8 Ways to Prep Your Snowmobile for Winter


Avid riders are already getting their snowmobiles ready for winter. Soon it’ll be time to hit the trails or take to the mountains for the first ride of the season. Nothing ruins a ride more than a breakdown, so we put together some tips to help you get your snowmobile ready for winter.

Check the spark plugs

Inspect spark-plug and wire condition. Ski-Doo E-TEC engines require indexing if removed or replaced, so be sure to check your owner’s manual for proper instructions. Replace plugs that appear excessively dirty or worn along with any worn or frayed wires.

Inspect clutches and suspension

Check clutches, the drive belt and suspension for wear and tear. Greasing and inspecting the suspension components and slides (hyfax) are a great idea. Slides typically have a small line across them indicating when they are worn out. If they are below the line at all, replace them.
Items to check in the suspension include loose or worn parts and missing or loose idler wheels. Inspecting and cleaning the clutches and belt are also a necessary maintenance item. Remove any belt dust or rubber from the clutch sheaves.

Adjust track and check skis

Check your track for proper tension and make sure bolts are tight. Look for worn or missing lugs.
On the skis, look for any gouges, cuts or corrosion and make sure the runners are straight and still have carbide on them. The carbide edge allows the skis to bite into the trail and turn better.

Let there be light

Make sure your electrical system is up to par. Inspect the ignition and look for any warning lights that can signal problems. Check high/low-beam headlights and brake lights to ensure the bulbs haven’t burnt out.

Check the oil and filter

If you’re riding a four-stroke and didn’t do it last spring, change the oil and filter.
On two-strokes, make sure to top-off the oil reservoir and use an oil with excellent cold-flow properties for best protection. Inspect the exhaust power valves and clean them if needed. If your power valves are sticking, switch to a high-quality two-stroke oil proven to prevent power-valve sticking, like AMSOIL INTERCEPTOR Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil.
AMSOIL INTERCEPTOR snowmobile oil.
Buy INTERCEPTOR
If you’re not sure which AMSOIL synthetic snowmobile oil is right for you, check out our handy Snowmobile Product Guide.

Inspect the fuel system

Check the fuel tank along with the fuel and oil lines for cracks or leaks. Unless you used a stabilizer such as AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer, empty the fuel tank and replace with fresh fuel. Clean your carburetor and make sure it’s adjusted properly to prevent performance issues or breakdowns. AMSOIL Power Foam is excellent for cleaning carbs. 

Change the chaincase oil

It’s best to change chaincase oil annually, preferably in spring after riding season is over. Chains and gears create metal particles that need to be removed from the fluid regularly lest they build-up and cause bigger problems down the trail. We have just the oil for this important step: AMSOIL Synthetic Chaincase & Gear Oil. 

Get there and be prepared

If using a trailer, ensure everything is good to go. Before you load up, inspect the tires, bearings, hitch, safety chains, axle, springs, bed, cover, lights and electrical components.

Prepare for emergencies

Anything can happen, so be prepared. When getting your snowmobile ready for winter, it’s always a good idea to bring fire-starting materials, like a lighter, along with dry clothes, work gloves, water, an extra two strap, granola bars, lip balm and any other essentials you deem necessary to have on hand if you end up stranded.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
Maintenance Tips to Make Your Car Last Longer https://hrsynthetics.ca/ Car maintenance beats car replacement. Taking a proactive approach to maintenance helps your car last longer while keeping you our of the car lot as long as possible We polled some folks at AMSOIL who take pride in their rides for car-maintenance tips to make your car last longer. Here they are. Protect your car from the elements Here in the frozen tundra, rust and corrosion from road salt can quickly deteriorate a vehicle’s frame and body. In nearly 30 years of driving, I’ve replaced more vehicles due to rust than all other problems combined. For off-roaders, mud and dirt can produce similar effects. Wash your car by hand often. This helps you find scratches or chipped paint that need repair before exposed metal begins to rust. Pay special attention to areas around the wheels where rocks and other debris constantly fly around and ding the paint. Apply an undercoating Whether you live ...
Read more
Image
How Does a Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) Work? https://hrsynthetics.ca/ A dual-clutch transmission (DCT) is synonymous with high performance. Compared to a traditional automatic transmission, it delivers… Faster, smoother shifts Increased fuel economy Improved performance Although the DCT transmission dates to the 1930s, it made its first practical appearance decades later in several 1980s-era race cars. In 2003, the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 R32 was the first production vehicle to feature the technology. Today you can find a DCT in a variety of cars, from the relatively tame Hyundai Sonata to the brash, sexy Nissan GT-R. How a DCT transmission works DCTs are essentially two manual transmissions working in tandem. One gear shaft contains the even-numbered gears, and the other contains the odd-numbered gears. While you’re accelerating in first gear, for example, the computer selects second gear on the other gear shaft. When it’s time...
Read more
Image
Watch this Two-Stroke Snowmobile Oil Comparison https://hrsynthetics.ca/ We conducted a two-stroke snowmobile oil comparison to see how some of the top snowmobile oils on the market handle -40ยบ temperatures. That’s because oil cold-flow is vital for good wear protection in modern two-stroke sleds. The same demands driving  changes in the automotive market  are influencing two-stoke engines as well. The government requires reduced exhaust emissions, yet you don’t want any sacrifices in power and fuel efficiency. Play nice, kids What’s a two-stroke engine manufacturer to do? These three areas – reduced emissions, increased fuel economy and maximum performance – don’t play well together. It’s extremely difficult to build an engine that hits all three targets given the constraints of two-stroke engine design. Because they don’t contain intake and exhaust valves like a four-stroke engine, controlling emissions in two-strokes is a big challenge. One strategy...
Read more