Removing Radiator on 06' Polaris Switchback 600 HO

[snowdance]

On my last snowmobile trip, my snowmobile got impaled by a large stick. The stick was resting on top of the radiator. Very close to ruining my trip. Thank god it ended up being only cosmetic. It got me to thinking how easily the radiator getting punctured would ruin a trip. I've heard of the radiator being removed, but never understood why and started doing some research. I've found no downside to this. I'd lose about 7.2 lbs. The snowmobile will actually run cooler, because as it's designed now the area in front of the radiator fills with snow, melts and turns to ice adding weight and getting no air to the radiator. So, i'm just wondering if anybody has any experience with this and/or opinions. SLP sells a kit for $25 to do this and it doesn't seem too complicated. Thanks

 

[snowdance]

Hmmm now heard of somebody who did this and had overheating issues afterward. Any first hand knowledge would be great. Thanks!

 

[mezz]

I guess the overheating would be expected as you would be eliminating an exchange which reduces the amount of coolant running through the system. When I first saw that exchanger up front in an article I was reading, a stick was the first thing that came to my mind, then a hidden rock, or stump. IMO Bad design. Perhaps a protective grille/cage for it is the answer.-Mezz

 

[motor_slut]

On my last snowmobile trip, my snowmobile got impaled by a large stick. The stick was resting on top of the radiator. Very close to ruining my trip. Thank god it ended up being only cosmetic. It got me to thinking how easily the radiator getting punctured would ruin a trip. I've heard of the radiator being removed, but never understood why and started doing some research. I've found no downside to this. I'd lose about 7.2 lbs. The snowmobile will actually run cooler, because as it's designed now the area in front of the radiator fills with snow, melts and turns to ice adding weight and getting no air to the radiator. So, i'm just wondering if anybody has any experience with this and/or opinions. SLP sells a kit for $25 to do this and it doesn't seem too complicated. Thanks

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Done that conversion on a few sleds and they never overheated. The guy who overheated may have just eliminated the cooler and spliced the lines back together which will not work. The kit comes with a restrictor to push more coolant through the tunnel.

 

[polarisrider1]

I did the rad. Removal on my 06 RMK 755 and it ran cooler. You do not need the SLP kit if you bypass the radiator and pour out the antifreeze and reinstall it empty in the slot made for it. I got some of the foil tape to seal around disconnected rad.
Now the plumbing has to be done correctly to make this work.. You just don't cap off what you remove. I have the pic saved on how to do this just have to get to a real computer and then I will post it for you. There is also much discussion on this on Snowest.com

 

[garageguy]

I have a 06 FST and I used the rad. delete kit from SLP. No problems, sled warms up faster, never overheats. Front Rad. is overkill and not needed.

 

[polarisrider1]

Had to dig deep in my computer to find this, you can make your own slp kit for about nothing.

Aww! man! not sure why it is so small of a pic. it is up to you computer whizzes to enlarge.