has anyone been able to do a fair comparison of the reg. rmk with the extra front cooler in the same conditions as the pro? on trail and slow going picking through the trees.
how effective is the front cooler on reg rmk?
- Thread starter live to ride
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I ride a 2011 RMK 800 and my wife rides a 2011 Pro 800.
My standard RMK with the front cooler runs 20 or 30 degrees cooler than my wife's Pro in the wet heavy snow we have in the Cascades.
I have upgraded the shocks and brake rotor on my RMK so it is essentially a Pro with a front heat exchanger.
Three years on both sleds with a ton of miles on both and zero issues.
Best sleds we have ever owned.
My standard RMK with the front cooler runs 20 or 30 degrees cooler than my wife's Pro in the wet heavy snow we have in the Cascades.
I have upgraded the shocks and brake rotor on my RMK so it is essentially a Pro with a front heat exchanger.
Three years on both sleds with a ton of miles on both and zero issues.
Best sleds we have ever owned.
thanks, is that on the trail or slow moving through the trees?
My dad's 2011 Std RMK stays WAAY cooler and at a more consistent temp than my 2012 Assault RMK. If I'm clipping along with the scratchers down, theres no difference. But creeping through the woods, my Assault will jump up to 140-150 and keep on climbing unless I burp it to throw some snow up in the tunnel. His will stay at 125 all day long. So yes the front cooler makes a significant difference when going slow.
On trail in poor cooling conditions my '11 PRO with scratchers beside a '14 RMK with broken scratchers and he was 30-40 degrees cooler. I hit 170 and pulled over to throw some snow on the tunnel, he was at 140. This was a few km's down the trail. Eventually the trees opened up and we could get off trail and cool them down.
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Slow moving/boondocking thru the trees in wet heavy snow my wife's Pro will heat up pretty fast. My Standard RMK with front heat exchanger not near as much.
It would be nice to see the front heat exchanger as an option on Pro RMKs!
It would be nice to see the front heat exchanger as an option on Pro RMKs!
Staying below 130F is a good thing, supposedly the stock timing starts to slip once the water temp goes over 130. On my stock 11 Pro, I was over 130 unless I was in at least a few inches of soft snow and burping it to toss snow in the tunnel. Hammering off trail is not an issue, but slow speed, picking, harder snow, always over 130 and climbing. Scratchers down on trails required for any length of time.
With my 14 RMK, non-Pro, it runs 122-127 bouncing through the trees, creeks, and hills regardless of speed, no scratchers down, so far. If trail snow is +2" of soft, no scratchers are required to stay under 130, all day long. Still need scratchers down if the trail is hard/has less than 2" of loose snow, she'll go over 130 right away. Don't know, yet, about spring snow off trail. FWIW. There is a difference when conditions are less than good. Also running the Carl's evol setup and clutching I had on the 11, drilled rotor, and kept the four extra skid wheels on so far.
With my 14 RMK, non-Pro, it runs 122-127 bouncing through the trees, creeks, and hills regardless of speed, no scratchers down, so far. If trail snow is +2" of soft, no scratchers are required to stay under 130, all day long. Still need scratchers down if the trail is hard/has less than 2" of loose snow, she'll go over 130 right away. Don't know, yet, about spring snow off trail. FWIW. There is a difference when conditions are less than good. Also running the Carl's evol setup and clutching I had on the 11, drilled rotor, and kept the four extra skid wheels on so far.
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S
sledneck_03
Well-known member
i never ran my scratchers on my iq standard rmk. I know the tunnel coolers are twice the width as the pro as well but man my pro rmk heats up, have to run my scratchers all the time it seems around home.
Just get a Pro with scratchers for the trail and the BRP bypass thermostat ($28 upgrade) for slow boondocking and never look back.
I do a lot of both since I live in Minnesota and boondock in Alpine, Wyoming. Lots of trail riding experience with a long track and lots of deep powder experience. My sled never gets over 120 on hard pack trails with the scratchers down and stays a crazy constant 120 in the deep powder with the bypass thermostat. By far the best bang for the buck, IMHO. Note that Polaris also recognized this advantage and it's now on their new 2015 800 motor.
I do a lot of both since I live in Minnesota and boondock in Alpine, Wyoming. Lots of trail riding experience with a long track and lots of deep powder experience. My sled never gets over 120 on hard pack trails with the scratchers down and stays a crazy constant 120 in the deep powder with the bypass thermostat. By far the best bang for the buck, IMHO. Note that Polaris also recognized this advantage and it's now on their new 2015 800 motor.
VERY EFFECTIVE!!
The standard RMK, for me, runs cooler compared to the PRO RMK's riding with at all times. Same sled... even put the standard snowflap on the PRO.
I simply do not get hot in marginal conditions... where my bud with the PRO has to stop and throw snow on tunnel.
Extra cooling is nice... and I like the gear choices I get with the standard RMK.
You can make the Snowcheck standard the same as an assault now but with the RMK width front!!
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=371929
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On this sled now... I have the TRS thermo upgrade on my STD RMK... and on a buddies PRO RMK... (thanks LH!!)
The RMK still runs cooler in all conditions than the PRO RMK... even with this mod. Sometimes, in OUR conditions (west coast) the PRO has to stop for snow on the tunnel to get temps down... not often... but it is something that I don't have to worry about with the standard... Deep snow RockyMtn riders prob do not have to worry so much.
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The standard RMK, for me, runs cooler compared to the PRO RMK's riding with at all times. Same sled... even put the standard snowflap on the PRO.
I simply do not get hot in marginal conditions... where my bud with the PRO has to stop and throw snow on tunnel.
Extra cooling is nice... and I like the gear choices I get with the standard RMK.
You can make the Snowcheck standard the same as an assault now but with the RMK width front!!
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=371929
================
On this sled now... I have the TRS thermo upgrade on my STD RMK... and on a buddies PRO RMK... (thanks LH!!)
The RMK still runs cooler in all conditions than the PRO RMK... even with this mod. Sometimes, in OUR conditions (west coast) the PRO has to stop for snow on the tunnel to get temps down... not often... but it is something that I don't have to worry about with the standard... Deep snow RockyMtn riders prob do not have to worry so much.
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What is the TRS thermo upgrade and where can I get one? Thanks.
thanks to everyone for the information, the std rmk with all the free acc. and piggy back shocks and pro tapers is really starting to look good, still miffed about not getting the 3 yr warranty but I hear you do get 2yr engine warranty?
that's not what the dealer told me today, Canada terms
