'94 XLT SKS front suspension Q's

biggsie · Feb 1, 2010

I have just bought my first sled '94 XLT SKS and got it running properly. Now I am trying to figure out the suspension.

The sled is NOT equipped with an Xtra 10 or 12 so it has the XC-100(?).

Anyway I took the skid out and removed both rear shocks and found that they are wasted so new ones are on the way.

As for the front I knew one of the shocks was bad so I got a used set from Ebay off an xtra 10. When installing the new shocks (adjustable coil over style) I found they are a few inches longer than the ones I removed. I loosend the spring adjustment all the way, compressed them enough and got them installed. It seems to sit about an inch higher in the front now.

I had to bend the tie rod brackets up so the rods would not rub the rubber boots on the belly pan and then I had to re-set the toe adjustment.

What is different with the Xtra 10/12 front suspension to accept the longer travel?

Will I be annoyed that I can not get my front springs any softer?

Am I destroying my shocks by keeping them in a compressed state?

Should I lower my rear suspension to match the higher front?

Sorry for the long post and newbie questions

skis_n_skid · Feb 1, 2010

biggsie said:
What is different with the Xtra 10/12 front suspension to accept the longer travel?

The xtra 12 front suspension is quite a bit different than xtra 10, but basically the longer travel comes from longer radius rods, longer trailing arms, and different spindles. If you could get radius rods, steering rods, spindles and trailing arms from a non CRC xtra 10 front end (you already have the shocks), you could convert your front end to an xtra 10 (you'd probably want a taller skid to go with it). Xtra 12 front end has taller shock towers and more vertical shock orientation.

As far as damaging the shocks by leaving them in a partially compressed state, it's the spring that's compressed, not the shock. It doesn't matter to the shock what position it's in while at rest.

fordpickupman · Feb 2, 2010

bent the stearing arms up.....

I would watch those real close, my dad had a machine years ago that someone had done this to, and it would break the rod ends fairly frequently. He used to pack 2 extra sets with him because he knew he would need at least one, but who knows for sure how many one would go through. Just my two cents worth of experience.

manowar · Feb 2, 2010

my xlt is done this way with a 144x2 and xtra 10 rear i have had no problems at all with it outher than you cant hall bum through the corners on the trail or it rolls over easy and you crap your pants . im on about 4 years on it and i go to west yellow stone or island park for a week almost every year so it sees both kinds of terain.

jsledder · Feb 6, 2010

How long were the shocks you put on the front? I've done this a lot and typically make new radius/tie rods for my projects and they are longer than stock to accept the shocks I use which are from the 97-98 XC's and are in the 17" long range. The Extra - 12 stuff would be a bad choice for that unless you had all the parts for the front and rear.

You can only raise the front so far without the tie rods rubbing, once that happens then you are at your limit.

biggsie · Feb 6, 2010

I think I'm going to buy new shocks and go back to the stock setup. It seems too stiff and tippy even at the loosest setting due to the spring being pre-loaded.

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'94 XLT SKS front suspension Q's

biggsie

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skis_n_skid

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fordpickupman

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manowar

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jsledder

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biggsie

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