• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

Review: Skinz Concept Front Suspension

justinkredible56

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 24, 2007
1,047
362
83
Eagle Mountain, UT
For those of you that have been following the new "Concept" front suspension that Skinz has produced, I figured it would be beneficial to post a thread on my experience with them. I decided that I really wanted to test this suspension before I offered my opinion, and so far I've logged 600 miles on them this year. Snow conditions have only allowed us to ride for the last 3-4 weeks.

For starters, the 1/2" heim joints...wasn't very happy about those! I guess I was the first to break one joint, and the first and possibly only person to break two joints. I don't think that we can blame it on the 1/2" heim joints being too small. There are too many guys running the 1/2" heim joints that I'm sure have encountered similar terrain that would have caused my original joints to break. There is something else at play here. I broke my right side lower heim joint my first ride out on the new suspension and had to limp out. I was sent a replacement heim joint from Scott at OFT at no charge. Next ride out I broke my left side lower heim joint and had to limp out of the backcountry. I called Scott at OFT Racing, this guy is the best in the business as far as customer service goes, and he had a brand new set of lower A-Arms to me that had already been upgraded to 5/8" heim joints, I just had to send mine back. He also made sure that they were at my doorstep before the weekend so that I wouldn't miss out on riding that weekend.

The heim joint issue was a pain in my butt and caused more than a few curse words to slip out of my mouth but everyone can rest assured the problem has been resolved. Considering that this is not only the first front suspension that this company has made, but also kind of a new idea ("concept") on cross platform suspension design you have to expect issues. For me it's not the issues that came up, but rather how the issues were resolved, and in that aspect Skinz (and in my case OFT Racing) did a great job!

Typing what I'm experiencing with the front end is going to be difficult but hopefully you'll get the points I'm trying to get across.

What does the suspension do
I would say the BEST attribute is collision absorption. The stock nytro front end travels almost perpendicular to the surface that it's moving along. So when a bump comes along, the suspension travels directly upward and causes the body weight of the sled to shift to the other side. Now on the skinz suspension the have changed the direction of travel of the front end. Rather than traveling perpendicular to the surface it's traveling on, it's offset. Now when you travel over the same bump the ski hits it and the shock absorbs it a LOT more, transfers the impact much smoother, and there is less body roll.

This makes sidehilling tracked up areas a hundred times nicer. Now when you cross somebody else's trench the sled doesn't want to toss you downhill anymore. When sidehilling VERY steep tree filled areas it's a lot easier to pick the line that YOU want to take rather than the one that the sled wants to take. <- best way I can describe it. I'm sure my Air frame running boards and Timbersled rear suspension contribute a lot to this.

The negative
While riding the new front suspension I kept looking for positives but I found one negative. One of my favorite parts of the Nytro was the ability to get in fresh powder and stand neutral on the sled and be able to roll from side to side making a giant squiggly mark on the snow. Don't get me wrong the new suspension doesn't stop you from doing this but rather makes it require a little more effort. I think the reason for the old suspension allowing this technique to be performed with less effort is because the old suspension traveled perpendicular to the terrain, and in this situation you actually want body roll.

The summary
Everything I was able to do on the old suspension (except what is mentioned above), I'm able to do with less effort on the new suspension. The heim joint issues that may have been associated with this suspension are now long gone. Do I think they should charge $1000 for this suspension when comparing what you get vs. other kits? H*ll no! It should come with basic cable for that price! But no other kits offer as "radical" of a suspension change so I decided to try it out and have been happy so far. It does make a very noticeable difference that you might not realize right off the bat, but give it some time and you'll start to realize the difference it makes.

For those of you interested in what modifications I've made to my sled to make it perform well in the backcountry check out my Member Sled build thread here: http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=273866

I will update that thread with a wet (ready to ride) weight of my sled and one of my buddies Pro-RMK. I think more than a few people might be surprised :)
 
Last edited:
T

TRUEBLUEMAX

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
751
280
63
Hooper, Utah
So I found it kind of curious about the carving in open areas. I found it quite easy when I was out last week. I wonder is this because of your skis possibly. Did you have those last year before you put the front end on.

I agree spot on with your other comments. I think the joint failure issue was handled remarkably. I still find myself bracing for the impact of crossing a rut while sidehilling and then I hit it and low and behold it just runs across it no problem. It sure makes hills seem a lot less steep than they were last year also.

I am curious to see the weight. I have been meaning to get mine on some scales but have not had access to anything yet. There is no denying that it feels a lot lighter than it was last year. It is a lot easier to get unstuck also.

One thing I have not heard a lot of comments on that I really like is how much tighter it turns on any kind of set up snow. It makes it possible to make a turn on a lot of trails that would have required reverse otherwise.
 
Last edited:

tmk50

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Sep 20, 2001
1,267
679
113
Brighton, Colorado
I don't have as many miles as you do this season on my Skinz front end, but I'll throw in my $0.02 too.

I have 294 miles on my 2012 MTX 162. Sled is set up as follows:
- Spring Order MPI 180 Turbo
- Skinz Concept 39" front end with stock 2012 (Camoplast skis) and stock shocks w/spherical bearings installed
- Skinz Airframe boards
- OFT Steering Relocator
- Rotopax 2 gallon gas can and 2 gallon storage unit mounted to tunnel

I have not had any issues with the heim joints. I rode the "bad" batch for my first 3-4 rides without any issues, and then replaced them with the updated 1/2" bolts when they arrived. I haven't decided if I will be sending my arms in for the 5/8" upgrade yet.

I will agree with the above comments about sidehilling and maneuvarability - the sled handles a lot better on sidehills than a stock Nytro (I have put a lot of miles on a 2010 MTX SE 162). I am very impressed with how it handles in the powder and how tight I am able to turn the sled in the powder. I feel like the effort required to muscle the sled around is reduced and I don't feel as tired at the end of a day of riding. The real test of that will be on some hardpack spring snow....

I have not yet been able to get a ride in good conditions when the stock nytro has been with me, I hope to be able to do a good side by side comparison of the two sleds sometime in the next 4-6 weeks.

Overall, I am very happy with the upgrade.
 
T

TRUEBLUEMAX

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
751
280
63
Hooper, Utah
TMK I got the chance to ride a stock 2008 and just let me tell you, stock and what I am running is a world of difference. I tried to do a downhill turn with that thing in the same spot I had just done one with mine and the whole front end just dove down in the snow about three feet. World of difference from what I started with.
 

christopher

Well-known member
Staff member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 1, 2008
81,403
27,152
113
Rigby, Idaho
The negative
One of my favorite parts of the Nytro was the ability to get in fresh powder and stand neutral on the sled and be able to roll from side to side making a giant squiggly mark on the snow. Don't get me wrong the new suspension doesn't stop you from doing this but rather makes it require a little more effort.

Just idle curiosity.
What is your height and weight ??
 

justinkredible56

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 24, 2007
1,047
362
83
Eagle Mountain, UT
Just idle curiosity.
What is your height and weight ??

Well considering that my height and weight haven't changed since last year running the stock front end, I feel it wouldn't make any difference. But to quench your curiosity I'm 6'2" and 300lbs in riding gear, but don't for a second think I'm soft :)

I'm surprised people are concerned about my comment in this particular area. Keep in mind I was running the stock 09' front end which is narrower than 10'+ and I had my skis in the most narrow position with the sway bar removed.

The only time I see this drawback is in a flat meadow making giant S's, I felt it right off the bat and wondered if it was just the snow conditions, after more testing I eliminated that possibility. Don't for a second think that the Skinz front end makes it hard to do that maneuver, I just think that the way the original shocks traveled made it easier.

All of these comments are just my opinion. I love the front end, don't make any mistake about it!
 

justinkredible56

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 24, 2007
1,047
362
83
Eagle Mountain, UT
So I found it kind of curious about the carving in open areas. I found it quite easy when I was out last week. I wonder is this because of your skis possibly. Did you have those last year before you put the front end on.

Definitely a possibility that I can't rule out but the issue is so small that it's not worth swapping skis to find out. I would have to say the way I shaved the outside edge of the simmons skis would make it easier to roll over if anything.
 

christopher

Well-known member
Staff member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 1, 2008
81,403
27,152
113
Rigby, Idaho
Well considering that my height and weight haven't changed since last year running the stock front end, I feel it wouldn't make any difference. But to quench your curiosity I'm 6'2" and 300lbs in riding gear, but don't for a second think I'm soft :)

I'm surprised people are concerned about my comment in this particular area. Keep in mind I was running the stock 09' front end which is narrower than 10'+ and I had my skis in the most narrow position with the sway bar removed.

The only time I see this drawback is in a flat meadow making giant S's, I felt it right off the bat and wondered if it was just the snow conditions, after more testing I eliminated that possibility. Don't for a second think that the Skinz front end makes it hard to do that maneuver, I just think that the way the original shocks traveled made it easier.

All of these comments are just my opinion. I love the front end, don't make any mistake about it!

FWIW.
I bought 2 nytros.
2009 153 and 2010 162 SE.

Without a doubt the 09 out handled the 2010 SE.
There was never any competition there at all
The 09 always outmaneuvered the 10, and was easier to make it do it.

The shorter track made doing the "Squiggles" much easier.
 

justinkredible56

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 24, 2007
1,047
362
83
Eagle Mountain, UT
FWIW.
I bought 2 nytros.
2009 153 and 2010 162 SE.

Without a doubt the 09 out handled the 2010 SE.
There was never any competition there at all
The 09 always outmaneuvered the 10, and was easier to make it do it.

The shorter track made doing the "Squiggles" much easier.

For comparison sake my sled is a 162 also and was last year as well.
 
Last edited:

Jago

Member
Premium Member
Nov 4, 2011
35
18
8
Anchorage, Alaska
Well, I just installed the Skinz A arms last week and rode my new '11 Nytro 153 MTX around at Arctic Man here in Alaska. Wow, what a difference. It handles like a totally different machine on steep or technical sidehills and climbs. Much more fun to ride. Can even pull tight 180's on slope, suweeet. Yamaha really needs to make this geometry stock with their new models. The only thing now is the need to drop some more overall weight.
 
Premium Features