How did you learn to work on snowmobiles?

[Luke The Drifter]

I owned a 2002 ZR 440 Sno Pro for 2.5 years. That thing taught me everything I know about wrenching on sleds.

 

[Samurai]

learned from my pa, we had sleds as far back as I can remember. he used to say to me "if I can't fix it, it can't be fixed..." lol. I busted up a lot of stuff when I was young, he could always repair it. bikes, sleds, trikes, quads, he wasn't afraid to rip 'em apart and fix 'em. buying parts was last resort.

he's a heavy duty mechanic, started his trucking company in '67. now I'm the one that does the repairing, my toys and his.....and soon it will be my boys tearin' sh!t up. I'll will be glad to repair them, despite the obligatory complaining I'll do, just like my pa did.....

oh, and I also have an XP. I put it together myself out of the crate, it hasn't seen the dealership yet...and never will.

Well shucks........so thats where that load of crated sleds went this year.....and you dont say your in the trucking biz...HMMMMMMMMMMM.

 

[teeroy]

Well shucks........so thats where that load of crated sleds went this year.....and you dont say your in the trucking biz...HMMMMMMMMMMM.

got lots of spare parts.....damn those pinecones....

 

[MARV1]

Learned from my DAD. At first I'd break them, he'd complain a bit, then fix them again. Later on I got my hands on the tools and started doing it with him, then alone, now I have to show him how to do it properly as he just adds gas and oil and ride until it is wore out.
Now it is my turn to show my boys how it is done.

 

[diggerdown]

Started back in 1966 working for a ski resort part time and had to keep a ski-doo alpine working to pull the snow guns around. Bought a scorpion in 69' and would work on it all week, ride it on Sunday, and walk home!

 

[m8magicandmystery]

l remember 12 years old...ma comes home and looks in her new 1 day old dishwasher...lo and behold me and a friend had a greasy old horse and a half clinton motor all torn apart and spic and span shiny in her dishwasher...ha ha it sure did a great job...anyway l tackle anything...its all nuts and bolts...and if finess and knowledge don't work then brute strength and ignorance will

 

[7lazy77]

I am self-taught. I once installed 2" risers! Wasn't sure if I was going to conquer it or not, but mechanical skills superceeded!

 

[NITROSKIDUDE]

If you crash you learn to fix, Then you blow you learn to fix. The right tools are cheaper to buy than to pay the dealer to do it half arsed.

 

[NITROSKIDUDE]

in comparison to some on here, i do not know very much, but that is not what is important.

i personally have learned a lot. i would spend as much time out in the shop with my dad when he was building a 36 chevy street rod. on motorcycles i never really learned theory of parts or anything, just basic maintence on them - plugs, oil, battery, cable lubing - just the simple stuff. same thing goes for sleds - although i have helped him probably 4 or 5 times pull the clutch off and put in a different spring.

when i turned 15 my dad picked up a 63 ranchero that needed a ton of work - learned a lot on the motor of that. unfortunately i don't think it can get much simpler - a straight 6 170cubic inch haha. don't think you can screw it up.

and now, since mid march this year i have been working at a kawi / brp dealer and have learned a ton about bikes, jet skis, and sleds. i have gained a lot of knowledge and understand things better. but i still have to have someone watching over my back to make sure i'm doing things correctly.

What and you were the one that test ran my bike!!!!!! aaaahhhhgggg..... JKin.

 

[Skadi]

Sorry Nitro... if you BLOW you learn to fix.... hmmmmm... Thinkin you shoulda worded that better... hehehehehe

How did I learn how to wrench? Still learning... But I started out of necessity, found out I kinda liked the evenings in the shop tinkerin on things are started gettin more and more involved with my own work. Started with 2 stroke bikes, about as simple as it gets, and then worked my way up to the sled and the harley! Tear it apart, look for something blatantly wrong and if I can't spot anything I get on the horn or the forums callin buddies or talking to people who have more experience!!

Basic wrenchin isn't too difficult to get, just gotta pay attention (a few too many beers and you might be in trouble!!) and gotta have a desire to do it. Otherwise yer frustrated and not havin any fun!

 

[girlpowder]

And your a GIRL. He He!! You have been mistakin before. Your my idol and you ROCK!!!

 

[ndmtnsledder]

Grew up on a farm and my dad was a diesel mechanic before he started farming. He would always bring things in the shop that weren't ever going to run again anyway and let us take them apart. Then when I was 8 or so he came home with my first motorcycle in the fall unfortunately it came in a couple buckets. By spring we had it running. As far as actually working on sleds lots of trial and error, reading the service manuals and race books, and driving the mechanic at the local shop nuts. I ended up bending the frame on my 00zr 500 and did the rebuild myself and the project got me into using the forums for info.

 

[pinko]

Kind of self taight here. I've always been in the garage around bikes but sleds was new to me 2 years ago. Bought a mod RMK off a buddies buddy not knowing how much more touchy a mod sled is over a mod bike. That thing has taught me alot and still showing me lots.

 

[mtnmodviper]

My Dad would make me watch and help him when I was finally old enough to buy an 85 phazer. I learned a lot of cuss words too! We were always into modding since we rode yamahas. When I totalled a 99 mountain max, then rebuilt it with all the good stuff, I became a much better mechanic and became addicted to the major modding. I've got friends that have ridden as long as me who rarely work on their sleds. It's amazing how intimidated they get when they are forced to perform any tasks greater than a belt change. I only wish I could work on (and enjoy) cars as well as snowmobiles!

I often wonder what I'd do with my life if my dad hadn't introduced me to snowmobiling when I was little. I am very thankful that he did, and I hope that someday I can pass it on to my children (when I have some)!!!

 

[sledskiing]

I didn't want to pay for it so i learned it

 

[Richey]

When I was young I used to watch my Dad fix everything. I would ask him about a million questions while he was doing it. I'm amazed he had the patience to answer all of my questions. As I got older he had me turning the wrenchs while he supervised. To this day we still like to get together and work on sleds together in some ways it is almost as fun as actually going. I have always enjoyed the time to sit around and B.S. with my Dad and fix whatever is broken.

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

I started wrenching on pedal bikes when I was 12....been turning wrenches for a living for over 30 yrs now, unbolting and bolting something togeather is simple..understanding how it works...diagnosing why it doesnt.....that is the hard part..have done most everything...racing bikes, cars, 4 wheel drive trucks..fabricating tube chassis race cars, restoring cars as old as 1927, hotrods, customs,boats and sleds..had my own shop for 12 yrs..only thing I havent done...air conditioning..other wise I can fix anything..build anything....my 2 kids were in the shop everyday since they were 2 and 4..I hope I gave them something they can use in their lives...

 

[SAWYER]

My dad. Hopefully I'll be as samrt as him when it comes to wrenching one day

 

[JROD]

I started wrenching on pedal bikes when I was 12....been turning wrenches for a living for over 30 yrs now, unbolting and bolting something togeather is simple..understanding how it works...diagnosing why it doesnt.....that is the hard part..have done most everything...racing bikes, cars, 4 wheel drive trucks..fabricating tube chassis race cars, restoring cars as old as 1927, hotrods, customs,boats and sleds..had my own shop for 12 yrs..only thing I havent done...air conditioning..other wise I can fix anything..build anything....my 2 kids were in the shop everyday since they were 2 and 4..I hope I gave them something they can use in their lives...

Sounds like my experience. I would get in trouble when my parents saw my new bike that I got for my b-day was in a million pieces on the sidewalk. When I was little I made it a habit to wreck my sleds and dirt bikes. Dad would usually help me buy the parts but said I would have to fix it. I did my first top end on a fan cooled 1985 Trail Indy when I was 12 with my dad watching over my shoulder. Since then I've rebuilt countless more.

It also helped me figure things out when I would look at what dealers charge and around here. Those "techs" aren't usually close to being qualified to work on stuff either.

 

[TimD]

I am learning to work on snowmobiles by acquiring old sleds. It started last seaon with a 1981 SRV, air cooled sucks. This season will debut a 1987 Exciter. I just put a 136 1 1/4 track on it and noe all I need is snow. Where the heck is the weather.