Greetings and welcome!
Hey I got the year right!
The New Year’s weekend was one of the busiest in recent memory. There were a lot of people out riding and having a good time. I know that they groomed around here Saturday night and by Sunday afternoon the trails were getting well used again. I didn’t leave the house yesterday so I have no knowledge if they groomed again Sunday or Monday nights.
We have a clipper system coming with a little snow tonight into tomorrow. The forecast models seem unimpressed by the storm and are only showing 1-3 or 2-4. One forecast went as far as 3-6. It looks like a small snow for us but the Lake Superior snow belt could see a foot or more in places when the cold wind behind the storm cranks up the lake effect snow.
Right now the day is stacking up must-do stuff on me. Left alone I would likely get the first test run on one of the snowmobiles this afternoon.
Sled #2 is ready to go back together as well. That one had a frozen shaft on one of the suspension swing arms. That turned into an epic battle. I pounded, heated, used penetrating oil and it did not budge at all. You would think that a 4 and 5 pound sledge would free a shaft only 8 or 10″ long but no. I upped the game to an acetylene torch and a 5# sledge and still no joy.
In the end I did get the aluminum shaft out. This is what it looked like when it came out.
I reamed out and saved the swing arm. I salvaged another shaft out of an old suspension and now I should be able to get that one put back together.
I am off to town do do my errands so that I can hopefully get some shop time in. Have a good Tuesday and thank you for visiting!
RJB