[Dave12]

We went out for a ride today through farm fields with fresh powder. My 95 XLT 600 Special was really plowing through the powder and wasn't hooking up very well. I rode my wife's 95 Z440 and my son's 90 El Tigre EXT and they both seemed to float over the powder much more easily and hook up better.

I've been doing some reading trying to figure out what adjustments I need to make. My from limiter strap is already loose. Whatelse do I need to look at? Increase preload on the front rear shock? Whatelse?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[brandcole73]

try the opposite, tighten the straps, loosen the front skid shock, put the rear blocks on the highest setting, this will decrease the attack angle of the track and cause less trenching. My 97 XLT sp was never real great in powder either.

 

[Dave12]

Okay. I know the rear blocks are on the highest setting. I'll try the other adjustments. Will this take weight off the skis? I know the 600 is a much heavier machine than the other 2 but there is a huge weight difference when you try and pick up a ski by the handle vs. the other 2 machines. Is this strictly a weight difference thing or a rear shock adjustment?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[rcslsafut]

i would say to tighten up the limiter straps as well this will transfer the weight , then you can start to adjust the rear springs , the front one is the one used to weight transfer , the back one is the load height (your weight compensation) the middle one , if applicable ,is for fine tuning .

 

[Dave12]

Next question....What is the easiest way to tighten the strap (without removing the suspension) and how much? Just so there is no slack?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[rcslsafut]

dont know what position it is in now, but you need to start to tighten it up and try it , if thats not enough tighen up some more , it is a trial and error thing . have a friend sit on the machine to help loosen the strap while you adjust it , the idea is a balance between steering pressure enough to steer it , and also get it to ride up on the snow , rather than dive on you . if you dont have a friend to help wrap a towel around the seat (as to not damage it) and use a wratchet strap to cinch down on the front of the track . hope that helps!

 

[brandcole73]

Take the preload off the front skid shock spring first too. After you get the strap back together, re-tighten that spring till it is just snug. I tried jacking the ski springs up to get the front up in the air, not sure if that helped or caused more pressure to push the skis down into the snow?

The combo of the skid being up in the front and the ski springs tightened will cause a lot of ski pressure, so it probably won't be any good for the trails.

 

[Dave12]

Okay so I need to compress the suspension more than it is now and tighten the strap to keep it compressed? I think right now I could probably move it at least one hole without have to compress the suspension. Any secrets to getting at the bolts on the strap?

Thanks

Dave

 

[rcslsafut]

put it on a trailer

 

[brandcole73]

Bring inside a heated garage for a while. Cold, frozen fingers makes it even harder!

 

[Dave12]

put it on a trailer

My snowmobile trailer won't fit in my garage though. I'll see what I can do to get it up off the ground.

 

[Mrdman2442]

My 95 ext really improved when i moved the rear torsion arm to the front hole in the skid. Seems to transfer weight to the back better so the track doesn't just spin out and sink. Give it a try after you play around with the other settings.

 

[Dave12]

Okay boys I've made some adjustments and have a new problem. The front end now seems to be too light. When I corner, even at low speed it's very tippy and the front end is coming off the ground.

Here is what I've done. Tell me what you think the problem is.

I tightened the limiter strap. I could only manage to tigthen it 1 hole.
I backed off the preload on the front rear shock.
I put on a pair of Polaris saddleless plastic skis. Each skis weighs about 20 pounds less over the steel skis and ski skins I had on there before.
I tightened the track (it seemed a little loose). I left a 1/2 inch between the sliders and the track which is what the clymers manual I have calls for.
I tried adding preload to the front shocks to see if that would do anything to improve it but it didn't.

One other thing that might be a minor factor is I'm not sure if I put the ski rubbers in the right way. I put the taller end of the rubber at the back so when the front end was up in the air the skis sat pretty much level. When I had them in the other way the skis would tip forward. Which was is correct?

Also the suspension is an Xtra 12. I wasn't sure what it was but from the reading I've done and pics I've looked at it's definitely an xtra 12.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[brandcole73]

Is it picking up the inside ski when you corner? When you take the pressure off the front of the skid, it puts more weight on the skis, causing them to "grip" better. This will make the sled want to tip in the corners. It's all a trade off, better in the deep snow, harder to turn on the trails. If you go the other way and put the pressure back on the front of the skid, it will cause the skis to not "grip" and you'll keep going strait when the skid are turned. You have to find a happy medium fro your riding style/weight/amount of carbide and traction/etc. etc. Keep playing with it and make small adjustments at a time until your happy with it. I like to keep mine a little light in the front and will brake into corners, causing the weight to shift forward, giving me the grip to turn. Thid keeps the skis light on straightaways and lessens darting.

 

[Dave12]

I had to think about that but yes it is the inside ski that is coming up. What about the ski rubbers? Do I have them on backwards? will that make any difference? I wonder if going back to the way it was with the lighter skis on the front will give me what I want. If I start by adding preload back on the front rear shock do you thing that will make a difference? How about front shocks? Preload on or off?

Thanks

Dave

 

[brandcole73]

preload off the front will lighten the front. preload on the front skid shock will lighten the front. letting the limiter out will lighten the front, but I'd try the first two before doing that, after just tightening it! What do you have for carbides and studs? Smaller carbides will grip less, more studs will cause the ski to grip less as the track tries to push it straight. Not sure what skis you have, but I was real happy when I put a set of plastic skis and 6" carbides on my old one. (just cheap Kimpex skis, 1" lug unstudded track) That lightened the front up a lot!

 

[Dave12]

Okay thanks. The skis coming up seem to be from weight transfering to the outside at the back when I turn. What will cause that?

Track is studded, nothing crazy. 96 I believe. I bought it used already studded and never counted them. Skis are Polaris saddleless that came with used carbides, 6" I believe. They still have some life left in them.

Dave

 

[brandcole73]

I just looked back and saw that you have the plastic skis already. I never did get mine to completely stop lifting the inside ski, but it was to the point where when the ski started to lift, the rear end was just starting to slide too. I guess that is how I liked to ride it. With no studs, I'd hammer the throttle and slide it around most of the time. You'll have to try making small adjustments one area at a time and try them out. It's all a trade off so you have to set it the way you use it the most.

 

[Dave12]

Yeah I just put the skis on. I never did ride it again with the steel skis after I made the strap adjustment. I'm thinking that if i put it back to how it was before it might be just about right. Either that or I'll just have to learn to ride it like you did.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[brandcole73]

I don't remember what hole the strap was in, I do remember tightening it one hole more than where it was when I got it. I had the front ski springs about 1/3 from the bottom which was a few turns past where the slop was gone. The front skid spring was just tight. The rear spring a few turns past tight, and the stiffiners in the softest position. I'm about 185 plus gear, the 1" lug with no studs, and kimpex skis w/ woody's 6" 90 degree carbides. When I had the shocks rebuilt he put lighter oil in them making them a little softer too. I don't remember what weight the oil was... maybe 3 instead of 5... but don't quote me there. That did make lean into the corners a little more, but not much.