Cracked Rails

[indy_500]

What are your opinions on vertical hairline cracks in the rails? I had a few on mine (05 xc sp 500) around the bend in the rail. I will post pics later but heres what i did.

I grinded a valley into each crack. Then, I vertically tig welded each crack and grinded each weld flush. After that I got some 3/4"x1/8" flat stock, took a 12" long piece and cut it in half. Then grinded a 15 degree angle into it, and arc welded that together. I made 2 rail braces out of this for each side, and bolted them onto my rails with 4 1/4" grd. 8 bolts. I painted the braces with alum. matching auto paint. It looks really good, and the cracks are gone.

Anyways, the reason behind creating this thread, is I'm getting heckled on HCS by guys who are trying to tell me I should just buy new rails. Each rail cost $230 a piece. I have 5 small hairline cracks around the bend of 1 rail, and 2 medium sized hairline cracks around the bend of the other rail. It cost me $4 to do this (flat stock) I had the paint and had access to the welders. It seems strong and imo i don't see why it wouldn't hold up, but what do i know?

Some say this happens from excessive bottoming out. Well the trails this year were really bumpy and i did bottom out a lot. I got brand new .405 torsion springs (the stiff ones) so i don't bottom out as bad.

Anybody been in a similar situation? My welds turned out great, all look to have penetrated fairly well.

 

[doospunk]

If it works for you, go for it, but I'd personally open the pocket book and get a new set. (Look for used rails online or at a swap to cut your cost down). Don't expect much when you go to sell the sled. If I was a buyer and saw it, I'd turn around and walk back out.

 

[ezra]

they say a weld is stronger than the base metal.who are they your guess is as good as mine but hey if it works it works.I have payed a few times in my day to get auged out holes filled and re drilled in rails with great success why not a crack.
and really how much less could a edge be worth with a patched rail 20 bucks at a point they are worth a grand piss pounded or mint just some guy buying a weekend toy for him self or to keep his kid out of his hair for a few days

 

[indy_500]

The sleds not mint to begin with (minor minor tear in front seat that bugs me, peeling paint on running boards, slightly bent rear bumper, peeling chrome on windshield, peeling paint on trailing arms) just the little stuff that bugs me. Can't imagine it being worth less than what I paid for it ($2300). It should be worth a lot more due to how i maintain it and the things i have into it but nobody seems to do or notice the little stuff i do.

Guys on HCS tried telling me I was going to weaken the metal on each side of the crack. They are probably right. I dont want to drop too much into this sled as its just a sit down carbed sled (as ezra would say LOL). I never noticed the cracks until I took it apart this spring who knows they could've been there all along and it never broke?!? Don't know why welding it and bracing it would make it worse?

 

[russholio]

Just remember, some of the guys on HCS also thought that "The Chemist" and his alleged oil tests were the greatest thing since sliced bread.

 

[samc]

Just remember, some of the guys on HCS also thought that "The Chemist" and his alleged oil tests were the greatest thing since sliced bread.

X2!

I would just replace them but definitely check out a swap or a salvage place for them.

 

[skiroule]

I can't see how welding and bracing could make it weaker than it was before. Worst case, if the rail itself snaps, the brace should keep it from going through a sprocket hole (which could be interesting at 60+). Maybe some people just don't appreciate ingenuity, on our last trip, we fixed a broken footrest brace with plumber pipe strapping and rivets - held just fine for the entire trip.

Believe it or not, Edge chassis parts are starting to show up in salvage yards now. The last time I visited the one I usually frequent, there were two Edge skids just sitting outside the building, one of which was an M-10. If your fix doesn't hold up, which is unlikely, you should be able to find used replacement stuff for not too many hours of FF wages.

 

[xcr440]

Weld them as your details explain, and go. They will be stronger, and hopefully you won't find the next weak spot. The rails will be stronger if you do it right, not weaker.

At least you found it before it ruined a trip.

 

[mezz]

Indy, I don't think what you did made it worse, as long as it was done right & by what you've described, sounds like a good repair. However, that would have been an option I would have considered in the middle of the season. I understand & appreciate a good low buck how-to, but IMO, once in the off-season, I would be looking for replacement rails through salvage, I'm sure you can find a good set for a fair price. Good luck.-Mezz

 

[xcr440]

I am of the belief, that if you cracked them once, you'll crack them again. Why take that chance? Make them BETTER by reinforcing the weak link so you don't have that again. Just my .02

 

[Rupp Collector]

Indy,

Mine did this several times and I've done the same repair with great success. Still going strong with over 28000 miles on the original rails that have welds, brackets etc...

 

[snoluver1]

Indy,
The people telling you the material directly adjacent to the welds will now be weaker are absolutely correct. Thats just the way aluminum works. If you stitch weld it, and allow the material to cool in between stitches, you can minimize this effect. The key here is you also braced it, which in all reality will probably provide the same level of integrity as if you just braced it without adding the weld. I would venture to guess your repair will last at least one more season, possibly more(depending on how hard you abuse it), and in that case I say 4 dollars well spent!!

 

[lvr1000]

Just thinking out loud here, but are the rails not hardened? So welding on them and letting then cool slowly would soften them up? That might make them bend or break easier I think.
It's been many years (before indy was born) since I have welded a lot of aluminum (built enclosed snowmobile trailers). I might not be remembering correctly.

 

[indy_500]

Thanks guys for your opinions.

I guess my whole "beef" with HCS was that I did all this work (I went into school an hour early for a week to weld these) and all of them told me I'm stupid and it'll never work... Well I guess that's not word for word what they said but that's pretty much what I took out of it...

I'll keep my eye out for some rails at swap meets this fall.

 

[mxz500rider]

Indy, there is a set of rails on ebay. They are located in MN. Item number is 390406870637

 

[polarisrider1]

Indy the welding is fine. The HCS guys are thinking time is money. You have more time then money. Your fine. I have had edge rails with hairline cracks and left them and they never got longer than a quarter inch. I suspect Poo uses to brittle of aluminum back then or the aluminum was stressed in the extrusion and forming process. I would of bought new like the HCS guys said since time is money and at my age time has become more important.

 

[xcr440]

I have had at least 5 or 6 different cases of aluminum/tig welding done on 4 or 5 different sets of rails on almost every machine I have owned. (Some say I'm a little rough on my sleds). From cracked rails, cracked idler wheel mounts, egged out mounting holes, to custom rail extensions. EVERY single weld has NEVER failed, nor has the aluminum around the welds failed. Short of a little electricity and some flat stock aluminum scrap, cost has been near ZERO.

 

[mjkaliszak]

Here is my spin on the weld. Yes it is stronger than the base metal like ezra said. Yes like lvr1000 said... it will have a tempering effect on the metal next to the weld ( since the heats used are tempering the metal ). The strenght of the ( aluminum )rail really is in the design. That's the benefit to extrusions ( less stock ) but more strenght due to the structure. ( as compared to a solid bar ). I personally don't see anything wrong with trying to repair. You could have drilled a hole to stop the spread of the crack and added a plate on top also. Like PR1 had commented, he has had cracks that never continued to grow.

As far as no-one appreciating the small stuff you do ( welcome to the club ). Being able to be happy with your small accomplishments, repairs, and maintenance ( just dinking around ) is where one of the joys of snowmobiling is ( in my camp ).
For 30+ years I have been cleaning out belly pans from oil, belt schrapnel, belt dust, antifreeze, ect.... it is just the " WAY I AM ". Some call it anal, some call it overzealous, I'm just a pollack, I want it clean even if no one sees it. ( Just an example )

 

[indy_500]

You could have drilled a hole to stop the spread of the crack

Sorry, I forgot to add, I DID do this. I drilled 1/8" holes at the top and bottom of each crack.

 

[rp7x]

sorry

this thread is usless with out pics , we need to see the welding , chicken droppings don't hold much. lol