81+ skis

[nick80lf]

So....ran across this one today. I acquired a machine with the "narrow" shock mount. As I was looking at it I noticed the ski doesn't have a plate welded across the ski for the spring bump stop to contact. Is this normal?

[High Top]

So my 81 sportfire has skiis that are the same….. missing the welded plate. Not sure if they are narrow shock mount, will need to investigate further. Have been running my machine over some rough drifts and I’ve caught a little air on some occasions…… I feel like my one leaf spring is now collapsed a bit. I feel like I better get a piece welded in there before I make it worse. Thoughts on this anyone? My other machines all have that plate welded in there

[Cdnturboz]

Funny that you mention this - I was going through the same thing with my 82 trailfire. Long story but was going to paint my skis and noticed one had damage at the back of the ski where the skeg goes in. I have a 79 trailfire 340 parts machine so I went out and dug it out of the snowbank. Turns out it had two different style skis. One is identical to the 82 trailfire ski (the ski itself only) and the other was a wider spring mount and has that plate you guys are talking about.

I also noticed there is a big difference in the leaf spring between a 79 and a 82, the 79 springs have a removable bump stop, where the 82 has a bump stop that is "sandwiched" in between the welded brackets. I'll get some photos shortly.

Not sure when this change occurred, the springs are a bit different.

[Cdnturboz]

Here are the 82 Trailfire ones:

Here are the 79 Trailfire ones:

[High Top]

So I looked at parts breakdown for the springs and skis under trailfire model. Looks like there were two older part number springs for below 120,000 serial or 79 model year, AM54967 and AM54940. These would both sub up to the 120,001 or 80+ model year spring which is part number AM55016.

Skis on 155,000 or model year 80 and below were AM54912. 155,001 or model year 81+ would be the AM55281 that does not have the bump stop plate and is narrow shock mount.

Not sure why they would not have changed spring and ski at the same serial break?? Anyhow that does seem to jive with what is on my sleds.