What gets bent on a ski hit?
- Thread starter PaulAnd
- Start date
i had a hard ski hit last year that sent me over the bars and i landed about 10 feet in front of the sled. i was side hilling/carving up through some trees and found a rock. i was probably moving about 10-15 mph and the sled came to a dead stop. it literally sheered off the lower a-arm and sway bar, bent the upper a arm, bent the shock, and wrecked the ski. i had the 2 bottom grip n rip braces installed and it didnt phase the S module or bulk head. i would like think the braces saved my rear end........but i cant prove it. i will say that i installed the braces on my new sled this year. they made a believer out of me.
Ya they saved your rear end.
Nice tow rig you got there too.
You're a good salesman! I copied several of your mods after reading your reviews and they have worked great, appreciate you sharing your experiences with these sleds. I really like these Alt Impact A-arms! I tried aluminum rod ends just for fun, they bend a little too easily (a decent jump would do it), but hit a rock and they shear off--10 minutes later you're riding again. I switched back to steel ends, found them on Ebay for $7 each shipped. Way better than $150+ for a stock A-arm (if you run braces) or more $$ if fully stock (not to mention you don't have to end that day). Plus these arms cut ~5lbs. I do run the lower G&R braces. Bent a stock arm last year with those and nothing seems too out of whack.
I have alt impact arms on all my sleds now. I have yet to do anything to my doos but wiped a rod end off one of the pros. Didnt buy a spare but did after the fact. Dans a super guy and has great parts no doubt about it. I should do the braces but that sled doesnt see alot of ride time and i think just the rod ends do basically the same thing. Guess it cant hurt though
J
jaysonfreerider
Well-known member
Can you install even if yours is bent, but not to bad???
E
eman0993
Active member
Read earlier in the thread someone did and it actual helped straiten things out. Won't be perfect but I'd prob fix first then install GNR. But it could be done without fixing first
Another thing that most gloss over that I didn't think about till Skibreeze switched over a couple years back... WEAR BARS.
If you can get away without carbides, the sled will grab rocks way less, and slide over them instead. That's something that really is a significant difference imo. I won't have carbides on any of my sleds anymore, I use hardwelds on all of them. They do WAY better in the parking lot, WAY better having to cross over windblown ridges, and that same difference imo is apparent in smaller rock hits.
If you can get away without carbides, the sled will grab rocks way less, and slide over them instead. That's something that really is a significant difference imo. I won't have carbides on any of my sleds anymore, I use hardwelds on all of them. They do WAY better in the parking lot, WAY better having to cross over windblown ridges, and that same difference imo is apparent in smaller rock hits.
Y
yzviper366
Active member
Whats peoples thoughts on the jbroz kit? I installed that and i had a couple medium hits on my sled first time out and haven't bent anything yet. The kit was nice easy to install and came with a skidplate. Idk seems like its done its job so far havemt had any major hits yet tho. Anyone have any experiences wuth the zbroz kit?
I thought I had the front pulled back... the best I could do was get the spring off the top A-arm, not touching now but not centered, I would have bent the tunnel if I went any further..
Pulled the front end apart and the grip and rip braces will work, no problem. I was still thinking about changing the S-module 300.00 ouch, but realized I have 1 bent and 1 blown ski shock, so on fence now about Insurance? or just replace ski shocks 700.00 float 3 evol? and ride till next hit comes...
Pulled the front end apart and the grip and rip braces will work, no problem. I was still thinking about changing the S-module 300.00 ouch, but realized I have 1 bent and 1 blown ski shock, so on fence now about Insurance? or just replace ski shocks 700.00 float 3 evol? and ride till next hit comes...
FYI... just posted another thread but thought I'd post pics here since it's pretty topical
a ski hit on a braced sled with alt impact arms yesterday:
Filed a notch & backed out the bolt
If you put a little effort into your setup, IMO the doo front end CAN be pretty bomber.
I'd think about getting insurance to cover, IMO it's worth having the S module fixed, and then rebuild the front end better.
a ski hit on a braced sled with alt impact arms yesterday:
Filed a notch & backed out the bolt
If you put a little effort into your setup, IMO the doo front end CAN be pretty bomber.
I'd think about getting insurance to cover, IMO it's worth having the S module fixed, and then rebuild the front end better.
My Freeride just took a rough hit to the left front ski. I had the GnR braces installed which I think helped out the S and E Mod's, but the sled went end for end down the trail from the 35 mph impact and the tunnel suffered damage as well (twisted and creased). Pretty unhappy camper here, now I have to see what the insurance company will do once I get it to the dealer for an estimate.
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^^^^^^^^^^^
This right here will save you A-arms, s modules, e modules, etc. A carbide will grab and snag rocks and logs. A wear bar will glide across them much better many times with no damage to the sled. One of the cheapest and most effective mods possible. Won't help the scenario where you see a rock / log coming and you impulsively turn the ski to avoid it and smack the rock / log with a perpendicular ski. But most hits it will save your bacon. On top of that carbides are great if you are running icy trails back east, but for ripping powder and short jaunts up the trail to get to the goods, you don't need them.
This happened to me last year where I hit a tree on the bottum of my right ski coming down sidehilling farely hard sent me over the bars in a full front flip. My ski was turned inwards after that. I took it to the dealer I bought the sled from and they said nothing was wrong.... wtf my skis turned inward how is nothing at all wrong and they didnt even try and correct my ski... since then its been back for recalls and a service and I ask them to check it every time cause also after that when i load my sled in my truck my right ski is about 3/4 - 1 inch further back from the left one. I've just had to toe my right ski out so its not toed in so the steering is not messed up. After this last time they even toed my ski back in wtf.... so I had to adjust it back out. I gues my question is what do you guys think is damaged. Supposidly nothing is bent or broken according to that dealer which I've had nothing but bad experiences at and am not returning there ever again. Do you think a different dealer would find what's wrong? Any suggestions on dealers in the spokane area?
Thanks
Thanks
I have the S and E braces on, are the A-arm braces as important?
If you have access to a hoist raise the sled and lie on a creeper looking straight up from underneath. Damage that may have been difficult to detect suddenly becomes blatantly obvious.
For most people tho laying the sled on it's side makes more sense...
That is the idea. Those nasty hard hits that would have bent a few things, are then a quick field change. I've had two that have severed like this, and one that bent about 45% back, so I changed it at lunch.
I'm sure there's a situation that they won't work well for (striaght sideways hit, like rolling into something, obviously won't help if you catch it into the arm between ski & sled) For me though, I've replaced dozens of arms on my sleds, and not a single one has been from a hit between ski & body, they're always a hit to the ski, which is just so darn common in CO.
We've got lots of rocks here, come visit & take some home...
Wanted to thank Backcountryislife for all the great suggestions!!
Broke an A-arm last week (ski hit) grip and rip bracing worked very well!
Installed the alt. Impact lower A-arms, great fit and quality!
I highly suggest replacing the A-arm bushings at same time
With snow shooters oil lite bronze bushings!
The OEM bushings... Suk AZZ!!
Also a fantastic "tip" to notch the back of alt. Impact replaceable ends ---> Backcountryislife thanks again!!
Broke an A-arm last week (ski hit) grip and rip bracing worked very well!
Installed the alt. Impact lower A-arms, great fit and quality!
I highly suggest replacing the A-arm bushings at same time
With snow shooters oil lite bronze bushings!
The OEM bushings... Suk AZZ!!
Also a fantastic "tip" to notch the back of alt. Impact replaceable ends ---> Backcountryislife thanks again!!