Difference in Front Skis

[jrmcmichael]

Could someone post a side-by-side picture of Yeti and Timbertsled front skis?
Is it simple to switch from Yeti to Timbersled front ski? Or is the entire mount different?
What ski is best in powder? Frozen crust? Groomed Snowmobile trails?

Thank you!

 

[jrmcmichael]

On the side-by-side picture, if you could show the BOTTOM of the ski?

 

[Norma Stitz]

Very easy to switch them, they take same mounting. The shapes are quite different. Yeti gives more float, better carve, and superior groomer and packed snow performance, at the expense of some HP in deep snow, and terrible crusty behavior. The Traverse ski is the best all-mountain ski. It’s a compromise in some degree, but it just works on everything.
I believe that the yeti works so well in pow because it has a “waist” that keeps snow under it. However, this waist also compresses snow on sides and robs HP in the process. I have not tried the cmx ski but it looks to me that they stole the yeti design but eliminated or reduced the waist.

when I had yeti ski there were days where the crust made the bike almost unridable, like it had a mind of its own, while the TS guys couldn’t even tell there was a crust. But when the yeti ski is happy, it’s the best I’ve tried. If racing on a circuit, no question it’s the best. We get crust a lot though, so for me the traverse ski is best. It’s also the cheapest.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I was just quoted $500 for a traverse ski (on backorder) and bought a yeti ski instead for $430.00 at the local dealer.

Traverse is easier to steer and forgiving in crust. (Not as good as the 10” ts backcountry ski)

Yeti ski will always hook the snow in a carve and will not skip or wash out mid turn like the backcountry ski or traverse ski.

 

[2smokin]

I was just quoted $500 for a traverse ski (on backorder) and bought a yeti ski instead for $430.00 at the local dealer.

Traverse is easier to steer and forgiving in crust. (Not as good as the 10” ts backcountry ski)

Yeti ski will always hook the snow in a carve and will not skip or wash out mid turn like the backcountry ski or traverse ski.

Riding with a buddy who has a cmx (yeti ish looking ski) in the deep its pretty darn obvious how much harder he can carve, its quite literally because the traverse stays clear on top which is nice in different ways.

 

[JimBridger]

I know this is an old thread, but can I run a ts spindle on a yeti kit and still be able to balance it? As in ski pressure/climbing performance?

Reason I ask is buddy blew apart his spindle yesterday and wants to ride soon, but yeti parts are a couple weeks out.

I have a "s" spindle or a regular spindle. Seems like the yeti spindle height is between the two.

 

[eric82930]

The longer ts spindle should be close enough to the same length as a yeti, ideally you would slide the forks up or down to compensate or adjust the strut rod if you have one but if it's temporary just run it.

 

[kempmechanics]

Don’t bother get yourself a cmx spindle that is in stock and don’t look back same specs as the yeti spindle

 

[dooman92]

Somewhere in this forum we had an additional discussion on skis that had alot of similar info. Fwiw, I had about 20 hours on a mototrax ski, 300 hrs on ts backcountry, 300 hrs on yeti and 80 or so on a yeti like cmx ski. Don't remember much about mtrax ski. The backcountry was a good overall ski, just not quite as good in the deep or on the trail as the yeti or cmx. the backcountry washed out in deep a bit sooner and not quite as stable on trail. But, no dangerous crust behavior of the yeti and easier to turn than the cmx. For me the cmx offers the best trail and deep performance with none of the dangerous crust behavior but, it takes more steering input to turn the ski than any of the others. If I was 20 years younger and the extra effort to turn the cmx didn't wear me out, I would use it all the time. The yeti is easier to turn, similar to cmx on trail, washes out slightly sooner, is the best in the fluffy deep where the design of the ski pulls snow under and slightly raises the front and makes turning easier. But, for me the yeti ski is dam dangerous. I've been over the bars twice coming off a drift when on landing the yeti ski grapped crust and turned the bars full stop to the left and over the bars I went. The yeti ski is a battle in anything with the least amount of crust. I now change between yeti and cmx based on snow conditions.
Please post if anyone figures out how to use the zf or mtn-top ski on a yeti spindle. Still looking for the perfect ski

 

[BeeDoo]

For those of you running Mototrax....
I have a Mototrax kit. Honestly, when I first rode the bike, the handling was absolute garbage on any type of hard-packed trail, crust, or even when riding in other tracks, It would just dart and dive on its own.

After much (like 10 rides worth) tinkering and adjusting, I've finally got it dialed in. Here's my settings:
2019 YZ450 with Mototrax 129 (2018)
1" Ski Base Adapter (from Mototrax)
IDT Shock (under seat) adjusted until back of fender is exactly 10" above tunnel
Front Forks slightly stiffer than I use on dirt


For some honest comparison, my brother has a 2016 Timbersled Mountain Horse Kit, and his sled doesn't dart at all -- he hasn't had to adjust anything and has had no issues on trail, hard-packed, or deep snow. Seems like T-Sled has had the ski/ski pressure dialed in for a while. Haven't ridden a Yeti...