Now don't get me wrong, I love my XP and it does SO many things so well, but there has got to be some changes a guy can make to improve this one aspect. The steering effort required is just ridiculous. And yes, I am counter steering.... :face-icon-small-con Where the "other sleds just seem to lay right over the XP is just a fight all the way! Help! :face-icon-small-sho
Hi Yammy.
I just spent the last two winters with my 2009 Summit X with 146 track. Compared to the M8 Sno Pro, it is in fact different and at times more work to side hill. Here is what I have done to make it work for me and I can now do whatever I want with this sled.
First keep in mind that in deep snow, you can do what ever you want with this sled, so I am dealing with the changes I made to deal with handling when you only have a few inches like 4 or 5 inches of fresh snow over a solid base.
Part One - Sled Configuration
1 - I set my front Shocks at setting of 2. Setting of 1 and I bottom the shocks out too easily. Anything more than 2 and I find it makes it a little tougher to get over into the side hill position.
2 - I set the limiter strap at the last hole. This helps with the weight transfer, keeping in mind that you need to give power for this to happen. The 2010 Summit X has more holes but, I'm not sure that you can just add a longer strap with the 2009 suspension.
3. - I set the front shock pre-load on the Track to about 1.5 inches down from the top. The tighter you set it, once again, the more weight transfer to the track, but I find that if it is much tighter it is just too stiff for the type of riding and playing that I do.
4. - I weigh 190 lbs, and carry a backpack so I set the rear spring at a setting of 4.
5. - I reversed my front skis and also put them on the narrowest position. The 2009 Summit X skis have an outside keel, and of course you have probably experienced the sensation of getting into a side hill, and feeling the front skis kick back at you. Reversing them puts the keel on the inside and in effect kind of narrowing the skis even more. That way, when your uphill ski is slicing through the snow, the outside of the ski no longer has a keel kicking back with every little obstruction under the snow.
6. - I have set my handle bars slopped back at almost the same angle as the steering post that it is attached to. I find that contrary to an M8 Sno Pro where I can stand fairly close to the front, I have to step farther back on the running boards for the 2009 Summit X, so I need to angle the Steering back far enough so that I can do that without having to lean forward.
7. - I have quick disconnects to my sway bar and disconnect the bar most of the time.
Part Two - Technique
Once again, I am going to focus on side hilling in that shallow snow because in the deep stuff it's sooooo easy.
1. - If I'm heading up hill and setting the sled into a side hill position, it is very easy because you are applying Power which is the critical thing needed to get that track into the correct position. I just step with both feet on the uphill side, do the counter steer while applying power and step back slightly on the running boards. The Power, counter steer, and stepping back, helps with the weight transfer onto the track and gets you into position easily. Sometimes, I will just put one foot on the running boards and hang the other leg out the side. Now the 2009 Summit X has a habit of losing it's side hill if you ease off on the power too much, so my son showed me a pretty neat technique that helps me keep my track in position if I am slowing down or changing direction. With both feet on the running boards and me facing downhill with the uphill to my back I just slightly bend my knees. If I feel that the track is starting to fall to the downhill side, I just extend my legs fully. This action kind of resets the angle of the track again, and then I bend my knees again, should I have to do it again. Sometimes I will do that and step back on the running boards even further and it makes the whole sled track slide down a bit with the sled now facing uphill a bit, kind of like letting the track fall. This allows me to apply more power without having to increase my speed.
2. Doing a Downhill turn in
shallow snow, is the toughest technique to master on this sled. If you apply too much power, gravity and power want to keep you in a straight line. Here I will step even farther back on the running boards and slow the sled to a crawl. I use a combination of the counter steer, stepping back, some power and extending my bent knees and voila, I have the sled in position. I find that you need to be smooth with your technique, as you can not use brute force to get this sled to do what you want.
3. Carving on the flats, with this sled is all about steering and power. I straddle the seat, step back on the running boards and then apply power and counter steer to get the sled over on it's side.
Once you master this part of the Summit X Ski-Doo, everything else about this sled is great. The stability is, in my opinion a good thing when climbing and hitting other tracks or obstructions. It makes the sled predictable which I like. The suspension is awesome and in the deep stuff, it just rules. On my last day out, on a lake heading home after a day of ice fishing, I hit 100 mph with this sled. That's mph and not kph.
I'm gonna post a couple of links to a few YouTube Clips showing the way I do it for the three different areas I covered here, all in fairly shallow snow. I'm not a professional. This is just fun and a hobby for me so If I can do it at my age, anyone can.
Btw, I'm Sorry to say, I just sold my 2009 Summit X 146. I did a spring order for the 2011 Summit X Etec 800 154 Track.
YouTube Clips to Follow after I upload them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptEZxaderJ8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQHDXF26FP4
