Difficulty mounting 13mm swaybar

[**sj**]

Stock bar on a 2011 is 12mm, not 11mm like the older ones. You won't feel as much difference as older sleds but they work well. My 2011 Standard has 13mm bar and front springs set as light s possible. With the newer spindles I like it better than my '06 GT.

better than the gt ...did it have a 13mm?

do you feel its really a worthy change? was there a true difference in ski lift and / or body roll? tx

 

[Sasquatch]

Stock bar on a 2011 is 12mm, not 11mm like the older ones. You won't feel as much difference as older sleds but they work well. My 2011 Standard has 13mm bar and front springs set as light s possible. With the newer spindles I like it better than my '06 GT.

I thought it was 11.75mm not 12mm. That is what the specs say for my 11 XTX

 

[steiner]

I thought it was 11.75mm not 12mm. That is what the specs say for my 11 XTX

Picky picky

 

[Grimm]

I managed to get out for a quick rip today, and immediately noticed a difference in handling. Quite a bit more responsive front end with very little ski lift. The front end doesn't roll over like before...a plus in my book. Conditions were a little soft today as it was above freezing the last few days. Trails here are getting a little thin, but temps are dropping in the coming week and some snow in the forecast. Hopefully I'll test it out on some firm trails this weekend. Today I logged a little over 100km...3000 km total this year...so far. A great season here!

 

[whits-end]

'06 had a 13mm bar so I just went ahead and put one on the 2011. Never even rode it stock, just assumed it was the wimpy 11mm and by the time I realized it was kinda late 'cuz I was almost done. All I know is this sled is flatter and more predictable in the twisties, which we have a lot of here. Added Tuners as well but they didn't really shine until a couple weeks ago when trails finally hardened up and we could get the speed up.

 

[RxThunder]

'06 had a 13mm bar so I just went ahead and put one on the 2011. Never even rode it stock, just assumed it was the wimpy 11mm and by the time I realized it was kinda late 'cuz I was almost done. All I know is this sled is flatter and more predictable in the twisties, which we have a lot of here. Added Tuners as well but they didn't really shine until a couple weeks ago when trails finally hardened up and we could get the speed up.

Am I reading this right, 06 Apex GT had a 13mm sway bar? I just bought an 06 and havn't even picked it up yet..I was planning on doing the sway bar upgrade but if it already has a 13mm I can check that off the list..

 

[yamaha1973]

'06 had a 13mm bar so I just went ahead and put one on the 2011. Never even rode it stock, just assumed it was the wimpy 11mm and by the time I realized it was kinda late 'cuz I was almost done. All I know is this sled is flatter and more predictable in the twisties, which we have a lot of here. Added Tuners as well but they didn't really shine until a couple weeks ago when trails finally hardened up and we could get the speed up.

Am I reading this right, 06 Apex GT had a 13mm sway bar? I just bought an 06 and havn't even picked it up yet..I was planning on doing the sway bar upgrade but if it already has a 13mm I can check that off the list..

No the 13mm is an upgrade, stock on an 06 is 11mm I believe

 

[RxThunder]

'06 had a 13mm bar so I just went ahead and put one on the 2011. Never even rode it stock, just assumed it was the wimpy 11mm and by the time I realized it was kinda late 'cuz I was almost done. All I know is this sled is flatter and more predictable in the twisties, which we have a lot of here. Added Tuners as well but they didn't really shine until a couple weeks ago when trails finally hardened up and we could get the speed up.

Am I reading this right, 06 Apex GT had a 13mm sway bar? I just bought an 06 and havn't even picked it up yet..I was planning on doing the sway bar upgrade but if it already has a 13mm I can check that off the list..

No the 13mm is an upgrade, stock on an 06 is 11mm I believe

That's what I thought, but thought maybe I was wrong, thanks for the info. I'm amazed at the difference it made on my 03.

 

[whits-end]

Sorry for the confusion. Yes, '06 came with 11mm and I upgraded to 13mm to help control body roll and ski lift.

 

[779cookies]

Don't worry about having the hash marks in the same spot on both sides. Just put 1 end on and then put the other end on aligned to the closest teeth. That way the bar is not preloaded one way or the other. As for bushing wear, I have approx 10,000km on by 13mm bar and just changed the bushings last year. And yes the front end will be stiffer.

Am I missing something here...isn't the whole point of having a thicker torsion bar on the front end to add torsion? The sway bar alignment marks on the 11mm. and 13mm. are clearly marked on both ends of the bar, they line up with the split in the dope links, attach one side first (no load) and use a hand clamp or strap to pull the other drop link (already attached to the bar) on the other side into alignment and insert bolt.
It seems like there are a few here not torsioning all the way or not at all , making the bar less effective, if I have made an error in my interpretation of this install please feel free to correct me. I am a member here to learn about my sled, so if I've got this wrong let me know.

 

[TBay Sledhead]

The bar gets installed with no pre-load. The thicker bar is stiffer so that when you compress the spring on one side it has more of an effect to compress the spring on the other side instead of the sled leaning over it will hold the front flatter. If you twist the bar to install it then you will be pushing down on one side and lifting on the other, therefore no preload.

 

[stomper]

It was a breeze on my 03 Rx1, had the front of the sled off the ground, slid it in and it lined up with my marks on both sides no problem. I didn't worry about my marks being perfect, just so they slid on without preloading the bar.

X2. By far the quickest and easiest mod I have done to my RX1. Took about 5 minutes. Definatly no rachet straps. And yes the front end will be stiffer, Thats the whole point of going to the 13mm bar.

 

[stomper]

The bar gets installed with no pre-load. The thicker bar is stiffer so that when you compress the spring on one side it has more of an effect to compress the spring on the other side instead of the sled leaning over it will hold the front flatter. If you twist the bar to install it then you will be pushing down on one side and lifting on the other, therefore no preload.

I completly agree. There should be no torque on the bar when instaled. I had none on my 03 rx1. Put one link on the bar (aligning with mark on the bar), slide it though the bulkheads, install other link in the same maner as the first one, then swing it up and instal the bolts to attach to the a arms. Simple as that. The stock one came out without any torque on it.

 

[Irv]

The bar gets installed with no pre-load. The thicker bar is stiffer so that when you compress the spring on one side it has more of an effect to compress the spring on the other side instead of the sled leaning over it will hold the front flatter. If you twist the bar to install it then you will be pushing down on one side and lifting on the other, therefore no preload.

I also had trouble with my stocker when I removed my bent from A-arms.
I do believe the sway bar also got tweeked as when I looked down it after removing it and reinstalling the ends, I could clearly see they didn't line up with each other.

It tooks numerous times to find the right splines again to make them both match but before I tried, there was way to much tension trying to install it.

With that being said, has anyone upgraded from a 11mm stock bar to the newer 11.75 or 12mm bar?
That is what I would like to try with my Vector as I think that combo may work well for me?

 

[**sj**]

The reason you have difficulty is because of a arm drop out differential...if you have the sled on a stand...if the a arms are equalized you should be in alignment...when they are both just hanging there is a difference in drop out..throwing timing off...there is no pre load...the thicker the bar the les easily it flexes and therefore your sled sways or has body roll...the down side is less independent action of each side...i.e. more negative feed back and less independent bump action