Busted fork legs and ski pedestal

[powdermuncher]

Just busted my ski pedestal and lower fork legs jumping a creek.

I did bottomed out hard and the pedestal deformed and damaged the lower fork legs under the clamps. Now just to put it into perspective I just rode through it did not go over the bars or wipe out ( done much worse on a dirt-bike) so I was real surprised to see all this damage.

TS installed a brace in the back of the frond pedestal to stop them from bending in 2012. Now it bends by the fork tube clamps and that in turn wrecks lower fork tubes.

With the old style Pedestal or spindle as TS calls it it would have been a limp out and replace $200 or straighten it .

With the new and improved version it is a nice ride out and 1200 Dollar bill by the time the smoke clears.

I will definitely cut out the brace on the new pedestal to allow it to deform without that much damage and $$$$
A tad disappointed since I was told that this set up will not damage fork tubes like the other brands do by the TS guys. Just a heads up for everyone.

On the other hand the new skis just rocked. The trail in was packed but not frozen hard and the thing holds a line awesome .Made the trail in and out as much fun as I had on a trail in quite some time. Had to wait for the sleds.

 

[snowhawkaddict]

Bret Blaser warranty comes with undercoating!

http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125728&highlight=mike+comisac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myzmj4kVVjA

 

[Jon Mutiger]

In our riding group, we've had I think a total of 3 damaged sets of forks. They usually are the newer Kayaba's, in fact in our case all have been Kayaba's. I think they made the fork thinner down there to save weight. My KTM fork legs have seen some abuse, and no bending.

I run my fork clamps up a big higher though.. The clamps can and do bottom on the fork seals, but I just run more fork oil to make sure they are going slow when they do kiss the seals.

If I'm not mistaken Yamaha USA has the non brake leg on back order right now. Hopefully canada still has some.

ps. I do work on suspension, for $100 plus shipping I'd swap it all for you once you have parts.

Jon

 

[KAWGRN]

Hey John ? on one of the bergs I have the front ski mount with the bolts further foward which makes the rear of the ski drag harder and the other one the bolts are in a position that the ski is flat, do you think there is enough meat in the WP lower forks to slide the clamps up so I could have 2 or even 3 positions, not sure which way I like it yet especiall with the new ski?

 

[vmax1200]

PICTURES PLEASE FOR ANALYSIS FOR ALL TO LEARN

 

[Jon Mutiger]

The forks are the same thickness at the bottom as they are up a few inches. My thought was to get the most leverage on the axle as possible. The only issue I can see is your seals hitting the clamps.

As for the angle, make sure your block is the right way around and the rubber on the ski is the right way. I've seen quite a few of the earlier kits ship with the block the wrong way.

I would say as long as your at least one bolt diameter from another hole you will be fine.

 

[powdermuncher]

Here are the pics

 

[vmax1200]

In order to absorb the five stresses flex occurs ,to help the fork become more ridgid ,use 1/2 aluminum round stock about 3 1/2'' inches long thread the ends and this will replace the fiber locking nuts when new clamps are installed between forks .also becareful what grade strength the allen head bolts are this is shear engineering .

 

[powdermuncher]

Yes that is the plan I will also either remove or drill out the cross brace to have a stress relieve point where it can bend.

If we make it to rigide without stress relieve we will wreck something else.

 

[Jon Mutiger]

I'm confused.. What are fibre locking nuts and where are they?

And what are the five stresses???

 

[powdermuncher]

In our riding group, we've had I think a total of 3 damaged sets of forks. They usually are the newer Kayaba's, in fact in our case all have been Kayaba's. I think they made the fork thinner down there to save weight. My KTM fork legs have seen some abuse, and no bending.

I run my fork clamps up a big higher though.. The clamps can and do bottom on the fork seals, but I just run more fork oil to make sure they are going slow when they do kiss the seals.

If I'm not mistaken Yamaha USA has the non brake leg on back order right now. Hopefully canada still has some.

ps. I do work on suspension, for $100 plus shipping I'd swap it all for you once you have parts.

Jon

Hi John

thanks for the offer

The local yamaha guys already ordered parts for me and will do the fork.

they treat me well.

The damage happened when the ears that the clamps are bolted to bend and twisted. there is only a crease on the back inside corner.

The clamps are way out of round as well

If the pedestal flexed below I doubt there would be damage to the fork.

I am doing a few mods to it, trying to stiffen the attach points and soften the lower pedestal by drilling out the back crossbar,will post pics when done.

To allow flex to happen there. Ultimately a heavy leaf spring instead of the pedestal would help dissipate energy and than spring back without damage.

I do not have enough time right now to start on that project


Cheers

 

[Dobber1]

http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125728&highlight=mike+comisac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myzmj4kVVjA

Foul!

Don't be such a hater.

 

[powdermuncher]

Here is my number one attempt to fix the fork damage issue by using all the old parts straightened and welded as good as possible.

Lets see if this will work.

I am going to abuse this set up for a while and then use what I learn from it and mod the new parts once they come.

The fork parts had to come from Japan that amy take another week or 2.

 

[xpx5]

This is what has kept me from getting a tsmh snow bike .. What's a set of forks cost for a new bike ? Then what ?

 

[Rush44]

I think the bending/breaking of forks due to ski damage is actually pretty rare. If this happened a lot there would be a ton more topics and posts on an incident like this. So far I've been through 2 spindles in 2 years (hitting rocks and trees in low snow situations) and both hits were so hard I thought I had broken my wrists. The last one I just replaced bent the spindle ears 45 degrees outward and completely snapped the fork clamps in two... forks were still true. Hell, I've seen pictures of a Husaberg snapped IN HALF from a front impact and the tubes weren't damaged.

 

[powdermuncher]

I think the bending/breaking of forks due to ski damage is actually pretty rare. If this happened a lot there would be a ton more topics and posts on an incident like this. So far I've been through 2 spindles in 2 years (hitting rocks and trees in low snow situations) and both hits were so hard I thought I had broken my wrists. The last one I just replaced bent the spindle ears 45 degrees outward and completely snapped the fork clamps in two... forks were still true. Hell, I've seen pictures of a Husaberg snapped IN HALF from a front impact and the tubes weren't damaged.

Not sure that this post helped to put this guys apprehension aside.
Bike Broken in Halve

All in all the bikes are way cheaper to run than sleds
If you wipe out one spindle and A arms on a sled ad a shock and the cost is at least as much as what I did to the bike.
I would not consider that a deal breaker.
Running My sled is double the cost per day compared to the Bike, I still ride both.

 

[Rush44]

Not sure that this post helped to put this guys apprehension aside.
Bike Broken in Halve

Trust me, the bike broken in half thing had nothing to do with the kit. I don't care who you are, if you run a bike into a wall head on you are going to mess stuff up... but the forks were fine!