• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

Sticking With The Proclimb

boondocker97

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 30, 2008
4,053
2,764
113
Billings MT
So the build season is upon us. Who is still "investing" in their old proclimb for one more year (or more), and what are the planned upgrades? I'm going to be on my 2014 for at least one or two more seasons. Here's the list of how it sits now front to back:

-PP skis
-Hubs front bumper
-38" '16+ front end geometry with Zbroz uppers and Fox Float X Evol shocks valved to my liking.
-BDX hood, intake, headlight delete (old style)
-Pulled in side panels
-900 BMP 197hp full motor kit + PCV with Timing
-Oil injection delete
-Diamond S Ti quiet can with muff pot
-2018 Primary clutch, MDS weights, Tied secondary, 2015 jackshaft
-2017 mountain cat tunnel and lower bulkhead with the lower driveshaft position and new upper chassis spars
-Arctic Cat Pro-Mtn running boards with outer screw traction.
-TKI Belt Drive geared 2.52, BDX lightweight trackshaft (old steel version), 8T drivers
-162 2.6 PC track
-Gen II Kmod with Raptor shocks and Ti arms.
-ROX chromoly handlebars, 6" riser, HCR style vertical post, stock controls, TKI brake protector, Canada Sled Parts steering Bushings, tether
-BDX/WRP low seat sitting on top of a Trail Tank
-PDP trimmed flap w/strap and stock tail light
-Wrap of my liking

The entire chassis is basically one year old now since I fully rebuilt the sled from the ground up and has 700 miles on it. The engine, pipe, fuel system and electrical have 2000 miles on them. Clutches have maybe 200 miles on them. Sled weighed 540 full of fluids with a pretty full tool kit and spare primary and drive belts. The wrap vinyl after application was 2.2lb and upgrading to the team clutches was 1.6lb. Plus the TKI brake protector should be 544lb. Before the season starts here's what it's going to get:

-Pistons
-Reeds
-New 3" PC track I have sitting in the shop (-2lb)
-Update skid to Gen III geometry

I have some other ideas depending on what I can muster for a budget and what I can find for Cat salvage parts. They include:
- 2017 Mountain Cat TCL plate (-0.75lb)
- BDX Ti jackshaft (-2lb)
- Aluminum Cat driveshaft (-2lb)
- BDX superlite rotor (-1.15lb)
- New cat brake setup (-1.3?)
- Alt Impact lower Ti arms (-3lb?)
- Alt Impact front end and ski bolts (-1.5lb?)
- Try some gripper skis (-3lb?) New chassis geometry and Kmod are making the PPs feel a little too aggressive now.
- Center drill my frame spar inserts (-0.75lb)
- Speedwerx lightened secondary spider (-.75)
- Ditch my tail light and that aftermarket flap I wasted money on (-1.5lb)
- Clean up my handlebar controls (-0.25lb)

If I can get all that done I'll shave off another 20lb for a theoretical RTR weight of 524lb. Not bad for a big wide 162 with a big fuel cell. I do realize that all the additional stuff would be non recoverable dollars spent. I think I can do it for $2k (about the same as a year of depreciation on a sled).
 
Last edited:

sno*jet

Well-known member
Premium Member
Dec 13, 2007
2,820
1,283
113
on my MC i think i would do the new bodywork through bdx and narrow it up to the new standards, getting rid of the big oil tank same time with a belt drive kit.
i think a nimble feel is as important as the actual weight. but thats if i kept my proclimb...
you might be able to swap your ski bottoms for mohawks and use your existing mounts/tips/skegs? just a thought.
just think, in a couple years you can probably get your hands on the new motor pretty easily too if you want that low end snap. the beauty of these sleds really- upgrade whatever you want as you go.
 

Big10inch

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Mar 11, 2018
926
888
93
Since I crashed and had to have my 17 MC completely rebuilt last spring, I will be on it again for this season. Only mod so far is a lighter can. I will be ordering up the BDX chaincase cover with plastic oil tank though to replace that metal monstrosity they come with. If I like how the Alpha rides I would do the conversion with a belt drive and maybe ride it another season yet. By then we should know how the new motor is going to hold up. That is probably the extent of the mods I will ever do on the sled though. I am not a huge fan of wrenching on them and like how well the stock ones ride right out of the box these days.
 

Vern

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jun 14, 2004
2,454
1,284
113
hyrum utah
I'll be sticking with my '14 for a few more years as well. It doesn't have quite the list you have but it has the necessities. Skinny boards, pulled in panels, diamond s can, 38" '16 geometry front end, newer pc skis, track mod on the 2.6. think that's the majority of it. Only thing I'm planning this year as of now is adding the jaws single pipe for a bit more oomph. Possibly a new top end as she's sitting at 2700+ miles on the original at the moment, not sure on that one though.
 

boondocker97

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 30, 2008
4,053
2,764
113
Billings MT
on my MC i think i would do the new bodywork through bdx and narrow it up to the new standards, getting rid of the big oil tank same time with a belt drive kit.
i think a nimble feel is as important as the actual weight. but thats if i kept my proclimb...
you might be able to swap your ski bottoms for mohawks and use your existing mounts/tips/skegs? just a thought.
just think, in a couple years you can probably get your hands on the new motor pretty easily too if you want that low end snap. the beauty of these sleds really- upgrade whatever you want as you go.

Very possible on the motor. Good thought for if my crank ever goes. Riding my dad's stock 2018 MC back to back with mine having the new clutch is pretty similar on the bottom end. Which is saying alot about the new engine stock. The ctec revs a little quicker too. The 900 has more mid and top once it gets spooled and carries 10mph more track speed in deep heavy snow. My bottom end crispness has been going downhill this last season. Hoping the reeds are the culprit.. Swapping the ski bottoms is a good thought too. Probably cost the same as getting a take off set of grippers. I was leaning towards them since I know they are quite a bit lighter and apparently handle well.

Forgot to add a recent pic of the ol' girl!
picture.php
 
Last edited:

kiliki

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 27, 2008
13,210
2,393
113
Nampa, Idaho
I put 2600 miles on my BMp 900 end they like reads every 1400 miles if you lose the bottom end crispness give them a look.
Just put a 19 mountain cat in the shop so my 16 is going out the door
 
E
Dec 24, 2011
179
32
28
Yakima wa
I’m sticking with my proclimbs for at least 2 more seasons as well. I have a 13 pro lite 900 down to 400 lbs dry. Putting a few more upgrades on like 36 front end, and dialing in my kmod skid. Can’t wait to see what it does tho
 

boondocker97

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 30, 2008
4,053
2,764
113
Billings MT
I’m sticking with my proclimbs for at least 2 more seasons as well. I have a 13 pro lite 900 down to 400 lbs dry. Putting a few more upgrades on like 36 front end, and dialing in my kmod skid. Can’t wait to see what it does tho

Are you running the dropped driveshaft? Gen II or Gen III kmod?
 
E
Dec 24, 2011
179
32
28
Yakima wa
Are you running the dropped driveshaft? Gen II or Gen III kmod?

It does not have the dropped drove shaft. The sled only has 600 miles on it and has sat for the past couple years. I’ve only rode it twice so far. It has the gen 2 k mod I’ll see how I like it. If I don’t I might just put a 16 skid on it. I also want to throw a team tied secondary on it
 

boondocker97

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 30, 2008
4,053
2,764
113
Billings MT
It does not have the dropped drove shaft. The sled only has 600 miles on it and has sat for the past couple years. I’ve only rode it twice so far. It has the gen 2 k mod I’ll see how I like it. If I don’t I might just put a 16 skid on it. I also want to throw a team tied secondary on it

Judging how mine handles I'd say it will be more maneuverable mounted in the 2013 skid location. I can't try that location on mine or the front of the rails will be in the drivers. I already have problems with them trying to eat the limiter straps when they go slack when the suspension cycles. :face-icon-small-dis I've got a line on a takeout 2016 limited skid as well and a set of QS3/QSL shocks from a 2018 Mountain Cat. If I can't get the Kmod dialed to my liking I'll probably go that route too.

Talked to Bikeman on the phone last week and they're telling me to run up to 3500 miles on my pistons as long as I haven't been ingesting snow through the intake. So might not have to go down that road just yet! We'll see how the skirts look when I pull the exhaust to do the reeds.

Seems the Mohawk skis require different loops from the Powder Pros too. Really torn between trying those and grippers at this point.
 
D
Jan 2, 2009
86
43
18
Coquitlam, BC
If I can get all that done I'll shave off another 20lb for a theoretical RTR weight of 524lb. Not bad for a big wide 162 with a big fuel cell. I do realize that all the additional stuff would be non recoverable dollars spent. I think I can do it for $2k (about the same as a year of depreciation on a sled).

Might just be me, but if you are going to throw all that money in a sled that is non-recoverable, I would simply get a newer sled. Warranty, new tech, etc, etc. I guess if you like spending the summer wrenching, then all good I guess.
 

sno*jet

Well-known member
Premium Member
Dec 13, 2007
2,820
1,283
113
J

Seems the Mohawk skis require different loops from the Powder Pros too. Really torn between trying those and grippers at this point.

I drilled new holes to make old style loop work. its close but it works. I like the older loops better.
 

boondocker97

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 30, 2008
4,053
2,764
113
Billings MT
Might just be me, but if you are going to throw all that money in a sled that is non-recoverable, I would simply get a newer sled. Warranty, new tech, etc, etc. I guess if you like spending the summer wrenching, then all good I guess.

I can see your point for sure, but this one is already paid for, has a lot of personal preference things already done that won't come on a new one, and has the latest tech other than the motor and alpha skid that I'm unsure about still.

Got my jackshaft, 2018 driveshaft and complete brake assembly, motor plate, and possibly some 2019 cat skis to try. A-arms and controls parts are on order and should have this week or next week. Going to be a busy couple weeks waiting for the snow to pile up a little more. I'll try to weigh everything replaced and report back.
 

Castforcash

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jan 17, 2016
194
136
43
54
I have a 15 and I plan on keeping it for a while. Only mods I've done are a lighter can, barcode front with grippers. I am ditching the bikeman can for something quiter, the bikeman is just obnoxious. I would also like to add the lightweight chaincase cover and plastic oil tank. How did you guys go about pulling your front panels in? Is there a kit for this? The barcode front end made a huge difference and I really like the grippers. Only con to the grippers is that they throw snow in your face big time when carving turns.
 

boondocker97

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 30, 2008
4,053
2,764
113
Billings MT
There's no kit that I know of to pull the pannels in. Just kind of have to push them in where you think they fit best, mark and drill some new holes in the plastic belly pans, and rivet back on. If you only push the bottom in it kinda keeps the side panel lined up. I liked the way it looked with the top and bottom of the pan pushed in and used a couple extra pins and thick weatherstripping to seal the gaps. I have some pics that I'll try to upload. Post 100 in this thread has my lower belly pan pics https://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=416331&page=4

Only other options are BDX plastic kit or Cat Acsender plastic conversion.
 
Last edited:
Premium Features