08 Phazer - Very High Steerign Effort

[Longknife]

Hi guys,

I bought an '08 Phazer last year as I've wanted to try one out for awhile.

It has a 136" Hartmann rail extension with a 1.5" freeride and I'm running stock skis and carbides.

My biggest complaint with the machine is the extremely high steering effort, especially at slow speeds.

I've tried various pressures in the Fox floats upfront and various rear suspension settings but nothing really seems to cure it.

Could this be a lubrication issue? I tried getting some lube sprayed into steering stem pivot points, which again seemed to help marginally.

Could it be anything related to the track extension?

It's motivating me to want to sell the machine, although I haven't had time to try and in depth cures, just some spray lube here and suspension adjustments there. It is next to impossible to steer through powder on the very tight and slow trails I use to go through my property. At a ctual trail speeds, on a groomed trail , especially under throttle relieving ski pressure, it is passable. All other times it is very annoying.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Cubby]

Check your limiter strap. The tighter it is the more weight over the skis and harder to turn.

 

[Deeppow16]

The longer the track the harder it gets to turn because there is more track on the ground pushing you straight ahead. I have nytro MTX 153 and driving slow is like driving a truck with out power steering. Its not like that in the powder just on hard pack trails.

 

[MikeWalters]

Check your limiter strap. The tighter it is the more weight over the skis and harder to turn.

check that, and also have your front end of the sled lifted off the ground and see if there is any binding when you turn the bars back/forth

 

[Mooseman]

Check the wear of the bushings and tie rods, which could be throwing the alignment off. Highly recommend UpBushman's kits:

Pivot bushings
Ski spindle kit

And
Phazer Tierod inner End Upgrade

 

[Voda2000]

I have a 136" Freeride and the stearing is about the same as it was with the 121". It's probably a suspension setup issue.

 

[Chad Schultz]

Is it hard to steer because the steering is binding? Try lifting the front and seeing if the bars are hard to turn.

 

[Longknife]

Thanks for the replies.

My limiter strap is not tight.

As far as lifting the front end, I've done that and although the steering moves back and forth relatively smoothly, it's definitely not as light as some other sleds I've owned. I guess I was just wondering if there's a known problem with lubrication or wear on some components.

I will be ordering a UPBushman bushing kit this week and I'll verify the alignment after that.

 

[blueironranger]

It may already have one of Bushman's kits in it, when I installed mine I found one of the shims a hair too thick which made the steering "sticky" with the nut properly tightened. I lightly sanded the shim with fine sand paper and reinstalled it and it worked perfectly. Mine turns with pinky finger with the front in the air.