trail mod v the crank shops mx z 900
Amsnow
If you want big power for your Ski-Doo, you bring it to Larry Audette at The Crank Shop. Other shops can get you good power, but even they will tell you if you want to best there is, "take a drive up to Essex Junction, Vermont, and talk to Larry."
This year, The Crank Shop brought a pair of sleds for a pair of purposes. The MX Z 900 Big Bore kit is definitely the trail sled of the two. The Formula 1500 definitely is not.
The Crank Shop's MX Z is built on the 800 Rotax twin base. "We have a complete top end for the 900 motor," said Audette. "We do a little machining on the base, then add new 85mm cylinders, new pistons and a new head."
In addition to the engine work, our test unit was outfitted with a set of Moto Tassinari V-Force reeds, a pair of tuned pipes with silencers and a clutch kit to transfer the power to the Camoplast 9811 speed track. 192 Saber Chipper Tooth studs ensured most of the available 105 foot pounds of torque was turned into forward motion.
"We designed this kit to be 100% trailable," said Audette. "A guy can take it out and run it on straight 92 octane pump gas without worries."
The Formula 1500, on the other hand, isn't quite so trail-friendly. When we asked how long it had been ridden on the trails, Audette chuckled to himself and said, "Yeah, trails." We can only assume that the trail this sled was designed for was from the trailer to the starting line on the lake.
The Crank Shop 1500 engine has been rumored to be in Audette's trailer for a couple of years at the Trail Mod Invitational. We hoped to get a look at it at last year's event, but it wasn't ready for show. The wait was worthwhile.
This signature Larry Audette powerplant is its own entity. From the base upwards, it is a Crank Shop unit, measuring 91mm across the cylinders and 76mm of stroke. A trio of 52mm flat slide carbs sends ample amounts of C12 race fuel/air mixture to the crank case via V-Force reeds. On the outlet side, Audette uses individually-tuned and silenced ceramic-coated pipes.
A custom clutch kit, Camoplast #9810 speed track and 192 Saber Chipper Tooth studs round out the package.