SLP Magnum Force Adjustable Weights
- Thread starter Bowtie496
- Start date
How are these working 8 to 10k elevation , anyone? lets get some saddle time logged.
Had a chance to run these weights today. The particulars of my sled and the conditions were as follows:
2017 174" Axys RMK with 7 hours at start of ride.
Elevation - 8-9k on the Utah/Idaho border near bear lake.
Snow conditions - 20" of fresh in the last 24 hours. 50" total on ground.
After receiving the weights I weighed them on my RCBS electronic scale. The base weight weighed between 60.08 and 60.13 grams, so they are very consistent but weighed slightly less than the 60.7 grams advertised by SLP. I don't consider this difference to be of any significance and I imagine that each set is slightly different, but it's obvious SLP sorts them so you are getting a balanced set. Each weight can be loaded with up to 6 set screws weighing 1.2 grams each, and a lock screw weighing .6 grams must be used unless the weight is ran bare. So for the first set screw you are adding 1.8 grams, and each successive set screw adds an addition 1.2 grams.
The set screws are very easy to change and since you don't remove the weight you can make a change in 5 minutes or less - approximately the same amount of time required to adjust the clickers on a Doo. This is because all adjustments are made from the heel of the weight.
With this convenience comes a downside. Each set screw must be bottomed out with the lock screw on top of the last set screw. Since adding or subtracting weight close to the tip has a much greater effect on peak RPM than weight added further back, there is a much bigger impact on peak RPM from the first set screw than from the 6th set screw, and there is no ability to customize the shift curve. When going from a 10-60 to a 10-62 weight (or 10-62 to 10-64 and so on) the additional 2 grams are spread over the length of the weight. When going from a bare Magnum Force weight to one set screw you are adding 1.8 grams and all of it is near the tip. This could be a problem if your riding at high altitude with a bare weight and your RPM is 100 too high, adding one set screw is going bring your RPM down by more than 100 RPM. This is why as has been previously mentioned the Dalton weights require the tip weight to be added independant from the mid and heel weight. The downside of the Dalton weight is that you have to remove the weight to add or subtract the weight from the tip.
As far as performance goes, I would say SLPs description earlier in this post is accurate. Keep in mind that my sled is in the middle of brake-in, so it was running noticeably stronger at the end of the day than at the first and I still have a ways to go to reach full power. The power curve is very predictable and it is easy to feather the throttle and control track spin in the trees. When you stab the throttle it accelerates hard. Seat of the pants says they do accelerate somewhat harder than the 10 series, but because my sled is still in break-in it's hard to say how much of the increase was due to the weights and how much was due to having more hours on the sled.
Bottom line, the weights work as advertised and offer easy adjustment without removing the weights. There is a downside to this convenience as previously discussed in that you have don't get an option of where on the weight to add or subtract weight. IMO, you will not see an increase in track speed when using this weight over whatever your currently using. SLP does not claim that you will see an increase in track speed, they only claim that you will see an increase in acceleration compared to 10 series weight. I tend to agree with this claim.
2017 174" Axys RMK with 7 hours at start of ride.
Elevation - 8-9k on the Utah/Idaho border near bear lake.
Snow conditions - 20" of fresh in the last 24 hours. 50" total on ground.
After receiving the weights I weighed them on my RCBS electronic scale. The base weight weighed between 60.08 and 60.13 grams, so they are very consistent but weighed slightly less than the 60.7 grams advertised by SLP. I don't consider this difference to be of any significance and I imagine that each set is slightly different, but it's obvious SLP sorts them so you are getting a balanced set. Each weight can be loaded with up to 6 set screws weighing 1.2 grams each, and a lock screw weighing .6 grams must be used unless the weight is ran bare. So for the first set screw you are adding 1.8 grams, and each successive set screw adds an addition 1.2 grams.
The set screws are very easy to change and since you don't remove the weight you can make a change in 5 minutes or less - approximately the same amount of time required to adjust the clickers on a Doo. This is because all adjustments are made from the heel of the weight.
With this convenience comes a downside. Each set screw must be bottomed out with the lock screw on top of the last set screw. Since adding or subtracting weight close to the tip has a much greater effect on peak RPM than weight added further back, there is a much bigger impact on peak RPM from the first set screw than from the 6th set screw, and there is no ability to customize the shift curve. When going from a 10-60 to a 10-62 weight (or 10-62 to 10-64 and so on) the additional 2 grams are spread over the length of the weight. When going from a bare Magnum Force weight to one set screw you are adding 1.8 grams and all of it is near the tip. This could be a problem if your riding at high altitude with a bare weight and your RPM is 100 too high, adding one set screw is going bring your RPM down by more than 100 RPM. This is why as has been previously mentioned the Dalton weights require the tip weight to be added independant from the mid and heel weight. The downside of the Dalton weight is that you have to remove the weight to add or subtract the weight from the tip.
As far as performance goes, I would say SLPs description earlier in this post is accurate. Keep in mind that my sled is in the middle of brake-in, so it was running noticeably stronger at the end of the day than at the first and I still have a ways to go to reach full power. The power curve is very predictable and it is easy to feather the throttle and control track spin in the trees. When you stab the throttle it accelerates hard. Seat of the pants says they do accelerate somewhat harder than the 10 series, but because my sled is still in break-in it's hard to say how much of the increase was due to the weights and how much was due to having more hours on the sled.
Bottom line, the weights work as advertised and offer easy adjustment without removing the weights. There is a downside to this convenience as previously discussed in that you have don't get an option of where on the weight to add or subtract weight. IMO, you will not see an increase in track speed when using this weight over whatever your currently using. SLP does not claim that you will see an increase in track speed, they only claim that you will see an increase in acceleration compared to 10 series weight. I tend to agree with this claim.
Seems like an offering of Brass / Bronze, Titanium, Aluminum, and plastic set screws would be advantageous to help with the shift curve, max RPM issues. Much like the old Thunder products weights with various screws / washers of varying materials and dimensions thus being able to tailor the characteristics to what was desired.
G
TP weights are still the best IMO but take more "effort" in the first couple of rides and an "unwrap" in your head that heavier is better.
Cutler weights were the ones that separated tip from mid-heel. Still a better mountain weight than Daltons IMO.
When working with Daltons I used spacers (aluminum, tungsten, lead) to alter weight bias. The SLP curve is different though and may not need this.
You can get set screws as short and light as .8 gr. and you can drill out the center of any set screw you want if you want to tinker.
Cutler weights were the ones that separated tip from mid-heel. Still a better mountain weight than Daltons IMO.
When working with Daltons I used spacers (aluminum, tungsten, lead) to alter weight bias. The SLP curve is different though and may not need this.
You can get set screws as short and light as .8 gr. and you can drill out the center of any set screw you want if you want to tinker.
D
What weight did you start with at this amount of hours and elevation?
Not knowing how the weights compared to 10 series, I started the day with 3 set screws and the lock screw, and this was way too heavy. By the end of the day I had dropped it to 1 set screw and the lock screw and this was pretty close. I was pulling 8200ish on the trail and 8000ish on a powder climb.
5/16-18
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Friday night fix.
Ordered
1 1/4"
1"
3/4"
1/2"
Setscrews.
1", 1/4" (with kit) and a lock makes 70 grams total.
Equal to a 75.5 gram mtx weight.
Response is quicker off idle.....
Backshift is noticeably better under load climbing.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My daltons do have a hole in the tip but are not threaded all the way so inserts cannot be threaded in from the tip, only the heel.
Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Tapatalk
B
Friday night fix.
Ordered
1 1/4"
1"
3/4"
1/2"
Setscrews.
1", 1/4" (with kit) and a lock makes 70 grams total.
Equal to a 75.5 gram mtx weight.
Response is quicker off idle.....
Backshift is noticeably better under load climbing.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Did you purchase the individual set screws or just buy some stock and cut to size? Would be nice to have that variety.
I bought setscrews.
More consistent for sure.
Total cost was $40 from mcmaster carr.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
B
I didn't buy stainless.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
On the Magnum Force weights, all of the set screws go in from the heel of the weight. All of the adjustment can be done with the weight in the clutch without having to compress the clutch.
The heavy heel design with the mass distribution profile of this weight is what really makes it stand out over other weights. It puts more shift force on the belt especially in the low to mid speed ranges rather than allowing the belt to slip on the clutch in those areas. This is where most riders spend the majority of their time, especially mountain riders. It is also the area that the clutch and belt contact surface area is smallest.
By allowing the weight in the drive clutch to do most of the work in initial shift, it allows us to utilize a less aggressive initial angle on the helix. We feel this is important because it provides better back shift and consistency. Also, with the new sleds having 2.6" to 3" lugs and lengths out to 174", backshift is more important than ever. On the Axys RMK models we are utilizing the stock straight 40 degree helix with these weights for that very reason.
In the field what you will notice with these weights is engagement is very smooth. Above engagement you get a more responsive feel that is extremely controllable. These weights make picking through tight technical terrain quite a bit easier. Also, in a drag race, these weights will pull out in front of a 10 series equipped sled about 1 to 2 lengths within the first 100 to 200 yards (obviously this is condition dependant, and this increase is assuming the conditions offer good traction).
And finally, the method of adjustment is easy allowing you to ride a wide variety of elevations throughout the winter with minimal time spent adjusting your weights.
Let us know if you have any further questions.
Jerry Mathews
Starting Line Products
(208)529-0244
<iframe width="1000" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bNfNY6_7LqE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Could you give us a comparision of the profile to a 10 series weight?
and also elaborate on the improvements over MTX weights.
Thanks
ttt Was wondering if anyone has any more seat time info on these wieghts? :face-icon-small-coo
Last edited:
Still running these SMF??
I didn't buy stainless.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
What is the advantage of the longer set screws? Are you unable to get the weight you want with what SLP provides?
