Advice needed on Apex trenching

[JackFrostAK]

First off let me state my general ignorance. I have only been riding about a year and have done my best to learn off reading these boards and watching others. I picked up a 2006 Apex Mountain for a smoking deal, which is why I am into such a big machine as a newbie. It is stock, except for a riser and the owner reversed the original track. The owner had also not paid attention to the updates and, as a result, the lugs are cut down in a number of places due to the bracket he failed to cut or replace (I have since had the shop take care of the update). Now to the problem.

It seems to my unexperienced self, that this sled likes to dig itself a trench any chance it gets. There are times it will dig itself a trench just stopped on flat ground in deep powder. I'm not jumping on the throttle in these situations, just trying to get the machine going from a stop. Other people will be next to me on their sleds and will have no problem starting out and they are getting on their throttles way more than I am. Other people have ridden it and comment on the same thing. Is there a way to set it up to decrease this tendency, or will a different track make a huge difference?

I like this machine and as long as is stays in forward motion, it is a blast. I'm pretty sure Yamaha made a deal with the devil and traded reliability for some gravity changes when the machine gets stuck though. Thanks for any help.

 

[doober]

Why would he change the track arround, I have an 08 and dont find it that bad.

 

[Joa]

I'm a newbie myself but one thing I've noticed about sleds is that they like LOTS of throttle to keep from getting stuck (unlike a car, etc). If you try to baby them out from a stop they'll trench. You have to goose it (often all the way) to get the sled up and going before it has a chance to trench too deep.

That's probably why you've observed your friends getting on their throttles more.

I'm sure far better riders than me will chime in here but that's just one lesson I've learned lately.

HTH...

 

[Snoboner]

It's all in throttle management. Takes seat time

 

[trench digger]

if its anything like my phazer pin it to win it

 

[mtnxr]

Tightening the limiter straps a couple holes will probably help...especially they are full loose. Also make sure your primary clutch engagement is set low like somewhere around 3500 rpm.

 

[JackFrostAK]

Why would he change the track arround, I have an 08 and dont find it that bad.

I've read a number of people that have reversed the maverick track and liked the results, he was one of them and I've never changed it back.


"It's all in throttle management. Takes seat time"

I'll keep working on it then. Just frustrating to see all of my buddies starting out from the same stops and I'm the only one digging in. I've tried working the throttle every way possible, but no success. Thought maybe some Apex veterans had the same problems and it was a known issue with some fixes. Thanks all.

 

[SnowAddiction2]

I agree with everything people are saying. It's all about throttle. If you are picking your way around on a hill/trees and you stop at a bad hill angle, your going to bury it (deep powder of course). In deep powder you have to maintain enough throttle to keep on top of the snow, and react to oncomming stuff without stopping, and stopping only in places you know you wont get stuck (pointing the sled down hill or flat). You will be forced to learn this over time becuase digging out sucks!

Oh, by the way, get a Sled Jack. It will save your back. Lifts my Apex with ease.

 

[adrenaline junkey]

It's all in throttle management. Takes seat time

well said. I still run my limiter strap full lose and until I learned I had the same problems as you.

 

[2XM3]

Yup,
1) take 80 pounds off of sled
2) chuck maverick track in dumpster, put on 174x16,2.5 camo ext
3) drop gear to 19/42

Done, sled will go ANYWHERE,anytime and is a blast to ride..... I ride it better than my wifes Dragon

 

[JackFrostAK]

I agree with everything people are saying. It's all about throttle. If you are picking your way around on a hill/trees and you stop at a bad hill angle, your going to bury it (deep powder of course). In deep powder you have to maintain enough throttle to keep on top of the snow, and react to oncomming stuff without stopping, and stopping only in places you know you wont get stuck (pointing the sled down hill or flat). You will be forced to learn this over time becuase digging out sucks!

Oh, by the way, get a Sled Jack. It will save your back. Lifts my Apex with ease.

Are you talking about the High-Jacker Snowmobile Jack?

http://www.highliftjack.com/index.html

That thing is pretty spendy. Is it really worth it when you usually have another guy with you to just muscle the back end around? How long does that jack take compared to moving it around with a couple of guys?

 

[roughrider99]

clutching will be a big help. my buddies nytro and apex both did that but he clutched them so they they are not jumpy on light throttle this way u can crawl the apex out of stuck holes, i got my apex set like this also and its super nice i get out of nearly everything with a ski pull and some light throttle.

 

[SnowAddiction2]

Are you talking about the High-Jacker Snowmobile Jack?

http://www.highliftjack.com/index.html

That thing is pretty spendy. Is it really worth it when you usually have another guy with you to just muscle the back end around? How long does that jack take compared to moving it around with a couple of guys?

Yup, that's the one. I don't even dig the tunnel out anymore. The jack will yank the sled out of its trench in about 3 minutes. Best unstuck piece of equipment I ever bought. As you become a better rider, when you get stuck, the rest of your buddies are probably getting stuck at the same time, unable to help you. The downfall to the jack is, you get unstuck first, and you get everybody else unstuck.

The jack even works on steep climb screwups with a little enginuity.

 

[Aussie Niko]

Also try a little tipping the sled from side to side once you start to move this will keep the track from filling up with snow and then getting you stuck.
Dropping weight is a must to getting these sleds easyer to move around as well as having a highjacker