2021 Sidewinders

[1nc 2000]

I here ya!
Give the center spring about 20 cranks and go from there.....it will eventually loosen up some.

Damn dude 20 cranks is about 4 turns!
That spring is more temperamental than that chick in your profile pic. But when you hit hit the sweet spot hang on!

 

[ClutchMaster]

Damn dude 20 cranks is about 4 turns!
That spring is more temperamental than that chick in your profile pic. But when you hit hit the sweet spot hang on!

Maybe I should clarify that.
Twenty turns, the shock body has a very fine thread, one or two turns won’t even be noticeable. The setup for studs is very different on my machines from a no studs machine. Actually all my sleds are studded now.

Loose is fast! (To a point actually)

 

[ClutchMaster]

Fabio,
Don’t give up that studded track just yet. You can get it too loosen up in back, it’s suspension setup and a different front track spring that you’ll need. Get a stiffer front track spring and some very aggressive carbides up front. You’ll want to turn up that center shock spring and turn down the front ski pressure a little. This will loosen the rear end. It will also make turning the skis easier, but you will push with standard carbides. The best senario is C&A’s with lots of carbide and low ski pressure. Set your rear spring as low as it will go and start cranking up the heavier center shock spring. Set it so it’s too loose in snowy conditions, this is usually a very heavy setting. In sugar snow it might even tail wag a bit. Now all you need to do is turn up the rear spring in the looser conditions and it will stabilize. If it gets hard and fast lower the rear spring setting to get it loosened back up. The rear spring setting is easier to change and only takes 1 minute as opposed to changing the center spring setting, which can be a real pita when packed with snow and ice.
m2c

This method of setup will work on virtual any snowmobile. If you have studs and would like too loosen the rear end try it, it works.
Putting most of the weight on the front spring will allow the sled too pivot. It decreases ski pressure somewhat also so you need good carbide but makes the sleds steer easier. Try it before you criticize it.

 

[hellflyer]

I agree but 2020 se has a pretty stiff center spring from factory. I tightened it up a1/4” when new and backed off the ski spring to the minimum and ended up loosening the center 1/8” to get where it would steer good again. I have a hygear dual here from my viper but I don’t think I’ll use it. I’m 270lbs and ride pretty hard!

 

[ClutchMaster]

I agree but 2020 se has a pretty stiff center spring from factory. I tightened it up a1/4” when new and backed off the ski spring to the minimum and ended up loosening the center 1/8” to get where it would steer good again. I have a hygear dual here from my viper but I don’t think I’ll use it. I’m 270lbs and ride pretty hard!

Here’s the deal, if you crank up the front track spring with lowest setting in the rear and start pushing in the corners, you need better skies/taller carbides. It should start too get loose in the rear end before pushing in the corners, under average snow conditions.
On occasion if your on really hard pack it can be difficult to get it too loosen up, but if you keep going eventually it will, the more studs, the more you will have to go.

If your not somewhat loose your tippy, especially on these stand up machines. Big guys will need a stiffer spring 4 sure.

 

[hellflyer]

Yup! I’ve got curves with aggressive snow trackers. It’s at a pivot point now where I come into corners hard then let off to plant skis. If I’m leading I’m good but if some of my buddy lead I’m almost rear ending them because they slow before the corner then power through and loose momentum. I put igrips in this sled so I could keep rear end loose and at 270lbs it’s still a challenge to get it to slide with throttle

 

[ClutchMaster]

Yup! I’ve got curves with aggressive snow trackers. It’s at a pivot point now where I come into corners hard then let off to plant skis. If I’m leading I’m good but if some of my buddy lead I’m almost rear ending them because they slow before the corner then power through and loose momentum. I put igrips in this sled so I could keep rear end loose and at 270lbs it’s still a challenge to get it to slide with throttle

I’ve got C&A pro’s with shaper bars. Almost any conditions or suspension setup and you can’t get them to push in the corners. Maybe on dry pavement, that’s about it.
Guys complain about the Pro’s are hard to steer, but they throw them on and don’t adjust anything. The monster sized keel needs almost no ski pressure, so I turn down my front springs, this helps with the hard steering. Also it really helps to put the load on the center shock/spring and takes weight off the rear Boggies, loosening the sled.
They are still a little harder to steer but not terrible. They don’t dart much at all, I guess because they are cutting way deeper than 90 percent of the other tracks in the snow?

 

[cannondale27]

Yup! I’ve got curves with aggressive snow trackers. It’s at a pivot point now where I come into corners hard then let off to plant skis. If I’m leading I’m good but if some of my buddy lead I’m almost rear ending them because they slow before the corner then power through and loose momentum. I put igrips in this sled so I could keep rear end loose and at 270lbs it’s still a challenge to get it to slide with throttle

That’s the exact point when you pass them if safe! Fun!

 

[hellflyer]

Yes! What I’m getting at is the 2020 center spring is a lot heavier than the viper center ever was imo. No real need to swap out. I run the rear on #1 one tight trails and switch to #2 if it gets loose or rough. I like my sled low. Way faster in the twisties and with the new suspension geometry I’m not bottoming the center near as much as my 16 turbo viper even with the hygear spring in it. Bottom line is I love this sled. May still get qs3 for the front though

 

[snowcaine]

I’ve got C&A pro’s with shaper bars. Almost any conditions or suspension setup and you can’t get them to push in the corners. Maybe on dry pavement, that’s about it.
Guys complain about the Pro’s are hard to steer, but they throw them on and don’t adjust anything. The monster sized keel needs almost no ski pressure, so I turn down my front springs, this helps with the hard steering. Also it really helps to put the load on the center shock/spring and takes weight off the rear Boggies, loosening the sled.
They are still a little harder to steer but not terrible. They don’t dart much at all, I guess because they are cutting way deeper than 90 percent of the other tracks in the snow?

I ran both Curves and C&A Pro skis this year both with brand new 8" Slim Jim Dooly's under nearly identical trail conditions. 192 studs. ~150 miles on each setup. Exactly what ClutchMaster said, the C&A Pro's plant in corners. I run soft front shocks, medium rear shocks. I immediately noticed that the Curves pushed more in the corners compared to the C&A Pro's under similar conditions and riding. At low speeds (10mph under) the C&A Pro's were significantly harder to turn than the Curves though. Who cares at that speed. I really wasn't expecting a difference because they are a similar ski and most people on this forum had good things to say about both. I just decided to get the C&A Pro's because I liked the look a little better. I was fairly surprised on my first ride out to notice that they gripped the corners noticeably better. Just my two cents.

 

[Bigblue1]

I’ve got C&A pro’s with shaper bars. Almost any conditions or suspension setup and you can’t get them to push in the corners. Maybe on dry pavement, that’s about it.
Guys complain about the Pro’s are hard to steer, but they throw them on and don’t adjust anything. The monster sized keel needs almost no ski pressure, so I turn down my front springs, this helps with the hard steering. Also it really helps to put the load on the center shock/spring and takes weight off the rear Boggies, loosening the sled.
They are still a little harder to steer but not terrible. They don’t dart much at all, I guess because they are cutting way deeper than 90 percent of the other tracks in the snow?

Exactly. Must make adjustments with these skis and then they are great!

 

[Carbide]

So back to the 2021 Sidewinder discussion...

I ordered a SE which I believe does not come with the tunnel bag.
What size does the LE models come with?

 

[hellflyer]

Congrats! I like those colors. It comes with a small bag

 

[2004yamahaviper]

Website shows it as a 20" which I think is the medium.

 

[hellflyer]

I don’t know where they measure it but mine was the riveted one and only about 10” long. Big enough for a belt and tools.