After all the benefits I have gained from reading long threads and posts from everyone on SnoWest, I just want to make a post about my experience with the changes I have made to my sled. First off, a big THANK YOU to all those with great knowledge and experience who share that here. I would also like to add that I have 750 trouble free miles on my Polaris "that-engine-is-guarenteed-to-blowup-like-the-deathstar" Pro RMK. Everyone always says, "yea polaris has a great chasis but I just dont want to deal with the engine trouble". I personally, out of the 7 or 8 guys who have Pros I ride with, have yet to see anyone have any engine related issues. Knock on wood.
ZBros 36" Front End
So I purchased my 2014 pro towards the end of last season. Was able to put about 200 miles on the sled completely stock, only removing the swaybar. During the offseason, I installed the Z-Bros 36" front end, complete with their dual rate spring coils for the stock WE shocks. This setup does not allow you to run a swaybar, which is fine with me since I hadnt been running it prior.
PROS:
The benefits of the narrow front end are huge in my opinion. For the riding I like to do it is a no brainer. It allows the sled to feel so much more "tippy", which at first is weird. Once you get used to how easily the sled will lay over and react, you can make the sled do the work and takes less left to right movement on the sled to initiate and maintain off camber maneuvers. I spend more time in a normal stance on the sled, and less time jumping from side to side. Also, you can sneak between those tight trees you normally had to go around!
CONS:
This sled is a terrible trail sled. Wants to roll to the high side in corners, wants to tip you over, just not set up for trail bombing. I am fine with this. Cant run swaybar for those who like to. Stock WE shocks are not setup for the narrow front end. You need to grind a chunk off the spindle (I was dumb and powdercoated the spindles before I had to grind off part of the spindle, hey, nothing a fat Sharpie cant fix!)
Kurts Gear Down Kit
I rode my sled with only the narrow front end for 400 miles this season before I installed the kurts gear down kit. They recommend a 100 mile break in on the new belt before you really hammer it, I tried to do that as best I could. I also only installed the gear down, did not install the clutch kit kurts recommends. I definitely recommend getting the install tools, tried to do without them, real pain in the ***, could be done, but I gave up after struggling for 1 beer time.
PROS:
The new 2.41 ratio is supposed to utilize the stock polaris clutches better. The main benefit I notice is the snappier throttle response. Same as regearing my dirt bike and pickup, there is more bottom end power, overall torqueier (I dont think thats a word) behavior. I have always liked the feel of a lower geared dirt bike so I figured gearing down the Pro would be just as good. I notice that it pulls harder and lifts the front end more. I also notice that I can really start to trench out and with a pin and wiggle maneuver, the sled seems to pop out much easier. I have also seen benefits when using the brake and throttle at the same time, much as if you would pop the clutch on a dirt bike, you can pop the brake and get the track to set and hook up better. The overall fun level has gone up, the sled wheelies more than before, but it is never an out of control turbo wheelie. Another huge benefit I have been very pleased with is the increase in engine braking. One thing that always makes me pucker is coming down steep descents and feeling of moving too fast and out of control. The lower gear definitely helps the engine take more load when descending and allows for more control because you are only a tiny throttle blip away from getting the track to set, if need be. Kurts claims that you will see ~5 mph track speed increase. I believe that to be true. It definitely pulls harder climbing. I have never looked at the speedo to see where I am running so I cant confirm a 5 mph increase.
CONS:
I lose when I try and race my buddies on the trail. I definitely noticed that the sled lost some top end speed. But like I described for the narrow front end and the trail characteristics, I could careless about doing 70 mph down the trail. I did notice that running down the trail I was seeing slightly higher temps (went from 120s to 130s), not really an issue, just something I noticed. Temps appear to stay the same when in the deep stuff.
Overall, this sled stock is unbelievable for riding technical terrain. With the couple changes I have made, it is even easier to navigate off camber trees.
I threw this video together last night from the first 2 days of riding the sled after the 100 mile (or so :face-icon-small-win) break-in period on the new kurts belt.
Workday Rant:
As I sit here staring at a computer working for the man, I cant help but wish I was hitting the recent snow at rabbit ears. I have heard a lot of people talk about the poor snow year and complain about conditions and make that an excuse not to ride. I will admit, this year is definitely lacking those deep powder days, but I have had an absolute blast every day I have been out riding this year. I can remember last year saying "Man, I am sick of riding deep snow, I wish we had some setup snow to climb trees and ride steeper terrain." Then a couple weeks ago I find myself saying, "Man, I am sick of riding this setup snow and climbing hills, I want to ride bottomless deep powder and mash some meadows." I guess we have become snow snobs.
-Ryan
ZBros 36" Front End
So I purchased my 2014 pro towards the end of last season. Was able to put about 200 miles on the sled completely stock, only removing the swaybar. During the offseason, I installed the Z-Bros 36" front end, complete with their dual rate spring coils for the stock WE shocks. This setup does not allow you to run a swaybar, which is fine with me since I hadnt been running it prior.
PROS:
The benefits of the narrow front end are huge in my opinion. For the riding I like to do it is a no brainer. It allows the sled to feel so much more "tippy", which at first is weird. Once you get used to how easily the sled will lay over and react, you can make the sled do the work and takes less left to right movement on the sled to initiate and maintain off camber maneuvers. I spend more time in a normal stance on the sled, and less time jumping from side to side. Also, you can sneak between those tight trees you normally had to go around!
CONS:
This sled is a terrible trail sled. Wants to roll to the high side in corners, wants to tip you over, just not set up for trail bombing. I am fine with this. Cant run swaybar for those who like to. Stock WE shocks are not setup for the narrow front end. You need to grind a chunk off the spindle (I was dumb and powdercoated the spindles before I had to grind off part of the spindle, hey, nothing a fat Sharpie cant fix!)
Kurts Gear Down Kit
I rode my sled with only the narrow front end for 400 miles this season before I installed the kurts gear down kit. They recommend a 100 mile break in on the new belt before you really hammer it, I tried to do that as best I could. I also only installed the gear down, did not install the clutch kit kurts recommends. I definitely recommend getting the install tools, tried to do without them, real pain in the ***, could be done, but I gave up after struggling for 1 beer time.
PROS:
The new 2.41 ratio is supposed to utilize the stock polaris clutches better. The main benefit I notice is the snappier throttle response. Same as regearing my dirt bike and pickup, there is more bottom end power, overall torqueier (I dont think thats a word) behavior. I have always liked the feel of a lower geared dirt bike so I figured gearing down the Pro would be just as good. I notice that it pulls harder and lifts the front end more. I also notice that I can really start to trench out and with a pin and wiggle maneuver, the sled seems to pop out much easier. I have also seen benefits when using the brake and throttle at the same time, much as if you would pop the clutch on a dirt bike, you can pop the brake and get the track to set and hook up better. The overall fun level has gone up, the sled wheelies more than before, but it is never an out of control turbo wheelie. Another huge benefit I have been very pleased with is the increase in engine braking. One thing that always makes me pucker is coming down steep descents and feeling of moving too fast and out of control. The lower gear definitely helps the engine take more load when descending and allows for more control because you are only a tiny throttle blip away from getting the track to set, if need be. Kurts claims that you will see ~5 mph track speed increase. I believe that to be true. It definitely pulls harder climbing. I have never looked at the speedo to see where I am running so I cant confirm a 5 mph increase.
CONS:
I lose when I try and race my buddies on the trail. I definitely noticed that the sled lost some top end speed. But like I described for the narrow front end and the trail characteristics, I could careless about doing 70 mph down the trail. I did notice that running down the trail I was seeing slightly higher temps (went from 120s to 130s), not really an issue, just something I noticed. Temps appear to stay the same when in the deep stuff.
Overall, this sled stock is unbelievable for riding technical terrain. With the couple changes I have made, it is even easier to navigate off camber trees.
I threw this video together last night from the first 2 days of riding the sled after the 100 mile (or so :face-icon-small-win) break-in period on the new kurts belt.
Workday Rant:
As I sit here staring at a computer working for the man, I cant help but wish I was hitting the recent snow at rabbit ears. I have heard a lot of people talk about the poor snow year and complain about conditions and make that an excuse not to ride. I will admit, this year is definitely lacking those deep powder days, but I have had an absolute blast every day I have been out riding this year. I can remember last year saying "Man, I am sick of riding deep snow, I wish we had some setup snow to climb trees and ride steeper terrain." Then a couple weeks ago I find myself saying, "Man, I am sick of riding this setup snow and climbing hills, I want to ride bottomless deep powder and mash some meadows." I guess we have become snow snobs.
-Ryan
