Skid drop brainstorming thread

[kidwoo]

With ice age, (and theoretically) BDX and mtnside making lift kits/spindles for arctic cat, I've been thinking about ways to lift the front of the skid. I can't redrill the tunnel without putting in an additional reinforcement plate.

If you have a coil front track shock, it looks like can buy longer eyelets from fox, gaining about half an inch there. Similar to what raptor just released for the axys sleds to get more khaos like.

Fox - Shaft Eyelet, 1/2" Shaft x 1.49" Base

Includes (1) Eyelet Dimensions 0.498" Shaft x 0.7" W x 1" Eyelet x 1.49" 1.76" L Fox Part # 808-01-000-A 2.01" L Fox Part # 808-01-001-A 2.26" L Fox Part # 808-01-002-A

www.hygearsuspension.com

I was looking at pivot locations between a polaris and my proclimb and the cat lower shock mount is pretty close to the lower front arm mount. Moving the bottom shock mount forward would give some extra height without and shock diddling. This looks like it will lower the leverage ratio on the shock so you'd probably need to drop some pressure or back off clickers if you got'em. But you'd get some ride height doing that and extending the limiter strap some. It's something that can be undone too so no big commitment. Anybody know what the stock length of the limiter strap is on a 2016?

I just stuck some walker evans ski shocks from a 40" width axys on and got half an inch of rise. That plus the BDX or mtnside spindles would give the 3" ice age has accomplished.
Thoughts?

 

[yz250_]

I just installed and elevate kit on my 17.

When laying the iceage rails next to the stock ones, the iceage elevate rails curve up more in the front than the stock ones do.

Just lowering your stock rails can work, but it will not be as smooth of a transition from the sprockets down around to the bottom of the rails for the track to follow.

 

[kidwoo]

For sure. I've got a few antistab wheels laying around and it also looks like I might be able to add some bend to the stock rails in the flat spot.

Just depends on how sharp the difference is. Just kicking around ideas.

 

[yz250_]

For sure. I've got a few antistab wheels laying around and it also looks like I might be able to add some bend to the stock rails in the flat spot.

Just depends on how sharp the difference is. Just kicking around ideas.

I should have taken a pic but i didnt

 

[summ8rmk]

Tierods will hit the lower A-arms with longer shocks.
In 2016, i put the 36" front on my 14 and ran the 38" shocks.
Everyone said raising the front end was bad and going to ruin the handling. It was only 1in, i wanted it even taller. I used washers under the tierods to clear the arms. U would need to fab a taller spacer/mount with longer shocks than the 38" cat front.

Sent it

 

[kidwoo]

Tierods will hit the lower A-arms with longer shocks.
In 2016, i put the 36" front on my 14 and ran the 38" shocks.
Everyone said raising the front end was bad and going to ruin the handling. It was only 1in, i wanted it even taller. I used washers under the tierods to clear the arms. U would need to fab a taller spacer/mount with longer shocks than the 38" cat front.

Sent it

I've already got the shocks on. They're not long enough to interfere the rods. Close but just short of it.
The rear of the upper a-arms hit the body plastic before getting to the rods on mine.

 

[summ8rmk]

I've already got the shocks on. They're not long enough to interfere the rods. Close but just short of it.
The rear of the upper a-arms hit the body plastic before getting to the rods on mine.

Lift the front bumper, let the shocks extend all the way then turn the skis

Sent it

 

[kidwoo]

It's on a lift. It clears.

I wonder if they changed the rods between 2014 and 16. The shocks you have on are probably longer too. The WE's I put on were barely half an inch longer.

 

[summ8rmk]

14 shocks are 1in longer than 16+ shocks.
I only needed 3/16" spacer to clear.

Sent it

 

[kidwoo]

So I gotta find some 14 shocks then haha

Thanks!

 

[boondocker97]

A guy on Facebook that coupled Ice Age spindles with a Kmod tried a few options dropping that skid. He tried extending his limiter strap two holes and it ripped the hyfax off. So watch out for excess track pressure. Extending one hole and drilling the tunnel gave enough drop to keep that from happening. You would think it would be similar results between those options but I guess not. Also if you start standing the front track shock up in a more vertical position make sure it's got enough space to bottom on the rail and not the shock without a bumper in place.

 

[summ8rmk]

20 yrs ago, in the front of the tunnel, i would drill a hole ~1" below the stock suspension mount. The rear, i would bolt plates to the factory suspension drop brackets and drop the rear 1.75-2".
Never had an anti-stab kit, never had any rail or hyfax issues.
My nephew is still riding my 2000 summit 700 151. I put the 'lift kit' on that sled in 2004 at 2,000 miles, it now has over 5k miles. 15 yrs later and same hyfax.

Dropping the rear more than the front kept everything aligned well enough.


Sent it

 

[summ8rmk]

So I gotta find some 14 shocks then haha

Thanks!

Not sure if this is what ur looking for?

Sent it

 

[kidwoo]

Just fyi for anyone else looking to do this: you can get new unbranded fox zero pros straight from arctic cat for like 90 bucks a pop without springs. A quick trip to gas shop repair and you've got some cheap tuned coils. I did that for a pair of 36" shocks and really like them.

 

[kidwoo]

I should have taken a pic but i didnt

I've got a pic request. It looks like ice age may have done something similar to what I'm thinking. Do your rails have two holes for the lower front track shock mount like in this pic?





If so could you get a measurement from arm mount hole to each of those shock holes?

 

[yz250_]

I've got a pic request. It looks like ice age may have done something similar to what I'm thinking. Do your rails have two holes for the lower front track shock mount like in this pic?


View attachment 336567


If so could you get a measurement from arm mount hole to each of those shock holes?

I dont believe it does in mine, maybe that was a test or prototype rail. Im not by the sled right now. Kind of hard to tell in this pic

 

[kidwoo]

No sweat man, I found some pics CO2.0 posted that look like only one hole. I think you're right, not part of the production rails.

Iceage ELEVATE kit - interesting!!!

Interesting that its been 2 months since the kits were supposed to start shipping and not a single ride report. I've seen numerous comments on fb/instagram from guys I know bought them. I just don't know if any of them are on FB. I've rode with and thrown a leg over a few of them for a moment...

www.snowest.com

 

[sno*jet]

too bad they're not carbon rails like buradnt is using. could get it down to alpha weight then. how much weight these kits adding anyways? with all the threads, surprised nobody actually weighing the parts

 

[yz250_]

too bad they're not carbon rails like buradnt is using. could get it down to alpha weight then. how much weight these kits adding anyways? with all the threads, surprised nobody actually weighing the parts

Because I'm not OCD

Just by fee, the front spindles were comparable, maybe a little heavier. Rear rails definitely heavier, but I bet they are also bombproof also.

 

[boondocker97]

20 yrs ago, in the front of the tunnel, i would drill a hole ~1" below the stock suspension mount. The rear, i would bolt plates to the factory suspension drop brackets and drop the rear 1.75-2".
Never had an anti-stab kit, never had any rail or hyfax issues.
My nephew is still riding my 2000 summit 700 151. I put the 'lift kit' on that sled in 2004 at 2,000 miles, it now has over 5k miles. 15 yrs later and same hyfax.

Dropping the rear more than the front kept everything aligned well enough.


Sent it

Lifting the rear of the skid more does improve the front rail attack angle and makes it easier on the hyfax, but if the front suspension is being lifted too it's going to throw the handling out the window and plant the skis.