15 Vector LTX HARSH RIDE

[snocrazy]

First ride on a new 15 Vector LTX leftover. Put 300 km on it trying to set the suspension up. I have followed the manual and set everything up to standard. Transfer is set to min. I am finding the ride really ROUGH in bumpy trail. I made some trail side adjustments and it did not improve much. Even in very small bumps it resonating through the chassis. I have ridden a 2014 and it rode great!! I am coming off a 2015 600 120"doo that could take anything you threw at it!

I'm 170 geared up. Am I expecting too much from the MONO suspension?? Thanks in advance.

 

[steiner]

What spring rate do you have on the mono?

 

[DGZRT]

It's important to set your ride height or sit in. Just Google it . There are a few good articles on it. Next remember the dial adjust on the side of the tunnel does the rebound only. As I have found out ! You can turn it to full soft and you get a lot of kick back on the rebound . It makes it seem harsh. So figure out how to set your preload and make sure the dial adjust is 4/5 clicks from full soft . If that doesn't work look into a revalue job and dual rate springs

 

[4strokeluvr111]

What spring rate do you have on the mono?

Would be whatever was stock in the Mono that year?

To the OP:

IMO - assuming it's the Mono skid, you need to give it about 500 miles to break in and loosen up. Make sure nothing is binding underneath. Bounce it up and down while looking at the skid. I know it's an obvious thing but worth mentioning.

Also IMO - if you expect this sled to ride like your 600 Doo did it'll never ride like that. Either put in a FAST M10 or M20 or sell the sled.

Having the shock revalved and going to a dual rate spring will also help it ride better....or so everybody says.

 

[DGZRT]

What type of shocks do you have on the front? If you have adjustable Compression and Rebound Then we can start with that. The first thing you should look at is get your front of the sled off the ground and loosen the locking collar or the front shocks . Next spin them loose enough for the spring to move up and down just a little . Then tighten them back 1 to 2 turns to make sure the springs won't come out of there seat. This softens up your front end and makes the "A" arms level . Your handling will get better with less ski lift. If your shocks are adjustable then set your compression to full soft counter clockwise and the Rebound full soft counter clock wise. Next turn the rebound harder by 4 clicks so you don't have massive kick back. I have left mine front shocks on full soft on compression and then keep turning the rebound up until you don't feel it thru the handle bars .

 

[musselman]

Congrats on the new sled!!! I have been dialing in my apex ltx the past few weekends and I found the ride sag makes a huge difference in ride. I had my spring set too stiff and was not using all the travel. I backed the spring off according to the setup chart for my ohlins shock and seems pretty bang on. To measure your sag you need to measure the spring length unloaded (rear in the air) then sit on it and have someone measure the spring while you are on it. The difference should be 40 to 45mm. If you want a softer ride then go closer to 45mm.

I run my transfer on min and that seems to provide the best ride, start with your clicker set to soft and test from there.
The monoshock will ride awesome in the moderate stutter bumps up to 1 ft, after that it will get a bit rougher but nothing terrible.

 

[4strokeluvr111]

Yamaha front shocks are typically valved way too stiff.

 

[sfcjeff]

Congrats on the new sled!!! I have been dialing in my apex ltx the past few weekends and I found the ride sag makes a huge difference in ride. I had my spring set too stiff and was not using all the travel. I backed the spring off according to the setup chart for my ohlins shock and seems pretty bang on. To measure your sag you need to measure the spring length unloaded (rear in the air) then sit on it and have someone measure the spring while you are on it. The difference should be 40 to 45mm. If you want a softer ride then go closer to 45mm.

I run my transfer on min and that seems to provide the best ride, start with your clicker set to soft and test from there.
The monoshock will ride awesome in the moderate stutter bumps up to 1 ft, after that it will get a bit rougher but nothing terrible.

what weight are ya

 

[musselman]

I'm around 170 with gear, have my spring set at 281 mm which is good for 160 to 180 according to the setup chart.

 

[sfcjeff]

I'm around 170 with gear, have my spring set at 281 mm which is good for 160 to 180 according to the setup chart.

I'm 230 with gear and my goal this week is to get my 2006 vector finally set up. I just had shock redone and added a 13 mm bar. its at the dealers and am trying to learn enough to know what the hell there doing lol.

 

[blade072]

First ride on a new 15 Vector LTX leftover. Put 300 km on it trying to set the suspension up. I have followed the manual and set everything up to standard. Transfer is set to min. I am finding the ride really ROUGH in bumpy trail. I made some trail side adjustments and it did not improve much. Even in very small bumps it resonating through the chassis. I have ridden a 2014 and it rode great!! I am coming off a 2015 600 120"doo that could take anything you threw at it!

I'm 170 geared up. Am I expecting too much from the MONO suspension?? Thanks in advance.

I just bought a 2012 Vector LTX with the monoshock rear suspension, and learning how to set it up. Unfortunately not much snow. I think that it does take some time to break in. I would think that the transfer rod set to min. would make it ride harder. I think that it almost completely couples the rear suspension. I had a 2007 Attak with that suspension and I always had the transfer rod set to almost max. My reasoning for that is that it uncouples the rear suspension giving you a better ride. I just sold a 2011 Apex XTX which was coupled from the factory. I installed the Star suspension kit which uncouples the rear suspension and it made a huge difference in ride. Not the same sled. You will have to learn to ride a suspension uncoupled , but it is a lot of fun and better ride. Many sleds are uncoupled, and am not sure why Yamaha doesn't. The front end will seem lighter, but it is really controllable once you learn how to ride it. These are just my thoughts and experiences. I would like to hear opinions of of others who understand suspensions.

 

[4strokeluvr111]

I just bought a 2012 Vector LTX with the monoshock rear suspension, and learning how to set it up. Unfortunately not much snow. I think that it does take some time to break in. I would think that the transfer rod set to min. would make it ride harder. I think that it almost completely couples the rear suspension. I had a 2007 Attak with that suspension and I always had the transfer rod set to almost max. My reasoning for that is that it uncouples the rear suspension giving you a better ride. I just sold a 2011 Apex XTX which was coupled from the factory. I installed the Star suspension kit which uncouples the rear suspension and it made a huge difference in ride. Not the same sled. You will have to learn to ride a suspension uncoupled , but it is a lot of fun and better ride. Many sleds are uncoupled, and am not sure why Yamaha doesn't. The front end will seem lighter, but it is really controllable once you learn how to ride it. These are just my thoughts and experiences. I would like to hear opinions of of others who understand suspensions.

1. Help me understand how a monoshock skid with essentially a single arm can be coupled and uncoupled by the transfer rod? I can't get my head around that one.

2. I've tried the transfer rod all over the place. Anything other than minimum the front end wants to lift (losing steering) with the slightest twitch of the throttle. And when you're coming into a corner the sled wants to nosedive.

 

[blade072]

1. Help me understand how a monoshock skid with essentially a single arm can be coupled and uncoupled by the transfer rod? I can't get my head around that one.

2. I've tried the transfer rod all over the place. Anything other than minimum the front end wants to lift (losing steering) with the slightest twitch of the throttle. And when you're coming into a corner the sled wants to nosedive.

1. Hopefully by discussing this, we both can get a better understanding. The monoshock skid has a front arm and a rear arm with the shock and spring mounted to both arms.. The suspension is technically a coupled suspension. On a uncoupled suspension, the front arm will act independent of the rear arm. Adjusting the transfer rod from min. to max. will remove some of the coupling from the two arms. But, at some point they will become coupled again. ( I hope I have this right). The reason that the front end wants to come up when the transfer rod is at max. is that the suspension is uncoupled at this point. Another point to watch is when you climb a curb slowly, the front skid on a uncoupled suspension will rise independent of the rear. The front skid rises and then the rear skid catches up. On a coupled suspension, the front skid and rear skid wants to rise almost together. Sometimes this causes the harshness in ride. It also boils down to spring rate and shocks. I like to set up my front and rear suspensions soft and then valve the shocks accordingly. If the suspension never bottoms out, then it is too stiff. Someone also mentioned settle in initially which is a good way to check your suspension setting.
2. When I changed my Apex from coupled to uncoupled, the first thing I noticed was a lighter feeling front end. I actually like the front end to get light on acceleration but still controllable. Riding with this set up requires a different riding style. I like going into the corner deeper before getting off the throttle. This plants the front end, rails around the corner, then accelerate out of the corner. This is a rythmn thing that once you get used to really works. No different than when I was racing late model dirt cars.
3. It would be nice to get other opinions on this.

 

[4strokeluvr111]

What you're saying makes sense to me. After I posted what I did, I realized that the front and rear arms are tied together via the shock, so in a sense it is coupled, but not like a "traditional" coupled two shock skid. Thanks for takiing the time to write this up. I too am curious as to what others have to say as well.

How did you uncouple your Apex Mono? Simply removing the transfer mechanism SEEMS to be the quick and dirty solution, but I'd have to think of the possible ramificatons of doing so.

 

[blade072]

What you're saying makes sense to me. After I posted what I did, I realized that the front and rear arms are tied together via the shock, so in a sense it is coupled, but not like a "traditional" coupled two shock skid. Thanks for takiing the time to write this up. I too am curious as to what others have to say as well.

How did you uncouple your Apex Mono? Simply removing the transfer mechanism SEEMS to be the quick and dirty solution, but I'd have to think of the possible ramificatons of doing so.

My 2011 Apex XTX was not a mono, but a 144 suspension. Star makes a great kit to uncouple which really improved ride.