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Please let me know if you use any of the mods here, I'd like to know if they are working for you, maybe I can mention it here if you like! |
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Here is what the frame looked like when I started this
venture, it it was jacked off center about 2 inches, for those who haven't
followed my CanAm adventure...(click on the images for a better/larger
image) If you have totally broken your frame, this procedure should work too. Mine was jacked about 2" off center, more than this I'm not certain it will work. But with a little head/butt scratching I think it can be done on almost any frame. cheers, Mike |
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Since taking a waterbar and bank at about 50 at Windrock just above rattle rock and blowing out 2 right side tires I found I did indeed bend the frame behind the a-arms. (hey, I didn't go over the mountain or break a Crutchfield last generation shock, I'd say they are "webrebel" bullet proof now!) So, for your information and Internet viewing pleasure, I'll show how I go about fixing a bent CanAm frame. Although running Ricochets and a plow mount it bent anyway, imagine that.
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First off. After stripping off all the
plastic (invest in a can of penetrating oil), and washing down the frame I replaced the CVT belt. Which is a
fairly simple processes after your remove the left floorboard. You
need at least a 50 MM X M 8 1.25 bolt threaded all the way up available at
almost any auto parts store. Insert it into the threaded hole in the
secondary pulley. Add some rv sealant to a clean gasket. CAUTION when
reattaching the cover DO NOT crank down on the cover bolts. Just a quarter
turn after finger tight does it. Take a socket with an extension and
hand tighten works fine.
I took apart all electrical connectors and added a little dielectric grease to them
I checked all my connections for the stealth snorkel and made sure everything was tight.
It only takes a small burn in the belt to cause you to have a jerky motion when starting out. Hardly noticeable on the belt but shows up when accelerating
I used a power washer and HVAC coil cleaner ( Be carful if you use coil cleaner! It's basically an acid that will clean all aluminum parts and engine case, diffs,..ect. But you MUST rinse immediately.) But it take all the grime and mud residue off, leaving you with a Really clean machine.
Here is where to pay attention if you are attempting to straighten your frame. FIRST and I'm sorry I did not take pictures of this, so try to follow along. Simply stated I built a jig to reach both sides of my garage using 2x4's and a jack horizontally positioned. Crib up the jacks so they are absolutely horizontal to the frame. I removed the front wheels and had the 4-wheeler on a lift. It took a 20 ton jack (believe it or not) to get the frame bent close back into shape, within a quarter inch.
Now I read on the internet that the tubing you use 1.25 inches is hard to install so I decided to make it a little easier. For a MAX you need 3 X 1.25 pieces of square tube 5 Ft long. I took a sawsall and took the corners off and beat them down to make a point then used a grinder to make sure they were rounded off enough to slip in easily.
I greased them an inserted them and they almost reached all the way in! So, in order all the way in it only took a small amount of force to get them in all the way.
Here it is with 7 Foot of tubing. After seeing how easy it is to get the tubing in, I removed the tubes and decided to cut them the right length 60" on a Max weld them together. That makes it easier to cut them off BEFORE you drive them home and you don't have to worry with cutting them off after they are installed.
Here they are welded and ready to reinsert.....
Beating over the points, and greasing the tubes is key.
I spot welded the back frame, painted everything |
| Here is a piece of 5" channel that I
intended to use to strengthen the frame even more but I decided to not use
it. The frame with the 1.25" tubing seemed so much better I think it was
redundant.
I had broken one of the aluminum tubes that held the front fender out. So I cut off the other side and inserted a piece of black pipe through the front frame and screwed together a couple of 45 degree angles and spot welded. 3/4" black pipe works perfectly.
While the racks were off I straightened and spray painted them with hammered finish Krylon available at all major home stores. Looks really close to the factory finish.
Here is the section of 5" channel I found at a local metal yard
The new generation of Crutchfield shocks with a 5/8 shaft even held up in my crash. If they hold up to my crap, you can't do better!
While I was at it I painted everything and added rust inhibitor to the exhaust.
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Here is the bumper I built from a piece of 5" channel. I welded the winch fairing backwards into the channel. Cutoff the section just below the bottom tube on the front rack. I always hated the way the front bumper looked, like half finished imho.
In order for the plow to work correctly after I made the new bumper, I had to still have a way to roll out the winch cable without binding. So I made a second roller winch fairing behind the bumper fairing. I used some flat screen TV mounts and bolts and a couple bent metal brackets to achieve this in place where the original fairing was.
Here is the finished product! |
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