This is my first time adjusting suspension and I’ve gotten to a point that something seems off so I would like some clarification to make sure I don’t start chasing my tail or just set this up way off so I’d appreciate some help.
This is a 2022 hardcore 154 pull start. I weigh 185 in street clothes. The sled is brand new and has about a mile on it of me bouncing around my yard to make sure finger throttle and diamond s titanium muffler install was correct. Sled is stock other than that. This was all done full of fuel and oil and tunnel bag loaded.
No rider stock setting
Left ski 120 right/muff 126
fts 262
rts 55
Not sure if this is right but my goal was 3/4” front sag, 2” rear sag, roughly equal weight between front and rear track shock. How The sled came it seemed way too stiff on spring preload. 1/4” front sag and if I lifted the rear till it didn’t contact and slowly let it down the sled wouldn’t settle off contact. Bounce the rear let it settle and I was under an inch. With me on the machine it would drop just under and inch from the point that it was sitting after I bounced it. This is all with clickers set full soft.
First off took some turns out of the front. Ended up taking 6 turns out and got 3/4” sag in the front. Next to the back. Started taking 3 turns off front and rear track shock. Not much change but improvement. I take 3 more turns out. Still settles hardly at all when I gently set it down and get a solid 1 after I bounce it, get an inch when I stand on it. Think Im on right track and decide to weigh it to see how its going so far and this is when I think Im obviously doing something wrong.
No rider total 563
Left ski 123 right/muff ski 131
fts 243
rts 67
Rider total 714
Skis 160
fts 329
rts 105
I was getting late and decided to quit while I was ahead. My concern is somehow I lost like 25# of my body weight when I got on the sled so something aint right there. Garage floor is level. Obviously need to double check I didn’t have a pebble or something stupid under a scale or am missing something. Also digital scales and there could be rounding errors and especially front skis numbers move around a couple pounds with me on it. But even with some slight variations things still seem way off? So in theory I could back the fts off and that would loosen up sag on rear right? Put a touch more weight on the skis and even out weight between fts and rts. But fear running it crazy soft and bottoming front of rail hard. I know dampening is a big factor in bottoming out not just spring rate but still concerned.
Main questions with rear sag as is I measure it after I bounce the sled a bit right like the front? If the sled doesn’t settle with its own weight if you lightly set it down thats not where I start from is it? And do I just start loosening the fts and see what it does? Is the fts causing my “problems” or do I even have an issue and just loosen the skid off equal and adjust the fts by how it feels riding?
Heading to Colorado this weekend and would like to get it close before I go. Not an experienced mountain rider. Im sure most of you guys could ride a sled for 2 minutes and be able to tell exactly what needed what by feel but I would like to try and get it close by measuring first since I don’t have that experience.
Thanks ?
This is a 2022 hardcore 154 pull start. I weigh 185 in street clothes. The sled is brand new and has about a mile on it of me bouncing around my yard to make sure finger throttle and diamond s titanium muffler install was correct. Sled is stock other than that. This was all done full of fuel and oil and tunnel bag loaded.
No rider stock setting
Left ski 120 right/muff 126
fts 262
rts 55
Not sure if this is right but my goal was 3/4” front sag, 2” rear sag, roughly equal weight between front and rear track shock. How The sled came it seemed way too stiff on spring preload. 1/4” front sag and if I lifted the rear till it didn’t contact and slowly let it down the sled wouldn’t settle off contact. Bounce the rear let it settle and I was under an inch. With me on the machine it would drop just under and inch from the point that it was sitting after I bounced it. This is all with clickers set full soft.
First off took some turns out of the front. Ended up taking 6 turns out and got 3/4” sag in the front. Next to the back. Started taking 3 turns off front and rear track shock. Not much change but improvement. I take 3 more turns out. Still settles hardly at all when I gently set it down and get a solid 1 after I bounce it, get an inch when I stand on it. Think Im on right track and decide to weigh it to see how its going so far and this is when I think Im obviously doing something wrong.
No rider total 563
Left ski 123 right/muff ski 131
fts 243
rts 67
Rider total 714
Skis 160
fts 329
rts 105
I was getting late and decided to quit while I was ahead. My concern is somehow I lost like 25# of my body weight when I got on the sled so something aint right there. Garage floor is level. Obviously need to double check I didn’t have a pebble or something stupid under a scale or am missing something. Also digital scales and there could be rounding errors and especially front skis numbers move around a couple pounds with me on it. But even with some slight variations things still seem way off? So in theory I could back the fts off and that would loosen up sag on rear right? Put a touch more weight on the skis and even out weight between fts and rts. But fear running it crazy soft and bottoming front of rail hard. I know dampening is a big factor in bottoming out not just spring rate but still concerned.
Main questions with rear sag as is I measure it after I bounce the sled a bit right like the front? If the sled doesn’t settle with its own weight if you lightly set it down thats not where I start from is it? And do I just start loosening the fts and see what it does? Is the fts causing my “problems” or do I even have an issue and just loosen the skid off equal and adjust the fts by how it feels riding?
Heading to Colorado this weekend and would like to get it close before I go. Not an experienced mountain rider. Im sure most of you guys could ride a sled for 2 minutes and be able to tell exactly what needed what by feel but I would like to try and get it close by measuring first since I don’t have that experience.
Thanks ?
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