Best aftermarket suspension options?????

[captpoopzydaizy]

So whats my best bet for after market suspension?
Up front
-fox float2
-evol R
-evol X
-exit

Rear skid
-fox upgrade to stock skid
-timbersled
-holtz
-ezryde

personally I'm thinking Fox Evol R or Exit up front and an EZRyde skid with fox float or exit shocks in it

 

[WyoPro]

Ya...I wouldn't buy a Holtz for the rear, you already have one.

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

personally, if i did anything to mine..it would be either exits or fox evol x's all the way around with holz front suspension...(just because i had them on my dragon and fit/finish and strength were awesome plus they loose a few pds)..rear skid..unless i had problems with it keeping the ski's down(like a high boost turbo) I would keep the stock skid..to worried about destroying the balance/snow float polaris has built into the sled......

 

[F-Bomb]

Hey Cptn,
Check this sled out and know this....FLAT OUT NO COMPLAINT AWESOME!
Universally excellent in every condition. I've now had a conclusive amount of various terrain from over the handle bar your in a submarine deep deeeeep pow pow, hard pan to even ice, wooped up trail, heavy cut up powder, drag racing, boulder pillow hits, creek crossings, tight tight tree lines, side hills, and finally right up the hill, basically the smorgusboard of real all around western mountain free ride snowmobiling. The FOX RACING SHOX system is just outstanding.

This Fox suspension system is what Burandt, Adams, and even the 2011SnoWest project sled has on them. Go ahead and you ask Ryan Harris (or the Boondockers gang who have torn that sled UP!) or any of the other hundred people who get to test feel the sledsn what they think. Pretty universally it's AWESOME. Same here for our results. Pump pump pump and a set of the clicker...you get a million feel and performance variations to tailor it right to your weight, riding style, sleds HP and traction. Stock is good..these are great.

Anybody thinks they have a better riding and all around performing PRO suspension please step up to the plate and SHOW ME! While the rest try to catch up we are all really enjoying riding the FOX system!

FRONT: 2011 Totally redesigned FOX Evol R for the PRO over Holz
REAR: 2011 Totally redesigned FOX Evol R/FOX Zero Pro over stock Polaris

coming soon Renton Coil Spring Ti progressive rate over the Zero Pro

 

[AndrettiDog]

I'm still working on the setup. These things are wicked good but make the weakness of the back shocks really show. Now I need to do the back!

 

[2mileshigh]

X2 on the Exit shocks, also have the Timbersled rear upgrade with Exit rear track shock. Fox stuff is what the big names are useing but they are given the product and that to me is not a fair comp.

 

[SNOW JW]

X3 on the Exit setup with rear Timbersled upgrade.

On the arms the stock ones are a tad weak for me so I am a fan of the Zbroz setup for mowing over objects from time to time.

 

[Anthony Oberti]

Running the Carls Cycle Fox set-up on my boosted Pro and couldnt be happier!!!

 

[mountainhorse]

The Stock Rear Pro Suspension is the best out of the box suspension that I've had the good fortune to ride... Especially on Stock or low-boost (sub 10 lbs) sleds.

Remove the rear arm on your PRO and give it a twist on the scissors assy... You will notice that you can twist it fairly easily ... no comparison in rigidity or strength to the higher quality metal and components from the aftermarket... twist the same part on an Alpha-X (or even the previous generation stocker) and see what you think.. much more rigid. Rigidity in the rear suspension components is a good thing! (like when you are loading he sled in a difficult side hill) A full season of riding by high level riders will be the litmus test of the stocker.

The Fox shock upgrades are top notch...Carl's Cycles has this shock upgrade dialed in and should be considered as the authority on this shock-only upgrade on the PRO...Flat out they have the most experience on the Fox Shocks on the Polaris sleds when getting a custom tailored float for your PRO.

The Z-Broz EXIT shocks are also TOP quality units. They take a different tac than than Carl's and should defiantly be considered in the shock only upgrade packages. EXIT Shocks feature remote reservoirs, large Heavy Duty 5/8 shafts and custom tuned triple rate spring and custom valving packages...

Depending on how you ride and what you do the sled...IMO.... The stock suspension rocks!!... The shock upgrades are an big improvement in control... the Re-valves that Holz has co-developed with Walker are flat out amazing as well.

Will the stock arrangement (stock or upgraded shocks) compare to the aftermarket skids ???... Only time will tell as the sleds and the aftermarket offerings become more and more refined in the next few months.

Go ahead and you ask Ryan Harris (or the Boondockers gang who have torn that sled UP!)

Ryan's "Test Mule" PRO-RMK has been through a couple of other combos as well so far this season... and provided very good feedback and R&D information to many different aftermarket developers.

While he waits for the next-level rear suspension Ryan IS running the EVOL-R/Zero-Pro package from the Fox Factory ... Very impressive!.. The same package that Anthony is running.

Ryan will be running Fox on his next upgrade for the rear suspension on his PRO for sure... just in another suspension (wink)... keep your eyes peeled.

Rocky Young, Dan Adams, Dan Gardner all run the Timbersled on their personal sleds.
Erik Vohk said he was very impressed with the improvements that the Timbersled offered over the stock or stock-upgraded suspensions in some of the most technical riding out there....He installed and tuned the one in Dan Gardner's BD-Turbo PRO RMK this season.

Anybody thinks they have a better riding and all around performing PRO suspension please step up to the plate and SHOW ME!

Rob, I am sincerely interested in your opinion if you get the chance to ride with Gardner this year and hear what you think of his setup.

I'd also be interested in your evaluation of your Holz A-X Rear Skid installed in your PRO... You are in a unique position to do this since you own both...Of course after you take some time to dial it in to the PRO's different character... It will bolt in according to Holz as a direct swap.

I'm partial to the Timbersled Mt Tamer... It has given me great performance and reliability in abusive situations...getting on top of the snow very quickly and pushing the sled up the hill rather than trenching... all while supplying a plush ride when in rutted/whooped conditions.

The Mt. Tamer is what I run... and I have installed it on many others sleds that, once they took the time to read the manual and adjust the 10 separate adjustments that will give you unlimited control over your skid, have flat out been amazed at the control and performance that it gave them.

All the above suspensions and stock-upgrades are top notch... there are amazing complete-skid offerings from EZ-Ryde, K-Mod & Timbersled... These are adjustable, coupled suspensions that offer different levels of control that simple "transfer-only adjustment" does not have.

The non coupled Alpha-X from Holz offers benefits not found on the stock skid in terms of durability or overall adjustability (the DSC function alone is one that is a pretty amazing feature along with the larger shafts). The Alpha-X runs the rear EVOL-X RTS shock which will not be available in the aftermarket for the PRO in the foreseeable future according to Holz... To date, I have seen no one run this shock on the Stock skid for any kind of comparison to it's little brother, the EVOL-R.

Each skid has it's strong suit... finding the one that fits you best is the the question

Can't wait to see how these different options do when the boost levels get dialed up over 11 lbs... It will be interesting.

I have a good friend with the Carl's Fox Upgrade that will be riding with an identical setup PRO RMK....except for the rear skid choice.... I hope to see a head-to-head comparison of performance this year myself when both elite level riders take on the local terrain that has claimed it's share of sleds. ....

Rob, you gotta come out this year and ride Cali and stop making excuses my friend!!

For the front... The Fox Float-2's are amazing... If you get the proper valving for your weight and setup. The EVOL does give you a bit more plushness in the last 3rd of the stroke and the Rebound adjustment give you the ability to fine tune. For 95% of the riders out there...IMO... The extra air volume of the Float-2's and evolved neg air-spring/piston will provide what you need at an affordable price.

I have not personally tested the Holz re-valve upgrades to the Walkers but have heard from riders that I respect that this improves the control.... especially if you are outside of the target 180 lb rider that the shocks were developed for....Custom valving is always a plus.

If you need to step up from there and are in that top 5% of the riders out there...IMO... The EXIT X-0/1's and the EVOL R/X shocks give you more control if you know what you are doing...It takes a pretty sophistcated rider to notice the difference between

I've had and used the Holz arms on my sleds...they are top notch and I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone with a PRO.

Timbersled will be offering their stronger Cromoly A-Arms as replacement "Arm Only" sets in the next month in both the standard width and 38" width developed with the help of Dan Adams and Chris Burandt.

Z-Broz offers the 40 and 43" wide sizes and are made from super strong materials that hold up to abuse.

 

[F-Bomb]

Riding almost everyday (break day can't hardly lift my arms) PRO is just smiles. STOCK (well not suspension )

Eric it's super hard to travel a long distance when I have some of the best terrain on the planet in my own back yard. I've also got a pretty full commitment schedule from here until Jackson.

Rode with Chad and Jesse's Mom and Dad in McCall last few days. Great people! (RIP CB!) Conditions were not McCall like but decent and we found some fun stuff. They seem to have had a great time. Kept saying their snow was not great either so they were satisfied. COULD NOT get Steve to test the PRO! I felt like a drug dealer trying to get him hooked up!

Super anxious to ride with Phatty and Gardner. They been promising a trip our way but it keeps getting way layed. Might have to be in Wyoming in a few weeks so we will see. I'm not 100% that I'm going on the trip. Have to see. I'm super game to test and ride any and everything. I love to try out the goods and report was is above excellent and how they compare in feel and go.

 

[AndrettiDog]

I don't have a problem with the rear skid in my Pro. Just the shocks bottom out too quickly. I'm afraid this is going to lead to tunnel/brace damage. Maybe I'm just too fat!

 

[gman086]

I don't have a problem with the rear skid in my Pro. Just the shocks bottom out too quickly. I'm afraid this is going to lead to tunnel/brace damage. Maybe I'm just too fat!

Nope, any aggressive rider is going to have that problem unless you got the Assault. Now just have to figure out which way to go. Coming off a full Evol R suspension on my Rev, the Pro is a joke but I don't have the cash to lay out like that again. Holz has a remote resy add on to the stockers ,as I understand it, and also revalve that's supposed to the best bang for buck. Think I'll try that first and go with Evol R's next year if that doesn't work out.

Have FUN!

G MAN

 

[turbonium]

Timbersled

I have the timbersled rear with the fox evol rear shock and really like it.
I have been tinkering with the fox evol shock and it is super adjustable.
It still bottoms though pretty harshly on big landings but not nearly as bad as the stock setup.
Put standard fox floats on the front and they seem to work really well too.

Ordered a zbroz rear track shock. Will post up the difference when i get it on.
Hoping it will stop the harsh bottom out.

Had the we needles on my dragon and they were the best shocks i have tried to date.

 

[gman086]

I have the timbersled rear with the fox evol rear shock and really like it.
I have been tinkering with the fox evol shock and it is super adjustable.
It still bottoms though pretty harshly on big landings but not nearly as bad as the stock setup.
Put standard fox floats on the front and they seem to work really well too.

Ordered a zbroz rear track shock. Will post up the difference when i get it on.
Hoping it will stop the harsh bottom out.

Had the we needles on my dragon and they were the best shocks i have tried to date.

The beauty of the Evols is that you can keep the main chamber pressure soft but add a bunch of pressure to the Evol Chamber to prevent harsh bottoming! Did you not try that? If it works for Geoff Kyle...
http://www.shoptomssnowmobile.com/evolutionair.htm

Just sayin...

G MAN

 

[mountainhorse]

The beauty of the Evols is that you can keep the main chamber pressure soft but add a bunch of pressure to the Evol Chamber to prevent harsh bottoming! Did you not try that? If it works for Geoff Kyle.

I used to thing the same thing... but Actually... the reverse is true.

After talking to Lars Matheny at Fox as well as other Fox specialists like Tom Dynes, Mark Holz and others... I learned this...

You can pump up the pressure the main chamber to prevent bottoming.... and the EVOL chamber, with its IFP, will prevent the shock from becoming harsh in the bottom 1/3 or so of the travel when the main chamber pressure ramps up exponentially.
The negative air spring also helps with initial stroke plushness as well as a high flow piston.

If the evol chamber pressure is too high... the IFP in the EVOL chamber will never move and you will not have ANY benefit from the EVOL chamber.

The EVOL chamber does need to be higher pressure than the air sleeve pressure by almost double.

Without the EVOL chamber... you would have to run softer main chamber pressures that could change the way the shock rides and bottoms in order to get the shock to go to full travel because of excessive "ramp up" of pressure in the air sleeve. This give a spongy ride in the first part of the travel...

Overall the EVOL Chamber OR the Float-2 additional-air-volume bearing cap AND the neg air spring have changed the way the Float shox perform.... Substantially.

That is the purpose of the EVOL chamber.

 

[mountainhorse]

I have the Timbersled rear with the fox evol rear shock and really like it.
I have been tinkering with the fox evol shock and it is super adjustable.
It still bottoms though pretty harshly on big landings but not nearly as bad as the stock setup.
Put standard fox floats on the front and they seem to work really well too.

Ordered a zbroz rear track shock. Will post up the difference when i get it on.
Hoping it will stop the harsh bottom out.

Had the we needles on my dragon and they were the best shocks i have tried to date.

Tim,

What kind of riding do you focus on for the most part... climbing, hucking, jumping, tree riding etc?


Plenty of "huckers"/freeriders that go BIG on the Mt. Tamer... Rob Hoff, Adams, Gardner to name a few.... and they were able to adjust out the Float-X to give them the ride they were looking for.

What do you weigh?

Did you go with the conversion "rear only" or the full skid?

What sled is it in? (model, year, track length)

What position is the front track shock and rear track shock in?

What are your air pressures?

What clicker position is your LSC in?

What Position is your HSC in?

Did you have the Float-X modified into an EVOL-X on the rear??

The inherrent geometry of the Timberlsed skid does not call for an evol chamber because of the leverage points on the skid.

The harshness you describe sounds more like a balance and setting issue with the clickers (3) on the shock more than air pressure ramp up.

 

[gman086]

I used to thing the same thing... but Actually... the reverse is true.

After talking to Lars Matheny at Fox as well as other Fox specialists like Tom Dynes, Mark Holz and others... I learned this...

You can pump up the pressure the main chamber to prevent bottoming.... and the EVOL chamber, with its IFP, will prevent the shock from becoming harsh in the bottom 1/3 or so of the travel when the main chamber pressure ramps up exponentially.
The negative air spring also helps with initial stroke plushness as well as a high flow piston.

If the evol chamber pressure is too high... the IFP in the EVOL chamber will never move and you will not have ANY benefit from the EVOL chamber.

The EVOL chamber does need to be higher pressure than the air sleeve pressure by almost double.

Without the EVOL chamber... you would have to run softer main chamber pressures that could change the way the shock rides and bottoms in order to get the shock to go to full travel because of excessive "ramp up" of pressure in the air sleeve. This give a spongy ride in the first part of the travel...

Overall the EVOL Chamber OR the Float-2 additional-air-volume bearing cap AND the neg air spring have changed the way the Float shox perform.... Substantially.

That is the purpose of the EVOL chamber.

True (I worded mine too simplistically) but adding more pressure to the Evol chamber basically reduces the overall air volume available to the main chamber (since they oppose each other) and thus ramps up the spring rate dramatically at the end of stroke which is needed to prevent harsh bottoming. Having the Evol chamber pumped up to where that piston won't move... you then basically have a Float shock. You have to find the right balance for the leverage ratio of your particlular suspension design.

Have FUN!

G MAN

 

[F-Bomb]

Gang on the this PRO setup double check your front ride height. Minor variations in front end ride height setup have wild effects on the way your rear suspension reacts. Too much ride height essentially takes your rear track shock out of play. Tiny minor geometrical changes equal wild variations in the rear suspension performance.

I set mine at 9" from vehicle center to solid ground in the shop. You can completely vary your ride height with the Evol setup. For example 10.5 completely ruined the ride performance on the FOX demo PRO. It takes a little testing and tinkering to find your ideal all around balance and performance. Huge changes in the "feel" with some setup and pressure changes. SO FRICKING COOL when you learn how it all works and how to dial to your own rider input specs.

My IQ RAW with Evol X and Holz Alpha X actually performed best even slightly lower in the nose. Same here as you can tinker with all of the adjustments to come up with your ideal high performance all around mtn sled.

Stocker guys have no idea what they are missing! Well they can feel what they are getting with a sore back and mediocre all around ride. The more we mess with this the cooler it gets!

 

[turbonium]

got the zbroz shock installed

Rode this weekend on the z broz rts. Wow what an awesome feeling shock.
Much better imo than fox. I spent most of the season adjusting air pressure and clicking knobs and the zbroz just feels better right out of the box than my fox did all year. Might have to try some zbroz front shocks now. Floats feel pretty good but i am sure the zbroz are better.

 

[coolx2]

Are there any decent front shock options other then Z bros for a rider that doesn't want air shocks. I have the base RMk and would like a better front shock. I've already upgraded the rear shocks.Can you get zero pros that will fit a pro?