07 rtx skid vs mono

[supercat]

I assume the o7 RTX skid mount points are the same as the mono shock skid? I know I would have to drill the hole for the adjustment dial, but could I bolt on the mono skid on my 07 rtx? If so, anyone interested in a trade? The RTX is too stiff for my riding, even with clicker on zero and spring on soft.

 

[Kevin Garceau]

I bet you can find alot willing...... so I will give this a bump for ya.

 

[Eh Pex]

I weigh about 200 lbs. and don't drive extremely hard....thought the ride was too stiff also. Took the skid rear shock to a friend and he removed 20% of the shims in both compression and rebound....much better! Have the clicker set at 13 from hard instead of 20. I would still like faster rebound for the stutter bumps,so I might try those "anti-bottom stoppers"or have a few more shims removed from the rebound section of the shock. I have my front shocks @ 65 psi., front skid @ 115mm., torsions @ soft and transfer rods @ mid. Rides quite nice now (but the seat is still alittle too firm for me).

 

[chadman]

The seat is probably most of your problem.

 

[ReX]

Have you guys tried the rear springs on high?

On the low setting the weight transfer couplers close right up with my 200 lbs on my RTX. Once they close the ride firms up a lot (plus I find I have to stiffen up the shock to control bottoming and kick back).

If I crank the rear springs to high its a major improvement. Unfortunately once too much ice builds up the couplers close up again and the ride isn't as compliant.

Try setting the weight transfer to maximum and use the high torsion spring setting. I might be looking for a different ride than you, but I find that plenty soft enough for me. I only wish the springs were strong enough to keep the couplers open when I'm loaded with ice and saddle bags.

Eh Pex, I'm surprised you're not finding it bottoms out too easily with it lowered right down and with the shock softened so much. You're likely riding with the couplers closed all the time and regularly using the anti-bottomers to keep it from bottoming out. I found the anti-bottomers cause a fair bit of kick-back when they are used too much with the shock softened off. Don't you find the back end kicking back up on you (maybe your shock buddy increased the shock rebound to compensate?)?

At first I thought the seat might possibly be a little firm too, but on higher mileage days I don't have any complaints about the seat at all.

supercat, unfortunately the tunnel mounting locations are not the same between the ProActive and the Monoshock. You'll need to pick up the tunnel brackets along with a monoshock suspension and rivet them to the tunnel along with drilling some new holes (including the large hole for the Remote Adjuster). Its not an enormous job, but its not as easy as simply bolting it in.

The monoshock suspension does provide a more compliant, more consistent ride and sounds more like what you are looking for.

 

[Eh Pex]

ReX...I don't have the stoppers yet,but something I might try. Had an '05 Vecter and it rebounded way bad with that crappy rear stock shock and the stoppers. My bud did as stated and there is still enough rebound damping to handle the stoppers(I think).

 

[supercat]

Rex,
Do you know if I can get the tunnel brackets seperately from dealer?
Does that mean a person putting the RTX skid on the mono tunnel would have to remove them?

 

[pro116]

It would be cheaper to revalve your shocks.I hear hygear does excllent work and are a site sponser now.The seat is a lot harder than the the regualr apex seats.I personally don't like the rtx seat but I love the sled.

 

[supercat]

I already had made up my mind that if I don't sell the sled I am going to have 1 1/2 to 2" of the softer (like regular apex) foam to top of the firmer foam. I like sitting a little higher anyway. I just dislike the ride characteristics of the torsion spring systems. A dual coil over setup correctly should be smoother in small stutter with reasonable antibottoming.

 

[BA APEX]

i haven't tried an '07 rtx but i am happy with my mono with big boy spring in my '06 rtx. i leave the dial at soft and it works great for me at 218lbs.
have you tried a '06 mono? i am curious about the comparisons from those who have rode both.

 

[ReX]

Rex,
Do you know if I can get the tunnel brackets seperately from dealer?
Does that mean a person putting the RTX skid on the mono tunnel would have to remove them?

Yes you can buy them separately. Go to http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/parts/home.aspx, click on snowmobile, 06 or 07 Apex ER and frame and have a look at the brackets (front and rear) and part numbers. Compare them to your 07 RTX to figure out exactly what you need.

If you're swapping with someone with a monoshock - you would both have to remove the old brackets and install the right ones for the suspension you're installing and in the right positions (you should find that many of the rivet holes are already there).

Have you found someone to trade suspensions with? I have a buddy who was very interested in finding a ProActive CK for his Apex ER. His monoshock skid is basically new (has just been completely rebuilt).

One problem - he may have changed his mind since we recently learned of some of the drawbacks with the ProActive (track ratcheting, lower ride height when ice builds up and saddle bags are installed, and premature hyfax wear because the track has to be run so tight). On the other hand I believe the ProActive suspension will be much more durable over lots of aggressive miles and with his track record with his monoshock he probably does too (broken pivot arms, cracked slide rails, etc.). We're both aggressive riders and the ProActive CK is not only more durable, but it is also better performing for that application (I don't find it too stiff at all and wouldn't mind even more high speed shock damping and slightly stiffer springs for when the trails get rough and I'm in the mood to keep the speeds up).

If you are looking for someone to trade with, let me know and I'll put him in touch with you.

 

[ReX]

i haven't tried an '07 rtx but i am happy with my mono with big boy spring in my '06 rtx. i leave the dial at soft and it works great for me at 218lbs.
have you tried a '06 mono? i am curious about the comparisons from those who have rode both.

I have ridden both (about 20,000 km on the monoshock in total and about 1300 km on the ProActive).

I really like the ride of the monoshock for high mileage riding, including fairly aggressive riding (with the 6.5 spring and a re-valved shock). Once its set up with a stiffer spring and a revalve it also can carry a lot of weight well.

The ProActive CK isn't nearly as smooth through smaller stutter bumps, but when the trails get rough it handles them much better. It also has more adjust-ability as far as getting ski pressure dialed in (with the monoshock, cruising ski pressure (constant speed) can't be adjusted hardly at all).

Over high miles if you ride aggressively (and low miles if you really ride hard) the monoshock skid can suffer from fatigue failures.

The design of the ProActive puts much lower stresses into the pivot arms and slide rails and the arms are probably stronger to start with than the monoshock's. I expect the ProActive will continue to prove itself as a very durable skid (with the exception to the OEM upper pivot arm bushings - mine are gone already and they are backordered).

Also the ProActive's ride is soft enough (for me) that I don't suffer any back pain or discomfort when riding. So even though the ride isn't as "Cadillac like", it's soft enough IMO. The ProActive's main shock should also be quite a bit superior at handling continuous rough trails without fading as the remote reservoir should keep it cool.

My only real complaint with the ProActive is the lack of torsion spring options (the track ratching unless the track is very tight is a little annoying also - I installed extroverts today). The monoshock has tons of different springs that can satisfy everyone from guys looking for the softest ride to aggressive riders and anyone from 100 lbs to 400 lbs. The ProActive's spring options are pretty much only ideal for 140-180 lb riders with the "heavy duty" springs giving a stiffer ride and the "light" springs giving a softer ride - but if you're much over 200 lbs you'll be riding low no matter what springs you install.

 

[ReX]

It would be cheaper to revalve your shocks.I hear hygear does excllent work and are a site sponser now.The seat is a lot harder than the the regualr apex seats.I personally don't like the rtx seat but I love the sled.

The seat does feel too firm when you take it for a short ride, but I found when you're on the sled for a longer ride it seems to soften up and contour itself for a comfortable seat.

My buddy is complaining that he has a sore behind from riding on his Apex ER all day, but I don't have this issue with the 07 RTX (and I have with my previous sleds).

Now that I've put some miles on my 07 RTX I would say its the best seat I've ever had on a sled and I wouldn't change it at all.