KawasakiTrax Community
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: The Great Jashu on January 16, 2013, 12:21:21 PM
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My 80 Invader has a unique fix to the gas tank that was on it when I bought it. Works very well and may be an idea for anyone else looking for a fix.
(http://i560.photobucket.com/albums/ss43/podunk48885/031_zpsf98bebce.jpg)
Also this same machine has what I believe to be the suspension lift option. The suspension bolts in below the tunnel.
(http://i560.photobucket.com/albums/ss43/podunk48885/030_zps2be0e530.jpg)
Does anyone know if this is the suspension lift option? Or, was this someone elses fix?
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Jashu, I can't tell from the outside of the lift. Can you get a photo of the lift from the inside of the tunnel?
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That does look like the lift bracket.
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Looks like the factory one. Most of the home made ones were bolted onto the bottom of the running boards. Factory ones went up the side of the tunnel
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I picked up a 1980 invader this past fall and it has been raised.(or lowered depending on how you look at it) It is just a plate that is bolted on with 3 bolts and only goes up barely above the original mount hole. I am thinking that it isn't big enough and should go up higher. This looks like something the PO put on it. What are your thoughts how high should this go? The kit that was made was big enough that it was riveted on wasn't it?
Thanks Steven
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Steven, I played with this too. I got a local welding shop to cut a piece of aluminium and put a bend in it so it goes up on the inside of the tunnel, the back out flush with the tunnel (that makes sense right?). Any way, I started with the suspension bolted like 3 inches down from the tunnel. Dont do that... It lifts the front end of the track off the ground and you loose all traction. Maybe there is a way to remedy that im not sure. Anyway, I ended up putting it so the top of the track at the rear idler is flush with the bottom of the tunnel. Bolted about an inch below the tunnel. Works great for me. I'll try to get some pics on someday.
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Yeah. you don't want to go much more than an inch or 1 1/2 inches below the edge of the tunnel or it puts too much weight on the front and the skis dig in .
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Here's a few pictures of the mods on the invader I picked up last fall. It is a working project. My daughter wanted it yellow and black so that is what she is getting. It runs good and strong. I have to get the new crank seals in and the seat recovered and should be all set.
Steven
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Jim you said to only go about an inch or inch and a half below the tunnel. If you look at pictures 2 and 3 of the previous post the PO had dropped the mount 3 1/4 inches in back but they also dropped the front mount by 2 3/8 inch. Did the factory made kit change the front mount also? Wouldn't this help the weight distribution? This machine seems to get good traction and it seems to ride fairly stable. I have another invader I want to modify but I want to do it right, so just looking at options.
Steven
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Factory kit is just about 1 1/4 inch of drop. It did not include a drop in the front. I have the brochure on my other computer and can post it tomorrow.
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Here is the brochure with the parts and instructions.
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I am not sure of things in the brochure. If I am dropping the whole assembly down what is the purpose of the wear strips on the tunnel for? If the track is going to hit the tunnel it surely would BEFORE the modification wouldn't it? I will have to look at the invader I picked up last fall and see where the original mounting holes line to in relation to the drive shaft, then see if the new mounting holes line up the same? The back hole is dropped 3 1/4" and the front hole is 2 3/8"(i think) so they may still line up with the original point on the drive shaft. Thanks for the info.
Steven
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The purpose of the kit was to accommodate studs. With out the tunnel protectors just about any length stud would rip open the underside of the tunnel. The drop in the back of the suspension was to make room for the tunnel protectors.
A drop in the front would also need to be accompanied by an adjustment in the suspension spring clip.
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Just a thought
If both the rear and the front of the suspension is dropped, Would spacer blocks in the front springs be a help?
Raising the rear end up that much might make the front end awful light on the ski's
How does it steer?
Lloyd
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I looked last night and the original mount holes lined up with the drive shaft. The new mount holes were pretty close to lining up also. I haven't ridden it that much just around the pasture and such but it seems to ride good and steer good. Maybe I will have to take it somewhere with more snow as our snow is just about gone and check it further.
Steven
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raising the front of the tunnel as well as the rear would put less pressure on the skis and might affect steering, not sure how much would be too much...There are sleds that have had different longer suspension installed and they have had problems with the front end (skis) digging in unless you add some lift up front. There was a place that made an adaptor to add IFS to the front , BUT at what point do you just hang it up and buy a sled designed for more travel??
I can see jacking up the rear a bit for stud clearance, or to keep the running boards out of the snow, but redoing the whole sled sounds to me like a waste of time and money. I'd go with a second sled that could handle the deeper powder, rougher trails, etc.