Planted front end feeling 2013 Pro 800

[tree-magnet]

This has been discussed at the beginning of the season, the planted feeling. Especially on a off camber hills. What have some of you done to help this? Shock settings, different springs, ect. My front shocks are backed off as far as possible about 4 threads showing on the front skid shock. It is easy to roll around on flat ground. I have rode with the sway bar off, some conditions it works helps other times not. This is not the answer IMO. What has worked for others.

 

[rmscustom]

Run you rear track shock a little looser than the specs in the manual for your weight and tighten up your front track shock until your happy. With only 4 threads showing on your fts you have too much ski pressure. It probably gets on top the snow great but you have to find the happy spot (gets on top good but allows the front to be playfull).
I also did kind of a carls cut on the skis... Imo they feel a little wide on this chassis and that helped a lot.

 

[Prayn4snow]

I really liked the "Carls Cycle" cut out on my Powder Pros, but haven't done it on the stock skis. How far up did you cut? Any one else cutting the stock skis?
Back on topic, I also loosened up the rear track spring to less than spec for my weight. That helped with feeling to planted up front.

 

[rmscustom]

This is how I cut mine... If I were to do it again I would've tried a smaller cut first and worked my way up.

 

[akrevrider]

Pro front end & rear suspension adjustments

I Changed the skis to the narrow stance, added Bergstrom 6"carbides & ski shims and ski savers. ...lowered the handle bars. Softened the front shocks & front track shock, tightened the rear track shock . The front end handling/turning was night & day difference.. Really like the way it turns now, the shocks need to have better rebound. I was going to do do the Carl's Cut but held off until after the suspension work to see the difference.

The climbing is spot on & no longer pushes the front end around corners. The rear shocks need a little help in the rebound & could be a little stiffer so I'm having them serviced & re-valved now.

 

[Jaynelson]

This has been discussed at the beginning of the season, the planted feeling. Especially on a off camber hills. What have some of you done to help this? Shock settings, different springs, ect. My front shocks are backed off as far as possible about 4 threads showing on the front skid shock. It is easy to roll around on flat ground. I have rode with the sway bar off, some conditions it works helps other times not. This is not the answer IMO. What has worked for others.

If your front skid shock (FTS) is that loose, you will have a very planted front end (lots of ski pressure as mentioned). Leave the sway bar in for now and try;

Set the rear track shock for your weight and forget about it for now (it gives you the measurements in your owners manual relative to weight). Set the FTS with about an inch of threads showing. Start there see what you think. Too stiff on the FTS and you'll trench more than necessary, too loose and the front end is too planted....as mentioned it should be easy to find a nice balance. I would imagine you may not want the front ski shocks ALL the way loose (might dive a little too much), but that's up to you.

I would definitely play with it more before you start buying stuff and changing parts.

 

[Teth-Air]

I have 2, 2013 Pro's, the 600 155 that my kid rides aggresively has the front shocks cranked all the way tight and my 800 163 is at about 50% tight. Both sleds have about 1500 kms on them and the front shocks on the 600 are much softer than the 800? Appearantly they are wearing out very fast under heavy use. Just mentioning this because I too found the front heavy and a rough ride but they do soften up fast with use.

 

[Old Scud-doo]

I really liked the "Carls Cycle" cut out on my Powder Pros, but haven't done it on the stock skis. How far up did you cut? Any one else cutting the stock skis?
Back on topic, I also loosened up the rear track spring to less than spec for my weight. That helped with feeling to planted up front.

I ran the stock ski for almost 600 miles this year and then decided to go back to Powder Pro's with the Carls cut. Different sled now. You need the cut. Essentially narrows your ski's by around 2" (1" each side). I cut the "lip" off and if I was to run the stock ski's again, I would cut that outter lip off too. Don't hurt the keel or runner of the ski.

 

[Kcjepperson]

By a adjustsble limiter strap, I did this made a world of difference. I have one I will send you. If you like it send me some money if not send it back. Pm me and we can discuss details

 

[akmclean]

By a adjustsble limiter strap, I did this made a world of difference. I have one I will send you. If you like it send me some money if not send it back. Pm me and we can discuss details

Who makes these?

 

[Kcjepperson]

I believe wps sells them, I had my Polaris dealer order it for me

 

[rmscustom]

By a adjustsble limiter strap, I did this made a world of difference. I have one I will send you. If you like it send me some money if not send it back. Pm me and we can discuss details

Are you setting longer or shorter from stock?

 

[Pownar]

I believe wps sells them, I had my Polaris dealer order it for me

You can just lengthen or shorten the stock one by drilling a new hole through the strap.

 

[tree-magnet]

I Changed the skis to the narrow stance, added Bergstrom 6"carbides & ski shims and ski savers. ...lowered the handle bars. Softened the front shocks & front track shock, tightened the rear track shock . The front end handling/turning was night & day difference.. Really like the way it turns now, the shocks need to have better rebound. I was going to do do the Carl's Cut but held off until after the suspension work to see the difference.

The climbing is spot on & no longer pushes the front end around corners. The rear shocks need a little help in the rebound & could be a little stiffer so I'm having them serviced & re-valved now.

How many threads are showing on your FTS I weight 200lb geared up

Thanks

 

[akrevrider]

How many threads are showing on your FTS I weight 200lb geared up

Thanks

Front shocks: 1" of threads showing
Front track shock: 5 threads showing
Rear shock: 1.75" of threads showing

I'm pretty close to the same weight as you when geared up.

 

[Jaynelson]

You will likely have to put up with some pushing around corners on the trail if you want to lose the planted feeling off-trail...

 

[Teth-Air]

Who makes these?

http://www.snowgoer.com/snowmobilin...e-aftermarket-product-preview-trac-link/1015/

 

[Kcjepperson]

When I had my stock skid with the adjustable strap I set it looser, I started at the loosest setting and then slowly adjusted it tighter. Yes you can drill a hole in you stock strap but that is not going to give you the same adjustments as this strap. All you have to have is a 1/2" wrench. you ride 1 mile or so tighten the screw ride a mile tighten the screw. It take a day to get it exactly where you like it and if you go to much you just back it off a little

 

[gman086]

Good discussion! I'll add my 2 cents:
The Pro might be the lightest sled out there but it IS front heavy when comparing the weight distribution compared to both BRP and AC. I felt this may be the case and the latest issue of Snowest magazine confirmed it as FACT with their own data from taking specific weight measurements of the front and back of the sleds.
The suspension gurus are ALL telling me to keep NO pressure on the FTS so that the front of the UNCOUPLED skid will collapse for better traction in the steep and deep. While that may be true, the sled is harder to countersteer/sidehill in bad snow conditions WITH the FTS full loose. Turning it in just enough to overcome that is the key for all-around riding IMHO! I had to go in the full 1 inch of threads showing with the stock shock to get to that point; I'm at about 3/4" with an aftermarket FTS. Now the sled handles like a dream - difference is night and day, especially in poor snow. You do have to pay more attention on the trail because of less ski pressure.
As for the limiter strap - those adjustable ones are garbage IMHO because even small amount of changes are going to severely affect track tension! Furthermore, if you set the strap looser, you'll have way too much transfer for this uncoupled suspension! There is no way around that and thus Polaris decided on a one-size fits all strap which is the correct length. Now if you go to a coupled suspension, then yeah, that would all change and a longer position would be a nice option.

Have FUN!

G MAN

 

[Jaynelson]

Good discussion! I'll add my 2 cents:
The Pro might be the lightest sled out there but it IS front heavy when comparing the weight distribution compared to both BRP and AC. I felt this may be the case and the latest issue of Snowest magazine confirmed it as FACT with their own data from taking specific weight measurements of the front and back of the sleds.
The suspension gurus are ALL telling me to keep NO pressure on the FTS so that the front of the UNCOUPLED skid will collapse for better traction in the steep and deep. While that may be true, the sled is harder to countersteer/sidehill in bad snow conditions WITH the FTS full loose. Turning it in just enough to overcome that is the key for all-around riding IMHO! I had to go in the full 1 inch of threads showing with the stock shock to get to that point; I'm at about 3/4" with an aftermarket FTS. Now the sled handles like a dream - difference is night and day, especially in poor snow. You do have to pay more attention on the trail because of less ski pressure.
As for the limiter strap - those adjustable ones are garbage IMHO because even small amount of changes are going to severely affect track tension! Furthermore, if you set the strap looser, you'll have way too much transfer for this uncoupled suspension! There is no way around that and thus Polaris decided on a one-size fits all strap which is the correct length. Now if you go to a coupled suspension, then yeah, that would all change and a longer position would be a nice option.

Have FUN!

G MAN

Good stuff Gman....I agree 100% and found the same when tinkering with my FTS. It is easy to get a reasonable amount of transfer (subjective; I consider that some ski lift, but not enough to cause trenching) for good off-trail handling by putting some more tension in the FTS. It's not possible to do this without somewhat compromising the on-trail handling....which is ho-hum anyways, so I see this is OK.

I think this balance is even easier to find on the 2012+ Pro's with the straight skid rails....mine is a 2011 - 163 with tipped up rails. The straight rails seem to hold the skis down a bit more for better trail handling.

The