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Alpha Tunnel Brace (tweaked tunnel)

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Boondockingak

Well-known member
I couldn't find a thread on this. What brace have you added? Pros/cons? Has anyone purchased and installed the arctic cat tunnel brace/bumper kit? I just let the sled thaw out, and noticed my tunnel is slightly tweaked in the back. I have run though this first ride over and over in my head, but can't think of any point where I impacted anything. This definitely is not as strong as the older tunnels. Photo to come.

Edit: I now do recall the sled coming off my high deck trailer a bit rough, and then gently rolling onto its left side. That side impact (although fairly gentle) would have provided a impact that would have shifted the bumper to the left, thus explaining the issue.

TIA

-Rob
 
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Boondockingak

Well-known member
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kanedog

Undefeated mountain clutching champ of the world.
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Tunnel is too short. Track hits it.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk
 
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Boondockingak

Well-known member
I ordered a B&M fab rear bumper in green. After de-stickering most of the sled, the green bumper will help get rid of some more purple. Then again, maybe I should just add some purple ground lights to stoke the fire for the purple haters...

Hoping it will get here in time to install by mid next week. I paid for expedited shipping.
 

Matte Murder

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I have the Cat Pro mountain rear bumper on mine. Seems really strong, has a 3/4” outside return along the bottom edge which has to really add a LOT of strength. Not looking forward to landing on that edge tho sometime this season! Looks like it will leave a mark lol.
I did I it in black and the front bumper is a Cat Pro mountain in black too. I like removing some purple at the same time as I was adding protection.
 
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Boondockingak

Well-known member
I have the Cat Pro mountain rear bumper on mine. Seems really strong, has a 3/4” outside return along the bottom edge which has to really add a LOT of strength. Not looking forward to landing on that edge tho sometime this season! Looks like it will leave a mark lol.
I did I it in black and the front bumper is a Cat Pro mountain in black too. I like removing some purple at the same time as I was adding protection.

That pro seemed like a good bumper. Maybe call it immature, but at the last minute I felt it slightly insult to injury to purchase an expensive bumper from cat when I just dropped premium dollar for a sled that needs beefing up. I am the customer that has always turned a blind eye to cats weighing a few extra pounds as the durability has always got me back to the truck for over two decades.
 
M
Oct 4, 2015
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Cost vs Benefit

On a '17 Mountain Cat here, maybe the first of the thinner AC factory rear tunnel sections with no obvious malformations yet- but give me time & I'm sure it will happen. I've been in the market for a HD rear bumper to support the tunnel to prevent the dreaded warp. That being said, I've been wondering if that's the best choice?? Considering parts & labor & cost & maybe an engineered "weak link in the chain", is it better to replace a rear tunnel section that is intended to bend, than to spend$$ to prevent it?
 
B

Boondockingak

Well-known member
On a '17 Mountain Cat here, maybe the first of the thinner AC factory rear tunnel sections with no obvious malformations yet- but give me time & I'm sure it will happen. I've been in the market for a HD rear bumper to support the tunnel to prevent the dreaded warp. That being said, I've been wondering if that's the best choice?? Considering parts & labor & cost & maybe an engineered "weak link in the chain", is it better to replace a rear tunnel section that is intended to bend, than to spend$$ to prevent it?

My wife’s sled is a ‘17 m6000. Although it’s a 141”, and likely doesn’t have the same leverage that a 153 or 162 would have, Ive been torking on her bumper pretty good, and cat walking it like crazy (while waiting for a new sled). We have yet to have any issues with it. It seems to be a pretty stout setup. The weakness factor is night and day on my A-1. I’m beefing hers up with a towing kit because it’s our mule at the cabin, hauling kids and sleds around, something my alpha won’t be doing.
 

Rogue Concepts

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We also have exclusive ALPHA designed rear bumpers, and have full length 153/154 almost ready to hit the market.
 

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Last edited:

sno*jet

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Dec 13, 2007
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On a '17 Mountain Cat here, maybe the first of the thinner AC factory rear tunnel sections with no obvious malformations yet- but give me time & I'm sure it will happen. I've been in the market for a HD rear bumper to support the tunnel to prevent the dreaded warp. That being said, I've been wondering if that's the best choice?? Considering parts & labor & cost & maybe an engineered "weak link in the chain", is it better to replace a rear tunnel section that is intended to bend, than to spend$$ to prevent it?

im with you, no warp yet, I think the internet likes to run off of fear and a couple of circulating pics too often. the thin al. will get pimples in it over time from gravel flung up but the stock tube bumper will take a bit of pounding before allowing it to tweak. I like the rogue bumper for the proclimb but looks like it hangs to far back like a wheely bar and if you constantly drag it, well...
that alpha one looks overkill imo, sorry jmo, beautiful bumpers tho. cat should be noted as starting the short tunnel trend I think we'll see more of.
 

thump426er

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I think the internet likes to run off of fear and a couple of circulating pics too often.

Snojet I’m with you on that.... then my buddy on day 2 with his 19 MC rolled it over from a stuck and it broke the bumper and cracked the tunnel. The slow bouncing down the whooped out trail appeared to finish it off.
 

IDspud

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That’s crazy!

I just pulled my daughters 14 off the mountain with my 15 pro limb.
She stabbed her track so we threw it up on my 162 tunnel and drug it out backwards. No damage at all.
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve yanked my kids sleds out by spinning them around with sno bunjie on same bumper.
 

summ8rmk

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That’s crazy!



I just pulled my daughters 14 off the mountain with my 15 pro limb.

She stabbed her track so we threw it up on my 162 tunnel and drug it out backwards. No damage at all.

Can’t tell you how many times I’ve yanked my kids sleds out by spinning them around with sno bunjie on same bumper.
Thin and fragile starting in 2017, only on Mtn cats, then all 2018 and newer M's.

 
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