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154 Alpha With Elevate

R
Dec 8, 2018
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Just got a 2020 154 Alpha and looking at putting the elevate kit on it. Just wanting to hear people’s experiences. Is a 154 to squirrelly with the elevate kit?
 

turboless terry

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It is until you get used to it. Never rode it stock. Rode my 19 165 stock. Just remember thinking you could fly through the trees, on a track in deep snow, and stick to it like glue on 165. The elevate 154 not so much. Had a few days i couldn't make it go where I wanted in deep snow. That or it wanted to flip. I finally got used to it. I do have my front full narrow which is another learning curve from centered. Funnest sled ever but is squirrely and really quick to react. When playing in the trees i just keep the front going where I want and the back does its thing. Usually works out. The one thing i love about the 165 was how it pulled out of a hole that others wouldn't and how you could back out of a stuck. The 154 won't back up in deep snow like the 165. Never seen a sled back up in deep snow until the alpha. The elevate helps a bunch. Stops them from diving. Probably one of the better things you can do to an alpha.
 

dgibbons

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Jan 23, 2012
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I love mine. I left front skid in stock location my first ride (last season was stock spindles and setup) and felt no noticeable difference. Fully elevated now per Ice Age recommendation with 210 lb RTS spring and Stingray mods FTS spring, revalved by Gas Shock Repair. Like Terry notes, it is squirrely, but don't think it's much different than stock 154. Need to stay on top of it, play with shock settings and you will enjoy it. It is tougher to control in the real steep tech trees though (I'm referring to Alpha in general). I think the elevate helps sled get on top of the snow quick and feel like there are less stucks than before as well.
 

Frostbite

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I read all the reviews I could find on this subject before buying mine. I remember one review that said the 154" Alpha with the Elevate kit was the most fun sled he had ever ridden BUT you had to be on your A game every minute of the ride or it would ride you!
 

BlueDevil

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Oct 19, 2013
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Boy that doesn’t sound too fun??? Jokes. I too am curious on this elevate kit??? I’m liking the alpha so far but don’t know what I’ll change with the kit? Does the good out weigh the bag? If any ????
 

Chewy22

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Boy that doesn’t sound too fun??? Jokes. I too am curious on this elevate kit??? I’m liking the alpha so far but don’t know what I’ll change with the kit? Does the good out weigh the bag? If any ????
If you have OEM hard core coil shocks the biggest issue is changing out the rear suspension springs as per Iceage's recommendations.
 
7
Mar 7, 2017
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West Bend, WI
It is until you get used to it. Never rode it stock. Rode my 19 165 stock. Just remember thinking you could fly through the trees, on a track in deep snow, and stick to it like glue on 165. The elevate 154 not so much. Had a few days i couldn't make it go where I wanted in deep snow. That or it wanted to flip. I finally got used to it. I do have my front full narrow which is another learning curve from centered. Funnest sled ever but is squirrely and really quick to react. When playing in the trees i just keep the front going where I want and the back does its thing. Usually works out. The one thing i love about the 165 was how it pulled out of a hole that others wouldn't and how you could back out of a stuck. The 154 won't back up in deep snow like the 165. Never seen a sled back up in deep snow until the alpha. The elevate helps a bunch. Stops them from diving. Probably one of the better things you can do to an alpha.

What did you like your shocks set at? I have a 21’ 154 mountain cat(floats) with elevate. I’m heading west on my first trip with it next weekend. I’m 170lbs without gear
 

turboless terry

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Mine is a hardcore with springs. My 19 was a i65 with floats and without elevate so can't say. I did have my fts at 70 and my rear at probably 125. Seems it came at 150. Just not a fair comparison
 

richardderkevorkian

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I have a 19 hard core

It's converted to a 154 Alpha elevate with the 2.6 2.86 pitch track and gripper skis

Most fun sled I've ever ridden, it is extremely squirrely though. If you are not an aggressive/above average rider I would not recommend it. I can absolutely fly through the trees with this thing, it takes almost no effort to turn/carve/pull a 180 turnaround when you find a dead end.

I Tried it with the 3.5 pitch 3'' track and I feel like it is more predictable with the 2.86 pitch track.
 

WyoBoy1000

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21 hardcore 154. Didn't like it stock. Boards hit the snow to soon.
Dropped skid into lower holes.
Dropped a arm shock bolt 8mm.
Absolute blast to ride.
It really helps the balance point without the elevate spindles.
But lots of wash outs, flipped over several times.
Have to really let up and use brake a lot to prevent wash out.
Then put a kmod on it. It's the funnest sled I've ever rode.
I stay centered and pull technical lines and only switch to wrong foot forward if there is a slow speed obstacle. Which I prob don't need to.
The kmod made the mono rail work and stopped wash so far.
We'll see what it does on boost.
Tree riding, omg is fun.
Dominated Polaris's on sidehills and climbs and kept up pretty well with 850t's.
I'm going to test boost, but I'm thinking this with a diet and stage 2 will be my ultimate package.
Maybe some chassis mods to come, little time. Hope to ride more.
 

dgibbons

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Jan 23, 2012
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21 hardcore 154. Didn't like it stock. Boards hit the snow to soon.
Dropped skid into lower holes.
Dropped a arm shock bolt 8mm.
Absolute blast to ride.
It really helps the balance point without the elevate spindles.
But lots of wash outs, flipped over several times.
Have to really let up and use brake a lot to prevent wash out.
Then put a kmod on it. It's the funnest sled I've ever rode.
I stay centered and pull technical lines and only switch to wrong foot forward if there is a slow speed obstacle. Which I prob don't need to.
The kmod made the mono rail work and stopped wash so far.
We'll see what it does on boost.
Tree riding, omg is fun.
Dominated Polaris's on sidehills and climbs and kept up pretty well with 850t's.
I'm going to test boost, but I'm thinking this with a diet and stage 2 will be my ultimate package.
Maybe some chassis mods to come, little time. Hope to ride more.
That's good to hear, will be interested to follow the build. I have a 19 with stage 2 in my garage and it flat runs. I need to ride a well setup turbo again, but the stage 2 is hard to beat IMO. Do you have any pictures of the shock bolt relocation? Trying to picture what you did here. Would be awesome to test out your setup with the KMOD some time.
 

Suzzy-Q

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. Boards hit the snow to soon.
Dropped skid into lower holes.
Dropped a arm shock bolt 8mm.

Good to hear some positive things before I pull the trigger on things lol. I’m in the middle of doing this to my 17 MC. My 2012 had longer shocks in the front and dropped skid/FTS and I loved the feel of it. I played around all season last year on the lower skid mounts but feel it’s best combined with some kinda front end lift. It looked like a pain in the ass to relocate the upper shock mount so I think I’m gonna mod where it mounts to the a-arm and manipulate it that way.
 

Suzzy-Q

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Then put a kmod on it. It's the funnest sled I've ever rode.
I stay centered and pull technical lines and only switch to wrong foot forward if there is a slow speed obstacle. Which I prob don't need to.
The kmod made the mono rail work and stopped wash so far.

What about the k-mod “mono” set up solves the washout? This is interesting to hear for sure. Keep er comin Wyo, lol I’ve been enjoying your sled input for years now lol
 

Wheel House Motorsports

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Should note mine's a 2020 154 Hardcore

See iceage notes about skid shock swap. Essential mods when elevating that specific sled. the OEM shock spring/valving combo is VERY challanging stock and elevate doesn't make it better. FTS and RTS spring swap makes a world of difference too, even on a stocker.
 

dgibbons

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See iceage notes about skid shock swap. Essential mods when elevating that specific sled. the OEM shock spring/valving combo is VERY challanging stock and elevate doesn't make it better. FTS and RTS spring swap makes a world of difference too, even on a stocker.

Agreed, that’s what my first post said just above it, I was just clarifying my sled in the post you quoted for anyone looking for similar setups. I used their recommendations and swapped the RTS spring and already had the SR FTS spring along with revalve on all four sled shocks. Really like my setup currently.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
7
Mar 7, 2017
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West Bend, WI
Still learning, have been riding deep snow in steep areas. I’m 170 lbs 154 21 mountain cat with elevate
Skis 70, FTS 40 psi RTS 135. Feel like there’s too much transfer, skis in the air in the deep. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’m a beginner yet..
 

Suzzy-Q

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Dec 2, 2007
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Mackenzie B.C. Canada
Still learning, have been riding deep snow in steep areas. I’m 170 lbs 154 21 mountain cat with elevate
Skis 70, FTS 40 psi RTS 135. Feel like there’s too much transfer, skis in the air in the deep. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’m a beginner yet..


My .02 as the alpha rail doesn’t seem to like bottom out in the front of the rail. I would start increasing the RTS in 5-10# increments until you find where it doesn’t wheelie outta control. Then if you feel it’s made the steering feel hard or the sled just doesn’t wanna pop up over something quite enough, then start adding a touch to the FTS. Tweak in 2-5# increments when you feel it’s “close.” Also be aware of your position on the sled while climbing, foot position forward or backwards 6” can be huge. Are your arms straight back and your leaning back on the climb vs being pulled up tight to the bars keeping your weight forward, etc. Because it’s a “shorter” sled these things are all more exaggerated vs the 160-170” tracks
 
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