Bent A-ARM, and a little more

brahm · Dec 15, 2009

Damn snow gator jumped out and grabbed my skiers left lower control arm. Pushed it back at least 2-3". I went ahead and ordered a set of Holtz a-arms to replace it with. (stock was 280$ for just the lower WTF!, complete Holtz is 330)

But on closer inspection today, I noticed the part where the lower control arm mounts to the bulk head is slightly bent as well (nothing like the arm) but enough to have my concerned.. and I'm not sure if I can pull the bolt out. It's a little L bracket that is welded on to the bulkhead. I can't seem to find the bracket for sale? Thoughts on what I should do?

Here is a diagram of the part that is bent (circled in red)

Thanks
-Brahm

sledjockey05 · Dec 15, 2009

I had to replace the hole bulkhead to fix mine. any ski doo dealer shold be able to find it in there manuals. its in the frame section and it is item number 2

brahm · Dec 15, 2009

uh ok, well that's a bummer... I'm not going to be replacing a bulkhead in December. Any other options?

evandaigneault · Dec 15, 2009

That front plate is available. You just have to take it all apart to get at it.

You probably need a new nun too

wwracer · Dec 15, 2009

Yeah I did one in mine. That piece retails for around 35.00, but it's quite the job to replace. Pretty much have to pull all the front end and the motor to grind off and buck in some new rivets. Check your clutch alignment closely while your at it.... good luck:beer;

wwracer · Dec 15, 2009

If you get around to it you may want to brace up the PTO side also. I sell these braces if your interested

sledjockey05 · Dec 16, 2009

they are right. those front plates are not hard but just to get to it is a pain.

triple7 · Dec 16, 2009

The term 'beat it to fit, paint it to match' comes to mind! Pull a quick fix, add some bracing if possible, and get the thing back on the snow. Its December...not the best time for a full scale rebuild.

Jake

brahm · Dec 16, 2009

triple7 said:
The term 'beat it to fit, paint it to match' comes to mind! Pull a quick fix, add some bracing if possible, and get the thing back on the snow. Its December...not the best time for a full scale rebuild.

Jake

Ya I'm torn between that, and making the insurance claim.The nun is bent, that panel is bent, a arm, and I think I may have damage to the ski mount from the king pin twisting, and possibly even the bulk head..as the left panel doesn't close correctly anymore.

jcwatty · Dec 16, 2009

I did the same maybe worse last weekend. Not going to worry about it in Dec.

sledsrock · Dec 16, 2009

Ride in the winter and insurance claims in the spring.

brahm · Dec 16, 2009

Hmm.. well the list is getting bigger and bigger the more I start checking things out,

So far the list is (not including bolts, rivits, ect.. which really add up fast when you get oem replacements)

Cross Member
Front Pan
Front Plate
Frame Assembly (bulk head, small ding from the front plate..not sure if it would be enough damage to be considered insurance claimable all the damage seems to be to the Front Pan, which is tweaked..but removing the front pan may show the bulk head was tweaked the same as the pan under neith.)
RH Lower Arm
Ski Leg
RH Pilot Ski 6.9 (carbide ripped out damaging ski)

So I have a couple options

A) Drop sled off at dealer, call insurance.. Looking at least a month with out it during mid season.

B) Attempt to put it together my bare minimum. Not sure if the new holtz arms will fit in the tweaked cross member, and I there is a chance I may break the front pan mount attempting to bend it back in shape. Which will force my hand into option C, or D. Downtime a couple days max unless I can't bend things back into place.

C) Attempt to fix it myself out of pocket (full repair), downtime 2-3 weeks waiting on parts, and having time to pull the entire front end off and re-rivet it all back on.

D) Get shop repair quote, make claim then fix myself via option C, will take most likely 3-5 weeks to wait for insurance check, get parts ect ect..

E) Tow 3 hours away to another shop who may have a quicker turn around, and file claim via insurance.

Thoughts? I do have another sled, but.. I'd much prefer to be riding the rev during this time of year over my 01 mcat 136 600efi

powderhoundbrr · Dec 16, 2009

I do ride for Team Good Enough but I would fix the control / A arm and ride the thing. I have a bent NUN right now, pushed back about 2 inches on the right side, and I am just going to ride it until summer and I can fix it. In your case claim insurance at the end of the season and let the shop have all summer to fix it right.

Not sure if you are of the same philosophy or financial circumstances but that is what I would do.

2walla · Dec 16, 2009

Total

The insurance company will most likely total the sled. I pulled mine out with comalong and a telephone pole... Good enough to ride.. If you have insurance I would file the claim, buy the salvage and keep on running it...

brahm · Dec 16, 2009

2walla said:
The insurance company will most likely total the sled. I pulled mine out with comalong and a telephone pole... Good enough to ride.. If you have insurance I would file the claim, buy the salvage and keep on running it...

I thought that last time when I bent my tunnel last November. Instead they just wanted to do a full tunnel replacement in late NOV....**** that, I would have been down and out for all dec/jan/and some of feb (local shop gets BUSY).. No point in paying for a sled all year long if your going to miss 2 of the biggest months of the season.

With that said, I'm a little nervous about making another claim after making one last year.. Some how may rates didn't go up after last year, I'd hate to have to pay for it in the long run with my car & snow mo insurance not sure at what point (how many accidents you can have) before they bend you over on the back end.

05rever · Dec 18, 2009

Find an auto body shop that has had good luck straiting sleads on their frame rack. There is one here that does it for about $150. They sraighten before the repair so new things fit better. Did some work on a freinds 07 XRS, hit a stump so bad couldnt close the left pannel. Frame shop, beet little "L" bracket into shape, new nun, good long day project. Its better than another Ins Claim or paying steeler ship $90 hr. and book time is 18 hrs. Good luck!!:beer;

brahm · Dec 18, 2009

05rever said:
Find an auto body shop that has had good luck straiting sleads on their frame rack. There is one here that does it for about $150. They sraighten before the repair so new things fit better. Did some work on a freinds 07 XRS, hit a stump so bad couldnt close the left pannel. Frame shop, beet little "L" bracket into shape, new nun, good long day project. Its better than another Ins Claim or paying steeler ship $90 hr. and book time is 18 hrs. Good luck!!:beer;

Good call, I think Ill strap my come along to the arm, and try to strap the sled down to the jeep some how see if I can't pull that arm straight before I pull it off. Should make adding the new arm easier.

brahm · Dec 20, 2009

made some progress today, strapped the sled down and hooked up a come along to the arm, then I heated the bent portion of the arm up with a torch and and bent it all back into place..totally twisted and deformed the a-arm in the process but all the brackets are straight again the shock sits where it should ect ect.. should make it alot easier when i got to swap out the holz a-arms hopefully tomorrow. I'm still waiting on my new skis though, I'm not sure if it's related but I ripped out the carbide on that side as well which really destroyed the bottom of that ski.. so I have some powder pros on the way (ok..fine I just wanted an excuse to buy new skis ^_^ )

05rever · Dec 22, 2009

Glad that things are lookn up.

trials rider · Dec 22, 2009

i have straitend mine a few times as long as everything works properly and isnt weakend to much run it. sounds like your just going to bend it again anyway. at least thats what i do. until i totaled mine and just bought a new one.

Bent A-ARM, and a little more

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