Arctic Cat Skid in a 09' 153" Nytro?

[clatla]

I am looking to replace the junk maverick for the upcoming season and kicking around the idea of replacing the skid also. I found a good deal on a Cat 153 skid. I have seen alot of post about the Cat skid swap. Some say use the existing bolt holes in the tunnel others say it needs to be moved forward and up. From the guys that have done this mod what really works? If the front holes need to be moved forward and up what about the drop brackets. Any pictures of both installions would be beneficial.

Just up front I dont have the funds to do a Timber Sled or other aftermarket skid. As much as I would like to. Maybe if someone has a '10 or newer skid let me know.

 

[Pro116]

To mount that skid in a 153 track you will have to relocate the holes.I don't have the exact measuments.I'm trying to find them out though.

To you a 162" track you can boldt that skid right in the stock holes with 9" wheels and a freedom axle and it takes up the track slack perfectly.You just need some spacers for the front arm because it's slightly narrower then the stock skid.The problem with the is the skid is set back and puts more weight on the front end.I have this skid too but want to mount it as a 153.

The 162 and 153 have the same mounting points on a cat its just the rails are longer.

 

[TRUEBLUEMAX]

I will get you some exact mounting points but the front I moved two inches forward and up. On the rear I took out the drop brackets because they sit too far back. I took some quarter inch aluminum and made my own drop brackets. I still made a triangular brace for it as the stock drop brackets have and it hooked in the same as stock. The stock one just comes out a a weird angle.

Mine is a 162 but I am sure yours would work similar. I think it rides pretty good. It dropped 29 pounds for the skid and I am not sure what I dropped with the drop brackets.

 

[clatla]

Could you shoot some pictures? Also are you not concerned about tunnel strength with the drop brackets removed?

 

[TRUEBLUEMAX]

Heading off to scout camp so you'll have to be patient on the pics. This weekend I can get you some. I put different drop brackets on. I simply used 1/4 inch aluminum plate and then used 1/8 inch to make some 45 degree brackets for the running board support. The running boards were way stiffer after I did this, so strength was actually increased.

 

[Pro116]

True,Thanks I really appreciate it.I'm picking up my new sled this afternoon.So I won't be putting the skid in my 08 it will be going in the boosted 09 nytro.

 

[M5-]

I have some aluminum drop brackets built for putting a Cat skid in a stock Nytro tunnel if you are intersted. Shoot me a pm. I also have all the measurements. I run a 162 Cat skid in my Nytro. Don't waste your time on a 153 skid, it is too large of a pull back and makes your sled nose heavy. The 162 skid works really well as a boondocking skid but its not a real chute climber, just depends how you ride.

M5

 

[macsummit]

Heading off to scout camp so you'll have to be patient on the pics. This weekend I can get you some. I put different drop brackets on. I simply used 1/4 inch aluminum plate and then used 1/8 inch to make some 45 degree brackets for the running board support. The running boards were way stiffer after I did this, so strength was actually increased.

do you have any pictures of your setup thanks

 

[off trail mike]

Hey Guys

I was working on putting a Cat 153 skid into a 2009 MTX 153, but now its going to be an '11 and my sled hasn't arrived yet. Pictures will follow once I get the sled, and remove the suspension.

What I have learned is that you can't use Cat's mounting position because they use a 8 tooth driver stock and Yami use a 7 tooth. AC use an 8 inch rear wheel and Yami is a 7 inch. They don't sound like big differences, but they have a pretty big effect. I am going to use AutoCAD to "Fit" the track at exactly 153 inches and leave a little for tensioning and adjusting the track.

What I already know is the biggest difference is that the Cat approach angle is 18 degrees and the 08//09 yamaha is like 36 degrees! (can't confirm the '11 yet, but it is closer to the AC) What this really means is that the ground clearance on the cat is about an inch lower than the yami. It is probably the reason why the '10-newer SE MTX have shorter front suspension shocks(17.5 vs 16.5 inches). The '10-newer MTX have a shallower approach angle and to make it work, they had to lower the sled around an inch....side benefit is lower Center of Gravity...win win I guess.

What I realized is that positioning suspension is a good part art and an equal part hard science, and they are VERY sensitive to position. CAD helps make sure you are in the ball park, but when you start looking at shallow approach angle suspensions, you realize some practical issues like how important anti-stab kits are to the proper functioning and protection in powder suspensions..aka....buy one or be prepared to tear a track in half!

AC make a great light weight skid, and hopefully the reasons why many of us think its a great skid can be demonstrated in the nytro....plus I can test my AC spec timbersled suspension too!


OTM

 

[TRUEBLUEMAX]

the 10 and newer front shocks on the Nytro is 17.5". It is not 16.5 as you stated.

 

[wilmot]

I have some aluminum drop brackets built for putting a Cat skid in a stock Nytro tunnel if you are intersted. Shoot me a pm. I also have all the measurements. I run a 162 Cat skid in my Nytro. Don't waste your time on a 153 skid, it is too large of a pull back and makes your sled nose heavy. The 162 skid works really well as a boondocking skid but its not a real chute climber, just depends how you ride.

M5

Im interested in a pair. Whats the cost, and can you ship them with my other order?

 

[off trail mike]

the 10 and newer front shocks on the Nytro is 17.5". It is not 16.5 as you stated.

Truebluemax,

Have a look at this thread. http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164105

It shows a few shock lengths of selected models.

I can't personally confirm the '11 YET as mine won't arrive for another week, but my 09 MTX was 17.5, and if yami altered the track approach angle, (which they did), they had to lower the sled, or the antistab wheels and front of the slides would be jammed into the track all the time.

Also, if you are buying fox floats aftermarket for the Nytro MTX for 08-11, they are 16.5 too???

Don't get me wrong, the whole thing is pretty confusing. The 08/09 MTX use the older 6 degree running boards/tunnel and a steep approach angle, while the 2009 and newer XTX and 2010 and new MTX uses the newer 10 degree running boards/tunnel, and both have a much better track approach angle.

Not sure on the RTX, but I'll bet the 08/09 are the same as the MTX...at 17.5..

OTM

 

[off trail mike]

One thing I forgot,

Like TrueblueMax, I figure you have to move the front mount 1.75" forward and up 1.22" to "fit" the Cat M 153 suspension, and that is tight when it comes to installing the skid and tensioning the suspension.

The rear suspension mount needs to move 2.00" forward and 1.5" up if you are using the above front mount position to make it all fit....

What I am hoping is that it is simply an exercise in drilling new holes in the Nytro tunnel for the AC suspension front axle as there is a raised area around the stock front mounting position, which might be in the way. The rear mount will need new drop brackets.....pretty sure.

I am going to post the pictures and drawings over on TY as soon as I get my '11 MTX and can measure it as well. I'll link it to this thread.

OTM

 

[TRUEBLUEMAX]

I have 09 and 10 shocks in my garage right now and they are both 17.5. I don't know about the rtx or other models but the mtx is 17.5.

I believe most of the track approach angle was fixed by the tunnel and it's different mount points. My sled is an 09 but was a Yamaha test sled andit came with the new style tunnel on it but the old rear skid. I measured the track approach angle and it was 19 degrees. It had 09 front suspension so I do believe the track approach angle had nothing to do with the front end. I think it was in the tunnel.

As far as the skid install goes I moved mine 1.75 up and forward when I mounted mine and it barely clears the hump on the inside of the tunnel that you are referring to I did have to install new drop brackets as well.

Not trying to start an argument here just stating what I have seen. My sled is a weird hybrid that kind of showed me some of these things. You are definitely taking a more scientific approach than I did but I am very satisfied with how mine works.

 

[off trail mike]

TrueblueMax, thanks for the info, and X2 on the arguing, not my intent either, I am trying to crawl before I fly, so all info is good info...really appreciate it.

Not to poach the thread, but a couple of questions if you don't mind.

You said you relocated the front mount forward 1.75 and up 1.75? Was that because of the bump inside the tunnel? Also, did you have trouble installing the skid into the track?

BTW, your positioning makes perfect sense. The 1.75 forward is the important one and with my 1.22 up, the antistab wheels are still protruding into track line quite a bit, and the mount position probably hits the tunnel bump (I never checked it). I was just worried about loosing too much ground clearance, but maybe it doesn't make much difference.

On the front suspension side, regardless of the "stock" shock lengths, it will be interesting to try different shock lengths. The lower approach angle on the AC skid (at least compared to my '09 MTX) should have the effect of lowering the sled a bit , so trying the shorter shocks should subtract ski pressure and add pressure to the front of the skid. We'll give it a try and if the handling goes weird, I'll go back to 17.5 shocks.

Also, maybe you have seen this post....it is another AC skid, but in a XTX. Its on TY called 2010 AK sled projects http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php?t=89011 which fit a AC XF 141 suspension in a Nytro 144. Its the same suspension as the AC M series, but mounting position is totally different and he had a big problem with the bump around the Nytro mounting hole. Ultimately to make it fit, he replaced the Nytro reinforcing plates with flat ones that he made. Great thread though.

OTM

 

[off trail mike]

Finally got pics working..

Here are a couple of shots of the suspension approach angle differences of an '09 MTX 153 versus and 09 AC M 153. Kind of hard to show, but it is pretty big.

On my MTX the track definitely followed the rail right to the tip of the slides, and on the AC M's they burn thru the hyfax protector on the tip of the slides if you don't have and antistab kit.

And the difference in the front/rear mounts Yami versus AC. I tried to line them up as they would sit in the sled. BTW, Yami is 68 lbs stock on my bathroom scales. They AC is 45 lbs as you see them, and add 3 lbs for Hyfax, for 48....a 20 lb savings.....not bad.

 

[TRUEBLUEMAX]

I have a post of some side by sides on here somewhere also and It was a similar deal. I decided to move mine up before I realized that the bumps were there. The main reason was that I didn't want to have problems with the track. The rails on the cat are laid down pretty flat at the front. With it like that after a few hundred miles on the setup I have very little wear on the rail tips. The hifax also has almost no signs of wear. I don't think ground clearance was really noticeable at all.