of my SUV,  bastard!

44 minutes ago, revrnd said:

Blown up sled east of Heyden. Voltage regular going south between D'ville & Wawa.

 

Nuff said...

Worse when there is no "trail" fix.

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Bottom end went on my 02 viper a few kms out of Wilberforce. I was waiting about 10 minutes when two guys stopped. They towed me about 12 kms to Eagle Lake country store. Lady pulled in driving taxi. Took taxi to Lindssy to pick up truck. Cost me $230. Drove back to Eagle Lake. Had to load sled myself, nobody around. Got it halfway on and was as far as i could get it. Remembered i had a ratchet strap. It was enough for me to load it. Took an hour. Then i drove 2 1/2 hrs. home. It was Super Bowl Sunday. Pulled into driveway just as the Patriots made that great comeback against Atlanta. What a long day.

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A few years ago, we drove to Cochrane for the first time. Day 1 we road to Kap and back doing all the side trails. Day 2 sled started on 2 cylinders instead of 3. Went to the dealer and they diagnosed it a a failed coil. No coil available anywhere north of GTA. Loaded up the sleds and drove the 7.5 hours home. At least it happened in the hotel parking lot and not out on the trail.

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54 minutes ago, Poo Man said:

My Polaris edge 800 dropped an exhaust valve into the cylinder about 5min into the ride. Kicker is my dad lost his top end at the exact same time, we were 50ft from each other. Wasn't all bad, I had someone to drink with back at the cottage.

x2, I also dropped an exhaust valve on my 2004 XC 800, luckily I was able to nurse the sled back to the cottage

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Last winter on the Wolf Loop in Suds,  My son was riding my 01 Thundercat.  When leaving the lake at Rocky's for gas, the impeller bolt worked loose allowing the impeller to raise off the mechanical seal. All the antifreeze ran out the weep hole on the ground.  Payed the young man pumping gas to drive the sled and my son back to Chemmy.  Lucky for me, my buddy was heading home so he took the T-Cat and left his Viper for my son to finish the week out.  No engine damage because it was seen at the gas stop.  New shaft, impeller and mechanical seal and it runs again.

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Where do I start!

-Track went on a nice trail near Moonbeam at 8500 km 2007 Vector. Limped to Kap. Fixed at dealer in 2 hours next morning

-Track went near Hearst  at 8500 miles limped in. Changed at dealer next morning and rode to Wawa.

-Primary clutch went at Hwy 6 trail crossing south of Espanola at 9200 miles. The shop drove out and picked me and sled up. Was repaired and sitting waiting for buddies before they arrived by sled.

-There's more but that's a start! God I love sleddin!

-In 31 yearly saddlebag trips with same 3 buddies we have only had to go for the truck/trailer once in 1998 when my buddies Storm lost a bottom end leaving Hearst to go to Cochrane. The 4 of us are heading there in a couple of weeks.

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Geez, a lot of you riding 10+ yr old machines. Bound to happen I guess.  I don't think I would keep anything over 8,000km, its just not worth it. 

 

Some of the trails I (we) ride are many many miles from an extraction point; just my luck one will break and the other breaks towing out the dead one.  Lets face it, with current tech, they (all mfgs) could easily make better (more reliable) products. 

 

All you can do is understand your make/model's weak points, address them, maintenance, and hope like hell you got all the issues.

 

PS, how does a track "go" ???

 

 

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5 minutes ago, Puggz said:

Geez, a lot of you riding 10+ yr old machines. Bound to happen I guess.  I don't think I would keep anything over 8,000km, its just not worth it. 

 

Some of the trails I (we) ride are many many miles from an extraction point; just my luck one will break and the other breaks towing out the dead one.  Lets face it, with current tech, they (all mfgs) could easily make better (more reliable) products. 

 

All you can do is understand your make/model's weak points, address them, maintenance, and hope like hell you got all the issues.

 

PS, how does a track "go" ???

 

 

Last skidoo 600 etec had just shy of 12,000kms. Only thing I ever did to sled, was change sliders, belt a few times, and rebuild primary clutch as a preventive measure. Never touched bearings or drive train. It pays to store them in a climate controlled garage especially in off season. 

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35 minutes ago, Puggz said:

Geez, a lot of you riding 10+ yr old machines. Bound to happen I guess.  I don't think I would keep anything over 8,000km, its just not worth it. 

 

Some of the trails I (we) ride are many many miles from an extraction point; just my luck one will break and the other breaks towing out the dead one.  Lets face it, with current tech, they (all mfgs) could easily make better (more reliable) products. 

 

All you can do is understand your make/model's weak points, address them, maintenance, and hope like hell you got all the issues.

 

PS, how does a track "go" ???

 

 

Both tracks went on 4-5 year old machines. One track had the fiberglass rod break loose from the rubber on the inside of the track. The other track tore away from a track window. It wasn't from lack of  maintaining  track alignment and tension. We did ride a lot of fast hard miles back in those days.

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12 hours ago, Puggz said:

Geez, a lot of you riding 10+ yr old machines. Bound to happen I guess.  I don't think I would keep anything over 8,000km, its just not worth it. 

 

Some of the trails I (we) ride are many many miles from an extraction point; just my luck one will break and the other breaks towing out the dead one.  Lets face it, with current tech, they (all mfgs) could easily make better (more reliable) products. 

 

All you can do is understand your make/model's weak points, address them, maintenance, and hope like hell you got all the issues.

 

PS, how does a track "go" ???

 

 

I had a track fail in Sudbury one year. Only about 4500kms . 

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12 hours ago, Puggz said:

Geez, a lot of you riding 10+ yr old machines. Bound to happen I guess.  I don't think I would keep anything over 8,000km, its just not worth it. 

I maintain them well and ride them until the repair doesn't make economical sense. That's the main reason I'm on a four stroke now. 

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Misery likes company - try these two events of mine:

2008 – 2004 GSX – Blow Piston Day 1 coming into Timmins (Sunday Family day weekend)

                Take the Bus to Kirkland Lake to get truck (gave up trying to hitch hike);

                Drive back to Timmins to get sled (Family Day weekend dealers closed);

                Couple guys at hotel help me load busted sled in trailer;

                Drive back to KL – dealer answers phone on holiday Monday;

                KL dealer confirms blown piston – rents me sled;

                Trailer with rental to Cochrane – sled to Kap to meet crew

                Resume trip – somewhat;

                Sled and Trailer to KL to return rental.

 

2010 – 2004 GSX - Blow Piston Day 2 15Km south of Abitibi Canyon

                Had sled at dealer pre-season for injector cleaning – swears eliminates 600SDI piston issues – but doesn’t get it done before trip, tells me to come back after the trip for cleaning;

 

Day 2 leaving Canyon Base camp – piston alley (but only about 10K into it – loose a piston;

Bro and I wait for group to notice we dropped off;

                Group noticed (eventually)  - lead turns back – runs out of fuel – buys fuel from other sledders who tell them we are way back;

                Lead then turns back to Smooth Rock as group is now scattered;

                Bro tows me back to Canyon camp, fills up, says cheers, and heads to Smooth Rock;

                Daughter of Canyon camp owner gets permission from dad to let boyfriend leave her there alone and drive me to Cochrane;

                Boyfriend and I lift sled in back of his HIGH pick-up truck – pay him to take me to Cochrane;

                We drop my sled in boyfriend’s front yard;

                Canyon camp owner finds me a driver and car to drive me to New Liskeard to get my trailer and SUV (pay him – and I drive down so he only has to drive back);

                I dig out SUV and trailer and drive back to Cochrane;

                At 11PM, I’m trying to load my busted sled into trailer – manhandling – finally pull a plug and drive it on with one good piston;

                Drive thru snow storm to get to KAP to rejoin group as my son is with them, arrive 1:30AM;

                Next morning, walk into Yamaha dealer and buy a 2010 Apex, has it put together by noon.

                Following two years the two other 600SDI’s blow pistons – we all now ride Yamaha.

 

I can easily deal with the Yamys being difficult to start at -34c compared to two strokes just waiting to fail. (Yes, I know someone has 20K on his two-stroke with no issues - glad to hear it.)

I miss that APEX, but my surgery shoulders enjoy the Vector and power steering more!

 

Other funny part was that I came home and said "happy Valentines day honey" - she asked if I got my sled painted! Visa bill came in after!

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I can name off WAY too many dead sleds over the years to list here, and that's just the ones that I can remember...

 

Don't think that any of us have ever blown a track tho???

 

But ones that come with pics are a little less numerous. 

Here's a cpl:

 

A) Feb 2004, we unloaded at Terrace Bay and was planning to break open the trail to Longlac as it hadn't been opened yet. Unfortunately - they groomed it just before we got there, and it was hard as a rock. On the way north I could hear a squeek or ??? and I think that I was going through spark plugs frequently. I think that we stayed in Geraldton or Longlac that night. Next day headed west? Just outside of Beardmore, she tied up. Was getting a room in town that night anyhow. 

 

Next day - the guys had to ride without their fearless leader. I was hoping to git to where a chum had told me about "The Canyon" (or sumpthing like that) west of there on the pipeline somewhere. I got a ride on the Grey Goose west to Nippigon down 11 (possibly the only one on the buss that didn't speak Cree as a first language?) and then planned on fetchin' a bus back east on 17. Well, once in Nippigon, the next bus east on 17 was like a 7 or 9 hr or ???  layover. There really is no place to "lay over" there. It is just a carry out....

 

So, I opted to hike back out to the 11/17 split and stick a thumb out. I mean - heck - I'm a good lookin' fella, I'm guessin' that the first chick goin' past would skid to a halt ratt away eh?

 

.... yeah .. well .... maybe I overestimated my abilities here....  I had on Carhart britches anda Skidoo coat, and a facemask turned into a doo rag. (I didn't have a John Deere hat in the snowmachine)

Apparently I looked scary? I was out there for a few hours before one poor sod finally stopped to pick me up.  He was going as far as Schrieber, which didn't put me quite back to my truck, but ... prolly close enough that I could walk it in several hours if it came to it. So I jumped in. 

 

My luck at Schrieber was MUCH better, and got a lift almost immediately back to Terrace Bay.

 

By this time - I'd chewed up most of the day, but at least now I was in my truck and backtracking my days trip. I get to the motel and no-ones there yet. So I winch (come along) the sled up onto the deck myself, and AS SOON as I tied it down, here they all come around the corner of the motel. To this day they swear up and down that they were not watching and waiting for the work to be done, but I have my reservations....

 

New crank and pistons, and back in business. Then a cpl years later, I start to hear that ping/squeal aggin. Was going through plugs aggin.... Was riding back Mile 38 road north of The Soo, and then on to Halfway and back. Motor finished the weekend, but came apart when I got home. Main bearing took a Schidt once aggin!

 

New crank aggin, but this time I pulled the outter seals and drilled the upper crank case for old skewl lubeing. (ditched the Kluber pack) Did the same to my boys sled in '08. Have yet to have a main bearing failure since, but I did lose a 3rd crank in my sled to tied up con rod bearings. I have my oiler line adjusted to where the update says, but I think that I should maybe ritchen it up a wee bit... 

 

 

B) Then a few weeks ago we grenaded the clutch on my boys sled. Autopsy showed that it was a train wreck that started with a lost cotter pin on a roller pin. It had been running a while w/o a roller on one arm w/o knowing it, but we was just putzing around between deadfall, and performance wasn't much of an issue, so didn't notice.

 

 

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My sleds have been fairly reliable over the years, but since 07, I have been putting on 4000 - 7000 Km per year, and there are bound to be a few 'experiences'.

 

in '09, finishing off the 2nd OC Ride for Kelly, my sled ('07 Vector) coasted to a stop.  It cranked very quickly so it was obvious that the timing chain was gone.  I found out later that this was a recall on the engine and everything (long block) was covered under warranty, and I was back on the snow the following weekend.

 

A week later, just after breakin, the oil light came on.   Turned out that the oil tank was cracked and leaking.  Patched it up with JB Weld and was towed part way to Timmins while Evil and Hubby raced ahead to Timmins to get oil.  I was only down a liter, so topped it up and finished the trip.

 

2013 RAP Tour, Moosifer was now riding the '07 Vector, and on Day 2, blew a chunk out of the track at high speed going across Talon Lake near Bonfield.  Thanks to a friend living in Mattawa, who ferried all of the sleds to Mattawa, then the dead sled to Parry Sound for an emergency track swap and back.  Then ferried our remaining three sleds to Pembroke so that we could continue our trip.

 

2014 RAP Tour, as we finished the trip, Moosifer noticed that the W Arm had broken and was gouging the left rail.  Trip was over and the repair was made later.

 

Over the years, I have had other failures, and most have not been catastrophic.  My PB-80 blowing up a couple of years ago, comes to mind.  These sleds are really used in a harsh environment and stuff is going to break.  I love this sport, and all of these incidents simply enhance the memories and experiences.

 

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Gagetman, I thought my Timmins trip was eventful, yours tops mine.

 

Ox, 1 summer I struggled to get back to White River from Gloria's Motel to catch the train.

 

Worse thing was smelling moose road kill in the ditch...

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Back in 02 or 03, 4 of us were riding from Thedford Ont to Kap. Sled I had at the time was a piece of junk so walked in to dealer and asked what he had for x amount of $ that he could guarantee would make the trip. Left with an 01 ZRT800. Halfway in to the trip, discovered that the oil tank cap and fuel cap had been swapped, which is a big deal because the oil tank cap has a vent and the fuel doesn't. Caused the oil tank to collapse and starve it for oil. Made it 10miles short of Kapuskasing when she let go. Called from trailside to dealer to let him know. Brought it back to him and he fixed it no charge. 2cyls, 3 pistons, balance shaft and crank.

Have also had to thumb my way from Englehart to Temagami after being pulled in to the gas station across the road from the Grant plant. The 1993 Zr440 did not agree with wide open northern miles.

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Ive suffered a lot of failures too. More engine meltdowns than I can count. The scariest was during a loooooooong water crossing in Northern Ont on a Mach 1 where the PRS boot was cracked and powder snow was getting in and caused the clutch to suddenly slip, over rev'd it and burned the motor down. Standing on 1" of cracking ice trying to figure out a way out of there, not too fun lemme tell ya. This was a dumb situation furthered by our so called guide at the time making a dumb decision. It was my first time in the area I had no idea what we were riding into. Fortunately aside from the engine, no one was hurt that day.

 

I put a stud through the heat exchanger on my brand new MXz second ride out up in Cochrane. Melted the pistons a few mins later,, first day of holiday yippeee!

 

I've had torsion springs fail a couple times, one wrapped up in the track so bad we couldnt move the seld. That was near Bancroft.

 

Its part of this sport especially with two strokes

 

 

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10 hours ago, Zertrider said:

Back in 02 or 03, 4 of us were riding from Thedford Ont to Kap. Sled I had at the time was a piece of junk so walked in to dealer and asked what he had for x amount of $ that he could guarantee would make the trip. Left with an 01 ZRT800. Halfway in to the trip, discovered that the oil tank cap and fuel cap had been swapped, which is a big deal because the oil tank cap has a vent and the fuel doesn't. Caused the oil tank to collapse and starve it for oil. Made it 10miles short of Kapuskasing when she let go. Called from trailside to dealer to let him know. Brought it back to him and he fixed it no charge. 2cyls, 3 pistons, balance shaft and crank.

Have also had to thumb my way from Englehart to Temagami after being pulled in to the gas station across the road from the Grant plant. The 1993 Zr440 did not agree with wide open northern miles.

 

My 1st trip up north was in 2000 on a '98 MXZ500. I didn't try to keep than same pace as the 3 other younger guys in the group (an XC700 & 2 583s). I figured if I had it probably wouldn't have held together. Next year I had a new '01 MXZ600.

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I drive an old Polaris.  No failures to report.  

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On 2/16/2020 at 10:32 PM, Puggz said:

Geez, a lot of you riding 10+ yr old machines. Bound to happen I guess.  I don't think I would keep anything over 8,000km, its just not worth it. 

 

Some of the trails I (we) ride are many many miles from an extraction point; just my luck one will break and the other breaks towing out the dead one.  Lets face it, with current tech, they (all mfgs) could easily make better (more reliable) products. 

 

All you can do is understand your make/model's weak points, address them, maintenance, and hope like hell you got all the issues.

 

PS, how does a track "go" ???

 

 

man I wish I lived in your world..lol....man would have to trade and buy new sled every 2 years....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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