hyfax install

[minneman]

whats the process for installing new hyfax?

[lawdog]

Great question, I've been wondering if I can get it done without taking out the suspension on my '97 Cat. There has got to be a trick for an easy way to do this.

[rowdyf]

Not sure about a 97 cat, but some you can loosen and pull out through the track drive holes out the rear of the suspension, some you have to drop the suspension out for removal.

Some have a bolt or rivet holding the hyfax to the slide rails, so you'll need to remove these.

In either case, take the track tension off by loosening the rear idlers.

[Surface Tension]

Lift up the rear of the sled. On the leading edge up fount of the hyfax there'll be one bolt you have to remove. Loosen the track enough to give you slack to slide the hyfax out of a track window. You do this out the back. Sometimes it'll slide out easy and sometimes you need to put a screw in the end of the hyfax for something to pull from. Measure your old hyfax and cut the new.

I put a bevel on the end, seems to reduce the rumble as the track comes around the rear wheels. Drill a hole for the retaining bolt.

Clean all the rails off of dirt so the new hyfax sides on smoothly. Slide the hyfax through a window. Tighten and adjust the track tension and alignment.

[311Hemi]

Yep...as ST mentioned you can probably remove the front bolt holding the hyfax in and then pull them out through the track windows with a screw or vice grip. I have never had any come off easily....so I have always ended up pounding on them with a rubber mallet from the front.

If you do need to get the track out of the way, lift the rear end off the ground and loosen the rear bogie wheels to relieve track tension. Remove the two rear bolts of the suspension and drop the rear suspension out of the tunnel. Pull the track over to the side out of the way leaving the front of the suspension in place. Swap out the hyfax and then put it back together in reverse order.

I know the newer Skidoos use a wide hyfax that in order to pull it out of the track window you may need to cut the window a little. I have not done that yet as I usually chance it during routine maintenance...and it's not a bad time to pull the skid anyways to check for bad bearings.

[Pikeslayer]

Surface Tension. Will this work on my 1989 yamaha Bravo long track?

[knoppers]

this is for cat, the others may be the same.

just take out the front screw, then tap out the old hyfax through a window in the track. then put the new hyfax in the same way reversed. make sure to spray the new hyfax with something like WD-40 for lubrication, it also helps in removal if you go through it again on the same sled.

[Surface Tension]

Pikeslayer, if you have a track window it should work.

Good point on checking the bearings while you have the sled off the ground and track loose. This is a good Spring time project to get the sled ready and put away for next winter. I grease everything on a warm day so water can be forced out and replaced with grease.

I trailer a lot so a good wash down is needed. I use Armorall on the seat to keep it supple with a heavy coat on the stitching.

If I need new wear rods they get replaced. Throw some mothballs under the hood and in the storage compartment. I stabilize the gas and start the engine throughout the summer. Steelwool or in the exhaust pipe to keep the mice out. If I forget its in there it usually gets blown out.

If I get real ambitious I'll either touch up that rust on the front suspension and skies or do a complete removal and go to town on them. Since my garage is full I store the sleds outside on the trailer. I'll make a tent over the trailer to keep them dry, leaving it open on the ends to keep air moving though. I used to leave the canvas cover on but found that they trap moister. Now just drape a sheet over the sleds to keep the pollen and dust off them.

Or you could just park them in the yard all summer.