Almost time to summerize the sleds!

[WeirsBeachBoater]

Snow is disappearing quickly. However I am ready to enjoy spring! If anyone is looking for a inexpensive place to summerize the sleds let me know. I can point you in the right direction. send me a PM if you don't want to post.

[Lakegeezer]

Other than cleaning off the mud, putting some stabilizer in the gas and putting the sled out of the weather, what is involved in summerizing a sled? One year, I took my sled to a dealer, and was told that its best to do the lubrication and track adjustment in the fall. Perhaps they were too busy getting boats ready for launch. What do you do for your sled?

[BroadHopper]

Most owner's manual will tell you how to put the sled away. It is not much different than putting an outboard away.

[TomC]

wash
wax
armor-all vinyl
drain gas from carb
sta-bil-ize fuel in tank
remove plugs and fog engine
replace plugs with dessicant plugs to keep cylinders from rusting (Dennis Kirk has these)
grease the various chassis fittings
clean brake disc and clutch
stuff a rag in the exhaust pipe (keep critters out)
tape over opening to air inlet box (ditto)
block-up to keep track off ground
cover machine
write down on a piece of paper what has to be done to put the machine back in service, and tape this note to handlebars - it might not be used next year! (easy to forget you taped over the air inlet)

[WeirsBeachBoater]

I just know that there are a lot of weekenders that don't have the time or the mechanical ability to do the summerization.

[JG1222]

Originally Posted by TomC

stuff a rag in the exhaust pipe (keep critters out)
tape over opening to air inlet box (ditto)

I've found that the best solution to keep critters out of anything is steel wool - mice and critters will chew through most anything (even rags), but they can't STAND to chew on the fibers of steel wool.

One year, after de-winterizing my motorcycle, I started up the engine, but each time I gave it some throttle, the engine would bog-down and die. I checked everything I could think of, but couldn't figure out what the problem was. That is, until I pulled the seat off, and found my air cleaner filled to the brim with sunflower seed shells. Over the winter, the critters would steal bird-seed from a container in the garage, and run up into my air cleaner to eat. That's when someone told me about the steel wool, and I never had a problem again.

[RLW]

Originally Posted by JG1222

I've found that the best solution to keep critters out of anything is steel wool - mice and critters will chew through most anything (even rags), but they can't STAND to chew on the fibers of steel wool.

You are right regarding the critters using the rags to build their nest right in the spot you are trying to keep them out of, but steel wool doesn't do the engine any good if some gets pulled in. I use 2 or 3 layers of aluminum foil over all openings. With the bigger openings I shape a piece of thin aluminum or tin to make a cover and reuse it year after year or you can use double back tape to hold it in place.

[Belmont Resident]

Stuff these into the openings and you will not have any more problems with critters.
I also read that removing the drive belt is recommended.

[Belmont Resident]

We just got our last ride of just under 300 miles in this weekend. Did a bunch of trail and off trail riding Saturday then climbed a mountain up on the boarder cut yesterday. Even with the short season we managed almost 2000 miles.