2011 SBA 144 Rear Suspension Question

[bosssho]

Hey Bosssho, do you have report yet on how these heavier springs are working for you? Thanks.

If anything it's a C-Hair better, but that's it....NOT any black and white difference like some have said...unfortunately. Maybe a different shock set up, but I believe the way the suspension is set up it just is what it is for the SBA's...that being said, outside of that I LOVE this sled...one of the best ever.

 

[renegade18]

Not really sure but I thought I heard that the WEs are supposed to function like this at rest. Mine does do the same thing but when riding the shocks perform fine. I weigh 225 with gear and the front one does bottom sometimes but not a huge deal.

My concern is that my shocks/springs are set up with to much pressure and it may be causing my sled to trench in the deep snow.

 

[knikflyer]

If anything it's a C-Hair better, but that's it....NOT any black and white difference like some have said...unfortunately. Maybe a different shock set up, but I believe the way the suspension is set up it just is what it is for the SBA's...that being said, outside of that I LOVE this sled...one of the best ever.

Thanks for the report. I'm surprised these springs didn't help more. Do you have the front cross shaft re-positioned in the top hole?

I agree the SBA is a great sled. Does everything I ask of it. Not much love for them here on the forums though. With the 2" paddle, I use mine about 2/3 off trail and I think it will do about 85% of what the 155" Pro-Ride RMK can do. When I rode the two side by side yesterday the RMK felt a little more surefooted with less track spin in the conditions we were in. But they really were pretty close. Obviously the RMK is a bit easier to carve around on too. But on trail I can blow by most RMK drivers with the better shock package and without scratchers and cooling issues with our rush tunnel exchanger. I really think Poo nailed this one for guys that want a do it all sled.

 

[bosssho]

Not really sure but I thought I heard that the WEs are supposed to function like this at rest. Mine does do the same thing but when riding the shocks perform fine. I weigh 225 with gear and the front one does bottom sometimes but not a huge deal.

My concern is that my shocks/springs are set up with to much pressure and it may be causing my sled to trench in the deep snow.

I know if you place a block under my front skid/Track the rear end picks right the hell up...but at a rest forget it...also, and this is my biggest issue, when in reverse, it trenches bad...but I think it's a little better now and for the money it's worth the torsion spring change.

Thanks for the report. I'm surprised these springs didn't help more. Do you have the front cross shaft re-positioned in the top hole?

I agree the SBA is a great sled. Does everything I ask of it. Not much love for them here on the forums though. With the 2" paddle, I use mine about 2/3 off trail and I think it will do about 85% of what the 155" Pro-Ride RMK can do. When I rode the two side by side yesterday the RMK felt a little more surefooted with less track spin in the conditions we were in. But they really were pretty close. Obviously the RMK is a bit easier to carve around on too. But on trail I can blow by most RMK drivers with the better shock package and without scratchers and cooling issues with our rush tunnel exchanger. I really think Poo nailed this one for guys that want a do it all sled.

I had my entire suspension set up per that article in Maxsled, which has it in the upper hole, but it would not wheelie for $hit then, which was bad for off trail, so I had it all put back to stock set up there. I have the Fox Float Evol Xs up front and they are set soft to medium...and it handles sick on trail...and off trail it handles pretty damn good...I just wish the running boards did not have a snow magnet on them...lol...but again, that's only b/c they gave us compromise boards, and the rear would stay up better for reverse, but again, a compromise that has plusses and minues.

I am getting a PRO RMK 155 for next year to remplace my 120" E-TEC 800 now that I see how damn good the Assualt rides in the trails....then I will have the dedicated off trail sled for when those conditions are present adn the SBA 144 for everything else conditions wise.

 

[mickyd32]

if you are having issues with sag still I'd look into the shock

when my WE was out being rebuilt we got a very good dump of snow here and I didn't want to wait. I found a fairly equal length Ride FX shock off the shelf at my Bro's repair shop, swapped out the rubbers and bushings and rode with it for 300 miles

Sag dissappeared, and the sled was a whole nother animal even with the lighter springs.


here is my findings in a nutshell

blown walker + light springs = incredibly bad bottoming, terrible sag

rebuilt walker (to oem spec) + heavy springs = less bottoming depending on setting and less sag

Ride FX + heavy springs = no bottoming and no sag, sled also had more ski lift. I never bothered to tune this out due to wanting to test all the setups the exact same way

This leads me to believe the sag is a shock related issue. I only saw marginal improvements in sag with the heavier springs. Sled also seemed to eat the hard landings a bit better with the heavier spring at my weight. As posted above about 220 in riding gear

Hope this helps some of you

 

[bosssho]

if you are having issues with sag still I'd look into the shock

when my WE was out being rebuilt we got a very good dump of snow here and I didn't want to wait. I found a fairly equal length Ride FX shock off the shelf at my Bro's repair shop, swapped out the rubbers and bushings and rode with it for 300 miles

Sag dissappeared, and the sled was a whole nother animal even with the lighter springs.


here is my findings in a nutshell

blown walker + light springs = incredibly bad bottoming, terrible sag

rebuilt walker (to oem spec) + heavy springs = less bottoming depending on setting and less sag

Ride FX + heavy springs = no bottoming and no sag, sled also had more ski lift. I never bothered to tune this out due to wanting to test all the setups the exact same way

This leads me to believe the sag is a shock related issue. I only saw marginal improvements in sag with the heavier springs. Sled also seemed to eat the hard landings a bit better with the heavier spring at my weight. As posted above about 220 in riding gear

Hope this helps some of you

My buddy on HCS has those shocks on his 2012 F1100 Turbo and loves them...even over the CAT versions of the Fox Floats. Does Ryde FX make an exact shock/part # for our sleds to replace both rear WE shocks....Thanks man.

PS...I know a lot of people on here love Carls...and they don't sell Ryde FX, but they tune them...and they do sell Fox...but the rear shock in this package is NOT a coil over or spring over...the front one is, but the rear has the piggy back resevoir like the OEM WE shocks do....

http://www.carlscycle.com/eshopprod_cat_2438-19673_product_642947.Fox_Custom_Rear_Shock_Kit_-_Po.htm

 

[mickyd32]

I do not actually know what the Ryde FX shock came out of, it was just one that happened to be lying around and looked similar and turned out to be about as close as you could get. I think it could have possibly come out of an edge style RMK but I'm no where near 100% on that

 

[bosssho]

Yeah, they don't show crap for the new Poos....and those Raptor shocks are insane dough....