1974 JDX6, moving closer to a resto everyday.

[silverlakez400]

Well, I painted the hood. I liked it. So I put down the clear coat. It sucks. Not that happy with it. It's the first time I'm using this brand, and maybe I was to impatient. So I ended up hitting it with some 1500 grit and I'm going to try again. Back to the drawing board and to do more research on wet sanding.

I got most of the grim off of the yellow sled, and its made of fiberglass. lots of small cracks in it, and I hope they are not deep. But I don't' think I'll be finding out this year. When I do get to it, I think I'll need to approach it with a complete face lift. And I'm not ready for that until I do that with the x6 successfully.

Does anyone know about ski-booses and how to find a number on this?

[JDT]

I am no expert on things yellow but I do know that nice cutters are worth big bucks.

Very few were ever made and fewer survived.

Bought one years ago for $50 with a few sleds and did nothing to it but turn a hose on it.
Took it to a swap meet and was handed $600 for it. Made my day.

It is very possible that there was never a tag on it. Mine was blue and it had none.

[silverlakez400]

whoa, that's good to know. I had a few friends come over, one worked in a marina for a long time. He had plenty of experience with fiberglass. It didn't take him long to see that the sleigh is in great shape (for it's age) and that the paint was the only thing that was cracking. Sense I don't know what I'm doing with painting professionally, and because the sleigh might be worth more then what I thought it was, I'll just clean it, make a new windshield for it (keeping the old one) and use it. Then if I go to sell it, its as original as I got it.

I also got a confirmation that the clear coat that I used is not the best. I hope thats true. I cant remember what I normally use, but I have never 100% gone by the directions and have still had it turn out great. This new stuff I went 100% by the directions and it looked really bad. I actually washed my hood with soap and water, and rinsed twice!!!!!I let it dry by my wood stove for a while too. O'well. lesson learned.

Thank you JDT, I'm not an expert on anything but Jeep Cherokee's, so this is all new territory to me.

Dallas

[silverlakez400]

As with anything this old, things don't last for ever. The crank seals are good, but the track is not. I managed to get 17.5 miles on the sled before the track broke on one side. But in those miles, I got the engine sort of tuned in, and even though its running a little rich (especially on the lower side) I'm still under $20 in Parts and got to ride the thing. Now how much a track will run me and what might break in the process of changing it is another question. But the plan is for me to try and find a track from a newer sled that will work and buy a new one. Any thoughts on this? I'm going to be researching this tonight.

[JDT]

Lots of bonded cleat tracks in 74 with thin belts break easily.

75 or newer 2/3 cleated tracks are much better and plentiful.

Aftermarket replacments are no longer made so used is the way to go.

[silverlakez400]

Looks like I'm going to get two tracks!! But I can't get them soon enough for my taste. So much snow, and no snowmobile.

I lifted the rear of the sled up with my hydro crane. I started a fire in the garage and I blew a lot of the snow off. I'm letting the rest melt. From what I can see, everything looks good up there, with the exception of where a cleat hit 2 times on the tunnel after the break. The old track looks good on the outside, but when I flip it over, its pretty cracked. I'll try to take off the rear suspension before I go to bed tonight, but I have to be up at 3 to take a friend to the airport and then I'm going to work a few hours while I'm close to work. Pics to follow when I get it apart!!


Dallas

[silverlakez400]

Last night I removed the suspension. Everything looks really good. I hope I have time this friday to media blast everything. But we will see. I still need to take the drive shaft off.

How do the drive cogs look to you guys?

[silverlakez400]

I don't like to tear everything apart until I have all the parts to do the job. That means less losing things for me and I remember better where things are supposed to go. But tonight I went into the sled to replace the track, and found a broken chain tensioner. So I'm going to take some time and just clean every thing whether it needs it or not while I wait until I'm ready to deal with this some more. Its getting to close to summer and I need to make sure my summer toys are ready to go before I spend more time with the sled.

[silverlakez400]

I am finally getting time to mess with the sled again. The service manual I have found online isn't as helpful as I want it to be. Does anyone have pictures of where all the spacers, bearings and flanges go on the driveshaft? When it came out, parts flew everywhere!!!

[JDT]

Try this....

http://jdpc.deere.com/jdpc/servlet/com. ... ervlet_Alt

[JoeRainville]

Todd's advice is rock solid. I Just have a few things to add:

Deere service and parts manual are still available in print, and I know there is a parts manual on line at "www.jdparts.com" or such. The parts book it a good way to check assembly order. Even on a sled I have rebuilt from a bare chassis 2 or 3 times, I keep the manuals handy.

Any of the slide rail sleds from 74-77 that used the bonded cleated track should have a track swap before running them. I have yet to see one of those Goodyear tracks that is not dry rotted. At the very least, rivet the cleats on, but I still would not recommend using one.

The closest rubber track to the original cleated unit is a 16 X 121" Cat track. It originally came in a 3.29" lug pitch, so they have ended up on several Cross Country Liquifire's, but the aftermarket version has a 2.52" pitch. I have not seen one adapted to a mid-mount, but it could be done. I think the guys on here that have done it narrow the suspension rails center to center by about 1/8 or 1/4" or so.

Good luck with your sled. Oh, yea, last thing: the tensioner blocks in the chaincase are still available new from Deere.

-Joe

[silverlakez400]

Thank you guys very much. I ended up getting the driveshaft back out, put the spacer I forgot back it, and I am starting on the suspension.

I bought used tensioner blocks from a guy locally for $10! But now I know where to get them new, I might do that next time.

I am just slowly trying to figure out how to adjust the suspension and fit the track in their easier. I'm excited bc if I can put it back together and get some riding in this winter yet, then I might actually tear the stupid thing down one more time and do a much better rebuild on things. Plus I'll be working nights one year from now, and that means no supervisor and no customers coming around to watch me work, so I have more free time to use some of our hot tanks and blasters.

[JDT]

If you run the track tension adjuster bolts all the way forward this gives you more wiggle room to reinstall the skid.

Having a buddy help with this is a benifit.

Use a locating punch or a philips screwdriver on one side to hold the shaft in place while you get the bolt in the other side started.

[silverlakez400]

awesome tip.

Right now I'm struggling with how the 4 brackets that bolt to the tunnel and hold the springs go. It feels like I'm so close!!

[silverlakez400]

Okay, I got the rear spring brackets bolted in, the through tubes that bolt to the tunnel are in, the track is almost adjusted, but I need to get the front spring brackets bolted in, which I hope to do this weekend. It's not easy to get stuff done with a 4 year old and overtime!!