Moto's Better Board Installation - my style

otis · Dec 7, 2008

I copied Moto's better board install, but was worried about strength and cracking. The original yamaha side rails are very flimsy and were wavy and bent from last years miles so I tried to find a better alternative. I found the 09 Arctic Cat M1000 side rails are the near perfect fit and way stronger for little to no weight penalty. This also allowed me to copy Crow's idea for closing off the tunnel and cutting the foot boards back. I also relocated the rear light and added a 09 M1000 gas can rack to carry stuff. Almost done now just adding the Power Claw and NW Turbo and I will be ready for this year. As you can see I am still working and need to fab up brackets to hold the rear of the seat. I am also looking at a polaris seat bag which should tuck under the rear seat.

I just hope my Yoshi RS-5 exhaust mates up well with the NW midmount turbo and trail tank. It's supposed to be delivered by the end of this week and I need it installed by Jan 2nd for a trip to Wy.

Otis

otis · Dec 7, 2008

Parts list for anyone who cares:
Tunnel gusset right 5606-594 $8.49
left 5606-595 $8.49

Side rail right 5606-490 $34.95
left 5606-491 $34.95

09 M1000 gas rack 4639-977 $39.95
rubber pad 2606-134 $18.89

LED light $24.95 http://vehiclelight.com/0300251.html

jr_amsoil · Dec 8, 2008

that light looks really good. im gonna ditch all my rear plastic on my apex think i might have to order a light like that.

ruffryder · Dec 8, 2008

FYI on the light... I had the same one in red and mine didn't make it for more then half a season. The mounting tabs that keep the LED elements to the mounting base attach to the plastic in a poor fashion. I would suggest using glue, epoxy, or better yet rtv silicone to snuggly attach the element to the mounting bracket.

Not sure if it was my rear bag coming loose and beating against it or what, but it was held on with ducktape at the end. I just removed it last night...

It is a great light and is very bright too.. I really liked mine. But once it starts breaking, you are hosed.... I am modifying my stock one to put back there... until I feel like spending money again on that same light...

Just an FYI...

Oh, and your rail idea looks really good. Props to you on a job well done! I am not sure why Yamaha decided to go with spaghetti as the outer rail.....

MotoPsycho · Dec 8, 2008

Geez Otis, yer as much of a post whoooore as I am! Great job!

otis · Dec 8, 2008

Sorry about the repost from Ty4stroke, but I figured some guys don't read both. Just looking for some love since my wife surely is not giving me any after so many hours in the garage.

MotoPsycho · Jan 17, 2009

TTT for ya...

Mountaintech · Jan 18, 2009

Cat parts are nice and cheap too!!

otis · Jan 20, 2009

finished pics

Here are a couple of finished pics of the whole project.

MotoPsycho · Feb 2, 2009

Hey, how's about everybody pitchin' in a bit of + rep for Otis on a GREAT home brew! He's a bit short in the green block department!!!!

otis · Mar 3, 2009

Well here are the pics after a couple of weeks of hard riding. Unfortunately, the Cat side rails put too much side pressure on thin sides of the tunnel and caused them to buckle. It almost looks like I landed tail heavy, but I am sure I didn't.

I was super lucky to have Jeff from Skinz protective gear just an hour away. I emailed him pics and he knew exactly what happened based on experience from his own kit. After inspecting the damage he came to the conclusion that the 20lbs of gas in the rear rack bouncing up and down buckled the rear of the tunnel and that it's was less likely from the side brackets. I am not convienced one way or another, but either way it was bent.

Jeff and his family were awesome to deal with. He had me come to the shop and dropped what work he was in the middle of to repair my sled. They hammered out the bends and custom welded side reinforcement plates and a new bumper to fix my problem. I spend 3 hours talking shop with them and came out very impressed with his work and committment to riders and their snowmobiles. I can't wait to test his fix.

So this serves as a warning to anyone trying to cut the foot boards short and fab up a side bracket that there could be potential problems.

BTW, my tail light has held up perfectly and is bright as a xmas tree.

Otis

MotoPsycho · Mar 3, 2009

otis said:
Well here are the pics after a couple of weeks of hard riding. Unfortunately, the Cat side rails put too much side pressure on thin sides of the tunnel and caused them to buckle. It almost looks like I landed tail heavy, but I am sure I didn't.

I was super lucky to have Jeff from Skinz protective gear just an hour away. I emailed him pics and he knew exactly what happened based on experience from his own kit. After inspecting the damage he came to the conclusion that the 20lbs of gas in the rear rack bouncing up and down buckled the rear of the tunnel and that it's was less likely from the side brackets. I am not convienced one way or another, but either way it was bent.

Jeff and his family were awesome to deal with. He had me come to the shop and dropped what work he was in the middle of to repair my sled. They hammered out the bends and custom welded side reinforcement plates and a new bumper to fix my problem. I spend 3 hours talking shop with them and came out very impressed with his work and committment to riders and their snowmobiles. I can't wait to test his fix.

So this serves as a warning to anyone trying to cut the foot boards short and fab up a side bracket that there could be potential problems.

BTW, my tail light has held up perfectly and is bright as a xmas tree.

Otis

That sux dood! My tunnel mod has over 600 miles, innumerable stucks, dig outs, pulling, tugging, jerking, and even 6 guys lifting my sled overhead to remove it from a tree in Cooke. (3 of them were lifting on the rear bumper)

Last weekend while poser riding for the camera, I did a major tail drag onto a cornice. I freaked, thinking the entire extension would be tweaked - not so much as a hint of damage... I may start producing this as a kit!!!

otis · Mar 3, 2009

Moto you should make yours into a kit. The skinz guys charge something like $300 bucks for their kit. I was lucky and made out like bandit on mine. Jeff from skinz took good care of me. It's expensive when you consider the better boards, Cat rails and sides, and now the skinz bumper. Why can't yamaha just make it right the first time. I guess they are watching the internet engineers and copying us.

Otis

zbob · Mar 4, 2009

Otis what did you use for the rear seat brackets? Are they home brew or are they off the shelf ?

Alaskan · Mar 4, 2009

question on the plumbing

How hard was the plumbing to match up in the rear and the front? I assume there is a nipple sticking through the tunnel where the edge cooler mounts? I'm wanting to remove the under board coolers on my Apex and mount a rear cooler and edge coolers with the better boards so I'm trying to figure out the easiest edge coolers to use for plumbing purposes.

MotoPsycho · Mar 4, 2009

Alaskan said:
How hard was the plumbing to match up in the rear and the front? I assume there is a nipple sticking through the tunnel where the edge cooler mounts? I'm wanting to remove the under board coolers on my Apex and mount a rear cooler and edge coolers with the better boards so I'm trying to figure out the easiest edge coolers to use for plumbing purposes.

uuuuuhhhhmmmmm.... no rear cooler on the Nytro....

Mountaintech · Mar 4, 2009

Alaskan said:
How hard was the plumbing to match up in the rear and the front? I assume there is a nipple sticking through the tunnel where the edge cooler mounts? I'm wanting to remove the under board coolers on my Apex and mount a rear cooler and edge coolers with the better boards so I'm trying to figure out the easiest edge coolers to use for plumbing purposes.

No edge coolers on the Nytro dude.

otis · Mar 4, 2009

Those rear brackets are my home brew from my old rear skid mounting plates. Super thick and strong perfect for the seat brackets. I would also warn that these needed under the tunnel support plates to keep from bending the tunnel where they mount.

Otis

Search

Moto's Better Board Installation - my style

otis

Well-known member

otis

Well-known member

jr_amsoil

Active member

ruffryder

Well-known member

MotoPsycho

Well-known member

otis

Well-known member

MotoPsycho

Well-known member

Mountaintech

Well-known member

otis

Well-known member

MotoPsycho

Well-known member

otis

Well-known member

MotoPsycho

Well-known member

otis

Well-known member

zbob

Free Member

Alaskan

Free Member

MotoPsycho

Well-known member

Mountaintech

Well-known member

otis

Well-known member

Similar threads