Well for an update and some new info.
Here is the new project. A guy gave this to me free about 5 years ago. An extra motor and some parts and pieces. Been sitting in the grass till now. Time for the resurrection. Internal parts are not really that worn. The cowling is in sad shape and I need to make new attachments for the front. Got that one figured out as we had to build one each for two others. Made them out of some scrap aluminum.





Pulled every thing off, motor, both primary and secondary clutch and chaincase.
What I found was one of the clutch ramp buttons missing. For kicks we took my sons off to and found one missing on his as well. Can't say that I we noticed anything when riding it but it seems to be a pattern. You can take the secondary off with a three bolt center puller. I would suggest doing this as with the puller it is probably a 15 min job to get into the jack shaft bearing. When is the last time you serviced that one. ;0) This one needed some grease.


My puller is no where near this fancy. Inexpensive.


Worth ordering these babies. $14 for a set of three locally. Think I saw them on the web for a about 4 bucks.
We replaced one of mine with one of Garrity's and he got a new set.



Looking in at the exhaust port it looked like the piston might have some grooves. Compression seemed good, didn't verify but decided to take it off and have a look anyway since I have gaskets, pistons, and rings on hand.
4 bolts and off it comes.


About as easy a piston access as you get.

Another thing to look at on your bravos is the rubber button cushion between your motor and the side wall. I have seen a lot of failures on the older machines. I ordered some extras of these. This one is nearly cracked off.


Undercarriage is all serviced and ready to go. Have to travel for 10 days so most everything else will have to wait.
Plan on painting things up and putting on a storage box and a soft cushion ride. Will have it ready to go for the holidays with the kids. Heck we can have our own bravo races with 4 running in Homer. ;0)

anyone put handle bar warmers on a bravo? sure would be nice

Very nice post FT. Great pics, and informative. Freezing rain all evening and last night...thinking bout adding car wipers onto the bravo! Terrbible condiditions this year around these parts...

So when did they add that second fuel tank on the outside? Has the main always been under the cowling ? I'm not wild about that fuel tank being located over a hot muffler.

White I think around the mid nineties. I have a 97 with dual tanks.
Cat someone mentioned that you won't get the heat out of a pair like you will a bigger machine. I had purchased a pair and never put them on after hearing that.
The new old bravo we purchased has them on it and they do get warm enough to make my 12 year old daughter happy.

A few years back the bravo I purchased new, and most problematic so far, lost spark the beginning of the second season using it. This test from the manual helped to diagnose the problem.
One has to wonder if it is a connection, cdi coil or stator.
This test easily diagnosed it. It was the stator. The repair is pretty easy. Takes awhile but requires no special tools to replace but you do need an ohm meter to test. Actually a simple on off light would tell you if you have connectivity. These wires come right out of the motor. It is found behind the flywheel and fan. I had no connectivity let alone a given ohm reading.

Electrical testing narrows the problem but when you are out in the bush what do you guys do then..if alone ?

I have had to walk out before and I really did not enjoy that night as it was a cold one. At least I had packed snow to walk on and only a few mile walk.

Electrical problems are a pain. I have only walked home once and it was an electrical issue. Got the other machine and towed the other one back to the cabin and pulled the engine. It turned out to be a cracked wire under the stator plate.

FT- 4-5 guys who got the newer bravo had the stator wire break off. I know a few of them who got one new took it apart right away and soddered the wire right away. I didn't yet and i am pushing 2K miles. Over all i am happy with it so far.

White, did you make the door on your cabin wide enough to put a machine in it if need be?

I guess a guy could just put a wall tent up and around the machine.

No, unfortunately the cabin was built before I had a machine there. That's why I pulled the engine...so I could take it inside and work on it.

Yep you could do the wall tent thing but it could be cramped with a stove in there too.

there is an updated stator now

Why not just work outside on the wires ?

Too hot out there

I heard they are catching a chinook over near Delta 48 F wow.

No need for sleds in that weather.

Not to let a good thread die.
Back home for the Holidays and trying to get the beater Bravo running.
First we had to get Garrity's up and out of the shop. After he burned up the drive bearing under the speedo we decided it was better just to go through the whole thing now that we are practiced up. One stuck bolt led to another problem and well we ended up taking out the Gear box the secondary clutch and all the bearings.
His plastic spring holders were worn right through and wearing through the pastic holding pin. So we built new ones out of HDPE. We built in three different tension heights as well.
I have run bravos for 5 years now and learned something I did not know about the suspension.
It has three adjustments holes for increasing the tension. DAAA!

This is original plastic on mine that is still good but you can see the top hole for greatest tension.



Here is a shot of the new plastics.


The problem as it turns out when it was on the highest plastic setting is that as we watched the suspension the spring actually went veritcal enough when bottoming out that it looked like it could hit the track clips. So I cut off about 3/4 of an inch of the ends just to be sure. They set out a lot farther than needed.


Put on some break pad replacements and Garrity's bravo is back up and out the door. Well it made it a half block until the secondary clutch came off with a bang on the test ride. ;0) Woops forgot to tighten that!
Okay second try all is good.
Now time for my beater.

The tunnel on mine was getting rust holes through it so I coated the whole thing with marine figerglass "Dynaglass". Should cut down on the rusting.
Not to let a good thread die.
Back home for the Holidays and trying to get the beater Bravo running.
First we had to get Garrity's up and out of the shop. After he burned up the drive bearing under the speedo we decided it was better just to go through the whole thing now that we are practiced up. One stuck bolt led to another problem and well we ended up taking out the Gear box the secondary clutch and all the bearings.
His plastic spring holders were worn right through and wearing through the pastic holding pin. So we built new ones out of HDPE. We built in three different tension heights as well.
I have run bravos for 5 years now and learned something I did not know about the suspension.
It has three adjustments holes for increasing the tension. DAAA!

This is original plastic on mine that is still good but you can see the top hole for greatest tension.



Here is a shot of the new plastics.


The problem as it turns out when it was on the highest plastic setting is that as we watched the suspension the spring actually went veritcal enough when bottoming out that it looked like it could hit the track clips. So I cut off about 3/4 of an inch of the ends just to be sure. They set out a lot farther than needed.


Put on some break pad replacements and Garrity's bravo is back up and out the door. Well it made it a half block until the secondary clutch came off with a bang on the test ride. ;0) Woops forgot to tighten that!
Okay second try all is good.
Now time for my beater.

The tunnel on mine was getting rust holes through it so I coated the whole thing with marine figerglass "Dynaglass". Should cut down on the rusting.

Under carriage is almost complete. Ordered slides two years ago and was glad I had them on hand. Went to put them on and ARGGG. Wrong ones. Can't even remember who I bought them from. Yamaha SMA-8FS92-00-BK
If anyone has this sled I have a deal for you.
Yamaha
Apex Mountain, 2006-2008
RS Vector Mountain SE, 2006-2008

So it is raining here. Oh Joy.

Take a deep breath and count to 10, well maybe 100. :-) Love your can-do attitude and the school'n Garrity is gett'n.

I agree with Decoy Len.

Thanks for all the pics and the info you are sharing. I will be looking for a Bravo for the kid now...

Well done Len, I agree with Decoy also. I think 1/4 inch ice screws will make be a big help with traction. I got stuck in an icy creek with steep banks, took a few tries and a pull on the ski's and pushing it to get out. But the other sleds that came along had ice screws and they jus idle right up the banks. So i want to get that ordered up so i can put them on. As for my lines, there is 4' of snow out there and the widetrack and swt are keeping things open. Pops lines are up and running. But mine is buried. I hope to get out into january to get trying. Luck on the lines Guys.

I have been thinking screws of some kind. Not a lot of tunnel room on a bravo. Anyone ever put them on a bravo? Backin the shop working away since it is raining again. Will keep you updated.