Servicing your ski bolts!!!

[BigTruck]

Dont know why Polaris quit installing the zerk fittings in the spindles but whatever. The bushings in the skii's need to be serviced. Came accross these today servicing two sleds. Both sleds have less than 500 miles. One of them had actually "froze" in the saddle and had to be "tapped" out with a hammer.

Just wanted to let people know that these need to be serviced frequently.

 

[550iq]

Good job in reminding everyone of one of those unseen items that need attention too.

 

[thefullmonte]

I was just planning on tearing mine apart this weekend. Looks like I have good reason to. Thanks for posting that.

 

[Super B]

I was just planning on tearing mine apart this weekend. Looks like I have good reason to. Thanks for posting that.

Looks like I will be doing the same this weekend also!

 

[ghostrider dd]

I just replaced a set on the wifes 600.....Frozen solid. I had to cut the nut and bolt head off with cutoff. Then pry the ski off the mount. It was quit a job....why o why did they not put a grease zert?? Money that is why....$8 for bolts, $7 for sleeves...grease zert $0.42!!

 

[BigTruck]

If it werent for the fact that I noticed no grease fitting's I never would have looked. Glad I did.

 

[sledhed]

Drill, tap, fitting... if anyone has a DYI idea for this post it, I haven't been getting any shop time lately so I don't have time to go out and look at it.

 

[mountainhorse]

I just do it once at the end of each season... clean them off with scotch brite... then I use heavy Synthetic marine trailer grease on them... Have not had a problem yet.

I have had to cut off other peoples though to get them off. sometimes damaging the skis.. grade 8 bolts there...

I'm sure that you could install a zerk in there no problem... sounds like something to put on my list.... with the other 3000 things. LOL

 

[speedemon]

i had to use an air hammer to get one of mine out! the bolt was also bent to heck tho too.

 

[skibreeze]

It's not as simple as throwing a zerk on it. There are 2 places where they corrode, 1 is between the spindle and the bushing and 2 is between the cross bolt and the bushing. I just serviced mine on my 07 and one of the bolts had to be pounded out of the bushing. Everyone definitely needs to pull the skiis and grease these up.

Another thing that I do is drill a 1/8" hole in each of the big compartments in the ski bottoms to let water drain out. There are 5 more under the rubber block, FYI.

 

[Mandic]

I just got finished with installing zerks in my spindles. We shall see how it works out. Had hoped to put them in the backside to protect them, but without more modification that wasn't going to happen. So in the front they went. Hopefully just some caps on them and they will be fine.

Took a 7/32" hole, 1/8" grease zerk, and a couple of minutes once I pressed out the rusted nasty sleeve. Just let the zerk do the tapping since it is a tapered pipe thread. I don't know exactly what size it is, since I didn't have a small enough pipe thread tap on hand. Something by 27 tpi. Ironic if you knew my profession.

Should get them reinstalled on the sled tomorrow to see how it works.

 

[Mandic]

As far as the cross-bolt corrosion, I don't see it as a big issue. The idea of bushings and sleeves is, the sleeve moves inside of the bushings. At least in a bronze or polyurethane bushings situation, that is the idea. The bolt moving independent of the sleeve would be good too so the sleeve can pivot around it nicely, but I think the bigger issue is the bushings not getting siezed up in the bronze bushings.

I was contemplating drilling a few 1/16" holes in the sleeves before I reinstall so at least a little grease gets forced to the bolt, but I don't know if I will do that. May just bother to pull the ski bolts when I service the sled and clean/lube them.

 

[1FASTXC]

Could always make some stainless steel sleeves too. Less work for the average person. Find a local machine shop, they should be able to order tubing/bushing stock with the right dimensions and cut it for you. They used to be just 3/8"i.d. and 5/8" o.d. cut to whatever length. Maybe stainless bolts too found at the local hardware store.

 

[AndrettiDog]

Polaris probably skimped on the zerks for money and time on the assembly line. I have pulled my ski bushings out a few times and cleaned them up and put some grease on them.

The real problem with the Gripper skis is where the ski attaches to the spindles. The plastic will wear and "hole out" causing much more play in the ski. I had this happen on my D7. This would cause the ski to point down when I went into the air. My ski came down and stuck into the snow and the whole sled flipped end over end. Total Biatch slap and I had no idea what happend until I worked on the ski.

 

[Mandic]

Yea that is one thing I do not like about my SlyDog skis, no bushings in them. So if there isn't good lubrication it could end up eating up the skis at the spindle point. Not cool.

 

[skibreeze]

As far as the cross-bolt corrosion, I don't see it as a big issue. The idea of bushings and sleeves is, the sleeve moves inside of the bushings. At least in a bronze or polyurethane bushings situation, that is the idea. The bolt moving independent of the sleeve would be good too so the sleeve can pivot around it nicely, but I think the bigger issue is the bushings not getting siezed up in the bronze bushings.

I was contemplating drilling a few 1/16" holes in the sleeves before I reinstall so at least a little grease gets forced to the bolt, but I don't know if I will do that. May just bother to pull the ski bolts when I service the sled and clean/lube them.

I completely disagree with your statement. On my sled the sleeves were still free in the spindle and it was the cross bolts in the sleeves that were corroded. Both the bolt and the sleeve need greased.

 

[Mandic]

The more I am thinking about it I think you are right. The bolt needs to move independent too. You don't want it moving in the ski. So I am going to drill some holes in the spindle sleeves.

 

[skibreeze]

The more I am thinking about it I think you are right. The bolt needs to move independent too. You don't want it moving in the ski. So I am going to drill some holes in the spindle sleeves.

The main reason for the bolt needing the grease isn't for movement of the ski, that's what the sleeve is for. The bolt needs greased to prevent it from seizing which will prevent it's removal when needed.

 

[skibreeze]

It's not as simple as throwing a zerk on it. There are 2 places where they corrode, 1 is between the spindle and the bushing and 2 is between the cross bolt and the bushing. I just serviced mine on my 07 and one of the bolts had to be pounded out of the bushing. Everyone definitely needs to pull the skiis and grease these up.

Another thing that I do is drill a 1/8" hole in each of the big compartments in the ski bottoms to let water drain out. There are 5 more under the rubber block, FYI.

Hey, Enis750, what's not helpful about this post?

 

[AKCoop]

What about a stainless bolt then???

Just asking, may be worth the $.