The project begins

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skylar

Guest
So I have to replace my tunnel/bulkhead on my sled, so I started on it today.

I did some tunnel polishing on Saturday, about 5 hours so far, with another 2-3 to go yet.

Everything on the right, has to go on that piece of aluminum on the left.

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Got a long way to go, but it's fun!
 
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ill_marty

New member
I dont know how bad the rip was, but we have a guy we use at our shop that is exellent at welding alum. Some times alum suspension brkts break off and replacement is not cost effective. You might see the weld slightly but whos looking when your out in the woods. Show us a picture of the rip .
 
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dondoo

New member
What happens if it starts to snow? How fast could you work to be ready? I"m just teasing, but, what IF!!!

Looks like alot of work but will be worth it in the long run. Good job and good luck.


doo
 
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strokeit

New member
All that work skylar and your putting a stock tunnel back on?? Why not throw a fabcraft or a vanamburg tunnel on there?
 
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borderstaff

New member
It's been about 5 years since I did this on a cat ZR600 I twisted up. I enjoyed swapping everything over - but it was lonely. You have company everytime you work on yours - just look into the tunnel! Nice polishing job - I pull my M7 out of storage in 1 month and thats the first job on the list to get it ready again.
 
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skylar

Guest
Toward the end of the first year that I had it, I landed on a rock right underneath where the front torque arm is mounted in the tunnel, causing a pretty good kink in the tunnel. It was still ride able that way, so I rode it. By the end of last year it had cracked, so I decided it was time to fix it. Could it have been welded? Probably, but to me that would have been a temporary fix, not a permanent fix.

Ryan, you can only buy the tunnel/bulkhead from Polaris as one piece. So, $1500-$2200 (depending on options)for a VanAmburg tunnel, plus $1156 for the Polaris tunnel/bulkhead, way to rich for my blood. But a VanAmburg tunnel would have rocked! I know that VanAmburg is working on a design right now for the Polaris tunnel where you just replace the sides of the tunnel, but it is not ready yet.

Borderstaff, a friend and I replaced the bulkhead on my 2000 ZR6 back in 2001, gotta love the air riviter! LOL.
 
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samc

New member
Did you label all the parts coming off so you remember where everything go on the new tunnel. Also, there is always a few parts left over after every project - LOL
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Good luck and enjoy the project
 
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brad_2001

Guest
Nice job on the tunnel Skylar, gonna need some dark shades when its sunny.

Bradzooooooooo
 
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zrjes

New member
Skylar is this Polaris's new Rock resistant Tunnel/Bulkhead combo?
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I give you lots of credit, that's a big job to tackle

Stack
 
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skylar

Guest
Stack, I wish!

Made some more progress today, a-arms, upper shock support, swaybar, seat support, rail edges, and support pieces from upper shock mount to steering hoop, all sandblasted and painted.

Engine out, chaincase off, steering rack removed. Tomorrow I will take off the steering hoop/handlebars/steering post, drill out the rivits for the front heat excahnger and remove that, and that should be it for disassembly.

Had to have my brother come help me get the engine out this evening.

Found out I had a ripped motor mount too.

Finally figured out where my 3" extension and 10 mm socket went that I dropped down there two years ago. LOL. No wonder I couldn't find it!

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nytro_rtx

Active member
skylar,
wondering if you have any plans for the old tunnel? if you are interested in getting rid of it let me know, i would be interested in it for a project of mine.
thanks, nytro
p.s. the polishing looks awesome.
 
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skylar

Guest
Nytro, a buddy of mine already claimed the tunnel. Sorry.

Later, Skylar.
 
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