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Suspension settings for mountain riding

2

2strokes_are_awesome

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Dec 8, 2007
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Flat and Boring
I'm riding a 00' 800 RMK 136"x2" and weigh 155ish with all my gear on.

What rear suspension settings should I be running to get a significant amount of transfer while maintaining a decent attack angle??????

I don't know how much difference the mods I have on it would make but I'll list them.
Escape seat(boss designed, -10lbs)
better boards
2 8" wheel kit
full slp exhaust and intake w/florites
hi-comp head
slp powder pro's
no swaybar
bar risers


Thanks in advance
 
A

augerin

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
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Granite Falls Wa.
If I remember right I had the swaybar removed also, fox extended travel shocks with the springs set light up front. In the back I had fox and heavy springs set at medium. I just played with mine constantly for about a year in different conditions until I found what worked for me and by the time I was done it was quite a difference. The sled was plyable and easy to throw around in the powder but could be a little tippy on the trail.

Good luck
 
S
Nov 28, 2007
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BERTHOUD CO.
i run my limiter strap all the way down for the deep. mine has stock very wore out suspension i am running med up front and stiff in back i weigh 220... it's time for some new suspention thu :)
 

Scott

Scott Stiegler
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You don't need a "significant amount" of weight transfer.

Your shock set up and limiter straps can be adjusted for ideal amount of transfer.

Ideal amount is to just have the skis skegs hovering above the snow on a climb...NOT wheelieing up the mtn. You are losing traction if you are doing that.

SLP does make a bolt on part to remount the top mount of your front rail shock for powder performance. I'd advise getting that.
 

xc_rider08

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hey scott, how does that help by remounting the front shock???? Not sure if i understand??

thanks:beer;

You don't need a "significant amount" of weight transfer.

Your shock set up and limiter straps can be adjusted for ideal amount of transfer.

Ideal amount is to just have the skis skegs hovering above the snow on a climb...NOT wheelieing up the mtn. You are losing traction if you are doing that.

SLP does make a bolt on part to remount the top mount of your front rail shock for powder performance. I'd advise getting that.
 

Scott

Scott Stiegler
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The front shock angle is changed...it lays down just a bit more. It changes the skid geometry a little bit.

It supposedly helps get the GenII's up on top the powder better.
 

go high fast

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I like a lot of weight transfer for hillclimbing.

What's worked for me are the stock torsion springs with the adjuster block in the softest position. Dial in some more pre-load on the skids front rear spring. Loosen up the limiter strap and keep it greased.

Even though i also have a gen II I cant remember if the xlite has multiple options on: 1) the stock drop brackets and 2.) where the suspension mounts to the rails..........if I recall sometimes these can also impact weight transfer. I would just stick with the stuff above.

To your list of mods I would a add a tunnel extension and 151 skid and track and you'll have a whole new machine.
 

Norway

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Need some more info here...

What I found this year is that there is a balance in the suspension regarding height and handling.

Got suspension mounting tips from Curtis at FTX and "adjusted" these a bit. Put my M-10 lower in the tunnel = higher sled, more clearance I thought.
Also has tall front suspension to match.

What I find is that on steep climbs it is very tippy!! It wants to steer to the sides and send you back down the mountain. The slightest touch of my skis on the snow pushes my front out from the hill, not to good!

I got my height and clearance, but it cost me climbing ability and I think it hurts the sidehilling/laying over in trees etc.
It seems the height coupled with a triple up front makes for a "go/no-go" sidehilling. You either manage to muscle it over, or it dives7tips down again.

My plan for the summer is to look at the bulkhead and see if it is worth re-doing to a lower engine (tubes or something) or just lowering the suspension.

Thoughts/comments?
 

MARV1

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More spring preload on from arm shock, stiffer one if necessary, lay it down below the top shaft(slp kit), limiter straps all the way out. Rear torsion springs on soft or medium, if they are set too soft you will end up trenching more. Ride height is crucial, good luck with it.
 
X

X2Freeride

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Jan 25, 2009
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Need some more info here...

What I found this year is that there is a balance in the suspension regarding height and handling.

Got suspension mounting tips from Curtis at FTX and "adjusted" these a bit. Put my M-10 lower in the tunnel = higher sled, more clearance I thought.
Also has tall front suspension to match.

What I find is that on steep climbs it is very tippy!! It wants to steer to the sides and send you back down the mountain. The slightest touch of my skis on the snow pushes my front out from the hill, not to good!

I got my height and clearance, but it cost me climbing ability and I think it hurts the sidehilling/laying over in trees etc.
It seems the height coupled with a triple up front makes for a "go/no-go" sidehilling. You either manage to muscle it over, or it dives7tips down again.

My plan for the summer is to look at the bulkhead and see if it is worth re-doing to a lower engine (tubes or something) or just lowering the suspension.

Thoughts/comments?


There is a balancing act between when you have too much clearance and it starts to affect the balance center of the sled.

One of the best things you can do is take scales and balance out the front and rear of the sled. You cant imagine how much better this makes the sled handle and ride.

In my opinion you should never try to gain clearance by moving the suspension down in the tunnel of the sled. Just like you should never try to put a longer track on a sled by moving the suspension back in the tunnel. This creates the situation that you exactly described and creates a odd attack angle on the front on the skid which as everyone knows is terrible for deep snow performance. There is a Gen 2 mod sled on this forum on about the 2nd or third page of the picture thread with a M-10 skid in it fairly far down in the tunnel that has one of the worst attack angles I have ever seen that illustrates this problem to a T.

A drop and roll is a much better solution to gain track clearance in the rear off the sled. However that as well is not without its own issues as it makes the steering effort and the front end handling suffer. The whole thing is just a balancing act, and no two people like a sled to do the same things performance wise out of a sled.

Kinda like how some people like to put edge shocks on the front end of a Gen 2 because it raises the front up, well not only does this raise the sled up and narrow up the ski's its also dangerous because it causes the suspension to bind under certain conditions and makes the shocks more likely to bottom out on drops and jumps. To do this properly you need to move the shock mounts. Or use a dual spring method like the 02 Pro X 440 used. I had this on both of my 00 Gen 2 mod sleds and it raised the front end a couple inches and helped significantly with deep snow performance.
 
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C

cbc24

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Nov 26, 2007
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i got a 99 with xtra 10 skid in a 136, i removed the sway bars and tightened the springs too get 1-2'' lift in the frt and too prevent roll on trails. In the rear i set the springs full stiff too stay out of the snow and prevent bottoming and tightened the limiters a fair bit, for climbing it does good but a 136 only goes so far, does well in deep snow as it makes the sled kinda walk through the deep. however anyone got any hints for the trail? it bottoms and feels harsh thks
 
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