98 xc 700 133.5 skid help!

[crewchieff16]

ok everyone first post! first off live in northern mn work on f-16s for the us airforce and auto mechanic on the side. heres my issue. i bought a 98 xc 700 ( i dont kno much about sleds) it had 7 miles on it in 2000 when i bought it... its an sks which i found out to have 133.5 tracks. since day one it has had no suspenision in the rear.. the scissor arm just hits the rubber blocks thats all it moves. i removed it this winter and jumped on it.... front and rear of the skid moves. i have replaced rear shock, springs, ripped out cross bars and cleaned and greased and it moves smoothly. when i put it back in the sled it binds up again. I asked a local guy and he sed he would guess the mounting holes are wrong and when it is bolted up the scissor arm is resting on the rear block. I dont kno how to fix it! can someone measure or tell me the specs for the mounting holes on a 97-98 sks or rmk? any other ideas how to fix it? i have pics i could email anyone. I would love any help... dont want to get rid of the sled since it has only 2000 miles on it! hopefully this site is alot more helpful then the others i have tried! thanks guys

 

[retiredpop]

I'm not sure anything is really wrong. The blocks that the rear scissor arm hit are there for coupling the rear and front of the suspension so when you hit a big bump you get spring assistance from the opposite end of the suspension. Suppose you land on the back of the suspension coming off a hill or ditch etc. The rear spring would normally take the full force but with coupling it starts to take it and then when the coupling block is contacted some of the spring on the front shock is borrowed in order to even out the force. It is a way to keep the springs from having to be so heavy duty. If you just jump on the sled or even on the back bumper it won't move much more than just to the blocks if even that far. It takes a few hundred pounds of force to compress the whole suspension. I hope this explanation makes sense. I don't have a suspension to measure mounting holes for you. If you feel you want more suspension movement you can always remove the coupler blocks. It won't hurt anything. You may have to put the torsion spring tension adjustment up on the next higher setting or purchase the next higher rating of springs.

 

[crewchieff16]

thanks for the reply! the only thing is i can stand on the back and it doesnt move at all... if i lift up on the back bar it will raise a inch or so and stay there til i put weight on it... then it stays against the back block again... the shock doesnt even compress when its in the sled i had me and my dad jumping on it at the same time and it didnt move a bit... i was told its binding up and staying solid as a rock due to mounting holes being wrong... after doing all the tests and taking out the complete skid and jumping on it and seeing it move alot more thats the only thing i can think of as well... its ruff as heck on the trails n riding... it gives u a sore back and has no movement after 10 years of barely riding it i want it working right so i can ride!

 

[retiredpop]

Okay, it sure sounds like it is binding. Sorry I can't give measurements to you. Keep bumping this thread to the top every day. Maybe someone who has one can help you out. Good luck.

 

[swade-o]

I have a 1997 SKS 700 that I will measure this evening for you. I also have a couple of spare X-tra 10 SKS rear suspensions in case you might need any parts.

 

[volcano buster]

I don't remember the XC (cross country racer version) coming with the SKS suspension. I think they were only in the 121" short track version. If that is true, I think someone put the SKS skid in and likely used the stock mounting holes for the 121" skid. If someone can provide center to center distances plus distances from the top of the tunnel, that should get you pretty close. It would appear that your rear mounting points are too far back and the who knows where the front skid holes should be.

Keep looking and you should find something that will work.

 

[Thunder101]

Well the hood is a XC . the xc would have a 121 Xtra10 if it was a SKS it would have a 136 Xtra 10. Not 100% on what you have there but if it is a 133 someone farmed it in. I know the Xtra10 will bind and will have O travel if the center to center is not correct. find out what skid and track length and repost looking for that info. then make new bracket and mount,, I mean inst.
BTW if your in the deep stuff with it make drop brackets for the rear.

 

[retiredpop]

To determine which length of track you have; count the number of clips on the track. If there are 53 then you have a 133.5". If there are 54 then you have a 136". And as pointed out the XC only came with a 121" track so someone changed it which is hard to believe with only 7 miles on it when you bought it. Maybe the hood was changed.

 

[starfire99]

OK....when you take the skid out, the rear cross-shaft extends back and allows the front link to flip-flop downwords. This is the link that the front of the rear shock and the two compression rods hook onto. This link must be in the upright position. If its not, the tension rods keep the rear link from rotating and compressing.

 

[X2Freeride]

There is no such thing as a 98 xc SKS its something someone has made... That skid appears to be either out of a 98 RMK 700 or a 97 SKS/ RMK it is in fact a 136 skid not a 133.5. If the stock mounting points on the 98 XC were used then the Center to center on the skid is way to close together and the skid will never work correctly. Which would make 100 percent sense based on what your saying the skid does.


These are what your center to center should be and your mounting locations. If they are not in this EXACT location the skid will not work and just bind.

http://www.jbshocks.com/x10mount136.jpg


Hope this helps.

 

[crewchieff16]

thanks for all the replies guys! i just logged on after a busy work week at the base. Well when i brought it to a local guy that has a ton of sled parts (retired mechanic) he measured it and told me it was a 133.5, i kinda remember the previous owner mentioning something about the suspension out of a storm? but then this would have to be the tunnel too correct? because the tunnel has the extension behind the seat and sks sticker there. but i will look in to the info u guys gave me and get back to you! also i will measure from mounting hole to mounting hole and how far down and let you know those numbers too