2007 Apex ER front shocks adjustmen or just crappy handling?

[h82goslw]

I did a search for this topic but didn't find anything relevant.....so any guidance would be appreciated.

I bought my completely stock '07 Apex ER last fall with about 4K miles. Love the machine, but I feel like it should handle better.

Coming out of a hard turn and hitting gas, the inside ski totally lifts up off the ground even with me leaning hard (I'm 6'1" and 230 lbs). Not sure if it's lack of riding ability (this is my first sled, but have had street bikes/quads etc.) or front shocks not set right or overall suspension is weak. The RA shock is set to max hard and it looks like the front shocks are completely compressed. What should I do? Not looking to do a major overhaul, just want to maximize the current parts on the sled and maybe do some upgrading over the summer. Love the sled's power, just want it to handle better.

 

[MrSled]

Raise sled so the skis are hanging... take all the spring preload odd until the springs move freely... then bring jamb nut back until they just touch. Next go in the transfer rod in the back and move the adjuster to remove transfer... tool kit has a spanner wrench to check current setting.

 

[steiner]

You may want to go to a 13mm swaybar to help keep the sled flatter in the corners as well.

 

[Nick1945]

Have the shocks ever been rebuilt ?

 

[h82goslw]

MrSled....thanks for the suggestions. I will try I get those things done this weekend.

Nick....I don't think shocks have been rebuilt. I will have to do that over the summer if the two adjustments MrSled suggested don't work along with the 13mm swaybar. Thanks to all for the guidance.

 

[STAIN]

Pull the limiter strap up to 1 hole left and this will greatly reduce ski lift in corners.

 

[viper7mi]

All the above, plus shim the skis.

 

[h82goslw]

One more question about the front spring adjustment. Since they are fully compressed now, what will I be losing by taking spring preload off? Anything?

 

[MrSled]

One more question about the front spring adjustment. Since they are fully compressed now, what will I be losing by taking spring preload off? Anything?

Nothing other then ride height.

 

[stevieu1]

your a-arms should be parallel to the ground for best cornering.the higher the ride height the more tippy the sled is. X2 on the transfer rod

 

[yamaha convert]

Pull the limiter strap up to 1 hole left and this will greatly reduce ski lift in corners.

When I first got my 2007 ER it did exactly the same thing, so I did pretty much all of the above mentioned ideas on my ER thanks ot this site. My weight is about 215 without gear. I set the front springs as described. Transfer rod is set right in the middle of its adjustment but I never messed with it to see if its any better elsewhere. At one point I had the limiter strap pulled up one hole but it made the sled sensitive to steering and the track felt loose with snow tracker aggressive runners so I put it back to its standard limiter strap setting and it has near perfect steering. It was still fine with the limiter strap pulled up one hole but you had to be very alert with the sled going through corners at speed. Putting the limiter strap back to its original setting also made the sled far better when going over bumps as the sled will launch itself at a better angle over bumps - jumps when you were on the throttle. When the strap was down one hole the sled would feel nose heavy coming over bumps - jumps when on the throttle and you really had try hard to lift the nose of the sled over a jump. I added the 13MM sway bar and also had Pionner revalve the shock and add a heavier spring. At one point I had also shimmed the skis but this year I took them out replaced the rubber and checked the carbide contact on some white plastic sheet with the sled at its ride height. I should have done this initially as the shims werent nescessary with the sowtrackers because the carbides sit correctly without shims and it steers perfect.

 

[LJ 452]

Check your transfer setting in the rear skid. If you are set to mid or less try the above, if you are set mid to max, you'll want to change it to at least mid, I typically ran between mid and min. It allows you to slide the rear skid around better as well. You will loose a bit of traction, and it won't pull the front end up ( not sure why some people like that so much) but it will corner much better. In stok form, you will have trouble getting the a-arms level with the coil spring shocks ( at least the clicker style) but it will be close, and certainly an improvement over a high preload setting.

 

[turbine tester]

Not sure what you have for shocks but I found this very helpful for my machine
http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php?t=87544