Bought an 04 King at the end of last season and need some advice on suspension setup. The sled is basically stock except for SLP intake, V force reeds, snow stuff can, lefty throttle and 8" bar risers. I spent the last season riding a buddies sleds (05 1M, 09 M8 and 05 King). His are all set up for him (5' 10" 250 pounds) and seemed real stiff to me. I am 6' 1" 200 pounds and any advice on where to start would be great!! About 99% of my riding is deep powder and hillclimb - the only trail riding is to get to the meadows and hillclimbs.
Need suspension setup help
- Thread starter Ghuds
- Start date
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Biglizard1
Member
Did you get a chance to ride your new to you sled? if so how did it react and which way are you trying to tune to correct? answer these and you may get some diferent perspectives about fine tuning.. I notice with myself that i may set my rear suspension too tight thinking it would be maxxed... you know... tighter is better argument. I am about 250 and a little taller. with these settings I noticed the machine really pushed in hard snow conditions but had good luck climbing with it though... even for the shorter track (144) adding some more length this fall to try and do more with so it may change riding some for me.
Obvious you think there are people here that can help or you wouldn't post here...maybe Meatman could offer suggestions instead of being (insert your own adjective)....
Obvious you think there are people here that can help or you wouldn't post here...maybe Meatman could offer suggestions instead of being (insert your own adjective)....
maybe people come here first because this was once the place to go to get info...maybe now there is a new place to get better info. Maybe I could offer some help on this side but prefer to offer information on a different website as have some many others decided. There are plenty of people here that log on as guests that can help with suspension set ups which are in the same boat as myself.
I think the adjective you are looking for is '1M suspension genius'
you want my opinion? the stock king cat suspension is junk, there is no transfer for the torque and power that the 900 even stock produces...its an animal of its own demise. you can revalve and change adjuster block position, suck in the limiters and relocate bolt positions as much as you want...you will not get that suspension to work as well as the sled deserves.
I think the adjective you are looking for is '1M suspension genius'
you want my opinion? the stock king cat suspension is junk, there is no transfer for the torque and power that the 900 even stock produces...its an animal of its own demise. you can revalve and change adjuster block position, suck in the limiters and relocate bolt positions as much as you want...you will not get that suspension to work as well as the sled deserves.
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Biglizard1
Member
Hey Meatman, i think you may have read too much into my post, however you show you have what seems to be the component of why things are the way they are, i did not refer to you as negative, just that you offered a response to a question by telling the O P he would have to have luck on this website in order to receive a suggestion. That kind of post does nothing for any site reputation nor answer his question. Please leave the attitude behind. Send him a PM, do whatever you feel is correct. You will anyway.Take a post for what it is, if you care not to answer the original question with anything positive then why respond? Obvious you think you have his answer but yet you judge his selection to try to improve what he has...Ride what ya got??? You say it yourself Meatman, this was the place to go to get that information, if the people that give that information still give the same information on what ever site they decide, the OP may very well get that info.... if the superior suspension gods allow i suppose. 
I did get to ride it once (last ride of the season), It actually performed real well, but was a bit hard to lean over in the turns. Being the end of the season the snow was a bit crusty in the morning and wet and heavy in the afternoon. The conditions were great, but I don't think it was a good comparison the the light, dry powder we have during the main part of the season. The last time we rode this particular area I was riding my friend's 05 King. I probably got stuck 4 times - all it did was dig trenches. He has drop brackets and a pretty stiff setup so I don't know if that was the problem.. I heard that drop brackets tend to make the sled dig too deep. I guess all I'm looking for is a little help with a starting point for set up (shock preload, spring tension, limiter position, etc.). I have been reading this forum for a while now and have noticed there are a lot of very knowledgable people willing to give input about our particular sleds.
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diggerdown
Well-known member
The shock valving really needs to be redone on these sleds. They were hard on the top of the stroke and got softer as they went done alowing it to bottom out. Then riders set the spring tention to the heaviest setting trying to keep it from hitting bottom. If you can't spare $100 to get both rear shocks redone set the rear springs to medium setting and put a little more prload on the front skid shock.
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Biglizard1
Member
thanks for the info Ghuds, it seems that your further description is close to what I experienced also. similar conditions of snow etc...
thanks also digger, gives me an idea of where to start with my setup this year too.
thanks also digger, gives me an idea of where to start with my setup this year too.
I gave him options to look elsewhere instead of staying in one spot... yes diggerdown, you can revalve, so now you got 100 bucks into a junk suspension that does not transfer as well as it should for that sled.
so no implication there huh?
And this site is the way it is due to the fact of how it was handled during the transition.
Here is another example, there are few people left here and even fewer that know what they are talking about. One is Idcatman3, great kid, him and his father helped me put together my 975....he's clearly read this thread and he knows these sleds from top to bottom...instead of putting his 2 cents in on how to help your suspension he sits on the sidelines and asks me to not suggest BCR as an alternate place to go for information.
if you search BCR for king cat suspension or something like that you will run into a thread started by 76fomoco. It shows in depth on how to convert the junk KK suspension into a lighter, more agile M skid that does a much better job at transferring weight.
PS do some research before spouting off at the fingertips liz....you look like a fool
so no implication there huh?
And this site is the way it is due to the fact of how it was handled during the transition.
Here is another example, there are few people left here and even fewer that know what they are talking about. One is Idcatman3, great kid, him and his father helped me put together my 975....he's clearly read this thread and he knows these sleds from top to bottom...instead of putting his 2 cents in on how to help your suspension he sits on the sidelines and asks me to not suggest BCR as an alternate place to go for information.
if you search BCR for king cat suspension or something like that you will run into a thread started by 76fomoco. It shows in depth on how to convert the junk KK suspension into a lighter, more agile M skid that does a much better job at transferring weight.
PS do some research before spouting off at the fingertips liz....you look like a fool
I haven't commented yet because we don't run the stock suspensions in our 1Ms, and I'm not 100% sure what should be done to them to improve. We have replaced pretty much all of ours with the M8/1000 float suspension. We didn't do it for the ride quality, we did it for weight.
I don't mind people linking to other sites that already have the question answered, or suggesting a specific person to talk to. I've done that myself.
I know there are a lot of hard feelings left over the site transition, and I've been trying to let quite a bit slide in that regard.
Back to the OP, I don't think drop brackets are necessary on the stock suspension. We rode our 1Ms for a long time with stock rear suspensions, just set up the springs where it felt comfortable. If you're getting too much ski pressure, tighten the center shock spring and/or let out the limiter straps. Too little, do the reverse.
I'm more of a motor guy, I know there are other people here that do more suspension work.
I don't mind people linking to other sites that already have the question answered, or suggesting a specific person to talk to. I've done that myself.
I know there are a lot of hard feelings left over the site transition, and I've been trying to let quite a bit slide in that regard.
Back to the OP, I don't think drop brackets are necessary on the stock suspension. We rode our 1Ms for a long time with stock rear suspensions, just set up the springs where it felt comfortable. If you're getting too much ski pressure, tighten the center shock spring and/or let out the limiter straps. Too little, do the reverse.
I'm more of a motor guy, I know there are other people here that do more suspension work.
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diggerdown
Well-known member
In spite of what our friend meatman has to say, the suspention can be made much better by revalving and a few adjustment. It will not be as good as some others, but much better. The kings suspention usually transfers too much making it more prone to trenching and harder to control in trenched up snow because it's hard to keep any sort of ski pressure.
Everyone has their own opinions.....
I have always gone longer track, moved skid back a couple inches, added drop brackets and my sled does not trench and goes through the powder quite well. I set mine up to keep the skis down, some people like them in the air....
If you want it to tip over easier, soften the front suspension shocks, not the rear skid....
I have always gone longer track, moved skid back a couple inches, added drop brackets and my sled does not trench and goes through the powder quite well. I set mine up to keep the skis down, some people like them in the air....
If you want it to tip over easier, soften the front suspension shocks, not the rear skid....
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Biglizard1
Member
Meatman, I can take my fingers and put them where my mouth is, i do it frequently.( when I eat especially) If i have offended you, I take this moment to apologize.
My post must seem to strike a cord with you. I will step out from any further comments toward you on this matter. Thanks for suggestions of other authors and links to find information from. That is valid. I will use those links myself too.
I do know how to use search functions and I have done a fair amount of it with this chassis as I have one.
But please do listen to one thing. Negative comments about someones stuff not having any potential does very little in promoting anything but hard feelings.
Thanks to all of you for your time as you read my post. Ghuds, i apologize if you feel your thread has been hijacked.
My post must seem to strike a cord with you. I will step out from any further comments toward you on this matter. Thanks for suggestions of other authors and links to find information from. That is valid. I will use those links myself too.
I do know how to use search functions and I have done a fair amount of it with this chassis as I have one.
But please do listen to one thing. Negative comments about someones stuff not having any potential does very little in promoting anything but hard feelings.
Thanks to all of you for your time as you read my post. Ghuds, i apologize if you feel your thread has been hijacked.
No big deal - I guess I'll just use the trial and error method on the setup.
sled setup..............
No two people like the same setup. You can take advise from those you trust, but dont be afraid to try your own ideas. You will find out what YOU like. I have made several adjustments that got undone right away, its how you learn. Also, make a big enough adjustment so you actully feel the differance. You can fine tune later. Good Luck!
No two people like the same setup. You can take advise from those you trust, but dont be afraid to try your own ideas. You will find out what YOU like. I have made several adjustments that got undone right away, its how you learn. Also, make a big enough adjustment so you actully feel the differance. You can fine tune later. Good Luck!
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