I Rode REV4 Chassis for the first time, very confused...

[idahoskiguy]

Having both a Summit Expert 165 and an Axys Pro 155 in the fleet I switch back and forth between the two platforms. Both platforms work but they require different rider input to work well. That said, my preference is the Ski Doo Summit Expert 165 as I personally find it less tiring to ride and the weight difference is not really a factor when proper technique is used.

 

[Summit74]

I struggled with the G4 for the past 2 years coming from Cat. Now on a 165 Turbo and I think I just found the best combo so far to help with side hilling and washout. I added Zmotion rear link, Tmotion lockout, and SLP Mohawk skis with the new SLP rubbers made for the Expert and Turbos. Holy **** it was a night a day difference. No washout, side hilled in a straight line, and cut through old tracks like a razor blade with no bucking. The rubbers are super stiff, resisting ski lift or dive. Really a game changer as I was about to give up on the G4. Not now. Different machine.

I’m running the exact same setup but added the 1.25 ZRP lift spindles. Dialed now!

 

[goridedoo]

I struggled with the G4 for the past 2 years coming from Cat. Now on a 165 Turbo and I think I just found the best combo so far to help with side hilling and washout. I added Zmotion rear link, Tmotion lockout, and SLP Mohawk skis with the new SLP rubbers made for the Expert and Turbos. Holy **** it was a night a day difference. No washout, side hilled in a straight line, and cut through old tracks like a razor blade with no bucking. The rubbers are super stiff, resisting ski lift or dive. Really a game changer as I was about to give up on the G4. Not now. Different machine.

Did the Mohawks increase steering effort significantly?

 

[Devilmanak]

Typo on my part, KMOD T-Motion Lock out. OEM Skid.

Pretty sure that K-Mod doesn't make a T-Mo lockout for a stock skid. I have talked to multiple people who don't like how heavy the front of a Turbo Doo feels, but mostly when coming down from a wheelie, they hit hard. Sounds like you rode a sled that was screwed up in the skid or ski shocks.
ALTHOUGH: This is true. My 165 Expert this year is VERY different than my last year's 165 sled. It does feel very front end heavy this year compared to last. They changed something in the suspension, it handles completely different, with the same suspension settings. It does take more effort, but it handles better. Doo likes to change stuff around and not mention it. (I found out today that an Expert Freeride has a bigger rear axle bolt than an Expert Summit.)

 

[jcjc1]

Expert Freeride?

 

[Devilmanak]

Expert Freeride?

Yah, I keep saying that because of the hood, lol.

 

[galljr13]

Did the Mohawks increase steering effort significantly?

Nope. Feels like it is on rails on the trail and perfect in the trees.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

I feel the biggest issue with the G4 is the fact that the minute you get off the throttle you've got a sled that dives into the snow like a submarine, searching for and finding all kinds of obstacles in the process. I had a ride last season where myself and a few others ripped up a slope and parked on a rocky pass, I did not know I parked in a minefield until a G4 drove up hit a rock went over the bars, another pulled up beside me clipped a rock and bent an A-arm. They both said, "What did you break", I mentioned I did not hit a thing. Upon gathering ourselves up we couldn't help but notice my Poo tracks were approximately 2" deep in the snow whereas their Doo tracks were 5" deep in the snow when decelerating, "Food for Thought" next time your headed downhill in rocky, stumpy low snow conditions.

 

[JH@CM]

I feel the biggest issue with the G4 is the fact that the minute you get off the throttle you've got a sled that dives into the snow like a submarine, searching for and finding all kinds of obstacles in the process. I had a ride last season where myself and a few others ripped up a slope and parked on a rocky pass, I did not know I parked in a minefield until a G4 drove up hit a rock went over the bars, another pulled up beside me clipped a rock and bent an A-arm. They both said, "What did you break", I mentioned I did not hit a thing. Upon gathering ourselves up we couldn't help but notice my Poo tracks were approximately 2" deep in the snow whereas their Doo tracks were 5" deep in the snow when decelerating, "Food for Thought" next time your headed downhill in rocky, stumpy low snow conditions.

Great points. I have also witnessed the Doo being more "in" the snow and the Poo being more "on" the snow.

The Poo gripper skis are definitely larger which would provide more frontal flotation compared to the Doo DS-3. Then we can talk about the track angle... pitch, etc. But generally just the feel of the Poo is more on top of the snow, rather than in the snow.

Poo stands taller side by side. It looks overall like a higher clearance sled.

I've also noticed a difference in the way the Gen4 chassis tends to correct back toward staying flat on the snow (a downside for sidehilling, a really nice feature for easier handling in deep snow) while the Axys/Matryx tend to stay on the angle they last received input toward. Example: if you ghost ride (jump off at say 10-15mph) both sleds on a foot of soft snow in the flats with a reasonable angle on the sled: the Poo will stay on its angle, and perhaps even gain more angle toward tipping over on its side. The Doo is much more likely to flatten itself out, often diving deeper in the process.

Lots of interesting differences. Both are fantastic tools for different jobs. Best case scenario is to own both!

 

[Devilmanak]

I have found that a lot of people don't know how to set their stuff up. Then complain about how the sled works. Out of the box the Doos handle like sheet. Ski shocks are on 1.
Rear springs are on 1.
(Out of the box.)
T-Mo makes them handle like poo. You can start out the year on low shock settings until they break in. But then go to 4 on both skis and torsions. Delete the stupid T-mo.
I have NEVER in 25+ Doos had to mess with with the center spring preload. Spot on.
I did ONCE change the center spring limiter strap. I shortened it in the middle of a ride to try to make my approach angle better. On the way out of the area high speed bumpy trail (40mph) I bottomed out so hard that I almost went over the bars. Lost the 1 inch of travel until I bottomed.

 

[JH@CM]

I have found that a lot of people don't know how to set their stuff up. Then complain about how the sled works. Out of the box the Doos handle like sheet. Ski shocks are on 1.
Rear springs are on 1.
(Out of the box.)
T-Mo makes them handle like poo. You can start out the year on low shock settings until they break in. But then go to 4 on both skis and torsions. Delete the stupid T-mo.
I have NEVER in 25+ Doos had to mess with with the center spring preload. Spot on.
I did ONCE change the center spring limiter strap. I shortened it in the middle of a ride to try to make my approach angle better. On the way out of the area high speed bumpy trail (40mph) I bottomed out so hard that I almost went over the bars. Lost the 1 inch of travel until I bottomed.

I would agree on the setup challenge. Many novice or less savvy riders just don't realize the importance of dialing in sleds. Am out of the box SP is a recipe for underwhelming performance.

T-mo makes riding easier for novices and lighter people. Like most things on mass produced machines, this is all about building units for the average user.

The expert version of Gen4 was a far better setup from the factory, and of course people like me have modified the expert to meet different expectations.

 

[Summit74]

I was riding with a Maytrx pro slash 155 3” track and even with 3” track the pro climbs up on top of the snow much quicker. My 165 Summit expert turbo definitely wants to trench more. The pro is just more efficient it seems at moving snow. I have Fox QS3 coil over shocks set at 2 on both rear track shocks and using the ZRP zmotion. Rear torsion springs set to 3.

If my sled is pointed even the slightest uphill from a dead stop it will dig to china. Much of this could be due to bottomless early season snow, but the Pro does not dig down like the doo.

 

[Devilmanak]

I was riding with a Maytrx pro slash 155 3” track and even with 3” track the pro climbs up on top of the snow much quicker. My 165 Summit expert turbo definitely wants to trench more. The pro is just more efficient it seems at moving snow. I have Fox QS3 coil over shocks set at 2 on both rear track shocks and using the ZRP zmotion. Rear torsion springs set to 3.

If my sled is pointed even the slightest uphill from a dead stop it will dig to china. Much of this could be due to bottomless early season snow, but the Pro does not dig down like the doo.

Track. The Polaris tracks are amazing at low speeds. I agree 100% with what you said. My buddy with a Poo crawls out of holes, I dig them.

 

[Devilmanak]

I would agree on the setup challenge. Many novice or less savvy riders just don't realize the importance of dialing in sleds. Am out of the box SP is a recipe for underwhelming performance.

T-mo makes riding easier for novices and lighter people. Like most things on mass produced machines, this is all about building units for the average user.

The expert version of Gen4 was a far better setup from the factory, and of course people like me have modified the expert to meet different expectations.

Agree. T-Mo is for the masses, and it does exactly what you said. I left Tater's skid alone this year. (He is 90 pounds and FAR above the average 90 pound rider as far as ability.) I told him that we would swap sleds (mine are deleted) and if he felt he needed it, we could delete his.

 

[Devilmanak]

The biggest thing that I have found, and I only actually figured it out last year or the year before for certain: Set the ski shocks to the stiffest position that you can. It makes a huge impact on sidehilling. It takes away a lot of the wishy washy tucking front end washing rear end stuff that the Doos are famous for. It tends to help what you would think is a rear suspension problem. Makes the sled much more predictable.

 

[Devilmanak]

I need to clarify: I stated that the center shock was "spot on." I should have said "spot on for me." I enjoy the hell out of bashing bumps. I am willing to give up some deep snow traction to be able to rally the heck out of the trail on the way home. With some less preload and a shorter limiter, I would think that Doos would work better in the deep.

 

[duncan76]

I think it's all doos rear skid I put raptors on my 18 with the ace. In deep bottomless snow I get right up on top no trenching. The ace has a cam you can quickly add quarter in. to a half in. of preload to the rear shock. When it's super deep I put it on the half inch preload and no more trenching just pop right up on top. I watch friends on stock doo skid trench bad they always want to know why mine doesn't.

 

[Devilmanak]

I think it's all doos rear skid I put raptors on my 18 with the ace. In deep bottomless snow I get right up on top no trenching. The ace has a cam you can quickly add quarter in. to a half in. of preload to the rear shock. When it's super deep I put it on the half inch preload and no more trenching just pop right up on top. I watch friends on stock doo skid trench bad they always want to know why mine doesn't.

That is interesting. There is a CLEAR difference in low/medium speed traction between Poo and Doo. Maybe the shocks.................

 

[duncan76]

That is interesting. There is a CLEAR difference in low/medium speed traction between Poo and Doo. Maybe the shocks.................

With the ace there's no torsion springs and when I'm in the valley going up and as snow gets deeper I can literally start feeling my tracks wanting to trench so I get off throw it on the side and crank the cam one or two spots which is half in. More preload and bam no more trenching

 

[Devilmanak]

With the ace there's no torsion springs and when I'm in the valley going up and as snow gets deeper I can literally start feeling my tracks wanting to trench so I get off throw it on the side and crank the cam one or two spots which is half in. More preload and bam no more trenching

So center or rear shock?