• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

New to King cat

A
Oct 22, 2008
42
0
6
46
hey fellas. I had enough of the 900 cats screaming by me out on the mountain so I went ahead and sold the Ol' 700 triple Viper I had and bought an 03 King cat with a 144" x 2" track. I bought it from a one owner older gentelman who never even rode the machine to 1/2 of its capability. its got 1256 original miles on it, SLP pipe and Can, 5" risers, Powder Pro ski's, and a Brand new BOSS seat. SLed is in great shape and I got it for 3500.00. I think its a good deal. Anyway, Just wanted to say hello and see if anyone has any advice for me? I plan on replacing the pull cord before the season and some basic greasing of the chassis. Any secret grease zerks I should know about? I don't wanna forget to grease something thats hidden. Also I'm assuming that this Cat will pull a little harder than my Viper, I'm 6'2" and 248 lbs so I was needing a bigger sled with more torque, hope I picked the right one!!.
 

Idcatman3

MODERATOR: Premium Member
Staff member
Nov 26, 2007
2,234
866
113
39
Idaho Falls, Idaho
I'm biased, but I think you made a good choice. You may know that all 1M chassis are the same, but technically the first year of the King Cat was '04. You'll want to find out if you have an early build '03, or a production model, there are some differences.

I believe the easiest way to tell is to look at the chaincase guard, if it is aluminum, you've got an early build. Plastic, and you've got a later model.

Other than that, it sounds like the previous owner made some pretty good mods.

You should check out the "Best mod for 1M" thread for more ideas.
 
D

diggerdown

Well-known member
Apr 25, 2004
3,452
677
113
Deer Park Wi.
Yes, the early builds had the chaincase sticking below the belly pan, dimples instead of raised cross slits on the running boards and were heavier than the production 03's. Be sure to grease the drive axle bearing on the speedometer drive and the jackshaft bearing behind the secondary. Very good and solid sleds.
 

Meatman

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
11,758
694
113
39
gotta love the ol iron, need a set of titanium torsion springs for the skid? :D lighten that pig up a bit
 

Rixster

Well-known member
Premium Member
Oct 20, 2005
3,781
651
113
47
Springville, UT
Grease that bearing on the speedo pick up side of the drive shaft often! Like every 3 rides That bearing gets toasted easily. Depending on my much you ride in the deep you may want to get a longer skid and track. Seams like alot of power to put through a 144. Just my .02 I ride a 162 and would not go a inch shorter! I also ride in deep powder 95% of the rides.
 
A
Oct 22, 2008
42
0
6
46
hey

Thanks for the info!. If I have the early model instead of the production is that a bad thing besides being a little heavier?. I can see the chain case below the belly pan being a problem if I hit an under snow land mine, but are there any other disadvantages?. Just how much heavier is the early model than the production?.
 
7

76FOMOCO

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2007
4,446
1,235
113
Nampa, Idaho
a few disadvantages, the rear tunnel is all one piece and the coolant lines run down the middle of the tunnel instead of pushed to the edges (you have to have a notched track) and the chain case deal. A i think the cdi has a zr trimming curve an the jugs have no de-compression hole so it is hard to pull over in the real cold, should about cover it. still a great sled
 
A

Arctic Thunder

Well-known member
Dec 7, 2001
2,079
785
113
Lewiston, Idaho
What kind of riding do you intend to do. Climbing, boondocking, trails, etc.

Each of these has ideal clutch setups. What works really well for one may give up some in the other.

Also just to drive the point home. Pull the drive shaft out and replace the bearings. If they haven't' been done they are probably due. I personally pull the drive shaft every fall and grease the bearings (inject grease in the through the outer bearing race holes). Never had a bearing failure but you must do something or you will. And grease the speedo side a lot.

EFI or Carb? What elevations are you riding?

Thunder
 
A
Oct 22, 2008
42
0
6
46
hey

I live in Anchorage Alaska. I do a mixture of Boondocking and climbing. We usually always find the deep powder and love it. I only ride the trail to get back to the powder. I am not strictly a hill climber or I woulda got myself a 159" or bigger, I like to keep the sled a little shorter to cut through the trees and be manuverable, but can't go to short or my buddies will leave me in the powder. Of coarse while out in the mountains however we always find hills that we gotta try and climb. Anyway, its a Carb sled, but supposedly the carbs have been updated from an 04 model that have a carb heater built it to it(or so I was told, havn't had a chance to really tear into the sled). Whats the easiest way to grease the speedo portion? Which kinda grease do you reccomend? Another thing, I don't like the HUGE rear gas can storage rack with the built in equally huge taillight. I'm thinking of taking it off and installing a smaller Aluminum gas rack and a small LED tail light, anyone done this here?. Are you guys running with the windshields on?. this has an aftermarket Cobra windshield which is perfect height, but its CHROME colored and I don't like the chrome. Thanks guys for the info, this is a kick azz site and you guys are really helpful.:beer;
 
A
Oct 22, 2008
42
0
6
46
hey

One more thing. The guy said that last year he had his first breakdown. He said he had broke the drive shaft. Arctic cat shop replaced the shaft and all the bearings in there last year, so I hope I'm OK for a few more seasons If I keep it greased. I'm just not sure yet how to get in there and find all the bearings that need grease. I guess a couple beers, a few hours in the garage, a flashlight, and a grease gun will do the trick. I wish I had a manual for this sled.
 

Idcatman3

MODERATOR: Premium Member
Staff member
Nov 26, 2007
2,234
866
113
39
Idaho Falls, Idaho
We run with windshields on, although we do put short ones on.

We don't use the stock rack/taillight or bumper. We put passenger handles from a honda goldwing on ours, and use Cat bumpers that came with their tunnel extension kits. We've made a taillight from trailer LED clearance lights, and used LEDs from SLP also. Here's some pics:

Bumper/handels (this sled didn't even have a taillight when this pic was taken.)
162_runningboard.jpg


This one's got the LED clearance light taillight we made. (even though you can't see it well, we mounted it to the bumper and ran the wires through the bumper and down the edge roll of the tunnel.

mysled.jpg
 
C
Aug 28, 2008
340
35
28
42
North Central MN
We run with windshields on, although we do put short ones on.

We don't use the stock rack/taillight or bumper. We put passenger handles from a honda goldwing on ours, and use Cat bumpers that came with their tunnel extension kits. We've made a taillight from trailer LED clearance lights, and used LEDs from SLP also. Here's some pics:

Bumper/handels (this sled didn't even have a taillight when this pic was taken.)
162_runningboard.jpg


This one's got the LED clearance light taillight we made. (even though you can't see it well, we mounted it to the bumper and ran the wires through the bumper and down the edge roll of the tunnel.

mysled.jpg

is that an aftermarket tunnel? or did you do some mods. looks sweet.
 

Idcatman3

MODERATOR: Premium Member
Staff member
Nov 26, 2007
2,234
866
113
39
Idaho Falls, Idaho
It's a stock 151" tunnel, with a small extension for the 162. The guy who had the chassis before we got it did the running board mod. It works pretty well, but in thick snow it can still build up on the boards. They also sag a little worse than the stock boards.

I do like the mod though, overall. I'd do it a little different, but it works.
 
C
Aug 28, 2008
340
35
28
42
North Central MN
they still look nice. and there is no way that they can clog up and be as bad as stock ones. i put no sno's on my crossfire and my buddy's mountain cat 600. not so sure if i like the feel of them. but there is absolutely "NO-SNO" on them.
 
Premium Features