First real ride on my Tnytro with Skinz front end. I was up on Mt Baker's glacier field. I was working my way up slowly as there are some DEEP crevasses up there. I turn out right before one and didn't maintain enough speed and the sled rolled over on it's side. I rolled it over once and when I got on it to start down I noticed the ski's where toed out about 6"s. There is no way I can explain this. It doesn't look like there is anything bent at all on the a-arms but the steering rods are hard to judge as they have an arc to them. There was no impact on anything. The only thing I can think of was a ski dug into the snow as the sled was sliding down the hill a few feet but would be surprised if that was enough force to cause this kind of damage. I also noticed that the ball joints are adjusted very differently on both sides. Does anyone have the spec's for how you set up the front end? Camber/castor on the spindles, toe on the ski's etc? I need to get it on a flat surface and get everything adjusted correctly. I sent Skinz an email about instructions but they are usually pretty slow to respond. Thanks for the help.
Need help with Skinz front end
- Thread starter Matte Murder
- Start date
Turn skis all the way both ways and look at the distance between the tie rod and a arm. They should be the same. This happened to me and tie rods bend very easy. About only thing that is going to change the tow. Be very careful when pulling on the skis when stuck. Also ajusted tie rods so the freely rotate up and down. Cheers
Spindles should be close to 90 when weight of front end about 1 degree is all skinz recommends they can be out. To ajusted tow run straight edge down your track past your skis. With handle bars straight. That should get you real close. Then I like to tow the skis in just a little bit to help stop darting goin down the trail.
The steering rod is bent, I just did it the other day, and I did it last year. Same situation, easy roll over in about 3 feet of POW, and dam, bent! THE other day the machine stood up on its tail fell on its right see in yet another 3' of POW, and wouldn't u know it, BENT AGAIN! I've seen many nytro roll down with stock front ends have NO problems. Should not have bent, IMO, but it is definately a weak point. it bends right at where the bend is in the SC SETUP. 
I spoke with the recptionist about it, and she said she would pass it along. $55 shipped for a new one. Might as well order it up, and please say something about it.
I spoke with the recptionist about it, and she said she would pass it along. $55 shipped for a new one. Might as well order it up, and please say something about it.
Thanks for the help guys. So how do you guys finish a day of riding? I'm hitting stuff all day on my other sleds and rarely bend anything. Even when i do its rare that I can't finish the day. So do I bring along 2-3 spare tie rods and just replace them on the hill? Jake from Skinz got right back to me. Said they roll their sleds out of sticks all the time.
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freeflorider
Well-known member
Bent n bruised
Very interesting post, I just helped my buddy put a skinz front end on his nitro yesterday. The a arms look beefy enough and Was looking at the steering arms but had no comment. Maybe one could use a ratchet strap and slowly bring it back if it gets bent....or at least enough to get the day out of them.
Very interesting post, I just helped my buddy put a skinz front end on his nitro yesterday. The a arms look beefy enough and Was looking at the steering arms but had no comment. Maybe one could use a ratchet strap and slowly bring it back if it gets bent....or at least enough to get the day out of them.
Tie rods are bending on them, have one to fix right now. I have been meaning to talk to them about making them out of 7075, hopefully that will cure the problem because it is becoming annoying to say the least. It doesnt take much and they are toast. Have already had to replace a few now.
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freeflorider
Well-known member
Bent tie rods
Not sure how having just hearing this.
Is it because there traveling to far in a rollover case or if you pull the ski to the side? Sound like there should be some sort of a stopper to Prevent the overextension from happening.
Not sure how having just hearing this.
The bend in the tie rod is a weak point and always will be. Unless strengthened it will continue to be a liability in the design of the front end. Dont get me wrong, the product is awesome and the arms are super beefy and strong but if any additional energy is absorbed through the steering once locked one direction or the other the tie rod will bend almost instantly. A straight stock rod is much stonger and is even hollow. I would like to see a stronger material used but thats just me I guess. The price that they charge for just two tie rods and four arms they can surely use a little better material in the tie rod.
Hope thats not a prob
I did mine and haven't rode it yet. Hope its not a prob. I'll build a better set if need be.
To set up the front end get a 4 ft piece of round bar stock. I think 5/8 dia is the dia of the spindles where the skiis attach. jack up the front of the sled and take off the skiis. Insert the rod through one spindle and slowly adjust the spindles until the rod goes through both spindles.
Note: Spindles should be perpendicular to the ground at 90 degrees. This makes it easier to do before starting with the rod. Then adjust both tie rods equally untill the rod slides freely in the spindles.
Steering post adjustments can be made after with the inner (idler) rod atached to the steering post to make the handlebars straight. This is where a straight edge to the track may come in handy.
If you wish to have a slight toe out you can adjust this once you have everything true. I prefer skiis to be parallel, some say the sled tracks better with a toe out to preload the skiis.
I did mine and haven't rode it yet. Hope its not a prob. I'll build a better set if need be.
To set up the front end get a 4 ft piece of round bar stock. I think 5/8 dia is the dia of the spindles where the skiis attach. jack up the front of the sled and take off the skiis. Insert the rod through one spindle and slowly adjust the spindles until the rod goes through both spindles.
Note: Spindles should be perpendicular to the ground at 90 degrees. This makes it easier to do before starting with the rod. Then adjust both tie rods equally untill the rod slides freely in the spindles.
Steering post adjustments can be made after with the inner (idler) rod atached to the steering post to make the handlebars straight. This is where a straight edge to the track may come in handy.
If you wish to have a slight toe out you can adjust this once you have everything true. I prefer skiis to be parallel, some say the sled tracks better with a toe out to preload the skiis.
I am with boostD on this one. Once something is bent. it will continue to bend much easier unless the bend is gusseted in and around the bend. This is the same thing going on with the lower tubes on yamaha sub-frame. I am wondering if a small gusset plate at the inside raduis and a small strap welded on the outside would strengthen this area. I have not heard this being a wide spread issue with the skinz front end but i have heard of a couple of people with this issue It is no doubt a weak spot regardless if it is a solid or hollow rod.
Looking at building a spacer to fit between the mounting tabs and moving the spherical bearing to the top of the upper tab. Should allow enough clearance over the lower arm to use a straight tie rod.
B
BigFish BC
Well-known member
i have a bent one to bumped a tree but not hard enough that it should have bent,it just bent right in the bend .put in vise to straiten will see how long it lasts.
I'm going to weld a gusset plate in there to see it that strengthens it. I just pounded my last one straighter.
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freeflorider
Well-known member
The fix?
Has anyone come up with a fix for this? Thinking of a triangle gusset of some kind but wanted to know if anyone has had success yet?
Has anyone come up with a fix for this? Thinking of a triangle gusset of some kind but wanted to know if anyone has had success yet?
Build them out of cro mo, the aluminum will never be the solution. You will need to weld either nuts or solid on each end then drill and tap for the rod ends. The bent tie rod is why Z broz only went 3" forward still allows the use of a straight tie rod, they knew what would happen using a bent tie rod. Forget about weight savings and use a 5/8" .065 wall piece of cro mo tubing, bend it to shape then you should be good to go. You can bend a piece of 6061 5/8 alu over your knee, its not very strong.
M5
M5
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Winter Nutz
Well-known member
nytroboost (chris) fixed his up, put gussets in the middle of the tie rods.
I had a similar problem, I have skinz arms as well, and pulling on my ski one day i bent my yamaha tie rod end. bent it very bad. so not only is skinz a weak point.
I had a similar problem, I have skinz arms as well, and pulling on my ski one day i bent my yamaha tie rod end. bent it very bad. so not only is skinz a weak point.
The arms I have have gussets in them. Is that NOT stock? Skinz responded quickly to an email I sent them and have new arms on the way. My sled is at Xtreme Motorsports right now and they are looking at making tie rods out of chromoly. Anyone else interested in chromoly ties rods for the Skinz front end let me or them know. Prolly cheaper by the dozen, lol.
I would be interested
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