Cyclones!!!

[400brian]

My brother decided that he wanted to clear out his garage, and was looking for a new home for 3 Cyclones he had acquired some years ago. The first machine he had purchased was a 76 440 that our Uncle had purchased new after deciding to part with his 295/S. After owning it for many years, he eventually sold it to a local farmer about our age. For some reason he later left it in an orchard near the farm buildings that they had young stock pasturing in, and the cattle pretty much depreciated the sled. I hauled that one to my brothers's house along with a huge chunk of frozen ground that had remained frozen to the machine when they dug it out of the ground with the skidloader with a pallet fork on it. But, that is a story for another day.

After buying the 440, my brother then bought 4 more Cyclones, all 340s. My belief is that these 340s survived because they were wive's sleds, as several had electric start, and unlike the husbands sleds, they hadn't been trashed and blown up. He parted 2 of these sleds out, and kept the other 2, which are pictured here. Both are in running condition more or less.

I decided to add these to the herd because I am nuts. I did want to see our late Uncle's 440 put back in running condition, but it will be a project as it is in rough condition because of the sitting outside for years. Katy and I brought the 340s home today, and she observed that these weren't half as junky as most I start with!

She has an eye on one of these, as she thought the Cyclones looked lower and wider than the mid-mounts she has been riding, and keeps flopping on their sides and breaking windshields off of. So yeah, I think I will freshen one of these up as a rider for her.

It never ends!

[AirborneX4Special]

They look really nice. I'm sure the mechanicals will be the usual fare but the cosmetics look outstanding.

[400brian]

Thanks Pat. I hadn't seen these sleds for years, and I had forgotten how nice they were. My Brother had done some work on the sleds, replacing hyfax, bearings and such. Both sleds have the white drivers on them, so they have to go, and the seats should be recovered ASAP, but they really just need the normal stuff we do. I see no need for a full resto, but I might just do a couple of upgrades. A rubber track with a few picks along with a 78 suspension I have laying around could find their way onto a ride for the wife, maybe a set of plastic skis as well.

You never know what you will get into when you start a deal like this.

[WinnipegStPaul9]

Looks great Brian !!

[400brian]

Thanks Don.

I shared the pic of the sleds with Kevin Campbell, and he asked how many miles they were showing? I had no idea, I hadn't looked. So to satisfy my curiosity, one week later I stuck my head in the trailer and looked.

One is showing 970 and the other 2900 mi. I love low mileage sleds, so I will be taking a hard look at going through the one showing 970 as the wife's new ride.

[AirborneX4Special]

Those seem like low miles on both.

[400brian]

Each journey begins with a first step. So, if I want to put Katy on a Cyclone this winter, I need to get going. The basic minimum to get this sled on the trail is in my opinion, 1) Replace the crank seals 2) Replace the fan belt 3) Replace the white track drivers with the black ones 4) Replace the bearings in the rear track idler wheels.

I had a set of idlers sitting on the bench that had come out of my 74 X8 a couple of years ago when I swapped in some rebuilt ones, so I went to work putting new bearings in those wheels to get the process started.

I had replaced the idlers on the X8 preventatively, I had not noticed anything wrong with them. Look at that bearing...that is why we rebuild them.

[TASKY]

Make sure to replace or at least check the fan bearing. A common overlooked item that has been the cause of several burndowns in my region.

[400brian]

Make sure to replace or at least check the fan bearing. A common overlooked item that has been the cause of several burndowns in my region.

Absolutely, I have a bag of those on the shelf, should have added that. I'll have the tower off to replace the seal, so I won't even check them, they will get replaced.

[nick80lf]

Nice looking pair of Cyclones.

[400brian]

So it begins once more! The Cyclone showing 970 miles is in the garage. I see no reason to restore this one, but a bit of maintenance is required to put it back in service.

[400brian]

The engine showed 120 psi on both sides ( which I think I can live with ) so it is out for new seals and maybe an ignition upgrade. Need to get this thing lightened up and on it's back for some suspension work.

[400brian]

It is always good to get the clutch and flywheel off. Found a few neat things so far, like the 5/16" nuts that had been forced onto the 8mm intake manifold studs, pretty much trashing those. The starter has no nuts on the two studs on the starter flange, it is held on by the bracket on the tail of the motor, that is pretty cool! The Bosch starter requires a reduced size nut, an 8mm thread which takes a 10mm wrench, so a bit of a specialty fastener. And one stud on the exhaust manifold is bare of fasteners, might have something to do with the black goo on that side.

Showing 970 miles, I was hoping for a little less molestation.

[AirborneX4Special]

[400brian]

Here is why we change seals. Cracks, part of the inner seal is gone, and the sealing surface is hard and brittle. Came out hard, but the first one is out. Now to get things cleaned up and the new one put in.