Fox or Raptor Shocks?

[Polaris900RMK]

Has this topic been beat to death? Yup!!!! But it’s summertime, so why not ask.

I can’t decide what to get. I am looking at the Fox coil overs or the Raptor Kinetics?

My usual riding would be some trails to get to the riding areas. Meadows. Sidehills and some climbing. But not long chutes.

Thoughts?

 

[wildcard28]

I had most last season on all 4 raptor triple rate springs on rebuilt stock stocks cranking tighter and tighter every ride to being at full max and hated them! they were way to soft made a mountain sled that's already tippy on some trails way to hard to handle even more tippy, you had to stop unfortunately in off camber citation the shocks were so soft on first 3rd of the throw took way more effort than stock springs to get back on edge, if you throttlesd still off camber 2 skis down it would dive to fall line.
Probably better on the Raptor shock package but didn't understand why all say stock sleds are spring to soft and the you buy softer springs than stock springs doesn't make sense to me.
I put stock springs felt better. I'm selling the sled but I'd keeping would went to Zbros dual rate.

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[Polaris900RMK]

That’s interesting. Most people seem to like those springs.

 

[slash]

Like anything else the spring and shock have to work together .
Spring from shock A wont react right with shock B

 

[Clarke673]

I'm running some rapter naked edition shocks. Overall quality is 10/10. The spherical ball bearings help. I'd like to try some new fox coil overs but at the end of the day evol x air shocks are hard to beat.

My rapters do seem soft as well but for most people that's ideal. They will most likely live on my 600 rental loaner sled.

Hy gear would be my recommendation for springs. I'm 220-240 6ft and ride pretty aggressive. So the cmx spec springs that came on mine being a bit soft doesn't surprise me, however much better than zero pros imo. Also made in Montana.

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[TopshelfGin]

Any more input on Raptors shocks??? Looking at options for this winter.

 

[TDR]

I’ve run Raptors since 2014. IMO the best upgrade you can do to your sled. Presently on the kinetics and they are crazy good. And best part is that when you call you get a real person and typically it’s Jake the owner with lots of advice and tips. Are they expensive? Yes they are. Do they improve your sled? Absolutely.

 

[kidwoo]

Any more input on Raptors shocks??? Looking at options for this winter.

I've had some pre-kinetic ones but liked them a lot. the valving just seemed correct on them. True velocity dependent damping.....supple when needed and damped when slamming into stuff.

Currently debating myself whether to drop the coin some some new ones.

If you got more bucks than me, elka's stage 4 and 5 are the best suspension made IMO. It's ungodly how good those things are. But 12 week lead time at the moment, and they're kind of known for being tough to deal with regarding support........

I've never had anything fox aftermarket coil that wasn't underdamped and not matched well for the sled they were supposed to go on for skid shocks. Their air shocks are really good but the evol system is kinda gimmicky and the evol piston doesn't always return to the same place after being unloaded. This leads some weird shock behavior in the ski shocks especially. You'll end up with compressed shock that feels like it keeps wanting to go back to the near bottom out point because the piston doesn't allow the main spring pressure to return completely. If you look at the stock QS3 air shocks on arctic cats you'll notice they don't have the evol chambers. Those work better because they just size the main air spring correctly and you get the good natural progression of an air chamber which can be awesome depending on the sled and what you're doing. I've done some fiddling with evol chambers to make them work better if you're curious. But for the pretty much equivalent money to the upper end fox air shocks, I'd just get raptors.

 

[wildcard28]

I have Axys Rmk standard monoshock Raptor Triple Springs for sale all 4 only have 3 rides on them, selling sled so took them and other accessories off

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[kidwoo]

only have 3 rides on them,

Wait, I thougt you said "most of last season" in your first post.

 

[wildcard28]

Wait, I thougt you said "most of last season" in your first post.

Sorry that was most my season, I had a crash and smashed the handlebars and cracked my sternum and bruised chest muscles, I was wearing an Evs chest protector even it's a good thing would been alot scary worse, anyway even if they have more there still nothing wrong with them

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[kidwoo]

I just ordered some raptors fyi

 

[TDR]

I just ordered some raptors fyi

You are going to love them!!

 

[Snowman.PRO.]

I've got few seasons on my Raptor Kinetic shocks. They are impressive. You can set them up very soft if wanted, and they still resist bottoming very well. I love the adjustment on the rear shock track shock as well, quick and easy spring rate adjustment if wanted. On the front, the shocks definitely made it easier for me to side hill.

The bad: Raptor could and should up the quality of packaging used when they are shipped. For the price of Kinetics,( they are top of the line and spendy). They should come packaged better. I was disappointed in paying what I paid to see how poorly packaged they we're. I did write them to let them know, but mostly due to one of the Springs being scratched up. They sent me a replacement. They are very good to work with, good customer service. I'll continue to run their products in the future.

 

[damx]

100% agree with everything above, I had my kinetics sense 19. And will be putting them on the boost. Once you know how all the adjustments work/affect the ride, day to day adjustments are a breeze.

 

[boondocker97]

raptors preseason sale ends today fyi

 

[TopshelfGin]

I appreciate all the info fellas, I’m gonna give raptors a shot.

Wish they sale was on just ski shocks, not the whole package…..


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[kidwoo]

I honestly think you'd be happy with either but dealing with a snowmobiler, and a smaller company (and hence greater pride in work) is something you'll appreciate. I look at it like upkeeping a vintage mustang vs. buying a tesla that's not exactly going to be relevant 8 years down the road. Both work out of the box but one definitely lasts longer under multiple service intervals.

That's just my 2c

 

[TopshelfGin]

I just ordered some raptors fyi

Did they give you a lead time? Or expected arrival timeframe?


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[kidwoo]

Did they give you a lead time? Or expected arrival timeframe?


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About three weeks when I asked two weeks ago, possibly worse now........because everything