Making the Jump to a MCxpress 15 viper MTX from the ol'rx1ton mtx

[Clyder6R]

Finally decided to buy a new sled, found a 15 turbo viper locally that is in great shape. 190hp is all i need, and the 153 with the 3" will be great for where we ride.

Just curious what can i do to it to make it better? My buddy has a 16 viper MTX and its pretty fantastic, i know there are some differences between 15 and 16. other then the front end should i be doing? And is the 16 front end that much better then the 15??

Also coming from the RX1 im sure stock 15 will be a great improvement haha

 

[Mtnviper]

If you like to mountain ride and sidehill, then the 16 front end is definitely worth it. It's much easier to hold a sidehill and makes the sled feel more nimble when boondocking. If your 15 has a 38" ski stance, you can just replace the upper A arms and spindles to get the 16 geometry in a 38" width.

Although I have not tried them, there are some aftermarket front ends available to improve mountain handling as well.

 

[Deeppow16]

The 16 front end is a huge improvement over the 15 and older sleds. Last year I got to ride both and I couldn't believe how much easier the 16 was to ride. I could tell that the 16 didn't drag through the snow like the 15 did. I also really like the 36" front end. The thing pretty much falls right over like nothing.

 

[Clyder6R]

Was into the dealer this morning and got everything finalized. she has 7400kms on it, its not perfect but hasn't been beat. will need the reverse switch looked at, it was kinda finicky and wouldn't always work when pressed, and the AFR gauge will need to be hooked up. We do a lot of sidehilling and boondocking. mostly flat land here with some shorter climbs.

So the 15s also had a different ski then the 16s, worth the upgrade when i do the front end or is there a better aftermarket option? Also there was some changes made in the rear skid to help with geometry anyone know the specifics on that? other then that they seem pretty similar.

 

[Deeppow16]

Was into the dealer this morning and got everything finalized. she has 7400kms on it, its not perfect but hasn't been beat. will need the reverse switch looked at, it was kinda finicky and wouldn't always work when pressed, and the AFR gauge will need to be hooked up. We do a lot of sidehilling and boondocking. mostly flat land here with some shorter climbs.

So the 15s also had a different ski then the 16s, worth the upgrade when i do the front end or is there a better aftermarket option? Also there was some changes made in the rear skid to help with geometry anyone know the specifics on that? other then that they seem pretty similar.

I think the new ski that the 16's got was a better option then the 15's but a lot comes down to personal preference when your dealing with skis. I know some people that run the SLP powder pros and like them so its up to you. As far as the rear skid goes, they change the geometry so that it keeps the track a constant tension through the full range of the skid. Also I think they tweak the approach angle some too.

 

[Clyder6R]

I'll have to look into it further i guess, see if i can find a thread on how to adjust the 15 skid. I may try the front end of the 15 with the 16 ski and see how i like it, there is no crashed MTXs around the steal the front end off of yet.

 

[stahlecker]

The flotation on the 16 ski is much better than the 15. But if i was going to spend money I'd look at the 18 Sidewinder ski. I really like it, seems to be better all around than the 16.

Also if I had it to do over again I'd do 36" right from the start and not waste time on a 38". But very little of my time is spent on a trail.

 

[Clyder6R]

We mostly ride flat land and some hills. we aren't really in the trees too much, do a lot of power lines and unplowed logging roads. We run the 16 viper in it's 38" stance and he found it a little less tippy for this kinda thing. If anything i may do the new upper and spindle but leave the lower a arm alone.

I priced a set of C&A skis and its just not worth it when the stock 16s are half the price, but i will definitely look into a set off of a 18 winder. Any of you guys cutting lines in the top of the ski for grip??