2014 vs 2015 suspensions

[YamahaTim]

Your not the only one, my LTX SE is stiff! I'm 250 dressed, and when I'm pounding it it's pretty good, still a little stiff, but I can't bottom it out. Now on little stutter bumps or when just chillin it's crazy stuff! I had them rebuilt and it's better but still stiff. And it is only the LTX SE version it seams! Weird!!

 

[Studroes144]

Ya it's gotta be just a 137" thing, but the same exact cat snopro rides awesome! Unsolved mystery so far

 

[cannondale27]

Haven't checked ltx but rtx and Sno pro129 are exact same valving. In14

 

[Studroes144]

I gotta assuming ltx and snopro 137 are the same are the same too but there is def something different. I've driven 2 xf7000 and 2 viper ltx se and there is something different going on with the two. Dealer said the same thing, xf transfers weight much better than the viper, handles smaller bumps better and is #*$&@ good if not better in big bumps in comparison to the viper

 

[stingray719]

I gotta assuming ltx and snopro 137 are the same are the same too but there is def something different. I've driven 2 xf7000 and 2 viper ltx se and there is something different going on with the two. Dealer said the same thing, xf transfers weight much better than the viper, handles smaller bumps better and is #*$&@ good if not better in big bumps in comparison to the viper

I would look at the skid shock mounting positions. Please note I know nothing of the LTX and RTX but putting the skid front skid shock mounting point on our XTX to what it is on a M8 really made it better. Took out all the heavy and made it transfer great yet still corner as well. Not sure if this is even germane to this conversation just thought I would toss that out.

Cannondale didn't you check the mounting points once?

 

[Turtle]

If all shock specs and mounting locations end up being the same (cat vs yamaha and rtx vs ltx respectively), make you wonder if it may have been a supply chain issue. Just speculating here - maybe when TRF was building the Yamaha LTXs, they received a shipment of shocks that were out of spec ...

 

[sxr70001]

Don't know about that, but I can tell you I just took my rear shocks out and sent them off for revalving.

I put the rear shock on the floor and pushed down on it as hard as I could and only moved it 3 or 4 inches and I weigh 250 pounds.

So it's definitely not stroking. Maybe you are right and someone put way too much pressure in it.

 

[Studroes144]

Ltx and xtx rails are different, I've compared the 2 a bit and the ltx shock can't be moved, if u move it back it'd be right where a wheel mounts, if u move it forward it is right in the part of the rail where it is notched out. I think gade is right or on to something with the shock setup from factory, the 2015 ltx I felt last week was much softer than the 14 sitting next to it, if anyone knows the shock valving it'd be arctic cat, maybe cat took charge more on the 15s..just speculation but I think it's a factory issue specific to yamaha and not cat

 

[YamahaTim]

When i sat on the 15 ltx se it felt just as stiff as my 14 ltx se. so i dont think they changed anything. so if thats true that would rule out the shipping of new shocks??? but maybe?

 

[Studroes144]

Would brand of shocks but same valving make a difference? Not even sure what the brand of shocks are on the yammi sleds but the cat 7000 uses fox zero pros in the rear if I remember right, not 100% sure on that but almost positive,

 

[cannondale27]

I never saw a 7000 with zero pros. If Yamaha had valving in parts like cat it would be easy to know

 

[drumz11]

Would brand of shocks but same valving make a difference? Not even sure what the brand of shocks are on the yammi sleds but the cat 7000 uses fox zero pros in the rear if I remember right, not 100% sure on that but almost positive,

The Cat 7000 has their own Cat shocks now. No longer zero pros like in the past. I compared a set of LTX and cat 7000 137" sno pro shocks and they are identical from the outside with even the same part numbers on them. One is the same cat part number on both the viper and cat shocks and the other was what I assume a Yamaha number. The only difference was being one set marked "a" or another letter and the other "b" or similar on Cat vs Viper near the part number. The parts diagrams doesn't show the letters, only the part number so I don't know what it means, if anything. Could be a difference between them but as far as ordering one vs the other, it's not listed that way. I suppose the letter thing could be a difference between the two on Yamaha vs Cat but that's not the way cat usually does things. It's usually a part number difference. One set was re valved so there was no point in opening them up to compare valve stacks.
I tend to think the valving is probably the same and the reports of the Cat sno pro riding softer might be exaggerated or a sled to sled thing and possibly set up. But I guess it is possible the valving is different, I just have seen no evidence to support it besides claims one rides softer than the other by a few. Though the letter difference has me scratching my head, the same Cat part number leads me to think they are more than likely the same. I can't believe there are no valve stack diagrams in parts catalogs for the Yamahas like there is for the cats.

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

to the original poster, your comparing the ltx dx (trail) vs the ltx se (aggressive trail, cross country-ish) sleds. the dx would def be softer and feel much better for that type of riding and just doing the push test in the showroom. as for the cat and Yamaha deal idk why it would feel diff, your guys guesses are as good as mine.

 

[Studroes144]

to the original poster, your comparing the ltx dx (trail) vs the ltx se (aggressive trail, cross country-ish) sleds. the dx would def be softer and feel much better for that type of riding and just doing the push test in the showroom. as for the cat and Yamaha deal idk why it would feel diff, your guys guesses are as good as mine.

Yes I get what you're saying, not a real good comparison, but the 2014 was unreal stiff, there could've been 3 full grown men sitting on it and it wouldn't have moved as much as what I could move the dx. As far as comparing the 7000 to the viper, cat has done something differently than yamaha or the 2 vipers I rode have had shock issues right from the start (that's a definite possibility) The 7000 transfers weight much better, I've only been able to really loft the front of my sled a couple times in just the right type of snow, the 7000 you can pull up very easily and actually carry the skis some if you want yet on the trail it's glued to the ground. To be honest I think I had more of a problem with the rear shock than the center shock, was hard to get the suspension to sag cuz that rear shock was so stiff and rebound was bad as well, way too slow. Revalving my center shock did help, but that alone isn't quite enough

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

the dx from 14 was signifigantly softer aswell. made several changes to my fathers rtx se that have helped soften it a ton but haven't revalved shocks yet, probably have him send them out next year. I am 300 and when I rode his with the springs on the soft setting it still didn't effect it much. def needed some attention. I think that Yamaha not having the rr in the line up tried to make the rtx split the gap between the aggressive trail and race versions. Yamaha isn't very well known for shock packages tho or getting them right from the factory. with them working with elka on the race program maybe it will help them figure out something for the production stuff in the future.