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Flyweight Expert

T
Aug 8, 2011
711
458
63
Let’s talk about how to build a wicked lightweight expert 165 sled. All ideas should be considered!

So if we take a stock expert it should weigh about 441 dry using Doos numbers.

Titanium can -13lbs
Lightweight hood -13lbs
Remove sway bar, misc foam and such -2lbs

So that’s the easy stuff

What can we do from there?
 
A

ak

Well-known member
Dec 7, 2007
2,776
723
113
Nothing with fuel tank.

For the rear carbon rails and torsion spring delete from nextech are Toms snowmobile.

Titanium arms for the front from alternative impact.

I have all these lightweight parts on my 175 doo, and you can buy a Polaris slap a titanium can on and be so far ahead in the money spent to final weight.


But it’s your money have fun spending it!!!
 

idahoskiguy

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Feb 17, 2008
893
663
93
Boise, ID
The weight saving game is one of diminishing returns as the more you spend the less weight you save. Beyond the easy stuff the weight saving per dollar go down quickly.

It is your time and money........have fun.
 

DITCHBANGER

Well-known member
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
1,220
801
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I did a hood and can and beltdrive on my g4, very big difference in the feel and handling of the sled, all for the good no regrets, but you can just buy the polaris add a ti can and spend soooo much less overall
 
S
Mar 6, 2008
510
346
63
Northern Sweden
A factor that needs to be considered is the effective but costly placebo effect.

Put enough money into something and your own mind will work as hard as is needed to justify the spent coin!!

Soo, instead of buying a belt drive just send me the money and I will write a certificate where I promise that your sled is lighter and nimbler than your friend's sled.
(Just remember to change the belt drive oil a few times a year)

Jokes aside, I'm not being one of these fourstroke moron claiming weight doesn't matter, (or even that the weight might be useful "if you just have the ability to handle it"). But I rather think that a lot of sled accessories out there are priced too far beyond their practical/objective benefits.
 

Teth-Air

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Nov 27, 2007
4,561
2,790
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Calgary AB/Nelson BC
www.specified.ca
A factor that needs to be considered is the effective but costly placebo effect.

Put enough money into something and your own mind will work as hard as is needed to justify the spent coin!!

Soo, instead of buying a belt drive just send me the money and I will write a certificate where I promise that your sled is lighter and nimbler than your friend's sled.
(Just remember to change the belt drive oil a few times a year)

Jokes aside, I'm not being one of these fourstroke moron claiming weight doesn't matter, (or even that the weight might be useful "if you just have the ability to handle it"). But I rather think that a lot of sled accessories out there are priced too far beyond their practical/objective benefits.

When you are on the gnarliest line to a point that you are actually scared, just a few pounds lighter can make or break if you will make it or lose your sled and trash it in the trees. I guess you don't ride that way so it wouldn't be important to you. We do ride like that at times and i want all advantages.
 

Old Scud-doo

Well-known member
Premium Member
Dec 28, 2007
995
507
93
Middle Montana
Nothing with fuel tank.

For the rear carbon rails and torsion spring delete from nextech are Toms snowmobile.

Titanium arms for the front from alternative impact.

I have all these lightweight parts on my 175 doo, and you can buy a Polaris slap a titanium can on and be so far ahead in the money spent to final weight.


But it’s your money have fun spending it!!!

I am not trying to lighten my Doo so that really doesn't matter to me but you probably can't believe this but I don't like the Axys. My son has one and I really don't like it. I'd rather ride my G4 all day long even at 30 or so pounds heavier. Haven't ridden an 850 Axys and it may ride differently than the 18' and older models but I really tried to like it....I just didn't.
 
S
Mar 6, 2008
510
346
63
Northern Sweden
When you are on the gnarliest line to a point that you are actually scared, just a few pounds lighter can make or break if you will make it or lose your sled and trash it in the trees. I guess you don't ride that way so it wouldn't be important to you. We do ride like that at times and i want all advantages.

I'm in no way negative to the sled, (or myself), loosing weight. However I have yet to met anyone that have managed to prove or convince me of the brilliance of the belt drive system. I'm fully convinced, until proven wrong, that the belt drive need a fair bit of placebo to be justified!

And you take the same approach that every other placebo junkie I have discussed this with, "if you only rode hard/bad/gnarly etc enough you would feel the difference".... Well, in that case i suppose I don't, because jumping back and forth between similar sleds with and without belt drive I can usually hear a difference, but feel it... not really!
 

DITCHBANGER

Well-known member
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
1,220
801
113
To me the Brilliance of a belt drive system is not performance it's the fact that you can do extremely quick gear changes not have to mess with stinky gear oil and I have been around people who have broken chains it's not nice. Although I have never broken the chain I much prefer belt drives for the simplicity
 

boondocker97

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 30, 2008
4,074
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Billings MT
FYI after doing a few of the bigger Ti bolts on the front end of my Cat, I can tell you it's going to take a lot to loose 3lb with them. Fourwerx Carbon has some a-arm and ski bolt kits for these that seem pretty reasonable for Ti.

I'm not a Doo expert but after getting down to the nitty gritty with my Cat I can suggest to make yourself a spreadsheet that lists the part, the weight savings, the cost, and the cost/lb. Start with the lowest cost/lb parts and work your way down until you run out of money. Really helps focus on maximizing your dollars. Changing 5 small parts that all cost $250 and only save 1lb each doesn't seem worth it, but you think a $1500 set of rails that saves 5lb is...until you see the math. That extra $250 you saved lets you buy one more of the $250/lb parts. The further the part is away from the roll axis of the sled, the more you should notice it when throwing the sled around. For example saving 5lb in the skid might not be as noticeable as cutting 2.5lb off close to each ski. Also, a part that makes the sled better for what you're trying to do might not reduce weight. Case in point my stock skid with BDX lightweight arms was 36lb. My Kmod with Ti arms and Raptor shocks is 41lb. 5lb gain but the arms and rails don't bend, and puts the power to the ground better. Did have to convert it from Gen II to Gen III to make it handle like I was expecting though.

Ok now for part suggestions I haven't seen:
-Polaris skis with Ti runners and mounting bolts
-ditch the mountain strap if you don't use it
-Conquer 280 track
-ditch the clamshell on the pipe and have it coated
-aftermarket running boards add weight but also add rigidity
-remove any mounting clips/bolts that are no longer being used (if the stock can used 3 spring tabs to the chassis and the aftermarket uses only 1)
 
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