Planted front end feeling 2013 Pro 800

[geo]

Frigin Internet eh. I disagree completely lol.

Every Holz or Holz copy skid I've had since 2006 worked best for me with the softest FTS spring I could run with my weight and transfer control (or that lively feeling) with the RTS. This includes my 13 Pro.
The comprimise for me, is the trail ride with this SEMI-uncoupled skid. I love the big bump trail ride too, so I've been standing and timing the bumps since 2006 too lol.

The reason I said semi-uncoupled is the front borrows from the rear (location of rear sissor stop dictates how much) and rear can borrow a bit from the front depending on limiter strap length.
If you dial up a heavy FTS spring you can have over a 1000 lbs of spring pressure locking up the skid by 3/5 of it's travel which is why I think these skids get such a bad rap on the trail ride.

Just saying not telling but a long time ago I when I was learnin', I couldn't figure out why my deep snow mentor made ridin waste deep stuff look so easy. He was carving and I was sweating.
He told me to crank up the suspention. So I went out the next day a played with that and sure enough, a skid that doesn't move in deep powder is easier to ride. I think it's because you have to control less of the 650 lbs (back then or if you ride another brand lol) rocking between your legs.
This set-up made the ride home WFO or putting, no in between, and limiter strap set-up for snow depth more critical and obvious.

Since then I've learned some things and got older lol, so I try to use all my travel a few times every hour and it works for me.

 

[Kcjepperson]

I agree with geo, you start tightening the front shocks and all you are doing it making it stiffer and will be taking up valuable travel of your shocks. And you start trenching more. I was told the best way to run a shock is with little or no preload.

That's why I like the adjustable strap, I feel the limiter strap stock doesn't have enough length. It's a little short. I had good luck with keeping my shocks with little pre load and then just having the limiter strap a little loser which felt like when I was on the throttle the weight transferred back and got the front end up a little more. Just my opinion though.

 

[Ken Climb]

I was one of the guys who thought the 2013 front felt planted after my first couple rides. For me, the "planted" feeling just came from me transferring from my m8 last year.
It took me a few rides to find the balance point of this sled.
Try a little more counter steer, and bring your feet back about a foot or more to find the sweet spot. Once found carving will feel effortless.
I've never ridden with such precision and skill as I have on this sled. It's taken me to a new level.
I sound like I'm gloating, and I am I guess. It's hard not to with with my pro.

 

[Solby]

Hey guys I am resurrecting this thread, possibly for a different planted feel.

I got a chance to have a little brake in ride yesterday and found some pretty good snow. Sled was a pretty easy transition from the proclimb. Getting my bars adjusted right and finding what techniques work the best. Really love how this sled floats and holds a line on its side.

Anyways, I feel like the sway bar keeps the front end really flat. I think this can be good in some situations and bad in others. The transfer front to rear seemed pretty spot on. Many threads say do not pull the sway bar so I am not really wanting to do that. I was thinking about lightening up the preload on the front shocks? Any opinions? Thanks

 

[geo]

Coming from Cat I felt the front was a little flatter riding too initially. Move back a half step or two and steer with the track (as it should be).

My experiment last year without the sway bar showed me the advantage of a sway bar.
The advantage is more a stable sled on bumpy sidehills. Inside ski rarely bottoms.

Anytime you bottom your suspension ( front or rear) you lose control.

The sway bar couples the front (to the torsional strength of the bar) so it stabiles the sled side to side. Very similar to a coupled rear and how it controls front to rear.

Step back and enjoy. Then adjust RTS to the lift you want (ski pressure). MO

 

[Solby]

Geo, thanks for the reply.

I feel like you are right about half step back. It did seem to really change how the sled responded. I had my bars a little too far forward so it was handcuffing me. I think I have them just right now. I will have to get the techniques dialed in. With my last cats you could stomp wrong foot forward or right foot forward plant the side and pull a sidehill. This sled the stomp doesn't seem to do anything, but the sled still seems to go up and edge easy enough and then come around way way way better than the pc.

 

[geo]

I find with the pro, wrong foot forward is way back compared to the M or PC but you don't have to "look like Rasmussen" lol. Meaning your other leg doesn't have to be way out there.
More like just standing and dip a shoulder or dab a leg. This is where the balance for you is. Put your foot in the right spot and it seems effortless to control which is why it takes less energy to ride.
You actually don't have to do the wrong foot forward as much as on the Cat's but I still ride that way because sometimes you screw up and need to pull this light thing back up to you lol.

If your at the very back of the running boards you can "look like Burant" and stick out a leg "like Rasussen" lol and turn on a dime. The sled vertical is very well balanced and easy to place the front where you want.

 

[ullose272]

I was feeling the same way. I put some more preload on the center shock and loosened up the ski shocks and it made a difference. I came from m8 too. You just need seat time

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[Solby]

Thanks for the input guys. Got 50 more miles on Saturday. Adjusted the bars back so they are almost in line with the post (this was my mistake when installing the fly bars I thought I would ride with my feet up forward all the way). Then I loosened up the preload 1.5 turn on the front shocks. I might experiment with more next ride. Made a huge improvement on the "flickability" of the sled. Can't say enough about how much I like this ride. Rode a 14 cat just a little Saturday and am still very happy I went to the dark side.