C 7 suspension problems - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

jclee · 01-08-2005, 01:40 PM

I have a 96 f lll 600. the problem i'm having is that the second idler wheel from the front is breaking off my bolts. I just recently went right through the whole suspension changing all the bearings, shocks, etc. I put loc tite on all the bolts and everything was tight. but I took it for a ride and when I got home my wheel was missing. It apparently is sherring off my bolts. this happened to me twice last year as well. one on both sides. all this has happened with less than 500 miles. also when I bought the ski doo last year one of the rails were cracked on top where the front swing arm bolts. I got that welded but before i went on my first ride this year the one on the other side was broke. So I fixed that one. but it is still breaking off bolts and i'm still losing my idler wheels. just hoping someone may have experienced this problem before or knew what was going on. thanks

RoloCade · 01-11-2005, 01:18 AM

Those bolts hold up the front suspension arm. If the front shock on the rear suspension is stiff or locked up it will sheer them bolts off. Another is if the limiter strap is broke or installed improperly the front of the suspension will drop under accelleration and push down, then when you hit some bumps or highpoints at a higher rate of speed they will break due to extreme force applied at the bolts holding the wheel. Make sure when you replace the bolts, use high grade bolts, i used grade 8 and havent had a problem. If it still breaks bolts after your shock change, then measure from the center of the boltholes on each side of the front arm. What happens alot is when you weld, it will shrink on one side from heat and make it shorter. As long as your running the factory wheels and not the oversized 141mm like me, you shouldnt be breaking them at all, that means you could have tweaked the suspension rails or the arms are warped.

jclee · 02-25-2005, 06:11 PM

just wanted to post an update. I put the front shock in the lowest setting, as to take some pressure off the shock mount, also drilled everything and tapped it out to 7/16"(it was metric seeing i live in canada)and used grade 8 bolts. I also realized that the inner idler wheels and axle were missing, so I replaced that and so far I have about 1000 kms on it and knock on wood so far so good. so thanks for the reply and if anyone else encounters this problem I hope this works.