Suspension Coupling

Arctic Thunder · Oct 18, 2012

Built my own rear suspension coupling blocks. I guess will see if it works.

Figured I would need something with the Twisted Race Gas kit.

So....

Thunder

summ8rmk · Oct 18, 2012

Curious. Have u ran the suspension through its full cycle with blocks? Was wondering if it wouldn't just stop travel with stock suspension geometry.

Arctic Thunder · Oct 18, 2012

It will stop the rear suspension travel as the rear skid is compressed. But once it hits the stops the front of the skid then must move up to allow the full travel of the skid. This is a pretty basic idea that has been around for years and years. Look back on the ZR sleds and the sno cross sleds, they have the same type of setup.

Main goal is to make the front and rear of the suspension travel together once you are on the stop. thus less transfer and keeping the front end down.

I hope.

Check this link out, might explain a bit.
http://teamfast.com/news/blog/blog-3-independent-vs-coupled-suspensions

Thunder

summ8rmk · Oct 19, 2012

I understand coupling. My question was, does it work on stock suspension arms/geometry. Sorry for the confusion.

Arctic Thunder · Oct 19, 2012

summ8rmk said:
I understand coupling. My question was, does it work on stock suspension arms/geometry. Sorry for the confusion.

I sure as heck hope so!!

Yes it will.

Thanks

Thunder

4Z · Oct 19, 2012

It will work.

Did the same thing on my older M skid. Doing it to my '12 skid for this season too.....

Nice thing about coupling (even on a stock sled) is you can run a lower initial spring rate to get it to be a little more supple in the pow and on the trail.
Had to re-valve the front shock and run the spring all the way lose as well. By the time I was done with the first skid, it rode and performed as good as any aftermarket skid.....

Below is the R&D skid. Not pretty, but functional for testing....

Clicky

stcatman · Oct 21, 2012

sure a nice clean fab job , like you say thunder cat started using blocks in 02 on the zr, still using them on the firecat, why not a mountain sled !!! my guess is the stocker works ok but throw 250 h.p. at it and it just collapses

Arctic Thunder · Oct 21, 2012

4Z said:
It will work.

Did the same thing on my older M skid. Doing it to my '12 skid for this season too.....

Nice thing about coupling (even on a stock sled) is you can run a lower initial spring rate to get it to be a little more supple in the pow and on the trail.
Had to re-valve the front shock and run the spring all the way lose as well. By the time I was done with the first skid, it rode and performed as good as any aftermarket skid.....

Below is the R&D skid. Not pretty, but functional for testing....

Clicky

Hey, nice coupler on your web site.

I am worried it is going to go from plush to holy $hit in a hurry on the trail. I plan to run the front spring as SOFT as I can just to let it be a bit softer. I hope it doesn't beat me to death.

Thanks for the web site and ideas.

And like Stcatman said. When you get 250+ hp it is going to walk up on the tail of the sled. and it will just collapse without some sort of suspension upgrade. No different than putting a block under the rear boggy's and pushing on the the bumper. Pretty easy to squat the suspenion all the way down. With the couplers in it will sink to the blocks then it gets tough. Should work to hold the front end down.

Thunder

m8magicandmystery · Oct 21, 2012

wow...good work fella's...!!!!!

Putzy · Nov 3, 2012

Looks good, was thinking of doing the same thing to my sled this winter. Where did you guys get the plastic from for the blocks? and are they adjustable? It looks like you can rotate the ones on Thunders to adjust the travel. How did you guys figure the distance between the arm and the blocks?

everytime5.9 · Nov 3, 2012

Putzy said:
Looks good, was thinking of doing the same thing to my sled this winter. Where did you guys get the plastic from for the blocks? and are they adjustable? It looks like you can rotate the ones on Thunders to adjust the travel. How did you guys figure the distance between the arm and the blocks?

I figured mine out by letting 4Z figure it out first :bounce:
If i were to do it again i would get the OVS Wheelie control.
http://www.ogdenvalleysports.com/suspension_101.html

The entire suspension/shocks setup needs to be addressed when adding a coupling system. Just coupling a stock setup limits the initial wheelie but can be a trencher. It is better than nothing.

Putzy · Nov 3, 2012

I had all my shocks revalved last year, which did help the trenching. I am going to a 3" track this year, so figured I might need something to help keep the front end down.

I imagine everything would need to be revalved again to account for the coupling?

Why would you go with the OVS one instead of making your own? not worth the time?

4Z · Nov 4, 2012

Putzy said:
Looks good, was thinking of doing the same thing to my sled this winter. Where did you guys get the plastic from for the blocks? and are they adjustable? It looks like you can rotate the ones on Thunders to adjust the travel. How did you guys figure the distance between the arm and the blocks?

I used Polaris xTra 10 blocks (they were used on all sleds up to the early 2000's and all over the place) they are adjustable but smaller amounts than the ones Martin fab'd. 5.9 is right though, you cannot just toss in some blocks (where I started) if you want it to get max benefit out of this mod. You need to be able to tune your shocks as well. Many might find by making spring adjustments alone will make it better than stock. With or without boost.

scoop · Nov 5, 2012

coupling susp

wow cool idea guys... I wish I would have tried this on my ole king cat 975, That bitch would just double up the susp when it was putting the power down. I tried alot of adjustments and parts, but couldnt harness the transfer. It had alot of miles on her, and the huge power I ended up with out of the motor. found every week spot in the susp. Broken swing arms, axles, rails, many bolts.... on and on. Every ride would produce more broken susp items. I finally bought my m1000 and sold the beast to a friend(who weighed like 125lbs) and he had a front/rear shock system that worked off each other, it turn I believe it coupled the susp too, off of one of his m7 hill climb suspensions. It worked well to. Dont know about on a turbo but was a huge inprovement over the stock susp....It was a arctic cat race shock setup, anyways good idea Martin let us know how it works....

charlie99 · Nov 5, 2012

Just wondering how it would work if you run a front air shock with the rear float might be a little easier to adjust

WyoBoy1000 · Nov 5, 2012

Should help, but with that shorter rear arm its still going to wheelie pretty good. Need to extend that rear arm, also take it easy on landing on the tail since there is that much skid still hanging out the back, if it does collapse hard it could noodle it.

Arctic Thunder · Dec 27, 2012

WyoBoy1000 said:
Should help, but with that shorter rear arm its still going to wheelie pretty good. Need to extend that rear arm, also take it easy on landing on the tail since there is that much skid still hanging out the back, if it does collapse hard it could noodle it.

How much longer is the Kmod rear arm? I bet it isn't more than 1.5" longer than the stocker is it?

I also noticed on the Kmod the vertical section of the suspension is shorter than the stock one. The pivot point is above the rails. So the geometry is a bit different.

I think the Kmod is the way to go. But when your on a budget, you do what you got'a do.

Thunder

WyoBoy1000 · Dec 27, 2012

Front and rear arm are same length and rear is relocated

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