18 HC - Switch to Traditional Steering Post

cooker2003 · Dec 20, 2017

Coming off a 2013 XF 800 141 2.25....

Much of my riding is done in Michigan, so there is a fair amount of [gasp] trail riding done en route to off-trail. I have been out West twice with my 13 and feel way more comfortable with the "traditional" steering post angle, especially for times when I'm not in deep snow.

Just picked up a 2018 High Country Limited 141 and I'm not sure I can live with the flat steering/bars hitting me in the chest/weird wrist angle when riding in positions other than standing.

Have some parts on order to swap back to traditional steering for MI and reserve the flat steering/linkage/adjustable height for out West.

Maybe I need to spend some time on it, but right now I feel there's really no way to ride aggressively and put body English into the sled with the stock setup on this sled IMO. Bars hit me in the chest when at full lock & it's odd to get at the brake/throttle decent when in full turn. My dad's 16 M is the same way...just feels like you don't have as much control over the sled on hard-pack.

Anyone else in this same boat or am I the odd-ball here? I used to race some snocross and am not a high bar-riser guy anyway.

mk2g60 · Dec 21, 2017

Not sure what the "traditional" steering post is. Do you mean horizontal? as opposed to the vertical post?

cooker2003 · Dec 21, 2017

mk2g60 said:
Not sure what the "traditional" steering post is. Do you mean horizontal? as opposed to the vertical post?

I'm talking "traditional" as in the steering setup without the linkage and secondary post.

I see in another thread guys are referencing the post-forward kit, which is along the lines of what I'm thinking. On my 13, I had installed a spacer to move the steering forward, much like the Turcotte kit offered now. I'm going to go back to that setup.

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fharrison · Dec 22, 2017

I am with you on this. The flat steering is just weird on trail. I am going to try it and see if I can get used to it but will be switching it if I can't. Does anyone know if I use the adjustable steering delete kit which replaces the adjustable riser with a fixed block and rotate it forwards or back if that will help it act more like the vertical steering?

Dam Dave · Dec 22, 2017

for clarification, having owned every model year Cat Mountain sled since 1999........................its a horizontal or a vertical post

A "traditional" post on any year Cat "M" sled is a vertical post, the most common post on a Cat M sled is a vertical post

you want a horizontal or "Non traditional" post to install on a Cat M sled, Arctic cat used to sell a kit but dont know if they still do, not much demand for that post on a mountain sled or M

Tyman212 · Dec 23, 2017

Find a steering post and top spar cap off a sled with lay down steering. Can buy new from the dealer but the top cap is expensive. You can cut your vertical post out of your cap and still use it, but that leaves a hole in plain sight and doesn't allow you to switch back or sell the vertical post.

I think my lay down post and cap came from an xf.
Running that with a 2" post forward. And 2.5" riser.
This setup works awesome for me out west. Keeps the bars out of my chest especially on steep climbs or side hills. Is too low for aggressive flatland riding. But that's not what I set my sled up for.

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F_ast · Dec 23, 2017

For our endurance race sleds, we run horizontal setup. We have 2018 Highcountry 153 8000s. One of the main reasons we change is because we have to run crazy grandpa windshields, but standard seated position riding is much more comfortable.

I'm not sure what the part number is, but it does drastically move the post forward from vertical steering.

You do not need to change the top spar cap either. The new post uses the same main steering shaft bushing. So just the new steering post a d a bar riser is required.

F_ast · Dec 23, 2017

The other option is to run a z bros adjustable post delete. It uses the adjustable shaft that you modify and bolt on a T too mount. It's drastically better than adjustable set up and you have a bar riser you can rotate to where you chose. I run that on my M8000 and love it. CFR offers those as well.

cooker2003 · Dec 23, 2017

Yeah, agreed with most here, save for the terminology. I have the standard lay down post going in with a small riser.

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skidooboy · Dec 9, 2018

bumping this for a bit more info. i have an 18 xf high country with the adjustable height steering post (and unlike most, i like it).

however, the xf high country's have the steering post angled back toward the rider, a bit too much for my liking.

what do i need to do, to move the post to a more vertical postion, while retaining the adjustable post set up?

i dont need much just an inch, maybe two. help is appreciated. Ski

skidooboy · Dec 11, 2018

anyone? Ski

Tyman212 · Dec 11, 2018

If it’s the adjustable post then I’m assuming it the same as the M, so the post forward as mentioned above. Only other option is a 1” riser to move the bars straight forward 1”. Makes the bar sweep abit as it turns tho.

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dboivin · Dec 11, 2018

i think it neuters your sled for offtrail but hey, to each his own.

its an easy switch. not much too it actually. what tyman said. buy the top cap/kit.

skidooboy · Dec 12, 2018

i dont want to lose the adjustable post.

the high country's seem to have the post angled toward the rider more, just looking to give me a bit more room in the seating, standing area.

it might not bother shorter people but, 6 foot or more, it feels like your elbows, and shoulders are behind you.

the pic in the first post does not do the angle of the post justice. it is angled back at the rider a bit more than the photo leads on. Ski

jakey-boy · Dec 12, 2018

https://www.snowest.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2950037&postcount=11

This might be what you need. These pics show it being used to move back but we also used this same bracket to move them forward. I think I still have one we could sell if you're interested. Dad used it for a couple months before he sold the sled.

Skis Up · Nov 7, 2022

F_ast said:
For our endurance race sleds, we run horizontal setup. We have 2018 Highcountry 153 8000s. One of the main reasons we change is because we have to run crazy grandpa windshields, but standard seated position riding is much more comfortable.

I'm not sure what the part number is, but it does drastically move the post forward from vertical steering.

You do not need to change the top spar cap either. The new post uses the same main steering shaft bushing. So just the new steering post a d a bar riser is required.

I just Bought a 153 HC with 500miles on it, Beautiful Sled..
How Did the 153 handle the Endurance Racing?
any of your Ideas will be nice, running the 2.25? Gearing Track lube? Etc...

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18 HC - Switch to Traditional Steering Post

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