Alpha Rail Failures, My Experience

[ippielb]

5,000km on the 2019 alpha. All mountain riding, no jumping, a couple very small unintentional drops. All tree riding.

Failures i've encountered.

1. Broken rear scissor

2. Rear bogey wheel breaking the wheel around where the circlip holds it on, 9km up the trail, wheel ejected

3. Rear scissor bolts backing out after rear scissor replaced under warranty

4. Track clips cutting down the sliders all the way to the rail when adjusted to factory specifications

5. Broken Rear Scissor for the second time

6. Rear scissor bolts coming loose again

7. Rear bogey wheel bracket glue failing, shooting the whole assembly forward and stabbing the track with the rear of the rail, track tension bolt hammering scissor and egging threads out

8. Front suspension arm breaking

9. Front Skid Shock Bolt breaking the whole mount, ripping all the threads out and cracking the material where the threads are

10. Top cap in middle of rail glue failed, could see aluminum sludge coming from the cap. Removed the cap to re glue and found 5 vertical cracks below the top cap.

11. Limiter strap bolt hitting top of rail wearing on the rail

Fixes

1. ZRP Billet Rear Scissor

2. 4 Wheel Kit with Wheels turned around so circlip faces out so you can check they are still seated

3. Factory through bolt through the rear scissor

4. Run Track Tighter the factory spec, loosen until you can hear clips wanting to pop out on hard pack side hill then tighten a hair

5. Tig Weld the rear bogey wheel to the rail, replace rivets.

6. Drill hole straight through the rail and install a 140mm x 10mm through bolt and add a 1/4" backer plate on other side, and a 1/4" spacer ground down to match angle of the rail

7. Weld top cap to rail, drill multiple nickel sized holes in top cap to weld the top cap to the middle of the rail in numerous spots to stop flexing underneath

8. Cat rubber washer around the limiter strap bolt head, replace every trip west.



Has anyone had better luck then me?

 

[Bnorth]

I have been very careful with mine. Not a jumper or a keep it pinned over rocks, logs, or stumps kind of guy.

Broken front arm
Broken rear scissor
One set of sliders
No rail failures or bends
Track is in pretty decent shape, couple of split lugs

Rear scissor has been through bolted almost as long as I've had the sled.
Check front track shock bolt torque every couple of rides and any time I've had it out it gets heavy application of threadlocker.

 

[JMCX]

7600 km on my 19.

One cracked rail from jumping with soft shock settings. Sonewhere around 3000 km. Warrantied.

One broken front arm. Probably from the same. Warrantied.

Original track has some broken rods. No missing lugs. Added four wheel kit to limp it along.

That's it.

 

[Clode]

My friends Alpha has had the rear arm issues, bent 2 rails. He rides hard and the rest of the sled has been good. He has around 6000kms on it

 

[tex78]

20 h.c , 4300 km

Lost front shock bolt , drilled it through and plate-bolt-lock nut

Replaced track , many broken rods center it would ratchet and when on the deck , squished flat to the rail , 2100 km
Added 4 wheel kit at new track time

Installed the rear scissor bolt when track done

Engine still all original, clutch still original, lots of chain oil changes , still original sliders

Sent from my SM-G991W using Tapatalk

 

[Prairie Dog]

3000miles on my 19. Only issue was hit a stump and broke one of the sliders at about 1000miles. Rail was completely fine. Ripped 3 lugs off and tears in 2 others. No complaints about the rail. Can’t wait to get the Catalyst for next year

 

[sledneck__11]

Brothers 22 alpha 146 1000 miles first trip snapped rear arm went to zrp no issues since

 

[Cheers]

Brothers 22 alpha 146 1000 miles first trip snapped rear arm went to zrp no issues since

What did he hit?