2017 XTX suspension set up

[Krys_sidewinder]

Hello Forum

This is my second year with my sidewinder. Trying to get used to it, I am very happy with the power of the sled but handling seems to be a slouch. Unsure if it is characteristics of heavier 4 strokes or if the suspension settings are not dialled in.

The machine is stock other than aftermarket CApro crossover skis

Currently the machine is very difficult to steer. If you aren’t moving, you gotta reef on the handle bars to move the skis. I took the steering column apart (under hood/dash) and added some grease. It seemed to help a bit but steering still doesn’t feel very nimble. Weight transfer also seems to be very very flat. This sled will not lift at all, it just launches forward. I know this is ideal, but where I ride large/steep hills are non existent and having fun with ski lift on drifts and small hills is fun.

My questions are

Will tightening the center shock improve weight transfer on this platform?
Is difficult steering a characteristic of these sleds?
What can I do to ease the amount of effort in steering?


Thanks everyone

 

[1nc 2000]

They made two styles of xtx in 2017.
Which rear suspension is in it?
137 coupled or 141 uncoupled?

 

[KnappAttack]

First off those C&A Skis are going to make things very difficult to turn no matter what you do. They have to go plain and simple, unless you can get SnowTracker carbides for them. Snowtrackers would help eliminate their heavy steering effort.

Second, any of the typical stuff will help allow ski lift, tightening up the front arm shock spring in the rear suspension, loosening up the limiter straps, and softening up the rear arm or coupling, if you have the 137 suspension, but the biggest thing you can do is put on skis that have a rocker effect on the bottom, like a skidoo ski.

Search out a set of snow tracker, carbides, i’m not sure if snow tracker makes a set for those C&A skis. What I use is snow trackers on ski doo skis for all my machines. The snow trackers will eliminate darting, go where pointed and steer easy as long as the corrector is in good shape and touches the ground, they are expensive but they also last forever.

I run the trackers on 5.7 ski doo race skis, which are very much like the C&A‘s and happen to be their single keel snow cross race ski. Any dual keel ski is going to tend to push more in the snow, especially with snow trackers on them. I tried snow trackers on the Arctic cat skis, and hated that setup, to me they are very unstable on the Arctic skis. That is why I run on the ski doo skis.

 

[Krys_sidewinder]

Hello

I have the 141 uncoupled skid. I will look into those carbides.

The issues you described sound very similar to what I am experiencing. I was also pointed in the direction of another forum member to replace the center spring with a stingray mods spring.

Thank you for the replies everyone, much appreciated.

 

[DMCTurbo]

First off those C&A Skis are going to make things very difficult to turn no matter what you do. They have to go plain and simple, unless you can get SnowTracker carbides for them. Snowtrackers would help eliminate their heavy steering effort.

Second, any of the typical stuff will help allow ski lift, tightening up the front arm shock spring in the rear suspension, loosening up the limiter straps, and softening up the rear arm or coupling, if you have the 137 suspension, but the biggest thing you can do is put on skis that have a rocker effect on the bottom, like a skidoo ski.

Search out a set of snow tracker, carbides, i’m not sure if snow tracker makes a set for those C&A skis. What I use is snow trackers on ski doo skis for all my machines. The snow trackers will eliminate darting, go where pointed and steer easy as long as the corrector is in good shape and touches the ground, they are expensive but they also last forever.

I run the trackers on 5.7 ski doo race skis, which are very much like the C&A‘s and happen to be their single keel snow cross race ski. Any dual keel ski is going to tend to push more in the snow, especially with snow trackers on them. I tried snow trackers on the Arctic cat skis, and hated that setup, to me they are very unstable on the Arctic skis. That is why I run on the ski doo skis.

Woodys Slim jims worked great on my C&A skis. With suspension set up properly it would handle amazing.

 

[tsiceman]

I am running snowtrackers on C&A pros, they work great.
17ltx le, 160lb center spring with 1.25" thread showing

 

[Krys_sidewinder]

I am running snowtrackers on C&A pros, they work great.
17ltx le, 160lb center spring with 1.25" thread showing

How do you find it is for ski lift? What is your rear spring at for psi (assuming fox float 3)

I will not be climbing gigantic hills, mostly playing in fields and some drifted in areas. Unfortunately where I live is very flat. It is fun to have to sled lift/wheelie, looking to set up for this but not to an extreme.

 

[tsiceman]

How do you find it is for ski lift? What is your rear spring at for psi (assuming fox float 3)

I will not be climbing gigantic hills, mostly playing in fields and some drifted in areas. Unfortunately where I live is very flat. It is fun to have to sled lift/wheelie, looking to set up for this but not to an extreme.

Ski lift is minimal, unless i take the transfer bar out. I have the 137 coupled skid with qs3r shocks.

 

[1049triple]

These machines will be way easier to steer with the Snow Trackers. I ran them on both my 141 and it help a lot. It is a must for long day pleasure of trail riding without tearing you up. The bad is I hate them when there is 4" of fresh snow on the trails as they tend to push. As far as weight transfert, the way you are describing, I would have a look at the limiter straps first. Loosening them will also help with your steering effort.

 

[Krys_sidewinder]

These machines will be way easier to steer with the Snow Trackers. I ran them on both my 141 and it help a lot. It is a must for long day pleasure of trail riding without tearing you up. The bad is I hate them when there is 4" of fresh snow on the trails as they tend to push. As far as weight transfert, the way you are describing, I would have a look at the limiter straps first. Loosening them will also help with your steering effort.

Currently the limiter strap is the most loose it can be. I took some pressure out of the rear spring to help with transfer and it didn’t help.

I think next step is the center spring upgrade everyone is talking about. Debating stingray mods or oem dual rate arctic cat.

 

[Krys_sidewinder]

Ski lift is minimal, unless i take the transfer bar out. I have the 137 coupled skid with qs3r shocks.

Interesting. I have the 141 uncoupled, I am hoping to achieve some ski lift with the upgrade. Thank you for posting

 

[fatchance]

Like Knapp says. Let the straps out, but adjust one hole at a time until you get the desired ride. That uncoupled skid should be a wheelie monster.
Put the Torsion springs on position one, the softest setting will allow for more transfer to lift the skis as well. Do you have QS3's in that skid? what position are the knobs in. Set them to 2 when the trails get bad otherwise position 1 will also give you more transfer.
You can put more preload on the center shock spring so your steering effort will be reduced.

 

[Krys_sidewinder]

Like Knapp says. Let the straps out, but adjust one hole at a time until you get the desired ride. That uncoupled skid should be a wheelie monster.
Put the Torsion springs on position one, the softest setting will allow for more transfer to lift the skis as well. Do you have QS3's in that skid? what position are the knobs in. Set them to 2 when the trails get bad otherwise position 1 will also give you more transfer.
You can put more preload on the center shock spring so your steering effort will be reduced.

Hey there

Straps are fully loose, apparently this is the factory setting for the 141 XTX?

I have float 3 on front skis and rear. Unknown what the center is, it is a coil spring not a float 3.

Front skis are 75 psi and rear is 125psi

Where are these torsion bars on the skids that you are talking about? I don’t think my 141 has them? If they do from factory, mine have been removed lol

 

[DMCTurbo]

Hey there

Straps are fully loose, apparently this is the factory setting for the 141 XTX?

I have float 3 on front skis and rear. Unknown what the center is, it is a coil spring not a float 3.

Front skis are 75 psi and rear is 125psi

Where are these torsion bars on the skids that you are talking about? I don’t think my 141 has them? If they do from factory, mine have been removed lol

You won't have torsion springs.