Though we missed our snowmobile season kickoff event (the A-1 Swap and Show) we are still excited for the months ahead. We can’t wait to ride – we have not taken our sleds out in two years.
In 2011, we had very little snow, not even “up north” or Northern Lower Michigan, any decent riding to be had was in the Upper Peninsula, which, living almost five hours south of the Mackinaw Bridge, could not be done in a weekend.
In 2012, hubster was working mandatory overtime (including Saturdays) all through the winter so that took care of that. Also, 2011 was the year that I replaced my 4WD Explorer with another 4WD Explorer, its primary purpose to pull the snowmobile trailer. I’m hoping this will be the year we use it for what I bought it for!
Next Saturday the plan is to pop open the sled trailer and see what we will be dealing with.
- The first step will be to check under the hoods, air boxes and exhausts to clear any nests that critters may have made and drain any gas still in the tanks.
- Both carburetors on both sleds will need to be cleaned. Bill’s Invader has Mikuni carburetors, my LTD has Keihins. A while back I posted about cleaning a Mikuni carburetor, though I’m told that the steps to cleaning a Keihin are very similar.
- Check condition of both tracks.
- We buy and install new spark plugs and belts every year, keeping the old belt in the storage compartment as a spare.
- Check batteries.
Sledheads, what are you doing to get ready? Any other events in lower MI that you know of?
Nice writeup – don’t forget to change the oil in the chain case and grease all zerk fittings and jackshaft bearing. Also, when checking the track, be sure to check track tension and centering of track on drive pulleys. Have fun, ride safe and hope to possibly get out with you guys this year!
For sure, there will be more to do, this was just a quick first pass.. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Living in Atlanta, there’s NEVER a real reason to purchase a 4WD or a snowmobile but I enjoyed reading about it. Hope you get the snow you’re preparing for and the fun that comes along with it. 🙂 Happy NaBloPoMo from BlogHer and Yeah Write!
Atlanta, how nice! We’d ride our bikes year round if we could, snowmobiling gets us through until spring.. 🙂 Thanks for commenting!