WNY Dealer to avoid - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

Cleve · 02-05-2007, 01:41 PM

Here's the story - I forgot to post this last March when I stored my sled - but when I went to put the sled away for the season, I found the steering locked solid - ie, could not turn the handlebars one way or another.

Well, it turns out the dealer I bought the sled from in mid December (Brand New, btw) NEVER greased any of the grease points, including the front ski spindle sleeves. We forced grease in them, and got the steering loose again, thank goodness. We knew there was no grease in the fitting, because only NEW grease came out.

Then, when I took the sled out of storage a few weeks ago, the steering wasn't locked up - but it was so hard to turn you'd think you were in the gym working out on the chest machine. I brought it in the shop, and used the pneumatic grease gun, greased the snot out of each ski spindle, and worked the handlebars back and forth, and repeated the process. After about 45 minutes of that, the steering was finally back to normal (and has remained so).

If anybody wants to know the name of this dealer, send me a PM. I won't spend a dime there ever again.

**smallengineguy** · 02-05-2007, 02:11 PM

Sometimes things get overlooked at THE FACTORY as well, the folks should have greased it before it left in the crate to sit who knows how long before it's sold, although the dealer should have spotted it!....As far as the fall incident, if it had enough grease in it left over from the spring, it probably wouldn't seize up over the summer from condensation......Not slamming you, but as they say,

1st time shame on you, second time shame on me....

Cleve · 02-05-2007, 08:08 PM

You know, the thing is SEG, I thought I'd fixed it in the spring. We pumped a more than liberal amount of grease into those sleeves, got them turning freely, and then added some MORE grease.

My one mechanic friend recommended at the time that I totally disassemble the steering, remove the skis from the sleeves, and sand/wire brush the insides of the sleeves to remove all corrosion. Sounded like a huge PITA and a project I didn't want to allocate time for.

After the second lubrication session, however, they now seem to be alright. Now our garage has both pneumatic AND a cordless electric grease guns, which helped immensely with forcing lube into them. The grease fittings are at the bottom of the sleeve, adjacent to where excess grease gets pushed out. Seems like a bad design - would have made more sense if the fitting was at the top, then one would be assured that grease lubricate the entire inside surface of the sleeve, before it came out the bottom.

I also now give 'em a shot of grease before going out. But it still doesn't keep me from being ticked at the dealer.

**smallengineguy** · 02-05-2007, 10:03 PM

Yeah, I know what you mean...Their oversight is your PITA...

locky · 02-06-2007, 07:22 AM

You should of took it back to the dealer and made him aware of the situation.

kccats · 02-06-2007, 09:01 AM

I agree with Locky You should have taken it back to the Stealer where you got it, thats is the same place that stored it right?

tripletriple · 02-06-2007, 09:33 AM

I have heard of something like this before, except the guy actually was riding it before he realized there was no grease and it seized on him while he was moving. Ended up crashing the sled his very first time out.