VE install Front Tunnel Brace Tips

[wjl]

Since VE does NOT include any instructions and I am in the process of installing mine here are some tips
Go buy a 12 inch long 3/16" drill bit
1. Remove side panel
2. Loosen track
3. Remove secondary and QD Pulleys
4. Remove star bolt by foot well
5 Loosen two running board nuts
6 Remove two nuts holding foot loop on. ** make sure a track window is located where the two studs are (studs are one connected by a plate. ** JFI it is a PIA to remove and reinstall unless you have long fingers.
7. Drill out the footwell rivet and the very rear rivet on the sled (3rd and 4th picture rivet gets drilled out, I did not know and installed the plate not to big of a deal)
8. Remove suspension bolt (hate these things, just the side your working on)
9. Slide plate in place, can be a pain
10. Once plate is in install the suspension bolt
11. Install foot loop bolts (plate) Have fun.
12. Install rivet in the rear most rivet hole that was drilled out.
13. Start drilling holes using new plate as template and install rivets.
** Rivet gun works wonders but some places I needed to do by hand.***

QD side done. Two steel rivets are a bugger to drill out and the upper chain case bolts suck to get out. (loosen belt and push with a wood block to remove and install bolts.
Glue there was only two dime size dabs on the upper part and was mostly squished out and not doing a whole lot. I am not going to worry about it.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[rp2000r]

A good friend is getting ready to do a set of the VEI plates and this will be a big help!
Thanks
Ryan

 

[FCR112]

Thanks for the post, couple questions...

Did you install these over the existing plates or replace them?

Did the additional thickness of the material change the deflection of the q-drive belt by moving the lower pulley from the stock position?

 

[wjl]

QD side replaces the existing plate.
Clutch side is an overlay. Does not cause any problems or changes.
Plates are same thickness but made of chrome moly.
Some other tips
The rivet between the top two bolts for the chain case holds the two bolts in. Hard to explain but it's like the foot well to tunnel bolts. You don't replace it. I used a cold chisel to remove it.
It did not take a lot of heat to break the bond.
Center punch the steel rivet and drill out, make sure to punch the rivet out it holds QD plate tight and took some time.
Install took some time but these plates are much stronger than stock.

 

[danduvall]

Did the additional thickness of the material change the deflection of the q-drive belt by moving the lower pulley from the stock position?

I also wonder how this and the fastrax kits add these plates behind the chain case / QD. And it doesn't affect belt/chain deflection and bearing alignment. Or am I missing something? !

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[wjl]

QD get replaced with the VE one.
Fastrax is an over lay outside and inside it sandwiches the stock plates to reinforce the tunnel.
Fastrax video. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KO1mfUX-I9Y&desktop_uri=/watch?v=KO1mfUX-I9Y

 

[4Z]

FTX plates also "tie" the QD/Chaincase to the existing front torque arm plate where the suspension is bolted to. In other words it keeps the QD/CC "pushed" away from moving backwards towards the suspension. Both effective kits, just two different ways of thinking.....

Good write up wjl!!!

 

[FCR112]

wjl- Did you install that top pulley backwards bud

 

[wjl]

Yep I did good catch. Long day

 

[FCR112]

Haha I do that stuff pretty regularly, that's how I know... I usually notice right about the time I begin to pat myself on the back for a job well done

 

[wjl]

I just switched it. I also noticed it says. Install this side out right on the flange.

 

[dude]

Great write up...

I have to laugh now knowing that I'm not the only one to install these and thought it was a bit harder then I thought it would be. Now I'm no mechanic so "hard to me" could be easy to just about everyone else

let me say I love Van Amburg's products, and they are great to work with, but here's a clip below from an email they sent me that I kept thinking about as I was 2 six packs into this "super easy" tunnel brace install Now there front bumper was "super easy" and looks like an awesome bumper!

clip from email from Van Amburg.... (Yes you are correct and we have them on our sleds and did not use glue. Call Mike and he can walk you through it. Super easy!)

Side note they told me no re-gluing is needed for the QD plate that overlays the new brace. I could not believe how weak the stock plate is!! A 5 year old could fold the stock plate into a taco.. That made it all too clear to me why I had buckled both tunnel footwell sides of both my 2011 PRO's. This VEI aftermarket plate was a MUST in my opinion, and way way way stronger. Did I say how weak the stock one is!! I know Polaris are trying to save some weight, but maybe they could have saved it in less important places then this tunnel brace area. Rant over... Anyway, LOVE these PRO's and how lite they are... just need to reinforce them a little here and there...

By the way, I did not remove or loosen the QD belt pulleys. Maybe I should have? It seemed to slide in under the QD plate without to much effort for me anyway... Just took out the four bolts, heated the glue so it would release, and slid the new brace under the QD plate, etc...

Some photos of mine installed:

 

[wjl]

Yes the stock plates are not adequate saying it politically correct.
VE could use some help in the directions/ instructions dept. I hated the 3 sets of plate bolts.
Side note:
Makes you wonder how many tunnels on the QD side have bulges from drive shaft failure on 2013 pros.
Was cleaning up and thought to measure the thickness of the stock AL QD plate it is .0781 in which equals 5/64 just a hare over 1/16. The glue was so thin you could scrap it off with your finger nail, was not bonded well.

 

[peter allan]

tunnel brace

awesome wright up.the photo's are awesome to.nice job.hope mine turns out that well. thanks

 

[OnlyPolaris]

I installed these plates on my 2013 to fix a bent tunnel issue on both sides. I totally removed the quick drive backing plate. I used the Polaris glue to glue the VE plates to both sides of the tunnel. I bought some stronger steel rivets instead of the ones that come with the plates. Then I glued the quick drive backing plate back on with a lot more glue then what was on it. Seems to be super strong. We will see how they hold up this year.