New to sledding, RMK 900

[Gu3]

Hi all, I just bought a 2005 RMK 900 with only 550 miles, runs great with no issues yet. Been reading up on these, and understand balancing the clutch is a big plus, more venting, and better motor mounts are good. Is there a place I can check to see if any recalls were done already or do I need to go through a dealer for that info?

Also, what should the compression be on this engine?

Any suggestions on making this sled reliable would be appreciated. I have good mechanical ability, so plan on doing as much as possible myself.

Thanks!

 

[kiliki]

Best maintenance is sell it and move to something newer other tha a Polaris .

 

[Gu3]

Best maintenance is sell it and move to something newer other tha a Polaris .

I did not ask for any negative opinions. I can see that people have had issues with the model, and I can see that people with initiative have been able to resolve their issues. I have a low mile well kept sled that so far performs to my satisfaction, and so I intend to think ahead by learning from the positive experiences of others, and making known mods that have been found to work.

I may be new to sleds, but I am not new to high performance modifications and innovative solutions. Where there is a Will, there is a Way!

 

[BeartoothBaron]

Never owned or rode a 900, but I hear they can be great sleds, especially with the right fixes. Polaris made some mistakes, but lots of guys get pretty good life out of them. Kind of like the 800s before them (and perhaps worse, the 800s that came after), some limits were pushed, and a lot of them blew up early. You already mentioned the clutch balance, which seems to make a big difference on everything 800 and bigger. Not sure if somebody sells a heavier clutch cover, but that may help (see if you can get in touch with @indydan, he'd be able to tell you a lot about the engine and what helps it live). One big thing is clutch alignment and keeping belt-sheave clearance tight (around .020). Too wide clearance has a slide-hammer effect on the crank that leads to early failure; misalignment causes other unintended stresses.

As for compression, a lot of guys say it's not a great indicator of engine condition. The numbers I hear are 130-140 is a typical "good" range, 120-130 is marginal, and less than 120 is bad. Probably the best thing a compression check will tell you is if one cylinder is going bad; that'll show up in a significant difference between cylinders (like >5 psi). That said, if it seems to run right, I wouldn't worry unless I see something drastic. A leak-down check is considered the best check. <4% (some guys like to see closer to 2%) is good, much over 5% probably means some work is coming due.

As for the rest of it, you may be able to run the VIN through the Polaris website and find info on recalls. Any dealer should be able to do the same. I'm not sure they still have to cover it if there's an outstanding recall; those would have been issued 10+ years ago. Lots of good info to be found on this forum, and a few guys who really know them (@94fordguy comes to mind) are still around. You'll find the older sled subforums can be fairly quiet (even the Pro-ride section is slowing down), but that doesn't mean you need to ditch what you've got if it's working and you're having fun!

 

[Gu3]

Thank you for your positive input! and for taking the time to address my questions. I have discovered that the clutch has been balanced along with the heavy duty belt and several other upgrades. It would appear that most if not all the good stuff has been done to this machine already, which is a relief. I checked the VIN on the Polaris site and found the safety recall was completed also.

Its been snowing here for 6 days now, but strong winds have kept some of the open areas from building up, yet the snow is plenty deep in the trees. Expecting another 5 days of snow before this storm moves out, so should make for some nice sledding.

 

[indy500]

I owned 1 and my cousin had one. Did all the fixes. Got rid of the ridiculous airbox and installed the SLP one and clutch cover, put in the updated pistons. Still blew up. Worst deep snow handling tank of a sled I have ever owned. However it rode really smooth on the trail. My opinion would be to get rid of it.

 

[Gu3]

So far I really like it, its smooth at all rpms, great power, and it handles well in the powder, maybe because of my 230 lbs I am able to control it easier than a lighter person.

 

[BeartoothBaron]

Not sure why guys love to tell you they'd just ditch an older sled. The unspoken suggestion (and you might actually hear it said) is you won't have fun unless you get an AXYS (or newer). Well, sorry if I can't justify spending that much. I was able to recently step up to a Pro, but regardless, I'll ride a ratty old Indy trail before I spend the whole winter at home. Makes me wonder if what it really boils down to is bragging rights.

The biggest issue I can speak to with the 900, in terms of riding experience, is that it is heavy. I don't have the numbers, but I'm pretty sure they're the heaviest RMKs Polaris ever built. I've talked to guys who went back to the EDGE RMKs for a while because of the weight or handling of the 900, and if I'd been riding at the time I might have been one of them (my old 600/144 is still a fun sled, depending on the snow), but I'm not a big guy. The only real question is whether it's still fun to you. In terms of the durability issues, they can go for thousands of miles if taken care of, so if you're talking about a good-running sled, who cares?

Personally, I'd consider it a waste to buy a blown 900 and fix it up, but because of their reputation, you can often get a great deal on a solid, low-mile sled. If you find one and enjoy it, go for it and don't worry about the guys who wouldn't. Put another way, I like top-shelf spirits, but I'm not going to break the wallet to drink nothing but Johnny Walker Blue; I'll find the best thing I can afford and enjoy it.

 

[Gu3]

Not sure why guys love to tell you they'd just ditch an older sled. The unspoken suggestion (and you might actually hear it said) is you won't have fun unless you get an AXYS (or newer). Well, sorry if I can't justify spending that much. I was able to recently step up to a Pro, but regardless, I'll ride a ratty old Indy trail before I spend the whole winter at home. Makes me wonder if what it really boils down to is bragging rights.

The biggest issue I can speak to with the 900, in terms of riding experience, is that it is heavy. I don't have the numbers, but I'm pretty sure they're the heaviest RMKs Polaris ever built. I've talked to guys who went back to the EDGE RMKs for a while because of the weight or handling of the 900, and if I'd been riding at the time I might have been one of them (my old 600/144 is still a fun sled, depending on the snow), but I'm not a big guy. The only real question is whether it's still fun to you. In terms of the durability issues, they can go for thousands of miles if taken care of, so if you're talking about a good-running sled, who cares?

Personally, I'd consider it a waste to buy a blown 900 and fix it up, but because of their reputation, you can often get a great deal on a solid, low-mile sled. If you find one and enjoy it, go for it and don't worry about the guys who wouldn't. Put another way, I like top-shelf spirits, but I'm not going to break the wallet to drink nothing but Johnny Walker Blue; I'll find the best thing I can afford and enjoy it.

I agree, I'm one for not paying big bucks when I can enjoy the ride for a reasonable price. I normally do all my own mechanics so if It ever needs work it wont be an issue.