Bulkhead strength, bumpers and crash damage.

[modsledr]

Riding in Revy this last weekend with CoyoteGirl , and she decided to "tree test" her VE Boondocker Front Bumper.

Dropping into Monster Bowl, she had a little get off, and the sled did a ghost ride down a steep treed hill, picked up quite a bit of speed, and center punched a large fir tree.

The bumper is now offset to one side about an inch...and...NO OTHER DAMAGE!! She rode the rest of the day, and the next!! The other riders with us were AMAZED that there was no damage!!

No pics of the tree, unfortunately, but here are some pics of the bumper, and the mount points (some have expressed concern about damaging the cast aluminum mount tabs if the bumper is too strong).

For comparison, here is also a pic of a Polaris Extreme Bumper, after a much less severe hit.

 

[CDK]

Here's the aftermath of watching your sled ghost ride into a majestic pine at 30 mph, for anyone curious.....

 

[800poodragon]

Here's the aftermath of watching your sled ghost ride into a majestic pine at 30 mph, for anyone curious.....

View attachment 204880

Nope...don't think freezing water in the pipe is going to get that one out.....good idea tho.

 

[sledheadd]

Ouch
this may have helped you out on keeping the damage down.

 

[flying frenchman]

Isn't it easier to change the pipe and bumper than the bulkhead, if you were to install a better bumper.

 

[mountainhorse]

I see no evidence that the bulkhead is endangered by better bumpers.

Bulkheads = $100 per side plus adhesive... less than a pipe.

 

[CDK]

I think it's a fine balance between setting your front end up to crumple and absorb, or take the impact and protect your pipe and plastics. At the speed mine hit, a better bumper may have skidded the front end over and taco'd a set of A-arms. You really can't plan your collisions though.....

 

[CDK]

I rode mine out of Area 57 with that crumpled pipe. Wrecked a-arms would have meant a helicopter where I was.

 

[flying frenchman]

Bulkhead $100 per side and some glue = less than a pipe.

How much would it cost you in glue? $$
Cheap when you look at it with out labour. What's the labour on changing the bulkhead? X $100/hr
Lots of hours. I'd like to know.

 

[flying frenchman]

Anyone have an idea? Someone must have got this done.

 

[mountainhorse]

I've been told about 6 hours... 4 for a good mechanic if only one side is toasted.

I've seen some pretty serious hits with the VE bumper... no damage to the bulkhead ...but would have smoked over a grand in other parts... PLUS labor for that. (pipe alone is $450)


I've looked that this every-way till Tuesday and still vote for a bumper like the VE that braces better to the bulkhead and does not rely on a flimsy cast tab and crushed tube like the stocker.
I don't see the strength of the bumper exceeding that of the bulkhead in 90% of the collisions on our mountain sleds.

I've seen some pretty minor tree-well incedents cause lots of damage though... pipe, nose pan, hood, hardware, side panels, motor mounts, over structure, etc.

I recommend a stronger bumper, without hesitation, for PRO Chassis RMK owners... hands down.


.

 

[Dartos]

Have you seen the new for 2014 Polaris bumper?

How do they compare to the aftermarket bumpers?

 

[Clarke673]

I see no evidence that the bulkhead is endangered by better bumpers.

Bulkheads = $100 per side plus adhesive... less than a pipe.

Well i have pictures of several sleds that had impacts while using the factory 2011 bumpers that broke the tabs off the bulk head. Bent uprights, and cracked cast steering blocks.

 

[FatDogX]

Which one is this????

Ouch
this may have helped you out on keeping the damage down.

 

[mountainhorse]

Originally Posted by mountainhorse View Post
I see no evidence that the bulkhead is endangered by better bumpers.

Bulkheads = $100 per side plus adhesive... less than a pipe.

Well i have pictures of several sleds that had impacts while using the factory 2011 bumpers that broke the tabs off the bulk head. Bent uprights, and cracked cast steering blocks.

Do any of those show a broken bulkhead?

The factory mount tabs on the overstructure are pretty flimsy... I've seen those break often.

The VE and some others do not use that tab only for their strength.... one of the reasons I like them.






.

 

[CDK]

On a related note, when my Polaris extreme bumper took the impact, it snapped off one of those cast tabs on the over structure. Can I weld that back on, or do I need a new over structure? Conversely, is there a bumper I can buy that does not need that tab? VE?

 

[Clarke673]

On a related note, when my Polaris extreme bumper took the impact, it snapped off one of those cast tabs on the over structure. Can I weld that back on, or do I need a new over structure? Conversely, is there a bumper I can buy that does not need that tab? VE?

your f'ed. if you weld it back on most likely the adhesive in the (lets just call it over structure) could melt or be weekend. I have a totaled sled that has NEVER taken an impact other than jumping. The over structer is week, the cas piece that joins the 4 bars and locates your steering post/handlebars is a POS. The actual cast bulkhead is strong and requires a direct impact to hurt it. It will flex and put the damage else where. You will get broken running board brackets, flexed tunnle or "dog legged". broken chaine case, broken cast aluminum muffler bracket, bent "overstructure" and like MH said, thsoe tabs are a joke. This IS the cost of us demanding lightweight.

Excuase my less than thrilled outlook but polaris owes me a sled. There is no reason someone should be able to total a polaris assault by jumping it. I have no broken bones, therefore the sled shouldn't either. If randy sherman is aloud to jump roads and drop cliffs in the promo video for the sled, shouldn't i? ohh well, guess i will start building "ms america", the baddest free ride sled you guys will ever see

 

[Clarke673]

Have you seen the new for 2014 Polaris bumper?

How do they compare to the aftermarket bumpers?

that looks like a nice piece. These sleds aren't XLT's, we shouldn't be using them to run over 15 year old saplings. That polaris bumper looks ideal for hitting a tree and hopefully having the sled survive. The less impact that is carried through the sled the better. We need more crush zone. Let it smash that pipe and fold your bumper in and destroy your plastics. It is alot less work than trying to rebuild one of these sleds from the bulkhead out.

not to take anythign away from the aftermarket companies, however i don't have time to look up every single bumper and i don't have the means to test it. So speaking from real world been there wrecked that, go with OEM. and buy insurance... If you hit anything hard enough to dent the bumper, check literally everything. Look for cracks on the bottom of the chain case furst. check your overstructure with a very nice strait edge, and check the cast piece that locates your handle bars. if nay of these have the slightest crack or bend, your sled is TOTALED, and demand a new one then and there, don't be like me and try to get a few more days on the hill while the snow is good.

EDIT, also, the weight of the skid can bend the tunnel on impacts as well as the fuel tank. Check all mounting locations for an ovaled hole or any type of wrinkle. Look where the overstructure bolts to your tunnel and your running boards. IMO 13 polaris's have Carbon fiber over structure to prevent them from bending. This will probobly translate into more broken cast pieces that locate the handle bars. Mine is snapped into. It is REALY SWEEEEET! kinda like riding an XM.

 

[mountainhorse]

Bumpers that have different inside/top mounint... stronger than stock.

From Snowdawgs sled...VE bumper pics

MMSPORTS BUMPER

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[CDK]

So I just priced out a new aluminum over-structure from Polaris parts house, comes out to $154.15. I also priced out a '13 carbon fibre one, which retails at $255.83, so $100 more. Anyone think there's any point in spending $100 for the carbon fibre version? Will it even fit a '12 SBA?