Was up in the bighorns this weekend riding with a group I hadn't rode with before, fun group day and night. I saw them using reverse to control down hill decents on several occasions and it seemed to work slick. lock track with brake, switch motor into reverse, powerbrake to clutch engagement and let off brake, let track dig into grade and level sled to control decent/stop. Hadn't seen it done before so i'm wondering if I learned a sweet new trick or the kind of bad habit that breaks hearts and parts.
reversing down hill... thoughts?
- Thread starter ndmeathead
- Start date
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RmkMtnRider
Active member
could be a little hard on belts. but i do it. Works out pretty good 
Personally I think the last thing I would be thinking about on the way down the hill is throwing it into reverse... It seems like it could only cause disaster in most cases when you need to start maneuvering around something on the hill side.
lock the track and go for it, make sure you start engaging against the brake in reverse before you let go, that way you dont slam the belt against something moving the other direction.. helps them last.
I have only done it a few times.. but it was a place I knew I needed to stop partway down, not just slow down.
I have only done it a few times.. but it was a place I knew I needed to stop partway down, not just slow down.
been doing it for years and no problems.
coming down blow out mt in the trees couldn't slow down oh hell lets sea if it will work.It was a little strange seaing snow fly out the front of the sled and still going downhill.The next guy tried it on a dragon and there went the belt,he was grabbing the brake and giving it throttle like coming down hill.$100.0 lesson.
Like said above hold brake engage clutch let off brake and give her throttle.
coming down blow out mt in the trees couldn't slow down oh hell lets sea if it will work.It was a little strange seaing snow fly out the front of the sled and still going downhill.The next guy tried it on a dragon and there went the belt,he was grabbing the brake and giving it throttle like coming down hill.$100.0 lesson.
Like said above hold brake engage clutch let off brake and give her throttle.
i just got an old belt i cut in half. made the two chunks into smaller loops. if i get to the top of something gnarly i dont want to come down at mach chicken (powerclaw 153 lol) i stick the sled, put the loops over the skis and slow down using this method.....works well. and isnt hard on anything except an old belt.however, if you cant stick it, your screwed
cut an old belt in half, bolt each half back into a cirlce so you have 2 small belts, hang one over each ski tip so it is resting against the spindle, they cause enough drag coming down hill to slow you down....guys also do it with 2 short peices of chain....but chain is nastier to carry on the sled vrs two small belts.....I have done all 3, problem with ski drags(belts or chain) is stopping to put them on.....the reverse works...but it takes practice to not smoke a belt, and its a little unnerving to do..also sometimes there isnt time to do it....
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HDEMWET
Well-known member
ahhhh, sounds like a smart idea. someone should invent a hand brake like the old GT's had where something would come down and drag behind the track or off the skis or something. it can be nerve racking to fight the urge to grab the brakes on a descent and use throttle to keep control, we don't even have mountains here and i get nervous the odd time... i can just imagine you mountain guys out there.
Almost every ride....and more than once. Never had an issue, just don't do it violently so you don't snap an adjuster.
The funnest part is hitting reverse and it kills the engine....then starting the sled with one hand, steering with the other while the sled picks up speed on a steep one....then hoping reverse works so you don't end up in a pile.
The funnest part is hitting reverse and it kills the engine....then starting the sled with one hand, steering with the other while the sled picks up speed on a steep one....then hoping reverse works so you don't end up in a pile.
Have you done it with the mechanical reverse that the rx1 had or was that on the RT ?
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Andreas83
Active member
it's a truelly wrong feeling trying to stay on the gas while you want to slow down on a bad drop...seen several go wrong because the rider couldn't overcome that tendency to brake and not throttle! Then it's free spool resulting in maximum velocity! Ski loop brakes are the ****nit for spring riding...you can buy belt holder assembly clips for $4 and keep em right on your tunnel. Takes longer hop off and look over the cliff then it does to apply if you ride in such places. The doubled up belt on one ski works too but you get kind a handling problem in some cases.
