Other Building a Textreme Hybrid Rickter XFR-LT... maybe, probably, likely, hopefully!

[2lick]

When I arrived home on Friday I had about an hour to myself before I had to leave to join the Girlfriend for dinner to meet her family.

When I cracked open the box the realness finally set in!

Chin pad first… I didn't really know what I was getting. I asked Thrust to pick it I just asked for Textreme visual and matching red and blue. Turned out just red, but I can live with that. This chin pad feels like a piece of paper it's so thin and light! I hope it holds up since they aren't cheap.

Next in the box was the hood/lid. It was in the box upside down so first I lifted it to feel the weight. As I turned it over the sunlight hit the carbon and colors and I giggled like a schoolgirl while jumping up and down. It's a shame no one was around to poke fun, so you all can

 

[2lick]

I kept the excitement going by starting to tear through to see the hull. As I uncovered the tray I was thrilled to see it came with the front foothold I ordered but was told “might” get. The tray looks so damn comfy. The quality of turf on this is really amazing! I kicked off my boots and jumped in

Again not sure how the hull would actually show up, I was excited to see the bilge had all the standard mounting locations already glued in. Thumbs up for less glue ups in my future!

As I was home alone, I wasnt ready to one man and lift it out of the box. I started taking pictures and looking at it from every angle I could.

At this point my buddy Andrew stopped by to see the beauty and he helped me move it around.

Into the garage she went until Saturday afternoon when I could start!

 

[2lick]

On my way home Saturday afternoon, I stopped in a Harbor Freight to pick up a 12 ton shop press. It's time to stop beating on mid shafts with a hammer I also decided to treat myself to a few moving blankets and shop kart in hopes of not using the tray and hood as a tool box!

Since starting this thread I have had numerous people reach out to me and share advice. I have to really thank my friend Pat most of all for his advice. It's nice when someone shares your excitement and has been down the road you're heading. We chatted for about an hour on my ride home Sat and he advised me on a few areas to pay close attention too and look at early since I have a short timeline. It's great to have someone who's built a few of these that is happy to help when I reach a bump.

First task at home was to get one of the garages ready to wrench. I have too many projects going on at once :-/

I figured working by flashlight would make for a dull build (hehe) so I quickly nutted up (hehe) a line and wired in one light running on the breaker.

Finally, a place to wrench!

 

[2lick]

With a few hours left in the day my plan was to start by fitting the hood and finish with glueing in the pump shoe before going to bed. I taped off the hood area to avoid scratches while wrenching I began.

I started by diggin out the parts and hardware. It was frustrating not knowing what would come with the hull and not really knowing what parts I needed. Just last week talking with Brian at Thrust I realized I needed hood prongs and ordered them but found out I still needed a way to bolt them on. Thankfully I’ve gone through enough other builds somehow in my extra parts supply I had what I needed for hood prongs, latch, and catch

I'm not sure how to explain the fitment process. I started by loose fitting every part and laying the hood on the hull. The hood had a warp to it as you can see in the picture of the rear.

Hood prong holes were a little off as well.

I decided to full bolt down the lock and catch since there is no adjustability there. I found some bolts to work and added some washer behind the large parts to fill the thickness of the hood. In the end it could have used one more washer, but she is tight and safe. It also doesn't stick out and hit the hull, one area I wanted to make sure cleared.

I began by latching down the rear and seeing where the front hood was and how far off the prongs were from hooks.

 

[2lick]

From this I new I would need to move the hull side hood hooks as far forward as I could. I started by moving these forward and as “square” as I could. I then left the hood prongs on loose and latched the hood down. With it latched, I pressed down on the front of the hood and tightened the top hood prong bolt since I could get a wrench on it. I tightened everything down and tried a paper test to see how the hood sealed. The hood latched fairly tight. The two papers on top were the only ones that pulled out.

I decided to break down the paper to smaller strips to get a better reading on where I didn't have a good seal. After more reading of the hood and tweaking on the prongs and hooks I ended up with a decent seal. The papers in my hand are the only ones I could pull out. This was the best I could get it and called it good for now. She will run this way until I have a problem or learn a way to do it better.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Be sure to check the motor mount plates. Buddy of mine bought an XFS and found these were not loctited down the hard way.

 

[2lick]

Be sure to check the motor mount plates. Buddy of mine bought an XFS and found these were not loctited down the hard way.

Awesome, thanks I will! I plan not to trust any bolt in it. Trust but verify as we say at work

 

[2lick]

Time to flip her over and start on the pump shoe. Only after oogling how beautiful she is

 

[2lick]

Ok, back to work. Wait… huh? Damn! Looks like I was sold the wrong pump shoe for this hull. I plan to get on the horn Monday morning and get the right one ASAP! Pump shoe was step 1!

I did notice the thru lines are at angles to match up better, either that or there crooked but I choose to believe it's on purpose

 

[KMN]

That's the right pump shoe, just have to grind something away to fit it up tight.

 

[2lick]

With no pump shoe to mount and it getting late, I tinkered. I decided to weight some parts on my bathroom and kitchen scales.

• 119lbs Total package from Rickter plus hood latch and prongs
  • 110 lbs - Hull as from Rickter (handlepole mount, hook hooks, 5lbs footholds, 3lbs sponsons)
  • 9lbs - Hood/Lid with latch and prongs mounted

After getting those weights down, I played with some parts. Loose fitted motor mounts. I might replace with short bolts over winter in build phase 2.

 

[2lick]

That's the right pump shoe, just have to grind something away to fit it up tight.

Doesn't the hull look likes it ready to accept a factory style shoe with a lip? I'll at lest make a call Monday before I start grinding away either part.

 

[2lick]

I promised myself If I rushed to build this ski I'd make sure I enjoy it along the way and take time to take pictures and share. Personally, I enjoy the ridding community and sharing/learning through a journal as much as wrenching and ridding. Up to date now so off to work today to build a pump, mid shaft, and handle pole!

 

[KMN]

http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/mn-freeride-2016-rickter-xfr.173754/

You can see I used the same pump shoe in my XFR. My thread kind of fell apart when I ran into some part availability issues, but have since built it three different times.

 

[2lick]

http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/mn-freeride-2016-rickter-xfr.173754/
You can see I used the same pump shoe in my XFR. My thread kind of fell apart when I ran into some part availability issues, but have since built it three different times.

Thanks for sharing, I've read many build thread tried to learn over the past few months. I'll give yours a browse again. I really appreciate it!

 

[Big Kahuna]

Had same issue on my freak. It stuck down like that. Took a belt sander to it.

 

[2lick]

Had same issue on my freak. It stuck down like that. Took a belt sander to it.

Damn, not what I was wanting to hear.

 

[jeremy chambon]

That's the right pump shoe, just have to grind something away to fit it up tight.

Oem pump shoe for life ✌

 

[Big Kahuna]

Oem pump shoe for life ✌

If I ever build up another hull OEM.

 

[DAG]

OEM shoes arn't bad at all especially when you take into account how thin these aluminum ones get after opening them up. I have one in the KDX and never had a problem with it beaching it 10 feet up the sand with my scoop grade that hangs down a solid inch, inch and a half. I wouldn't be afraid of one. I had in my mind these hulls were damn near perfect OEM plug and play from Rickter. Good looking build so far!! Thanks for shedding some light even the big boys have tolerance issues too.