Apex GT suspension set up to eliminate all ski lift?

[Pitt4212]

I have read all about the rear suspension and how to set it up but nobody has talked about the front suspension, and I have got a ton of ski lift and darting. The darting will be corrected hopefully by a new set of pilot ski's, but I don't know a cure for the awful ski lift. Can anybody help me out? By the way all suspension settings are where the book recommends them which is right around the middle for everything. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. Besides the darting and ski lift this sled is absolutely crazy!!! And I ride with two Mach Z's and they have nothing on this sled.

 

[ecopter]

This is my own opinion, but with these sleds getting more powerful and with the desire to push them to the absolute limits, there is ALWAYS going to be ski lift. While you may be able to keep it somewhat in check with certain adjustments to the ski spring preload, limiter strap setting and transfer rod, the fact is, simple physics dictate that going hard into a left or right turn is going to precipitate a force outward. The faster we want to push these machines, the more the force is acting on us.

Just a thought, I don't remember to much ski lift on my Enticer 300 back in the day. Maybe it's because it only had 23 H.P.

Jon

 

[Iceman57]

I reduced the front shock pre-load about 1/2 inch. Tightened the limiter strap one hole and adjusted the transfer rod halfway between standard and minimum. At times I still have some minor ski lift but compared to how it was at the factory setting, it's a night and day difference. I don't believe the power is as much to blame for the ski lift as the height of the sled. Put your sled next to a SX or SRX and you can see just how much taller your riding position is. With the higher riding position comes a shift up in the center of gravity.

 

[ecopter]

That's sort of related to my point, also. We're demanding the manufactures make different animals to ride, but we also want to maintain the same handling characteristics of the other iron we use to have. It's just not physically possible after a point. To counteract a lot of the lift, we're just going to have to lean a lot further.

Jon

 

[MrSled]

Your stock setting is not ideal for railing through the corners, I would stiffen the front springs 1/8 more on preload and dial the weight trasnfer 1 or 2 notches to min side to reduce the ski lift under throttle and you wont believe the difference in handling....my 2 cents that worked for me on my GT.

 

[Pitt4212]

I have made a couple of adjustments this summer and have yet to obviously try them, but I did put the front shocks to I think you would say max transfer (there is now 5" from the end of the shock to the mounting point, there used to be only 4") I also adjusted the rear shock rebound dampining to factory setting whatever that is but when I got my sled it must not have been set correctly. I am hoping these changes work along with the pilot ski's. I will also take your advice and adjust my transfer in the back. The reason I am complaining about the ski lift is because I ride with two mach z's and they have no ski lift at all in the corners only (obviously these sleds are gonna lift the ski's when you first hit the throttle with all the power) My sled is only a hair higher than the mach z so I can't really blame the height of the sled for the ski lift after seeing their sleds not lift in corners. Thanks for the information I will use it and hopefully next season I have good results.

 

[welterracer]

FOr the ultamite setup.. get a wide front end kit from PIONEERPERFORMANCE.NET

Or you could start with a 13mm swaybar.. (but be aware it does cause stiffer stearing because both skis stay planted in corners)

 

[82SRX500]

It is kinda funny, but I ran a 98 SRX, 2002 Viper and now the Apex GT. I stiffened up the front dampening and rebound over stock, set the rear ski seven clicks back on the rebound and the sled is very very plat corning. Triple point Bergstroms and 1/4 inch ski shims and the sled is no rails. I am about 5-8 percent slower on super twisty groomed trails compared to my friends 98 SRX which is low to the ground.

I personally feel that the Apex GT will ride as fast on the twisty's as the Viper or faster once the RIDER of the Apex learns that the new style of rider upright/forward is different than the traditional riding position. If you think that you can lean like you did on the Viper or similar which is like the old style of oval racing you are going to get inside ski lift. LIke on the Ski Doo Rev's and the Apex, you have to lean forward and down. You will not be getting your knee on the ground like on traditional seating sleds.

Once you figure out the proper way to ride upright and forward you will rock on this sled.

Another thing, I adjusted my handlebars towards me more from stock which helped get my arms in sync with the riding position better.

 

[Swiss Sledder]

The other important thing I have found with ski lift and 4 strokes is that you must modify how you use the throttle in the corners. In the 2 stroke world, you would hammer into a corner and release the throttle, then turn and full throttle out of the corner. In the 4 stroke world you should never fully release the throttle when cornering. Instead, back off the throttle enough to make the turn but not enough to allow the weight to transfer to the rear skid. This will significantly reduce ski lift.

I have ridden behind other guys on Apex/RX-1/Warrior sleds and watched their skis go up in the air in corners. After telling them above and having them try it, they always say it significantly reduced their ski lift.

 

[welterracer]

When I first got my Apex, I had a ton of ski lift. Not uncontrollable, but the inside ski would lift 8 inches off the ground

I added a 13mm bar and fixed that problem.. but at the expensive of stiffer steering due to the fact that the skis stay planted all the time.. (in my opinion adding a stiffer bar is a must)

I have even gone so far as to adjust the weight transfer to full transfer to take some weight off the skis when I accelerate through the corners...

For most people the 12mm bar would be the best alternative..

I have since added pilot skis in hopes of easing the steering ..(just haven't had snow to test them)

 

[snowbeast]

If you really want to rail around corners,there is two things you can do,if you absolutely need all of your front end travel install one of the wide front end kits,if you can afford to lose a little front end travel lower your front shock mount location,you can safely do this,lowering it by as little as 3/4 to 1" makes night and day differance in handling,also get a dule wide ski on there that will help too,one like simmons,doo pilot or doo precision,i have run doo precisions and they make a great improvement,but sense swapping out to simmons wow no contest,simmons all the way,as they actually help get rid of chatter to your handlebars thru there patened loop system. If you guys do a search last year someone did this lowering mod and posted pics,it does work,just check it out,my only problem with adding the pioneer widening kit is its to wide with the simmons skis on to fit into my enclosed trailer.

 

[bgbytoys]

before you do anything you better head to the gym because with 0 ski lift you are going to need popeye arms to drive it.

 

[vice108]

Transfer rod set half way between standard and minimum plus a set of simmons skis and I corner as well as I did on my SRX.