CRASH and Bleed

JDFanPa · Post by **JDFanPa** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:44 am

I once put my yamaha phazer into a big hole someonr dug in a feild to bury junk in only got a few black and blues lucky me. Had to walk home and get my fullsize blazer then had to beat the snot out of it to get it out in the feild to extract the sled about 16 inches of snow. When sled was removed found the hole to be full of all kinds of scrape metal and there was an old 10 speed bike stuck in the skis. Ive since learned to do some slow ides across open feilds looking for objects before going at it WOT.

Rodimus Prime · Post by **Rodimus Prime** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:26 am

first off im glad your kids made it safe, second im glad your alive. thats a serious acident..

words of advise for riding sleds. if your into a losss of control sled goes down ditch, through ice, too late to miss tree .... try to jump backwards off sled and go into a ball. you usually stop faster than the sled does.

know your sledding area is always good hindsite... if im driving in something unfamilar i drive with feet under me so i can jump off sled sideways or back really quick... its hard on knees and legs after awhile but it saves yourself injuries.

proper sled clothing should include a neck protecter.. leather high collar or simular its not just wires its branches. leather leg guards or ski pants are nice.. industrial fabric snowsuits are darm hard to rip .

as for sled accidents.. ive gone through trees ( yes through ) windshields, tipped sleds over me, been riden over by other sleds, gone for ride down pavement on helmut, gone water skimming through ice ( sled was going end over end in front off me) dead stop in reeds a few times, sudden drop into ditches , havent hit a culvert myself yet i usually steer sled sharply one way and go the other way jsut missing them.

your not alone in hurts i have been hurt not quite as bad as you, but have been really sore.... im still scare to go over water although its been years since i went through ice.

best adive i can give is to fix that sled up get back on and go to spot you got badly hurt and ride around it till you loose fear of it.. otherwise it will hamper your sled enjoyment.

ride wise and safe and youll have fun for years.. raise leg above heart while sleeping to speed healing.

afponiky · Post by **afponiky** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:21 am

Hello Rodimus, was wondering when you would chime in.

I'm not afraid, infact I drove the sled around the yard today just to get it in the garage. Of course I had to watch how my leg was, but it took about 10 times (Hee Hee) around the yard to get it in the garage. (Yea right!)

I can't wait until I get back on any of them. I just know that I'll probley not do too much night riding. You can go 100 times in the daylight and it all looks different in the dark. The warm weather and water running under things did not help, but that is no excuse. It was me, and I know that.

I've made a point not to wine here about how I feel, but Dam$, there is nothing that feels like putting a hole in your leg other than putting one in it!

I hurt a lot, although the most pain is in the areas around the wound, not the wound itself.

Ok, Ok, I'll stop bitc$ing about how I feel.......

I got the sled unfrozen today, put it in the garage and some 75 degree heat for 1/2 of day and got the hood opened. Maybe I'l get a good look at it in the morning. I bent up the front bumper a little, I think that most of the steering problems were having all the frozen mud compacted on everything. I know I will have to change out the tie rods for the steering. Both of the skies look like they are bent up a little. Can I get those straight again with out replacing them? If not I will need to get new skies.

Any one got any?

I think I will need new shocks, one has a dent in it. I found a real loose bolt that holds on one of the skies, I think I did that with the impact.

Not sure, but I knew everthing was tight before I took it out. I took about 15 pounds of mud and crap out of the skies, and all bottom attachments today.

I will take off the bumper and straighten it out on Wed. besides the broken windsheild it looks OK. (of course the steering rods need replaced) but other than that it isn't in bad shape at all. I guess that I can say I'm glad I locked up the brakes, and put it in sideways because it didn't really hurt the sled, but by doing that it hurt me.

Hmmmm,,,, I'll still will ride ditches. It didn't faze me but I know what to look out for more now when I ride ditches.

Just to let everyone know, I was not going WOT, I am careful, I do look ahead and I just got caught up into a situation that I couldn't get out of. I know it doesn't matter what your running, it could have been a brand new sled, I got sucked into a ditch and went almost head first into it. I do think I will put studs on the track just for stopping power.

Rich, can you help me out here?

I hope you all don't think that I was being stupid, I really don't think I was. I respect the land I drive on and I know that conditions change. Sometimes it get you, as it did me. I am a safe operator of my sleds and I do know what to expect. This one just got the best of me and I think that most of us have had something like this happen to us, just I got pretty Fu$$up on this one. I am not going to let this scare me, it just makes me a little bit more aware of what can happen even though your riding (as I thought) safely.

Good thing that the ditch was a running water ditch, soft, and full of mud!

I'm just happy to be here to talk about it.

Still looking for a new windsheild though........

GRP

Rodimus Prime · Post by **Rodimus Prime** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:27 am

press straighten skis...new windshield made by jamco still although you will need to put extra curve in them at top. ski shocks skidoos use same lenght shocks on olympics 74 75. jds used same length of shock just changed lower removeable bushing.

afponiky · Post by **afponiky** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:34 am

Press straighten skies? Does that mean that I can just force them back to the right angle? And what is that? They really are not too bad, I just can tell that they are a little bit in the upper looking postion. If you know what I mean?

Gary

Jack Frost · Post by **Jack Frost** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:52 pm

Glad to hear that you are ok and hope that you are on the mend real soon. I had a close call of my own on Sunday night. Loaded up the Cyclone headed over too my brothers with two extra cans of gas to go for a good long ride and about three hours in doing 35 to 40mph I clipped a 8" steel post that blocks the trails from cars and trucks driving down them. Now you must wonder how I could have missed seeing a pole that size that has reflective tape on it. Well lets just say some #$$hole decided to cut it down from about 5 feet to about 10" just so they could get their car or truck through. Thankfully like I said, I only clipped it, bent the ski and took off some powder coating. Now for the meathead that did it I'd like to take the pole and stick it where the sun don't shine.....

Hope you feel better soon Gary...

Dave.

afponiky · Post by **afponiky** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:54 pm

Hey Rich, you have a PM.

GRP

afponiky · Post by **afponiky** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:29 pm

Well the rebuild of the carb was the best thing I could have done to this! Man is this little machine nasty. I better get this post up quick before the wife comes out and reams me a new A$$hole! I had to go to the specialty doctor today for my leg. It seems like the stiches aren't doing as well as they thought they would. I'm supposed to have 2 weeks off of work (Yea right) but I took the X4 out tonight and man does she hook up!

One pull start, I don't have to run the choke anymore to keep her running, and she just goes and goes and goes!

Of course I'm sitting here with stiches in my leg, buttery fly bandages over them and I'm supposed to stay off of the leg. Well I was, I was sitting on the sled! I'm sure going 50mph wasn't what they were thinking, but I just had to get it out and adjust the jets to see how she would run. This is a little wicked sled! She doesn't give up or pause, she just keeps going!

Haa Haa, I'm such an a$$hole sometimes, I shouldn't even be walking but I had to take her out. I'm glad I did. Now to just get the rest of the Herd running as well as the X4 is!

Well, the better half just poked her head into the garage and she didn't look too happy. I am though!

I better roll the X4 to the back of the garage and put the truck in, shut down this place for tonight. I am so tempted to take her out for more than 5-6 miles but I know I shouldn't since I'm supposed to resting my leg.

Talk about having the fever..... and no not he one in your head!

I'll be on later, after I rebandage my leg and make peace with the better half (wish me luck!)

GRP

afponiky · Post by **afponiky** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:32 pm

That is the correct item that I think I messed up. I have slop in the piece that goes over it and is the steering arms. I see there is some bushings that go onto the bolt that goes through it. I think those are messed up as well.

I can turn the steering a lot more than I think I should before it moves the tie rods. You can tell there is a lot of slop in there. I think the handle bars are bent from the accident. Now I have to find a new pair. My steering is real good to the right, but it goes to far when I try to turn left and hits the windsheild. I think the whole problem is in the steering arm and extended piece that goes down to the part that you posted. But yes, I did bend that piece also so I will need that too.

Thanks, Gary (GRP)

JDFanPa · Post by **JDFanPa** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:50 am

Ive got extra handle bars and the tie rods chrome is crappy but unbent. You can have them if you pay shipping let me know. I see your from OH if you can come to PA Ive got a complete X4 bad seat very rusted tunnel real nice replacment track and the motor fires on gas sprayed in carb you can have it for $125 if intrested.

afponiky · Post by **afponiky** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:18 am

JDFanPa

WOW, I just happen to be coming to Erie PA next weekend to pick up a sled. Idon't know if I can hadle $125, But I'm suere we an work out something. I'm going to pick up another sled there. Lets tal kand I'm sure we can work something out.

Gary

afponiky · Post by **afponiky** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:35 am

Hey Dave, makes you want to shoot someone for doing thatl.

I'm sure I will find one of those someday! Glad you and the sled ae alright!

Nothing worse than finding one of those post sitting .5 feet up when your dong 40 mph...

Gary (GRP)

Jack Frost · Post by **Jack Frost** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 12:46 pm

Gary nice to know your doing better and back on the sled....If your looking for a 78 cyclone there is one in Barrie, Ontario with a bad piston in it but in goood shape other than that...But if you want to wait I might be selling one of mine in the summer if I can find a 1978 liquifire to build up as my next project.

Dave.

JDFanPa · Post by **JDFanPa** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:11 pm

Gary

If you want to talk it over you can email me at jesse_jameswannabe@yahoo.com so we can exchange numbes or something. Might e a problem though Im on the oppisite side of the state than Erie I guess 5-6 hrs away.

afponiky · Post by **afponiky** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:38 pm

Well I got back from the doctors today and he said that he doesn't feel that he has to operate. As long as I keep it from getting infected. Nasty looking hooked shape tear about 3" long. I'm pissed though because all the snow is melting and it is too wet to ride a tractor. Although I did get to use the 318 Monday night again to blow the driveway out again.

So I guess I'll keep the leg, my jewels and ride again! Still got to get some steering parts though.

Take care my friends, ride safe!

GRP