'12 XTX suspension advice...

[Phaze]

When I compress the rear suspension, it does not want to rebound. Sit back down on it, it feels like lumber. What controls the rebound? Rear shock? Torsion springs?

My 2nd winter with it. Just over 3K miles. Been doing it since I bought it with 2400 miles..

Thanks

 

[Viper_Dave]

Multiple thread addressing this issue. I personally have swapped 4 different setups into my 11. There is to much stiction in the rear arm. Star Suspension is the place to call. There kit, when done completely, meaning linkage , revalved and new spring for front shock and revalved rear shock work very well. I'm currently running an M20 Airwave and Fast Front Airshocks.

 

[Stubbs]

VD hit the nail on the head......Star kit, revalved shocks, and follow their advice on springs for your weight/riding style.

 

[terez]

Im on my 2nd XTX and have done the Star kit both times.

The kit improves the skid in every way.....specifically addresses the sag and wooden feeling the XTX is known for.
The kit is well made, works well and is not overly expensive either....winwinwin


You can install the linkage kit and run it without revolving the shocks which will address the sag and wooden feeling issues completely.
Star also recommends replacing the front skid shock spring with a heavier one....they can supply one or there is a skidoo spring that fits as well.
This is pretty much mandatory as well because the Star kit deletes the coupling linkage so the front shock does more of the work and on its own.....

However their revalving of the oem shocks makes the entire skid work better with stutters trail junk and other real world riding.

The Star setup is very effective and is how the XTX skid should have been delivered by Yamaha.
Frankly shame on Yamaha engineers not coming up with a better mousetrap.....one which is actually simpler, lighter.
Further Yamaha stuck with the ridiculous transfer rod skid unchanged other than addressing a couple of glaring flaws early on from 09 to 15 !!!!!

Do the Star .....a no brainer.

 

[Phaze]

Interesting. I've read b4 the Star kit was the way to go with these XTXs. I did not know it was common thing with the sag and lack of rebound. That's ridiculous if they left the factory with that issue. This is the only sled I've had with this problem.

A friend has a '08 136" and swapped out the ski shocks with Fox Evol Float 3 w/o the side resevoir and he said his sled was nite and day. I assume they make a center and rear shock too. Haven't looked onto it. I know they're spendy. But he found a guy who rebuilds and sells them, which saves a couple hundred bucks ir so. Thoughts?

Right know I have the suspension set to full smoft from front to rear. Just thought I'd try it. Really didn't feel a difference.....

Thanks for the detailed explanation, terez, and all the responses....

 

[Phaze]

I put the center shock at full preload. Left everything else at soft. Considering the spring is too soft according to Star Suspension, maybe I should have gone past max. It didn't do anything for rebound. We'll see how it's manners are on the trail.....

 

[ThatOneGuy'sBrother]

I have a 15 xtx. Mine does not sag at all. In fact my rear suspension barely ever moves. The shock adjustment is backed all of the way off. The front spring in the rear skid is backed off to the point that it is almost loose. The rear torsion spring is on soft. I am 200 pounds without gear. The rear suspension sits fully extended without me on it. When I jump on it I might get it to move an inch or so. Been this way since new. Have 5,000 miles on it now.

Does the 15 have siffer springs in it?

My front shocks seem to have a very stiff calibration as well. My father's 13 vector front shocks are really smooth. (Both are coil over) I know the mono shock skid rides amazingly smooth.

Since mine does not have the sag issue at all and virtually never bottoms out could a re valve on all the shocks help a lot? Has anyone just re valved a 15? Or is the star kit a must to get it riding good?

 

[Phaze]

Are you sure your suspension is all the way up? Like mine, maybe it compressed when you sat on it and it never rebounded. If you checked it now can you lift the rear and raise the suspension, don't lift it off the ground? I just did mine and it came up a good 2". If I push it down it stays compressed, doesn't pop back up....

 

[geez150]

I have a 15 xtx. Mine does not sag at all. In fact my rear suspension barely ever moves. The shock adjustment is backed all of the way off. The front spring in the rear skid is backed off to the point that it is almost loose. The rear torsion spring is on soft. I am 200 pounds without gear. The rear suspension sits fully extended without me on it. When I jump on it I might get it to move an inch or so. Been this way since new. Have 5,000 miles on it now.

Does the 15 have siffer springs in it?

My front shocks seem to have a very stiff calibration as well. My father's 13 vector front shocks are really smooth. (Both are coil over) I know the mono shock skid rides amazingly smooth.

Since mine does not have the sag issue at all and virtually never bottoms out could a re valve on all the shocks help a lot? Has anyone just re valved a 15? Or is the star kit a must to get it riding good?

I did a revalve only on my 2012 XTX. Made some improvement. But I wish I would have put the torsion springs in from a Nytro XTX as they are softer than a Apex XTX. I feel like that set up is the only alternative to the Star kit if one doesn't want to completely redesign their skid. That or can always do an M-20 suspension swap.

 

[ThatOneGuy'sBrother]

My suspension is about an inch to half inch from fully extended when I get off of it. When I pick it up it extends. But only just barely. Been that way since new. To me that is not much sag in the suspension! I was hoping the shocks would break in and loosen up. But it has not.

When riding extremely hard it soaks up the massive bumps without bottoming out perfectly. Just the normal and small studder bumps beat you up!

Biggest problem is I rode my friends sidewinder ltx LE. It rides like a dream! Even my wife's phazer xtx (after installing fox float 2s on the front) rides worlds better than my apex.

Just was hoping it was a valving fix and not a major overhaul.

 

[geez150]

Do the valving plus the softer Nytro springs and it should be world's better. The way you described yours is exactly how mine was. And why I sold it.

 

[Phaze]

At the moment, I enjoy riding my 05 RX1 much better than the Apex. Mono is a better suspension...

 

[ThatOneGuy'sBrother]

The mono shock is a great trail suspension for sure! I have always liked it a lot! Unless your pounding the big stuff. Then the ck handles it better.

 

[Phaze]

My suspension is about an inch to half inch from fully extended when I get off of it. When I pick it up it extends. But only just barely. Been that way since new. To me that is not much sag in the suspension! I was hoping the shocks would break in and loosen up. But it has not.

When riding extremely hard it soaks up the massive bumps without bottoming out perfectly. Just the normal and small studder bumps beat you up!

Biggest problem is I rode my friends sidewinder ltx LE. It rides like a dream! Even my wife's phazer xtx (after installing fox float 2s on the front) rides worlds better than my apex.

Just was hoping it was a valving fix and not a major overhaul.

Hears what I did and it se

I have a 15 xtx. Mine does not sag at all. In fact my rear suspension barely ever moves. The shock adjustment is backed all of the way off. The front spring in the rear skid is backed off to the point that it is almost loose. The rear torsion spring is on soft. I am 200 pounds without gear. The rear suspension sits fully extended without me on it. When I jump on it I might get it to move an inch or so. Been this way since new. Have 5,000 miles on it now.

Does the 15 have siffer springs in it?

My front shocks seem to have a very stiff calibration as well. My father's 13 vector front shocks are really smooth. (Both are coil over) I know the mono shock skid rides amazingly smooth.

Since mine does not have the sag issue at all and virtually never bottoms out could a re valve on all the shocks help a lot? Has anyone just re valved a 15? Or is the star kit a must to get it riding good?

I just got back from a ride. As I mentioned, I put everything soft from front to back, except I put full preload on the center shock.... It seemed to ride better. Give it a try.....

 

[ThatOneGuy'sBrother]

I have had it adjusted like that before. It definitely made it lighter on the skis and more transfer. But I gained a lot of ski lift as well.

I think I will look for Nytro torsion springs and re valve all of the shocks in the off season.