General maintanence for 98 and 99 RMK

[tonykunz]

It's just about to start snowing and I am not really sure how to check everything that needs to be checked on my two sleds. I took one of them in last year just for an overall inspection and walked out 300 lighter in my wallet. I know how to check the fluids and such, but is there anything else I should be looking for. I am mechanically inclined and don't mind getting my hands dirty, but I haven't really found a step by step process of things that need to be checked.
Any help?

 

[shiftrus]

i had a 98 700 rmk last year and everyyear i would have to spend 3 to 4 hundy on it to get it working again. there really good sleds but it was just getting wore out for me so i sold her and bought a new one lol anywho i would check your bearings in the wheels on your skid, and track tension. but im sure they wiull still be good for you.
cheers

 

[007sevens]

It depends on how many miles you have and what mods but here are a few.
Pull your carbs off one at a time and clean them out with clean gas, that means taking the fuel bowl off and the float out and blow some gas through the jets and and any thing that might have sediment in it. When you put the floats back in check them for level with the carb upside down and level the float should be sitting level as well. check you valve seats for leaking, you can do this by sucking on a hose attached to the fuel inlet to the float bowl. it doesn't take much suction to close the valve and it should hold your tougne. When you have the carbs done check you petals in your reed cages for cracks chips etc.

You can clean your clutch faces off any rubber residule, clean the helix in the secondary. I wouldn't take the primary off just clean the faces.

Check your chain case for metal filings which will be on the end of the dipstick, if it seems like a lot, drain the oil and clean the inside and replace the fluids.

Drain any old gas from the fuel take and replace with new. A MUST, old fuel will cause Detonation in the cylinders and will melt down the piston.

The rest is just checking for wear in steering joints bearings and such.

As long as your machine was in perfect running condition when you put it away this will get you riding again.

 

[hippiekiller]

You can jack the front bumper up to check the front end tie rod ends and spindle bushings for looseness...There are grease nipples on the steering linkages (pita), ski spindles, ski pivots, on pretty much every pivot on the skid, and BEHIND THE SECONDARY AND JACKSHAFT...very important...if you take the carbs off check your choke cables, they tend to seize...I change my chaincase oil every year, and most times take the cover off to inspect the chain..make sure the torque stop and the engine mounts are tight by wiggling the primary...these are pretty simple machines, lucky for us:d

 

[hippiekiller]

Also everything 007 said about the carbs is good advice, new buttons for the secondary are usually neededas well....

 

[Uturn]

ATF in the chaincase works great and way cheaper.

You will probably have to pull the airbox to get the grease nipple behind secondary.

 

[tonykunz]

I just pulled the secondary off the shaft a little to get in there.

 

[retiredpop]

Check the water pump belt for looseness. You have to take the recoil off to do that. The reason for this is that belt runs the water pump and oil pump. If it breaks no water pump so you overheat but the worst thing is no oil injection which will wreck the engine. The manual says to push on the belt with a force of 2 lbs. The belt should deflect .1 to .25 inches midway between the two pulleys. Replacing belt is the only adjustment. It is a cogged belt by the way.

With Keihin carbs the float setting is a bit different than the old mikunis. You need to remove the carb slide valve by unscrewing the top of the carb. Disconnect the choke cable, throttle cables and fuel line. Remove the carb from the manifold. Lay the carb on a level surface with the carb resting on two points. One being the top of the carb where the slide valve was screwed on and the other point being the point where the carb went into the manifold. The float hinge should be at the top and the float will be hanging in a downward direction. The reason is that you do not want to compress the needle spring but just have the float resting on the needle. Measure from gasket surface of carb body to highest point of float. Height should be 16mm + or - 2 mm. This is quite critical on Keihin carbs. See attachment.

Something I always do is pull the primary clutch every year and clean it. One reason to pull it is so that it doesn't seize on the engine taper. Once it is off you can pull the six cover bolts and get at things. Check the weights for binding or sloppiness on the pivots. Check the face of the weights for grooves worn in them. You can wash the entire clutch in hot soapy water to get all the dust and junk out of there. Rinse in clear hot water. Don't use any oil on anything as it attracts dust and gums up the weight pivots. You can get a clutch puller from places like Royal Distributing or Recreation Supply in Canada. They also have the specialty clutch tools in case you want to dismantle the clutch. If you don't want to pull the clutch you can remove the cover bolts while the clutch is in the sled and do the inspection that way. It is just a bit more inconvenient.

Check chain tension. It always seems to loosen up over the course of a season. Lift the track off the ground. Loosen the locknut on the adjuster which is on the front edge of the chaincase. Turn the bolt in by hand until you can't turn anymore then loosen off 1/2 turn. Tighten locknut. If you have the cover off the chaincase then the adjustment is to have 1/4 to 3/8" of slack on the chain opposite the adjuster roller.

Change chaincase oil. I always used Canadian Tire synthetic gear oil. Worked good for me for over 12000 miles on same chain and gears and still looking good. In case you don't know there is a drain plug on the bottom of the chaincase accessed from under the sled.

As mentioned check the bearings in the skid frame for roughness.

Check track tension and alignment with track off the ground. Proper tension is with a 10 lb weight hanging from track at a point 16" ahead of center of rear idler wheel there should be 3/8 to 1/2" between hyfax and track. Align track so track is equally spaced on track clips on either side. To adjust loosen rear idler shaft bolts and track adjusting bolt locknuts.