WARNING: DON'T OVERLOAD THE TUNNEL ON YOUR PRO RMK (Photos)

[mountainhorse]

Well the season is coming into full swing...and people are gearing up their sleds for use this season.

When placing a load on the rear of your tunnel.. beware of the factory rating or you could have some serious bending issues with your tunnel that will not be covered by Polaris warranty.

The recommended method of loading an RMK is to put all heavy stuff, particularly gas cans, directly behind the seat. Then, if the load still is under the 15lb maximum, the tunnel bag can go behind the gas cans - (a full set of tools in the tunnel bag with 4 waters is a really bad idea). There are already pix of Snowesters placing the bag behind the seat and then hanging gas cans on the end of the tunnel. That is a recipe for an unhappy fa

The tunnel is rated at 15 lbs...

That may seem light.. but when you are pounding down the trail or dropping into a bowl...The G-force can easily make that load very taxing on the tunnel.

If you are carrying a spare gas can on your sled... place it as close to the tunnel as possible as shown in this pic.

DO NOT Carry heavy items like the fuel cans shown in this photo!!

This photo shows a Heavy Duty tunnel bracing system that AKSNOWRIDER built and installed to shore this up as he carries a lot of extra gear into the backcountry on his tunnel... IMO.. This is NOT overkill if you carry more than the 15lbs rating.

Notice he still "chokes" up on the seat with the fuel load!!
CLICK HERE to see the complete thread on this.

.

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

This photo shows a Heavy Duty tunnel bracing system that AKSNOWRIDER built and installed to shore this up as he carries a lot of extra gear into the backcountry on his tunnel... IMO.. This is NOT overkill if you carry more than the 15lbs rating.

Notice he still "chokes" up on the seat with the fuel load!!









.[/QUOTE]
MH is right, easiest way to help save your tunnel keep the heaviest stuff as close to the seat as you can..I will also add...if you have an empty tunnel and you Bottom the suspension hard enough..you will buckle the tunnel..when you add weight to the tunnel..think about how it affects the suspension and how easy it bottoms.. figure out the weight you are adding and add it to your weight, then read the suspension setup specs in your manual..set it up accordingly..then when you ride..if its bottoming pretty easy..stop and tighten it up some more/dump the fuel in the tank/ what ever it takes to stop the hard bottoming..as for my sled and the reinforcement..I will pull a tow sled with as much as 60 gallons of fuel in it..a long way from the nearest road.....heres a outdoor pic of it....

what I built is pretty overkill for thicknesses compared to what a rider with 30 pds on the back needs , but the concept is the same..if you dont reinforce far enough forward(some are using a cat bumper that runs up the sides a bit) you will buckle the tunnel right in front of where your bracing ends)..I know because we have...what I have pictured here weighed 12 pds before coating for all the peices..a thinner setup would come in about 6-8 pds that would still be more then adequate...

 

[Code Blue]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll be swapping my fuel and bag around..

 

[POLZIN]

I just bought a powder Keg system so the fuel is under the seat . I cant stand the under seat bag on the pro anyway.

 

[mountainhorse]

...

 

[POLZIN]

Huh so thats what those stickers said !

 

[allblowdup]

Your suspension has more to do with how much weight you can pack on your sled than the tunnel. Having the suspension setup so i does not bottom is the way to do it. Snowmobile suspension tends to have very little rising rate in the rear and shock settings are rediculous. Having a shock that has progressive dampning along with a real progressive spring rate such as you get when using rcs blocks or simular will help your tunnel (and your back). You would be amazed how ,uch weight you can pack if done properly and equally amazed at how little you can pack if not!

 

[ace59]

I try to dump the extra fuel can in as soon as possible to reduce rear tunnel weight. If I need to share fuel with someone I carry 10 feet of siphon hose. It's come in handy many a time. I also keep water n other fluids in the under seat bag to keep them from freezing.

 

[TGitt]

So is the monstrous "Burandt lock-n-ride Bag" going to cause damage? I don't plan on putting everything I take in there, but I am planning to put my tools and a few other things in there. But the bag looks fairly long to me. Should I be concerned?

 

[Lefty]

Guiding backcountry in WY, I have had the joy of putting on approx 11k between 3 pro chaises, with no bending. I pack all that the F.S. requires, plus much more. Guiding requires you to have a fix for any situation, in reason. Weight for things such as tools, adds up quick! Before you know it, your over you 15lbs! This before your food, water or survival gear is in. I have learned to refer to True Adventer Gear's handle bar bag, as my tool pouch... Use WPS under hood goggle bags for storage, food & water in one. Tow strap, sphin hose and more in another. (Stuff like tape, works better warm than frozen) Doing this has allowed me to greatly reduce weight, on both my back & my sleds back.... Since the intro of the pro, I've listened to many rant & rav about its ablity on one hand & complain their bent tunnle is not strong enough on the other. All from the guy that packs everything on the tunnel. Including the gas he doesn't use... I've got stuff, I put in my sled, I only plan to take out come spring. If I do, there's a major problem. But it's there if I need it, and the things I know I will use daily are located in the more accesable spaces. Just what I do, open to any & all ideas.. lefty

 

[mountainhorse]

I hear ya... but I've also seen bent tunnels from what you not think was heavy weight.

 

[Lefty]

We all under estimate it. I know I did, until I got the scale out! I keep my tunnel weight under 15lbs, my biggest problem is the wife! If there is room in the bag, she'll find something else, she just has to take along....LOL

 

[mountainhorse]

We all under estimate it. I know I did, until I got the scale out! I keep my tunnel weight under 15lbs, my biggest problem is the wife! If there is room in the bag, she'll find something else, she just has to take along....LOL

TRU DAT ! !
​

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

We all under estimate it. I know I did, until I got the scale out! I keep my tunnel weight under 15lbs, my biggest problem is the wife! If there is room in the bag, she'll find something else, she just has to take along....LOL

You dont want to see what I haul...I have had 10 gallons of gas, about 20 pds of tools, food, extra clothes, drinks..all on the tunnel,then put on 125 miles in a day cross country ..........

 

[Snodawg]

We all under estimate it. I know I did, until I got the scale out! I keep my tunnel weight under 15lbs, my biggest problem is the wife! If there is room in the bag, she'll find something else, she just has to take along....LOL

I thought you were gonna say she likes to ride back there

 

[Lefty]

I thought you were gonna say she likes to ride back there

No, that would overload it by 90lbs... She rides her own..

 

[sledhed]

Is this a similar issue on the Dragons? I don't pack a lot back there unless spring riding where I suck down more gas... I am thinking when spring comes I will move the gas rack up by the seat...

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

Is this a similar issue on the Dragons? I don't pack a lot back there unless spring riding where I suck down more gas... I am thinking when spring comes I will move the gas rack up by the seat...

yes it is, thats what made me start making reinforcments...I buckled my 08 dragon twice before ever hooking a tow sled to it..the thread Eric(mountainhorse) posted above will show pics of my red dragon, and the bracing I did on it,,,,,,

 

[byeatts]

Well the season is coming into full swing...and people are gearing up their sleds for use this season.

When placing a load on the rear of your tunnel.. beware of the factory rating or you could have some serious bending issues with your tunnel that will not be covered by Polaris warranty.

The recommended method of loading an RMK is to put all heavy stuff, particularly gas cans, directly behind the seat. Then, if the load still is under the 15lb maximum, the tunnel bag can go behind the gas cans - (a full set of tools in the tunnel bag with 4 waters is a really bad idea). There are already pix of Snowesters placing the bag behind the seat and then hanging gas cans on the end of the tunnel. That is a recipe for an unhappy fa

The tunnel is rated at 15 lbs...

That may seem light.. but when you are pounding down the trail or dropping into a bowl...The G-force can easily make that load very taxing on the tunnel.

If you are carrying a spare gas can on your sled... place it as close to the tunnel as possible as shown in this pic.

DO NOT Carry heavy items like the fuel cans shown in this photo!!

This photo shows a Heavy Duty tunnel bracing system that AKSNOWRIDER built and installed to shore this up as he carries a lot of extra gear into the backcountry on his tunnel... IMO.. This is NOT overkill if you carry more than the 15lbs rating.

Notice he still "chokes" up on the seat with the fuel load!!
CLICK HERE to see the complete thread on this.

.

Hmm how well will this tunnel hold up to rolling down a hill? There is such a thing called "Good Weight"tunnel bracing is in order,Good Info

 

[diamonddave]

(a full set of tools in the tunnel bag with 4 waters is a really bad idea).

I wonder where you read something like this ever happening?


The nice thing about riding with the Pro chassis with other Pro chassis sleds is I have been able to downsize my 12 lb. tool kit because I don't need those goofy Standard size wrenches and sockets anymore.

The Polaris bag that fits under the seat is where my tools go.

But I still require (4) 1 liter bottles of Aquafina. I don't pack fuel. I carry a 2nd bag behind the first bag for picking up trash, beer cans off the trail, etc.