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ROTAX recoil system is JUNK!!!

T
Sep 10, 2009
198
46
28
42
meridian ID
does any body know of a complete replacement recoil assembly for ZX sleds? the stock design is the definition of crap. Awesome motor but it isnt worth anything if you cant start it.
 
T
Sep 10, 2009
198
46
28
42
meridian ID
thanks i did that, im not havin trouble melting them, they just dont engage positively and they break all the time. its the stupid spring in the 2000 and older ones and then they took a bad design and made it worse by putting a plastic case on it and putting 4 torx bolts in it so you cant get it apart on the mountain.
 

go high fast

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
May 7, 2008
1,543
465
83
Missoula MT
Thank god i always start my 03 ZX before pulling it off the trailer. Last year drove to Lincoln MT and pulled the rope and the recoil assembly blew up into a bazillion tiny pieces. Put the cover back on and drove home.
 
V
Sep 22, 2008
250
48
28
I havent found any other system that will work for a recoil setup with out spending several hours and lots of money to mod something ,I always carry an extra complete recoil assembly just bolt on and go ,also pack extra spring and pawl kit , figured weight isnt much .its all better than pull starting can loose some body parts
 
C

cjgodden

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
5,895
395
83
Palmer, Alaska
the assembly off the RT1000 is the best, the pawl(part that spins out to catch the flywheel) is metal instead of plastic. It holds up alot better and will bolt right on.
 
i will try the rt set up if my wifes breaks she took my 01 zx when i got a rev
on the 01 I found if you didnt use the oem skidoo brand they just fell apart
broke three in a row after market ones used the skidoo and its been two seasons ....knock on wood
:D:beer;
 
R
Nov 9, 2008
359
19
18
SE IDAHO
This may be the answer...
This week:


Recoil1.jpg



Recoil2.jpg



Recoil3.jpg




Pic from last season:

The pawls are made from a "Heat Stabilized" material. Looked real good on the temp chart, but not so good on the cost charts. :eek:

RecoilsPawls.jpg
If you're reading this (OX), I would like to know if plan on selling these.
 

Ox

Snowest's Axe Murderer
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Jul 8, 2001
1,523
603
113
NW Ohio
www.midwestproductionmachining.com
Yeah - I plan to sell them.

They aint cheap tho. Materials alone add up real quick on these.

I think I am at $225 for the cover and pawl kit - incl reg shipping to lower 48. (And with last weeks temps - there may be more of the 48 that will be using these? LOL!)

These are about 70% complete, and then need to go to Annodize.

I am ***_u_ming that they will be black when done, unless the general concensus is that a nother color would be better. Keeping in mind where these go is likely to get kinda dirty...

We have two of these on our sleds, and I have sent out a cpl othjers for test, but never heard back from either guy. ???

Now I did ship out some pawls only last yr and have not heard of any failures yet.

The covers are duplicates of the OEM cover - only made from solid alum. (as you can see)

The pawls are made from a "Heat Stabalized" plastic of some sort. I don't know the exact flavor right now, but the heat range on it was better as far as both hot AND cold working temps than most anything else I found.

The stock pawl is about as flimsy as they come eh? It is the same design pawl from clear back in the mid 70's when they were rolling over 440's. Notice the "catch" in the OEM pawl for an old style wrapped spring that usta provide the operating torque to engage the pawl? The new design is the O-Ring friction to the shaft. (Don't grease that part!) Much simpler design, but still same pawl.

My pawl is much thicker! At every point that I could make bigger - I did. This includes even engaging the cup (cage?) on the flywheel an extra 1/16". You can flex the stocker with your hands. You won't flex mine.

You need all the OEM guts to install in this one. This IS field serviceable! To dissassemble all you need to doo is pop off an E-clip on the end of the shaft! No screwy star washer that is not meant for ever comming apart - let alone re-assembly. Of course the only good reason to take it apart should be to replace the rope.

The only trouble that we have ever had between our sleds with these is the issue of keeping them ON the motor! My boys stays fine on his. I have a heck'uva time with mine. I think I have stretched the threads on my mount too much? I'm thinkin' along the lines of adding a lock worsher next time? (Already use Loctite).

I think using a form tap and pushing it out to 1/4-28 may be a good fix. This could make some new and tighter threads as well as a little shorter helix. I have heard of plenty of others having a hard time with keeping them on - so I guess it's a Doo thing and not my housing as such. ???

Are you guys interested at that price? :confused:


RecoilHousingPawl.jpg

.
 
Last edited:

jjmyzrider

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 17, 2007
133
63
28
Helena, MT
These stupid things are nothing but problems. Compression increases such as heads only amplify the problem with broken ropes. The mounting screws you speak of are self "tapping" if you look close they have tree raised points as if they seem triangular. the more you take them in and out the worse it becomes. I put in a 6mm tread insert, and that seems to be the way to go.

Heat inside and out kills these, I bought the mounting portion of this new from skidoo and it is vented. Might drill some holes into it to get air inside of the assembly.

$225 is a good price, the plastic ones are like $154.00 if I recall. These look like they would hold up really well.
 
S
couldn't ya just change the "mounting" ring and run the old steel set-ups for the extra couple of ounces of weight? the one on my '00-700 has @ 13 000 kms of starting and stopping on it while cooking away under the crank shop twins.the only problems i've had was a broken E clip out on the hill (i forgot to put a new one on after winding on some fresh rope) and a junk (non- bombie) pawl after changing it out as routine maintenance...or maybe i'm just lucky:face-icon-small-con?
 
A
Jun 3, 2008
13
1
3
ontario
you got lucky the center of the old steel ones always bust out, that aluminum one i think is the way to go, i might get the rest of the piece's and retail them as a complkete assembly, for $250 or something i think the extra hun. it would cost over oem is much better then being stuck somewhere on the side of the trail or mountain!!:face-icon-small-hap
 

Ox

Snowest's Axe Murderer
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Jul 8, 2001
1,523
603
113
NW Ohio
www.midwestproductionmachining.com
For those who showed interest in these:

The new batch is in and ready to ship! :rockon:



$225 shipped to the US (Plus whatever to the Great White North)

Kit includes:
1 Solid Alum and annodized outer housing
1 Heavy duty pawl
1 E-clip
4 Teflon washers

You will need the rest of the guts from your old setup.

Just tossing the washers in there to maybe add a little "squish" to the screw assy. I don't know if it will help or not? They are rated to 500*F, so we should be good there.... I may or may not include them in future shipments. Hopefully get some feedback from you guys over the next yr and see if they make any diff?

Also - I HIGHLY recommend Loctite. In this case - you can't get too much on them. Especially with OEM screws, although they have nice wide heads...


RecoilsReadyToShip.jpg
 

BIG JOHN

Well-known member
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
1,953
1,146
113
Minnesoooota
Yeah - I plan to sell them.

They aint cheap tho. Materials alone add up real quick on these.

I think I am at $225 for the cover and pawl kit - incl reg shipping to lower 48. (And with last weeks temps - there may be more of the 48 that will be using these? LOL!)

These are about 70% complete, and then need to go to Annodize.

I am ***_u_ming that they will be black when done, unless the general concensus is that a nother color would be better. Keeping in mind where these go is likely to get kinda dirty...

We have two of these on our sleds, and I have sent out a cpl othjers for test, but never heard back from either guy. ???

Now I did ship out some pawls only last yr and have not heard of any failures yet.

The covers are duplicates of the OEM cover - only made from solid alum. (as you can see)

The pawls are made from a "Heat Stabalized" plastic of some sort. I don't know the exact flavor right now, but the heat range on it was better as far as both hot AND cold working temps than most anything else I found.

The stock pawl is about as flimsy as they come eh? It is the same design pawl from clear back in the mid 70's when they were rolling over 440's. Notice the "catch" in the OEM pawl for an old style wrapped spring that usta provide the operating torque to engage the pawl? The new design is the O-Ring friction to the shaft. (Don't grease that part!) Much simpler design, but still same pawl.

My pawl is much thicker! At every point that I could make bigger - I did. This includes even engaging the cup (cage?) on the flywheel an extra 1/16". You can flex the stocker with your hands. You won't flex mine.

You need all the OEM guts to install in this one. This IS field serviceable! To dissassemble all you need to doo is pop off an E-clip on the end of the shaft! No screwy star washer that is not meant for ever comming apart - let alone re-assembly. Of course the only good reason to take it apart should be to replace the rope.

The only trouble that we have ever had between our sleds with these is the issue of keeping them ON the motor! My boys stays fine on his. I have a heck'uva time with mine. I think I have stretched the threads on my mount too much? I'm thinkin' along the lines of adding a lock worsher next time? (Already use Loctite).

I think using a form tap and pushing it out to 1/4-28 may be a good fix. This could make some new and tighter threads as well as a little shorter helix. I have heard of plenty of others having a hard time with keeping them on - so I guess it's a Doo thing and not my housing as such. ???

Are you guys interested at that price? :confused:


RecoilHousingPawl.jpg

.

I feel like a tool (sorry OX)...I've been running this recoil since I received it...just keep swapping to diff sleds...its a TRUE fix..BJ
 
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