Need help getting transfer out of the new '08 skids....

sledr900 · Feb 13, 2008

2007 compared to 2008

I just double checked the part numbers and at least on the M8 162 the rear suspension front arm shock, spring, and limiter straps are the same on the 2007 and 2008 models. Just from my own visual inspection the geometry of the 2007 and 2008 models rear suspensions are the same. The only difference is the air shock.

CATSLEDMAN1 · Feb 13, 2008

07 m8 and 08 M8 have different rails and may have differrent front rail profile? any body out there compared side by side ??? don't know, they are very close to the same, so when you convert your 07 to the 08 float rear shock and arms and use the 07 rails, trying to let the limiter out further there's not where to go as your stock shock is limiting rail extension out not the limiter straps, I built new front shock rear skid with lots of length and new litimter straps with lots of length potential to play with, but then the rail tips are immediately into the track clips and spearing the track is a real threat and noisey and immediatley began eating off my rail tips, then back to stock shock..........thats mys experience.

boosted1 · Feb 13, 2008

Many Thanks Geo!!!

Did your conversion last night on my 2008 M1000 sno pro 162"
Geo your a genius!
I have never ridin a cat that has rode this good! EVER!
I tried ordering a Timbersled rear skid, however they didnt have one built for an 08 yet.....good thing!
The only difference is I pumped the shock up to 100lbs, seemed a tad to soft, the added air? could this be because of the 162" track? from your 153"?
Anyways....I hope the AC engineers are reading this thread! and make this a standard fix for 2009!

Many thanks Geo....owe you a big bottle...your choice

B

geo · Feb 14, 2008

I had my '08 and '07 skid side by side on the bench (swapping out the Holz skid beginning of the year). The reason I said "my sleds" is I was told the part #s were the same.
My '07 shock and limiter straps were shorter by almost .6 of an inch.

Maybe the shock suppliers and AC did something different on my '07 but it sucked and I needed to drop the front mount to get any kind of a lift on acceleration. Rails were indentical except for new holes on '08. Put on a ton of miles with no spearing problems, but as the bumps got bigger, back told me to put out the change for a Holz. It has the same length middle shock as my '08 and needed to be run in the stock front mount location (like the '08 does) or it would trench (still no spearing issues though).

Could never get my Holz to stop bottoming, so I reinstalled the '08 (never bottoms) and worked out how to make it use all the travel available ( without spending any coin, lol). The '08 skid stock doesn't use 1/2 the travel available. The air spring compounds with the front spring to the point that it just stops way to early (why have 9" of travel and only use 4" but not as bad as the '07 which only uses 2" lol.). At the stock pressure recommendations, it was great on fresh new snow. If you lowered the pressure it just becomes a noodle (didn't return). The mod helps get the travel out of the skid (smoother ride) and because you stroke deeper into the shock travel the air pressure is higher ( the way an air shock works) it helps with the heavy rebound dampening AC uses.

Any how that's how mine were. Any one else compared them side by side ('08 and '07), cause i find it interesting and would like to know if mine ('07) was a mistake.

sledr900 · Feb 14, 2008

Geo's mod on the 2007 Ms

I did geo's mod on my 2007 M8 162 and there is definately more travel now. Before I could jump up and down on the back bumper and barely get the suspension to compress. Now I can go to the back of the sled and just push down on it and it compresses fully. I am running titanium M7 rear torsion springs on mine. I am still playing with the preload on the spring. I don't think I will end up with the ride of the 2008s because of the adjustability of the air shock. The front and rear of the suspension compress together for the first 1/4 to 1/3 of travel just like geo stated. Hope this helps some of you. Don't be afraid to try it. If you don't like it just mount the suspension back in the stock holes and be happy with the weight you took off of your sled by drilling the new holes.

Arctic Thunder · Feb 14, 2008

sledr900 said:
I did geo's mod on my 2007 M8 162 and there is definately more travel now. Before I could jump up and down on the back bumper and barely get the suspension to compress. Now I can go to the back of the sled and just push down on it and it compresses fully. I am running titanium M7 rear torsion springs on mine. I am still playing with the preload on the spring. I don't think I will end up with the ride of the 2008s because of the adjustability of the air shock. The front and rear of the suspension compress together for the first 1/4 to 1/3 of travel just like geo stated. Hope this helps some of you. Don't be afraid to try it. If you don't like it just mount the suspension back in the stock holes and be happy with the weight you took off of your sled by drilling the new holes.

Could you post a couple picks of your changes please.

I have been waiting for someone to do this.

Good job!!

Thunder

dmkhnr · Feb 14, 2008

Geo,
Do you think I'm getting the trenching because I'm using the 07 rails/08 suspention?
Should I drop it down in the front mount, or get the 08 rails? P#'s are the same for shock and limiter so I figured it would all work.

anziconda · Feb 14, 2008

Geo, nice mod. Did this to my 08 m1000 162" today and just went out and test rode it. It still doesn't seem to wheelie much but I can actually sit on the seat through moderate bumps and not get bucked off!!! I can see what you're saying about the extra travel. I started at 95 psi in the rear shock and think I might even go lower. Im at 200 lbs w/o gear. I wonder if the people that are having problems with this aren't moving the stop rod...I almost forgot to do that until I read your post a couple of times. Thank you for some great info!!!! Now, what do you recommend to do to the clutches on this machine, I've read some of your older posts on clutching and you know your s h it there as well. I ride 7000 to 10000 most. Thanks again for your post...great info!!!!:beer;:face-icon-small-coo!

ps if you're ever in montana, pm me and I'll buy you a beer sometime!!

sledr900 · Feb 14, 2008

Geo's mod on 2007 Ms

Arctic Thunder said:
Could you post a couple picks of your changes please.

I have been waiting for someone to do this.

Good job!!

Thunder

My pics would be the same as geo's except with the 2007 suspension. I drilled the holes exactly as geo described. Hope this helps.
Thanks again to geo for all his great info. I have used his suggestions on my M7s' rear suspensions, M8's clutching, and now M8's rear suspension. If we all offer our insight and experience with mods to make our sleds better we can fix the things the factory screwed up on.

Arctic Thunder · Feb 15, 2008

sledr900 said:
My pics would be the same as geo's except with the 2007 suspension. I drilled the holes exactly as geo described. Hope this helps.
Thanks again to geo for all his great info. I have used his suggestions on my M7s' rear suspensions, M8's clutching, and now M8's rear suspension. If we all offer our insight and experience with mods to make our sleds better we can fix the things the factory screwed up on.

Excellent. Will see what I can do tonight.

Thunder

geo · Feb 15, 2008

Don`t know Dmkhnr. Waiting to see if anyone else had the same shorter shock and limiter strap set-up on the `07 as I had. If you do I would drop the front skid mount to the lower hole.

One thing that will cause trenching for sure is too quick a transfer. Usually caused by too much middle spring pressure. On the `07`s with the drop nose feel because of the shorter shock and limiter straps that mine came with, a lot of people cranked up the front spring to get a bit of transfer. Better feel on the trails but sucked in the deep because of trenching (too quick a transfer and very little movement in the skid to help it ride up onto the snow)). It`s one of the major reasons that the `07 M8 looked bad in the deep.
I like to try and run zero preload in the middle shock if possible. I spent alot of time coming up with a dual spring and the correct cross over point for my style and weight ( like to stand and use my legs). That IMO is the only way to get the best of both worlds (good powder sled and snowcross ability). Funny thing is it has worked since my 05 M7 to my 08 M8 once i got the back to do it`s thing. I use a 250 lb main spring and a 135 lb tender spring with a stopper set at .45 in. of shock travel if any one wants to try it.

Arctic Thunder · Feb 17, 2008

Don't do this on a 07 162 snowpro

Well I gave it a shot.

No way in hell it works on the 07 snow pro with the titanium springs.

WAY TO Stiff.

Like Geo said you guys with the float on the 08's can change air pressure. I always run my titanium rear springs in the soft setting. So by moving the points around it made them really stiff.

I will be changing it back to the stock settings tonight.

Had to try and great job Geo on getting this for the 08 guys.

Thunder

High Country · Feb 18, 2008

2008 skid in my 2006 crossfire

after destroying my 2006 stock crossfire skid i went forward and installed a 2008 m series fox float set up into my 2006 136" crossfire.every thing was a direct match all arms...front,rear,swing everything.only thing is different is the front shock,obviously the rails and the limiter straps.so after many trys i got this skid to work for me.right now it is set up fairly good.i do understand what your speaking of.but do believe i see it much less do to the 136 inch skid.i imagine after the 153 or 162 transfers something gets lost.and i wouldn't be surprised if cat does this to there shorter tunnel sleds in 2009
i am gonna try your conversion geo. and see if i also see a difference in transfer,ride height,timing rod and compression dampening and sag in. because i too have sag in... i think just a little less.i would like more transfer and less air pressure.so more to come.

dub · Feb 18, 2008

2008 M1000, did the mod last week and rode Saturday!

Geo your the man, rides great!

Thanks, I catually can tollerate the M skid now..

SaberKitty · Feb 18, 2008

This thread needs to be a pinned sticky at the top! :wine:

Dam Dave · Mar 2, 2008

Bill1010630 · Mar 2, 2008

boosted1 · Mar 25, 2008

another TTT

Tttttt

mtn_extreme · Mar 26, 2008

Geo,

Are you a hill climber? This mod didn't seem to be the answer for a hill climber, after doing it, I was getting spanked by an m7. What did I do wrong?

08 skid with 07 rails on an 05 machine.

geo · Mar 26, 2008

Live in the mountains but don't sit at the bottom of the hill waiting for a turn. Always have a hill to go over to the next spot though.

Were you spanking the M7 before?

PM'ed you

Need help getting transfer out of the new '08 skids....

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