MM suspension

[chevyrac66]

Hey guys, wondering what's a good start for modding/setup the suspension on a mountain max. Sled has vforce reeds, slp pipes, Simmons Gen II, taller rsi bars. Just want to get the stock suspension working better until long tracking it. What do you use for yours? I ride trails, powder, very little climbing/hymarking. I would like it to perform better in powder as that is where I play most, and the trail is just how I get there. Thanks in advance, Brian

 

[Backwoods M Max]

Hey guys, wondering what's a good start for modding/setup the suspension on a mountain max. Sled has vforce reeds, slp pipes, Simmons Gen II, taller rsi bars. Just want to get the stock suspension working better until long tracking it. What do you use for yours? I ride trails, powder, very little climbing/hymarking. I would like it to perform better in powder as that is where I play most, and the trail is just how I get there. Thanks in advance, Brian

The best thing you can do is to remove the stock transfer bars and replace them with a MPI transfer enhancement kit. Also pull the sway bar that will help how it handles in the powder. If your not really going to ride the trails too much, pull off most of the stock idler wheels and put on ice scratchers.

 

[chevyrac66]

How about shock preload? Thanks, Brian

 

[bdoe22]

weight

how much do you weigh? Here is how i run mine.....setup for 150 lbs....limiter strap almost all the way loose (out) about 8-10mm of threads above the stop, front track shock about 3 rounds tight from all the way loose, full range adjuster in the middle on the rear shock and soft on the rear rear (idont remember how many turns).....transfer straps set so they are just shy of taught with the machine sitting on the shop floor and no weight on the seat

They key here is the strap kit for the rear, ditch the transfer rods, ditch all the wheels brackets and hardware, get some scratchers and ride.

The looser the limiter strap the more it will wheelie and be playful in the pow, the tighter the front strap the more ski pressure it will have and be less playful...keep the front skid shock as soft as you can, it will help the skid climb on top of the snow. adjust the front ski shocks according to how you have your limiter strap set....

 

[chevyrac66]

Thanks guys, ill give this a try and dial from there. I may need a lil more preload as I weigh in at 300lbs, but being a pretty tall person you gotta expect that. I'm working on a new tunnel extension and a homebrew seat riser this year, as well as tuning for the slp's so its gonna be a busy fall. Thanks again, Brian

 

[Backwoods M Max]

Thanks guys, ill give this a try and dial from there. I may need a lil more preload as I weigh in at 300lbs, but being a pretty tall person you gotta expect that. I'm working on a new tunnel extension and a homebrew seat riser this year, as well as tuning for the slp's so its gonna be a busy fall. Thanks again, Brian

What year is the sled and what has been done to it? Some more info can help us give you some more insight from our experience with our sleds. For example the other poster was talking about spring preload but that was for aluminum body shocks. The MM used the steel body shocks and they use a cam type preload collar. The skid limiter straps make a huge difference in how the sled gets up on the snow. The factory adjustment range for the straps is 5-35mm. I started last year with the straps at 5mm and by the end of the year I was at 30mm. I still had the stock 141" track and the difference was getting stuck all the time vs having a fighting chance to get up on the snow. This year I have a 151" and I'm starting with 25mm as Tom Hartman recommends. I also have viper trailing arms and at 25mm on the straps it gives me an 18 degree approach angle.

I have also heard but not played with it myself yet, that when you uncouple the skid with the MPI transfer straps you need to run the FRA stiffer because the front skid shock isn't contributing as much. I'm going to run my FRA in full stiff but drop the preload a few clicks to start and go from there.

 

[chevyrac66]

Mines a 99 ,136", its got a factory skid, Simmons Gen II skis, I believe a factory track. Its got a cosmetically damaged tunnel from being hit by a car while on a trailer. Extension is from another sled, so I replaced that with one I built.Some motor mods, bar risers, other than that its how the factory made it from what I can tell. My shocks are all steal with a cam type adjustment. I really appreciate the help, a new sled or a longer track just isn't in the cards right now so I'm trying to do what I can with this pieced back together sled.

 

[revrider07]

It's been awhile but on that sled moving the front arm back some helped get it up on the snow realy improved handling. My kit and template came from a gentleman from orofino Idaho. Was cheap mod.

 

[Backwoods M Max]

It's been awhile but on that sled moving the front arm back some helped get it up on the snow realy improved handling. My kit and template came from a gentleman from orofino Idaho. Was cheap mod.

That's right on the pre 2000 sleds with the 136" track the approach angle flat out sucked. The sled still had the trail sled geometry with longer rails. On those early sleds you can upgrade to a 144" track by offsetting the skid to change the approach angle. Not sure there's much you can do with the 136" track though

 

[chevyrac66]

look, we all know it sucks, I just want it to suck less for now! When I get the money 2yrs away, I'll long track but for now I just wanna get what I can out of it. The motor is done as far as I'm gonna mod it, its got good skis, riser is good, just wanna max out stock track until I can update it. What are some of the old school mods that help a 136". Thanks, Brian

 

[revrider07]

We did it on 136 tracks and it worked great. Hartman might have some idea on how far I think it was 1.5 on top and 3.0 inches on the bottom.

 

[revrider07]

Boost bottle if you can find one also helps I would call Hartman he can get you in the right direction and is great to work with.