Can the VK overcome the challenge of towing a 440 SnoPro over a remote and treacherous section of Alaskan bike path? During a snowstorm to boot? Danger abounds!
I did not realize you towed it over by yourself I was thinking you and Rudy towed it over. Your VK-540 did great it makes me want one and I really like the Arctic Cat Sno-Pro fan 😊
The VK540 is looking and running wonderful!! I wanted to know your thoughts on VK540 Fan Belt Replacement and when the time comes it might be a cool video topic for the channel as this channel is the home of information for all VK540 owners~! Extreme quality content! The owners manual softly suggests to preventative check it and maybe a good idea to replace it after 2-4 years of usage if not to difficult to get at.
Oh thanks! 😄 I honestly hadn’t thought about the fan belt or even considered replacing it yet as the sled only has around 1500 or 1600 miles on it. My brother has 30 year old Phazers that are likely still running on the original belt. Of course it’s not like they get ridden all the time, he just has some older sleds in his collection. I will have a video coming out sometime this winter replacing the belt in a Ski-Doo 503 as the belt is broken. I’m curious if that will,be similar to the Yamaha procedure? The last time I replaced a fan belt on a fan cooled sled was in ‘99 or ‘00 on a Ski-Doo 503. I like your idea for content. I was wondering what direction to go with the channel as they no longer make the VK. Maintenance videos would be a big help to people and help me get more views and subscribers. I’ve been spending way more time on my airgun YT channel and can’t believe how quickly it grew in little more than a year. My original channel has been being neglected mostly because we don’t have a ton of snow but also because I sometimes don’t know what to create for content. Thanks for your suggestions, much appreciated!
@@thatalaskaguy I just finished the install on the "Canadian Only" VK540 Heavy Duty Cam Block Kit for Heavy towing and when riding 2-Up with a passenger, SMA-VK10F-HD-SK. So far it looks great and is very user friendly with a spring loaded quick On-Off adjustment. This will work in addition to the factory ride pre-adjustment on the rear suspension. I ordered this from a Yamaha dealer in Ontario CA as it is only offered through Yamaha Canada and not available in the USA. I expect this to work wonders on two up riding when needed and also for pulling loads in daisy chain as I do each winter. Just waiting on the first snowfall still here on the Dakota prairie tundra yet to test it out! We are still covered up solid in Migrant Snow Geese by the Millions! I also have purchased and collected two sets of still available for now OEM 11" factory ski skins which I am certain will one summer day in the near term year's magically disappear with no aftermarket alternative as wide. a similar path that the AC Bearcat owners went through several years back with factory extra wide ski skins. Get em while they last! I also have scooped up a spare OEM windshield now in long term storage which I suspect will be a tough sell in the aftermarket world for future existence and if at that for fit and finish vs OEM, this despite Yamaha saying parts will be available for "years to come" but I suspect it will be more core engine and suspension parts with the cosmetic items becoming less and less in availability each year post Yamaha snow division. Casmo Tracks the maker of the OEM VK540 1.5" lugged 20x154 track (9196U), offers a "Deep Snow" version now 20x154 with a deeper 1.8" paddle lug Casmo (9195U). Something to possible consider in deeper snow regions when its time to replace the track. Also added Spot work lighting to the front of the sled with Rigid D-SS spotlights which make night work a breeze on adjustable Ram ball mounts similar to rear lights. Still having excellent success on year 2 with the MOTOBATT True AGM (YB16AU) sealed snowmobile battery with its matching charger and long battery terminal charging lead. It is by and far worlds more reliable and trustworthy than the factory lead-Acid battery. Has not missed a beat even at -33F! I run the long lead hooked directly to the battery terminals up through the left air vents in front of your left knee position and it makes charging simple and no need to open the hood! Thanks for the reply and continuing in making ultra quality youtube content we fellow sledheads wait for in great anticipation!
@@nickelms1588 great idea ordering spare parts now! I was thinking about the windshield the other day and then about what other common parts get damaged. I foresee myself riding this machine 20-30 years from now as no company is ever going to make anything similar and it does everything I need. I still regularly ride a 33 year old Polaris Trial Indy. The fan cooled sleds last and run forever. 😄 I can see that cam block kit coming in handy. I’ve noticed my VK bottom on occasion riding double but I don’t thing I’ve ever been riding double and towing at the same time so the stock set up, has worked fine for me. I’d actually be interested in a lower profile track rather than the one I have. On a few occasions I’ve gotten my hyfax hot enough to smell them in frozen spring conditions. I rarely need the deep lugs I have for what I do.
Thanks for the good additional info. Because there are a lot of 2017-2022 VK540’s out there, I suspect that parts will be worth selling by Yamaha. Or maybe we will have to purchase through Arctic Cat? If I could afford it, I’d buy a used one to keep on hand for parts to use or sell. @@nickelms1588
I did not realize you towed it over by yourself I was thinking you and Rudy towed it over. Your VK-540 did great it makes me want one and I really like the Arctic Cat Sno-Pro fan 😊
Spur of the moment decision to tow it. I was surprised by how well it all worked out!
The VK540 is looking and running wonderful!! I wanted to know your thoughts on VK540 Fan Belt Replacement and when the time comes it might be a cool video topic for the channel as this channel is the home of information for all VK540 owners~! Extreme quality content! The owners manual softly suggests to preventative check it and maybe a good idea to replace it after 2-4 years of usage if not to difficult to get at.
Oh thanks! 😄 I honestly hadn’t thought about the fan belt or even considered replacing it yet as the sled only has around 1500 or 1600 miles on it. My brother has 30 year old Phazers that are likely still running on the original belt. Of course it’s not like they get ridden all the time, he just has some older sleds in his collection.
I will have a video coming out sometime this winter replacing the belt in a Ski-Doo 503 as the belt is broken. I’m curious if that will,be similar to the Yamaha procedure? The last time I replaced a fan belt on a fan cooled sled was in ‘99 or ‘00 on a Ski-Doo 503.
I like your idea for content. I was wondering what direction to go with the channel as they no longer make the VK. Maintenance videos would be a big help to people and help me get more views and subscribers. I’ve been spending way more time on my airgun YT channel and can’t believe how quickly it grew in little more than a year. My original channel has been being neglected mostly because we don’t have a ton of snow but also because I sometimes don’t know what to create for content.
Thanks for your suggestions, much appreciated!
@@thatalaskaguy I just finished the install on the "Canadian Only" VK540 Heavy Duty Cam Block Kit for Heavy towing and when riding 2-Up with a passenger, SMA-VK10F-HD-SK. So far it looks great and is very user friendly with a spring loaded quick On-Off adjustment. This will work in addition to the factory ride pre-adjustment on the rear suspension. I ordered this from a Yamaha dealer in Ontario CA as it is only offered through Yamaha Canada and not available in the USA. I expect this to work wonders on two up riding when needed and also for pulling loads in daisy chain as I do each winter.
Just waiting on the first snowfall still here on the Dakota prairie tundra yet to test it out! We are still covered up solid in Migrant Snow Geese by the Millions!
I also have purchased and collected two sets of still available for now OEM 11" factory ski skins which I am certain will one summer day in the near term year's magically disappear with no aftermarket alternative as wide. a similar path that the AC Bearcat owners went through several years back with factory extra wide ski skins. Get em while they last!
I also have scooped up a spare OEM windshield now in long term storage which I suspect will be a tough sell in the aftermarket world for future existence and if at that for fit and finish vs OEM, this despite Yamaha saying parts will be available for "years to come" but I suspect it will be more core engine and suspension parts with the cosmetic items becoming less and less in availability each year post Yamaha snow division.
Casmo Tracks the maker of the OEM VK540 1.5" lugged 20x154 track (9196U), offers a "Deep Snow" version now 20x154 with a deeper 1.8" paddle lug Casmo (9195U). Something to possible consider in deeper snow regions when its time to replace the track.
Also added Spot work lighting to the front of the sled with Rigid D-SS spotlights which make night work a breeze on adjustable Ram ball mounts similar to rear lights.
Still having excellent success on year 2 with the MOTOBATT True AGM (YB16AU) sealed snowmobile battery with its matching charger and long battery terminal charging lead. It is by and far worlds more reliable and trustworthy than the factory lead-Acid battery. Has not missed a beat even at -33F! I run the long lead hooked directly to the battery terminals up through the left air vents in front of your left knee position and it makes charging simple and no need to open the hood!
Thanks for the reply and continuing in making ultra quality youtube content we fellow sledheads wait for in great anticipation!
@@nickelms1588 great idea ordering spare parts now! I was thinking about the windshield the other day and then about what other common parts get damaged. I foresee myself riding this machine 20-30 years from now as no company is ever going to make anything similar and it does everything I need. I still regularly ride a 33 year old Polaris Trial Indy. The fan cooled sleds last and run forever. 😄
I can see that cam block kit coming in handy. I’ve noticed my VK bottom on occasion riding double but I don’t thing I’ve ever been riding double and towing at the same time so the stock set up, has worked fine for me.
I’d actually be interested in a lower profile track rather than the one I have. On a few occasions I’ve gotten my hyfax hot enough to smell them in frozen spring conditions. I rarely need the deep lugs I have for what I do.
Thanks for the good additional info. Because there are a lot of 2017-2022 VK540’s out there, I suspect that parts will be worth selling by Yamaha. Or maybe we will have to purchase through Arctic Cat? If I could afford it, I’d buy a used one to keep on hand for parts to use or sell. @@nickelms1588
Did you remove the drive belt ?
Yes, you alway want to tow with the drive belt removed.