As heavy snow sets in, we all are jammed in our houses with boring schedules. The only thing to have a joyous holiday is sliding the snow. It is the time to take out your long abandoned snowmobiles from the garage and perform the necessary snowmobile maintenance.
For you to have a venturesome snowmobile ride in the winter, the machine is checked thoroughly to avoid any troubles during your ride. Even if the sled appears to be in it’s top notch condition, a tuning for the internal parts might save the day.
An owner’s manual is best to start it with. There’s a lot of technical jargon used to comprehend all that it says. A beginner’s guide to perform a DIY maintenance check is the need to understand your snowmobile better.
So follow up to learn about your snowmobile maintenance better and do the routine checkups for a long life.
Chaincase Oil Service
The chaincase system is the main functioning unit of the snowmobile. It is serviced through oil change and adjusting the tension in the chain. The technical point of observation is the color of oil which turns darker with time and excessive use which calls for an oil change.
The lubrication of the chaincase improves the working performance of the skis and prevents premature wearing out of the chainsaw. The most important thing is to check for any corrosion, torn up leather belts, rusts or loosen nuts of the entire chaincase for preventive measures.
Brake System Fluidity
Performing a brake system check before you go riding is the most critical part which is often neglected. The hydraulic brakes should be examined for the fluidity levels by lifting off the lids.
The hydraulic brakes control the rear skis to stop and grip. Therefore, the internal mechanical parts should be oiled to avoid any jamming. Check for brake pads to not be ruptured from any point to avoid any mishaps.
Inspection of chaincase, brake system and fluidity are all related to each other in function. These are at the top of the list when it comes to snowmobile maintenance.
Aligning The Ski Slides
The skis should be aligned implementing the angular physics for the sled to be in control. The rear tips of both the slides are supposed to be titled to the outer sides at an acute angle to the axis.
The adjustment can be easily done using a tools in your tool box. Keep in mind the measurements to be one-inch tilt from the straight line at the rear ridge. It is encouraged to make the alignments yourself so you can predict the drive of your snowmobile better while driving it.
Checking Headlights And Electrical Connections
Hopefully you did what is necessary to keep your battery alive during the summer. If not, the electric system should be recharged and the headlights as well as the brake signals should be checked for help when the sun goes down. Batteries aren’t cheap either by the way.
There are warmers installed in the snowmobiles to ease the driver while he rides, which if not functioning can give frost bites to the driver. They function through a power heating system. In case of any short circuit, the hand and finger warmers might not work well.
The owner’s manual contains the technicalities of the electrical system which should be looked over by some mechanical expert.
Lubrication Of Suspension System
The functioning of the suspension system of any machine can never be compromised especially for thrilled drives on snowmobiles. The oiling of the system is supposed to be done with low temperature lubricants like grease to stop the corrosion to come in the way of the journey. Because greasing the vehicle is a necessity for many compartments of the machine so it can be of great help here.
Certain points are marked to inject the grease inside the system which can be maintained on a regular basis.
Putting The Shock Absorber To Work
For smooth driving on rough trails the shocks absorbers are the only saviors. These absorbers often freeze in the minus degrees and need to be checked quite often. The springs used in these absorbers are warmed up by starting the engine and lubrication with high temperature oil for enhanced performance and reliability.
Functioning Of Exhausting & Cooling System
The coolant and exhaust system are often not differentiated by the owners. The cooling system consists of several parts such as fans, pulleys, belts etc. out of which if any doesn’t work, the system fails.
To check both the systems, turn on the engine for a couple of minutes and observe your snowmobile. If the body begins to heat, it is alarming that the fan might not be working due to serious damages. This needs to be checked before going on the ride because one cannot afford to be helpless in the middle of nowhere in the cold.
If you found this article on snowmobile maintenance helpful, be sure to check out our other articles on snowmobiles here.
