Just bought a new '14 Assault. Give me the run down

[RJF]

I just picked up a NOS '14 RMK Assault for under $10K OTD and am glad to finally be on the pro chassis that everyone has been raving about.

So far I've added a riser for my height, Bikeman can, and moved the ski spacers inside for the narrowest setting. Anything I need to watch out for on this sled? Any setup tips? Right now I have the shocks 5 clicks up from soft. I am not a real aggressive rider but like to sidehill and boondock.

Before it comes in, I don't think I'm interested in any big "mods." No pipes or fuel commanders, big bore, etc. for me. I prefer stock reliable.

 

[Murph]

First off, congratulations on your new sled.

Assault has the chaincase so gear reduction is easy and cheap-- especially nice in our heavy California snow. Clutching.

Stouter front bumper, swap to powder track if it has the competition track on it....

Then ride it and see if you like the wide Assault arms or if you want to try 39" or 36".

 

[Toad face killah]

add some length to your hose coming out of your exhaust valves. re-route it to poke out the bottom of the belly pan. This keeps your engine compartment from becoming an oily mess.

And some people on here recommend turning up your oiler screw to get more oil to your engine.

 

[RJF]

Interesting. My dealer told me the competition track actually works better out here in Sierra cement.

Where's the oil screw at and how far should it be turned up?

 

[RJF]

One thing I don't like is the lack of a 2nd cooler. I came off an '05 900 way back when with 1 cooler, was always having to drop a scratcher. Then, went to an '09 800RMK and it was soooo nice never having to worry about temps. I can see how the new SKS could be appealing to me.

 

[tek9tim]

Track choice there can be personal preference, but in deep, soft snow the comp track will most definitely trench a lot more. I'm not a particularly good rider, but I snowchecked my 2012 Assault with the powder track. A buddy of mine got a 2012 off a dealer's floor with the comp track. He is a much better rider than I am, but in soft snow, I have pulled climbs the first try while he has taken 3-4 tries to make it. He told me that one time out this year, his girlfriend on a 2012 600 Pro RMK rode right past him and his stuck sled on a mild climb. But, in groomed, spring or heavy snow, the comp hooks up way better.

Move your front track mounting point up to the RMK hole. Flattens out the attack angle of the track, helps it get up on top more easily. Really easy to do, made a big difference on my sled.

I can carve and sidehill with the wide front end, but I imagine it is easier with the Pro width front end. I haven't ridden a Pro, so I don't know what I'm missing. All I know is that I don't miss my XP.

 

[Murph]

Interesting. My dealer told me the competition track actually works better out here in Sierra cement.

Where's the oil screw at and how far should it be turned up?

I live in Truckee, ride from our place to LTS, ride about 5 days a week depending on snow.


Unfortunately, that dealer was just trying to sell the sled as it was.... That comp track is a trenching machine. Not the end of the world, easy to find a 5.1 powder track 155.

Oil screw is between throttle bodies-- not to be confused with throttle body sync screw. The number of turns depends on how yours was set up from the factory. You want the notch on the oil pump arm to line up with a casting line on the pump.

Other popular mods (done on all my sleds here)
Ski-Doo bypass thermostat (TRS mod)
Ski Doo oil cap.
Ski Doo ski rubbers.

Where are you riding?

 

[ak]

Foot block out plate on the clutch side. Well needed if the snow is deep.

 

[RJF]

Interesting. Most of the time, the snow out here is pretty wet and heavy. It's rare that it's cold enough here for it to be that super fluffy light stuff like Montana WY, etc. I could see the comp track being better, especially since I'm not someone that usually heads up the hill RIGHT after a storm when there is chain controls and all that bull. I like to wait an extra day for the road to clear up, and in the mean time the snow settles a bit.

I ride mostly in the 108/sonora pass corridor.

 

[RMKNV]

I think you will be fine in the Sierras with the comp track. I ride with 3 of them and there are only a few days they wished they had a powder track. That being said, its pretty fluffy this year but the base it cement so the comp does well.
The comp track will chain saw in deep powder, but shines in spring riding.. JMHO..
I do hate following them on a trail, lots of shrapnel..

Good luck and have fun.

 

[RJF]

How about chaincase gearing? Do I have the 20/42 combo like an RMK? Considering going to a 19/42. If I did would I have to add weight to the primary?

 

[RJF]

Nobody is gearing down their assaults?

 

[dktraw]

Yes you are factory 20/42, I put a 19T on my assault mainly cause I had an extra lying around. I really like it but would eventually like to go lower gearing on it. No you will not have to change weights in primary. All the 11/12 and 13-15 standard rmk chaincase sleds are the same as assault, so any good threads you can find on them will directly cross over to your assault

 

[RJF]

I checked the oil pump and it's lined up where it's supposed to be. I made no adjustments.

Had a chance to ride my new Assault for the first time. The snow was really heavy, wet, crusty sierra cement. The last storm that came through snowed and then warmed up and rained on top of the powder and formed a terrible frozen crust.

I like the comp track, in that type of snow it hooks like an SOB. I could wheelie from a dead stop. Sled ran really well, it's everything that my '09 RMK is, just easier to ride in every way. I don't think I am going to change a thing on it. I am very happy with it out of the box, thermostat worked perfectly, clutching, gearing, all seems to work just fine for me.