Thinking outside the box

[beamslayer]

Since the ski stance on a assault at the narrowest setting is 41.5 inchs. Would it be possible to remove material from the outer side of the spindle where the ski bolt goes and add it to the inside of the spindle moving the ski inward to narrow the stance.Than you could still run the same a arms and shocks.3/4 on each spindle would get you down to 40 inchs.
What do you guys think have I been in the hot sun to long??

 

[m8sandman]

never thought about it but know i tried moving my old M ski's to the narrow position and didn't like the feeling of the spindles being off center with the skis. made the steering seem not as stable and a little twitchy in some instances especially on hard pack. also changed the way it felt when on one ski and thats where i'm at most of the time. have seen other peeps setup the same way and asked them what they thought and they seemed happy with it so what do i know???

 

[beamslayer]

Think in terms of a front wheel on any other vehicle they are not directly below the spindle .I wonder if holtz,or timber sled or one of the others have ever tried this?
Too late now. This might been my claim to fame.

 

[RMK-King]

That is a pretty good idea as long as it does not mess with the geometry of the sled somehow. I would buy a pair if they worked.

 

[gman086]

never thought about it but know i tried moving my old M ski's to the narrow position and didn't like the feeling of the spindles being off center with the skis. made the steering seem not as stable and a little twitchy in some instances especially on hard pack. also changed the way it felt when on one ski and thats where i'm at most of the time. have seen other peeps setup the same way and asked them what they thought and they seemed happy with it so what do i know???

You're not imagining it, same experience here and Tom Dines swears by keeping the skis centered over the spindles (he has a lot more suspension testing seat time than most). What I did find was that it is more critical with center keeled skis so you're pushing straight thru the spindle to the wear rod/carbide. For skis with dual wear bars it's not as big of a deal and the Doo Pilots or Simmons actually work okay in the narrow position because they don't rely on a centered wear rod/carbide for control. That's been my experience anyway.

Have FUN!

G MAN

 

[poorider]

I would not recommend doing this to your spindles. I did the exact same thing to my iqr, which did get it narrower, but what it did is move the spindle so it only was contacting about half of the rubber bumper in between the spindle and the ski, which will eventually lead to you being ejectulated over the handlebars when the ski tip digs into the snow and flips the ski around vertically, also causing possible a-arm damage.

As far as the spindle being in line with the ski for handling.... that's only part of the story. dune buggys, trophy trucks, etc etc that all use a-arm suspensions use a formula that draws a straight line through both king pins that ideally will intersect the ground in the exact centre of the contact patch of the tire on the ground.... seems to me our sleds should work the same way and straying too far from that point will lead to steering scrub and more rider effort

 

[The Fourth Wolf]

I would not recommend doing this to your spindles. I did the exact same thing to my iqr, which did get it narrower, but what it did is move the spindle so it only was contacting about half of the rubber bumper in between the spindle and the ski, which will eventually lead to you being ejectulated over the handlebars....

Totally agree. The last thing anybody needs while they're out there tearing it up is getting shot out of some guy's d--k.

Just sayin'

 

[WyoBoy1000]

Been thinking of doing it myself on other sleds, just remember the shock mount has to be moved out or shorten the shock to keep the same pressure, there may be other ways but if the spindles move in the shocks need to as well. You are talking of just taking 3/4 off the a-arms only right.

 

[tdorval]

Wyo, hes talking about machining the spindles so they are offset negative, not shortening the a-arms. Basically notching them by taking material from one side of the spindle and adding it to the other to allow for a narrower center to center. Not sure I would try that though. I would just get the right a-arms and be done with it. A shock guy can shorten your shocks for pretty cheap money.

 

[ziperhead]

any chance that the older doo ski's that were much narrower on one side would fit? it would keep your spindles centered and shave 3 or 4 inches off your width??

 

[WyoBoy1000]

I wouldn't do that,

 

[bdr68]

Did that on my 900 that had Hozl spindles on it. It does affect the handling some on the trail but I didn't think it was that big of deal. I went down to 38 or 39 inches with it and the pay off was worth it with that heavy pig in the powder. And if u decide that you don't like you just put the piece you cut-off back on the other side and presto back to stock.

 

[1Mike900]

Basically like a Cat spindle with .50" spacers, move them around as you wish? I would go no more than .5" ea. side for starters.

Mike

 

[beamslayer]

If the spindle was machined out 3/4'' on the outside and than weld a 3/4 in stub on the inside the force of the spindle is still in the center of the ski. Would that be correct?
Back in the day my father and friends all added steel plates to their spindles to widen there skis you all remember sno jets,sno ponys,scorpions and rupps and panthers from a/c there was some mountain sleds.