Making the XM Deep Snow Worthy

[djp622]

I ride most every weekend in Colorado once the snow starts falling. And get out during the week if a big storm rolls through and dumps a few few feet in a day. So I am fortunate to get quite a few deep pow days in through the year.

I think I will run a exhaust deflector, looks like slp makes a universal one, and skinz makes a one for the rev and xp which looks like it should work on the xm too. Once the sled arrives, I may just try to fab up my own. Worst case I spend 5$ on materials and it turns out Shi$@y.

I know TSS makes a tunnel dump can too, but I ideally just want to stick with the stock can.

Cant wait for this thing to show up!

Hey just trying to get some input on the fort collins area as I may be going to school out there. Its between fort collins or logan utah. How far do you usually have to travel in order to find good snow and how long does your average season last? Thanks man.

 

[tkuss]

anywhere from 1.5 hrs to 2.5 hours is the drive time to the common spots that get the most snow (Snowy Range or Buff Pass). It is now only legal to ride off trail in the snowies from mid November to late may... As long as snow is on the ground...

 

[Goinboardin]

Yep, deep powder is a problem! I have powder valves on my rmk assault that work, gonna try it on the summit

Just to be clear, there is a factory "powder valve" in the XM intake already. Whether it works as well as the aftermarket, I don't know.

 

[FriscoProx]

I've heard about this mysterious stock powder valve. Completely took my stock airbox apart, never saw anything like it. I don't see it in BRP's parts fiche either. If it is there, mine doesn't work for ****. The SLP's on the other hand worked well.

 

[yamahaboy701]

Stock airbox powder Valve

I have a stock powder valve on my 2013 SP, pic below. I put the optional skidoo mesh prefilter over it in hope to keep the belt dust/engine bay crap out of the air box. The valve is on a spring, you can push it pretty easy with your finger. Best guess on how it works is as your stock intakes are plugging up the pressure inside the airbox will open this valve and pull air in from the engine compartment.

I also have a bog when I sidehill in deep snow on the exhaust side or I dive into deep snow hard with the front end. Last year I found heavy deep snow and could almost make it happen at will. My two airbox intake screen where completely unplugged and clear of snow, I am 99% sure its an exhaust issue for me. Might try some sort of deflector...

 

[Goinboardin]

It was the same for me. Heavier pow and I could make it happen repeatedly by either a hard right carve or steeper side hills longer than 20 feet. The heavier the snow the worse the problem (this is in CO&WY). I just used some scrap aluminum to verify that was the issue, riveted it onto the belly pan. Once a deflector was installed it was much better.

 

[trench]

to be honest no other sled hold a candle to the XM I road all models this year. The cats need some mods to keep up with the XM's. road a cat stock and then after with clutching intake and exhaust mods huge improvement till we went to canada and road in anywhere from 4-6 foot of fresh powder. Road them side by side and really couldn't tell witch sled had the upper hand. That same trip road a 14 XM just like mine but with a Rosterbuilt clutch kit and HPS can and all I can say is wow huge difference absolutely smoked my stock XM. Then I road a stock 14 pro and that was a pretty huge let down all that side hill ability they have is lost when you cant even get very high up on the hill in the trees to play with everybody else. Then I road the 14 pro demo with a clutch kit in it and after you get passed the lack of low end power and learn how to ride it on the pipe it kept right up with my stock XM. A week later road the same 14 pro with a clutch kit in spring snow and it was pretty fun threw the trees compared to my XM. But i'm not buying a long track because they do good in spring snow or need mods to keep up with an out of the box XM. In the powder the xm is king I am defiantly going to be putting a rosterbuilt clutch kit and HPS can on my XM next year along with a 156 3'' track got the chance to ride a 15 T3 163 and all I can say is wow stock those things are animals just like the guy said above mod sled from the factory with warranty. The sled could use some clutching but if your comparing the T3 to a stock sled or moded sled nothing holds a candle except a turbo or big boar ride it stock and I'll bet you'll have trouble putting any extra money into it.

Funny we found the exact opposite. The xm track seemed to trench and get stuck going up hills in the deep pow.
In even deeper days it was even more evident.
We also had a t3 163 out it did better but trenched as well .
This is only my findings ridding the xm's vs the new pro .

 

[Deep Powder Guy]

All sleds will trench if you don't take the time to setup the suspension properly.

DPG

 

[cadams]

The air intakes still suck. Even though they are now on both sides and are much improved, they clog with snow and need wiped off every other turn if your GHACKIN the deep. Looking into a mod of the glove box for air intake...

FYI. Even if all the side intake is full of snow there is still air getting to the intake. There is a check valve in the intake tube that opens up if the side intake vents are plugged. So regardless there is always air getting to it somehow.. Although maybe not as much as you would like.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

Funny we found the exact opposite. The xm track seemed to trench and get stuck going up hills in the deep pow.
In even deeper days it was even more evident.
We also had a t3 163 out it did better but trenched as well .
This is only my findings ridding the xm's vs the new pro .

i think you just have a weird affliction with that word.....

But on a pro vs. XM not for super deep snow trenching, the POO rail profile is a little more gradual and smooth, the doo track has a good approach with no pressure against it but because the rails roll up so much and back not keeping pressure on the track, in deep snow the track is pushed straight back then it drops down to the rails at a much higher approach angle then you see on the shop floor. Hence the reason for Tom's Powder wedges, or why Ice Age uses a shallower bend on their aftermarket rails. This helps the DOO in the really deep snow gain a little edge. Is it something to freak out about and throw money at? Maybe not, but it definitely is something that happens in the deepness.

 

[skidoo_guy]

i think you just have a weird affliction with that word.....

But on a pro vs. XM not for super deep snow trenching, the POO rail profile is a little more gradual and smooth, the doo track has a good approach with no pressure against it but because the rails roll up so much and back not keeping pressure on the track, in deep snow the track is pushed straight back then it drops down to the rails at a much higher approach angle then you see on the shop floor. Hence the reason for Tom's Powder wedges, or why Ice Age uses a shallower bend on their aftermarket rails. This helps the DOO in the really deep snow gain a little edge. Is it something to freak out about and throw money at? Maybe not, but it definitely is something that happens in the deepness.

That is the exact reason why I got the Powder wedges.

 

[Deep Powder Guy]

I've ridden my XM in the deepest of snow in both Revelstoke and Wyoming and never once has trenching been an issue. Trenching issues are all about your XM's suspension not transferring correctly. Setup up suspension correctly for rider weight and trenching becomes a none issue.

DPG

 

[sledhead_24_7]

Oh and the " mighty PRO" trenches too. I had one for the 2012/2013 winter season spent all winter on suspension set up never got the trenching completely gone.

Plus it could never make up for its lack of power.

 

[Finnlandr]

Mine bogs all the time and it sucks. I guess it depends on what you call deep and how often you ride "the deep"... here is what I am thinking of installing http://www.jcscustomvents.com/catalog/i73.html On days like this you will be needing all the air you can get!!
Good luck with all the "internet dribble" :/

Great Pic !

 

[off trail mike]

Don't forget the skis are an issue as well.

I found in powder that was more setup.....not bottomless fluff, not cascades concrete, but a more setup snow, the skis would have an abnormally high approach angle which forces the track to push the skis more than necessary leading to more trenching.

This pitches the nose up an and the tail down, so sled angle combined with approach angle make it trench more.

Going to try the Grippers this season as many have had good success with this ski. When you put the DS2 side by side with the Gripper, you can see the shovel curve of the ski is much steeper on the DS2, so it will definitely push more than ride up on the snow.

Tried a couple of different limiter strap positions and didn't find it made much of a difference in powder performance.

Still subtle issues here, the sled really does rock most of the time.

OTM

 

[Deep Powder Guy]

If your a heavier rider I suggest larger blocks which will tighten up the rear torsion springs more than the stock blocks do. If you sit on your sled and rear sags to much due to rider weight heavier blocks will prevent that from occurring.

DPG

 

[skidoo_guy]

If your a heavier rider I suggest larger blocks which will tighten up the rear torsion springs more than the stock blocks do. If you sit on your sled and rear sags to much due to rider weight heavier blocks will prevent that from occurring.

DPG

Never head of anyone putting larger blocks in. Heard of heavier springs and they are common, but not larger blocks. New to me.

 

[Cracker]

If your a heavier rider I suggest larger blocks which will tighten up the rear torsion springs more than the stock blocks do. If you sit on your sled and rear sags to much due to rider weight heavier blocks will prevent that from occurring.

DPG

What!!!!!! ?

 

[Deep Powder Guy]

Stay tuned I will show you what I mean here shortly.

DPG

 

[05900]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.liveleak.com/ll_embed?f=0673ded5075f" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

sneek peak...