Anyone actually confirmed that they switched to the extruded aluminum boards as standard or is it just another typical cat misrepresentation on their website?
Consensus on 858 Weight
- Thread starter boondocker97
- Start date
That's awesome. In some snow they're fine but it was really deep and they're aweful.
I'm curious to see what happens with the composite boards - if that's just somebody's bright idea that just doesn't work, or if somebody will figure it out already. You'd think there's as possibility of something lighter and less prone to snow/ice buildup, but it sounds like what Cat came up with aint it.
Ice sticks to them and they get slick. Holes are also half the size of the polaris boards. In lesser snow, people would think they're fine if they didn't break. I shook the sled and didn't realize the running board was against a tree so i didn't get stuck. That i how i broke them. Done it a million times with aluminum boards and no problem. They are too brittle. Add cold in the mix and they are as great as electric cars in Montana. Better options out there. Good of them to try it. Now throw them in the dumpster and chalk it up as experience.
P
Maybe I’ll take a saw to mine and see. They just really get clogged and the toe box area is solid ice. They don’t seem slippery without the snow but man it build up bad. Dunno but otherwise Iam getting better and I love mine in deep snow. It and I suck on whooped trails though.
dont know if my catalyst is 2.79 pounds heavier or lighter than the others but i know for a fact its the easiest sled ive ever ridden!!!!!!!!!!! got the first trip in and i love it. 154 with e start speedwerx trail can and a lightweight battery. plastic boards worked fine for me. buddies that rode it said the same thing that you just move your shoulders and it responds. with 40 more hp its going to be nothing short of amazing. wasnt just bashing a meadow either got in the tight steep trees with good snow and it was just sooooo easy ride and keep on a line or whip around a tree just effortless riding. had two skidoo 165 850s in the group (rentals) and not one out of the ten of us liked them. rode so heavy through the bars and didnt turn unless you wanted it to go straight. the polaris guys said the catalyst felt a lot like the 9r in the group. I like my cats but i still try to be objective and my opinion is it makes the ascender and the axys chassis feel like dinosours. the skidoo felt like riding a sheet of plywood with handlbars. 858 catalyst best sled on the snow next year.
I have these on my Ascender, Black Cat Running Boards. I had tube boards on my Proclimb. I prefer these over the tube boards. Great traction, seem as stiff as tube boards, clear easy, do not tear up my boots.
I'm hoping when they say 'extruded aluminum', they are referencing something similar to these that are replacing the plastic boards. I will ask for clarity on Saturday.
I'm hoping when they say 'extruded aluminum', they are referencing something similar to these that are replacing the plastic boards. I will ask for clarity on Saturday.
I have the same boards on my 19 Alpha and love them! I've had cat tube boards and B @ M fab tube boards on previous sleds and prefer these all day!
I also have the black cat boards above on one of my sleds. The only gripe I have is that they let a lot of ice build up in the footwell area. My other sled with tube boards doesn't because there's nothing really for it to sit on. So on that basis the Tube style would still be my pick.
I have the black cat boards on my current alpha as well. They’re not bad, but I find them kinda slippery on occasion. Had the older style cat tube boards on my last proclimb and aside from the plastic cleats I really liked them, so depending what actually shows up on the catalyst, the tube boards will probably still be on my radar.
Figuring out my snow check for the 858. Never ordered an electric start sled. Any idea of how much weight I would be adding with the ES. if I get a lighter lithium battery and ditch the heavy stock battery?
Z
15 lbs or less.
C
Pretty sure Cat has said ES adds 26 pounds, maybe it was 22. Anyways its more than 20 pounds that ES adds. Most of the weight is in the battery, so a lightweight lithium battery and you are good to go.
We’ve added starter and anti-gravity battery for less than 10 lbs.
I would guess 20 to 25 lbs. I think the Polaris is 25, Snowest weighed all of the components a few years ago on their project sled and 25 sticks in my mind. I don't really notice the weight, I haven't even installed my cv customs lightweight battery kit yet. I did add an HPS can which dropped a few lbs near the battery.
The Catalyst has the battery in the seat rather than under the hood, which will balance the weight much better than the Polaris, so I feel it would be even less noticeable. You can also throw a lightweight battery in and an aftermarket can and you lose most of the electric start weight.
i have e start on my catalyst and went with a lightweight noco battery and speedwerx trail can and figured to be about down to stock non es weight. I doubt i would have noticed the extra weight if i left it stock but gotta mod something right. i also think the battery being under the seat really hides the weight. fwiw i will never own a non es sled again. soooo nice to push the button instead of pull it 20 or more times a day.
You can cut that in half if you’d remember the damn kill switch first pull.
I thought cat claimed it was 22 pounds. The battery is quite a bit bigger than the polaris estart battery. It is at least cetered up and not on side like polaris. That is the other impressive thing about the catalyst. When you pull the seat and actually see where tank ends, it is at least 8 or 9 inches further forward than the matryx when sitting side by side.
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