Does transfer rod effect ride quality?

[snowbelt]

I can't find anything in the owner's manual about the transfer rod effecting the performance of the suspension. Does it make the suspension easier to bottom when the transfer rod is set to max transfer?

 

[welterracer]

Ive toyed with mine from one extreme to the other.. and it made no difference on ride quality for me!

The shock however makes a HUGE difference!

 

[RTX Meirda]

I played around with mine, but never got to rough trail to try it out.

 

[DELTABOX]

Yes traditionally the transfer rod will have some effect on your ride quality but on the Monoshock the adjustment is primarily to increase or decrease weight transfer.

Yamaha recomend that changing the limiter strap is the last adjustment you should do on the mono shock suspension. You will eliminate your ski lift by adjusting your control rod. The stock setting between the outer nut and the control rod shaft is 45mm is you want less weight transfer turn in the adjuster (reduce the gap) minimum length should be 35mm don't reduce more than 35mm. Try this and it will rail. I ran mine both ways and there is a huge difference.

Traditionally the more space you have 55mm the longer it takes before the suspension couples and the more weight transfer you have. A smaller gap 35mm will have less transfer, less traction, less ski lift and be should handle better. Bigger gap 55mm means more ski lift, softer initial travel, more traction etc...

The control is a fun easy adjustment to play with. You should try breaking the nuts loose in your garage and re tighten them before you hit the trail.

 

[SledFreak]

You should try breaking the nuts loose in your garage and re tighten them before you hit the trail.

Ya, how do you break that nut loose, I tried with the wrench in my garage, but could not get it too move.

 

[QCRider]

how do you break that nut loose, I tried with the wrench in my garage, but could not get it too move.

I literally had to use a hammer and punch on mine to break it loose.

 

[QCRider]

Yamaha recomend that changing the limiter strap is the last adjustment you should do on the mono shock suspension. You will eliminate your ski lift by adjusting your control rod.

This is true only for straight line throttle induced ski lift. Adjusting the transfer will have next to no effect on inside ski lift in corners. Given that I ride in Quebec, there are many flat high speed corners all day long. It's more like running slot cars than anything else. The ONLY way to eliminate inside ski lift is by sucking up the limiter straps. This has a negative effect on top end speed, and makes the steering heavier, but the sled takes these corners like it is on rails and I don't have to throw myself all over it to keep it from lifting skis.

Every adjustment you make is a compromise.

 

[NY_Nytro]

[quote="QCRider]
This is true only for straight line throttle induced ski lift. Adjusting the transfer will have next to no effect on inside ski lift in corners. .[/quote]

That is slightly not true.

If transfer is set to max the rear will squat, the center will not, as you accelerate out of a turn and this will take weight off the front and cause ski lift. If transfer is set to minimum as you accelerate out of a turn the rear will squat and then the coupling effect caused by the minimum transfer will then force the center to squat as well (basically acting like a shorter limiter strap for that moment) which will place more weight on the skis, which should help keep the skis on the ground.

 

[SledFreak]

Depending on the type of trail, if it is a very tight twistie trail, then YOU MAY have to tighten it one hole as well as set the weight transfer to a min. You will lose acceleration, but will gain on top, because there is less track on the ground, when tighten the limiter. I don't believe you will need to do that to this sled. Hopefully the control rod will keep the skis planted enough. Once I get more time in a groomed trail, and start making some adjustments, then I will be able to give an accessment. We need more snow.......

 

[QCRider]

You will lose acceleration, but will gain on top, because there is less track on the ground, when tighten the limiter.

You do not gain on top. The same amount of track still touches the snow, if it doesn't the difference is negligible. However, the added pressure on the skis creates more drag and reduces top end speed. I have my straps sucked way up right now and my RX-1 will not break 100 MPH on the GPS. This winter I plan to play with them a bit to see what effect it has on top speed. By the way, even with the straps sucked right up, the sled will wheelie like crazy if I want it to by adjusting the transfer rod. There is plenty of weight transfer even with the straps tight.

 

[SledFreak]

Then Yamahas are different, because any other OEM does not react like that.

 

[ReX]

QCRider is correct.

Also, reducing the weight transfer adjustment does negatively impact ride.

I found last year when I reduced the transfer to minimum a certain range of fairly small stutter bumps where horrible. I stopped on the side of one particularly rough riding trail and cranked the weight transfer to about 3 tick marks out of 8 (0 being min, 8 max) the ride quality on the same trail improved dramatically.

I now keep the weight transfer at 3 out of 8 and have the limiter tightened by 2 holes to control ski lift. Ride quality is very good, handling is great, the off the line launch is great, but the skis are planted a lot more into the snow - especially under moderate acceleration at high speeds (hence the reduced acceleration at high speeds).

 

[SledFreak]

QCRider is correct.

Also, reducing the weight transfer adjustment does negatively impact ride.

I found last year when I reduced the transfer to minimum a certain range of fairly small stutter bumps where horrible. I stopped on the side of one particularly rough riding trail and cranked the weight transfer to about 3 tick marks out of 8 (0 being min, 8 max) the ride quality on the same trail improved dramatically.

I now keep the weight transfer at 3 out of 8 and have the limiter tightened by 2 holes to control ski lift. Ride quality is very good, handling is great, the off the line launch is great, but the skis are planted a lot more into the snow - especially under moderate acceleration at high speeds (hence the reduced acceleration at high speeds).

You will not have near as good weight transfer if the limter strap is sucked up by two holes, then if the limiter is left in the stock position. If you pull the limiter tight by two holes, then yes the ski lift will be limited because you have now just pull the front of the rear skid up in the tunnel, which means you have less track on hte ground, which means less track on the ground. Also, the ski pressure will be dramatically increased. So how would the rear skid work as good and deliver the same weight transfer when the front of the rear skid is being pulled up into the tunnel. This is why you get more top end, because theoretically there is less track on the ground, which means less drag, which means higher top end. It will now get there slower, but you will pick up a couple mph. Also softening up the front springs on the front end is not the answer, then your smashing the front end on any bump and you will have a considerable amount of body roll by doing this. However, I do believe by tightening the control rod (descrease transfer) to a min and tightening the limiter 1 hole is the max you want to go. You can tighten it all you want, but you are just NOT making the sled work the way it should. You are trying to make the sled have that overall balance, so it excellerates good and corners flat, without ski-lift. I would put a stiffer stabilzer to help offset the ski-lift and have the front shock re-valved/re-sprung to achieve the desired balance. Like the manuel says, tightening the limiter is the last thing you want to do. If you don't believe me get two sleds side by side and make the adjustments to one and leave the other stock and tell me what the outcome is.....

 

[NOS-PRO]

Exactly Deltabox!

I put my Attak at the very maximum tranfer, and carries the skis perfectly, just touching the rear parts of the skis. About 2 notches up from the bottom is where I am probably going to end up. Trying this weekend on trail. I have my ice setup figured out.

 

[ReX]

QCRider is correct.

Also, reducing the weight transfer adjustment does negatively impact ride.

I found last year when I reduced the transfer to minimum a certain range of fairly small stutter bumps where horrible. I stopped on the side of one particularly rough riding trail and cranked the weight transfer to about 3 tick marks out of 8 (0 being min, 8 max) the ride quality on the same trail improved dramatically.

I now keep the weight transfer at 3 out of 8 and have the limiter tightened by 2 holes to control ski lift. Ride quality is very good, handling is great, the off the line launch is great, but the skis are planted a lot more into the snow - especially under moderate acceleration at high speeds (hence the reduced acceleration at high speeds).

You will not have near as good weight transfer if the limter strap is sucked up by two holes, then if the limiter is left in the stock position. If you pull the limiter tight by two holes, then yes the ski lift will be limited because you have now just pull the front of the rear skid up in the tunnel, which means you have less track on hte ground, which means less track on the ground. Also, the ski pressure will be dramatically increased. So how would the rear skid work as good and deliver the same weight transfer when the front of the rear skid is being pulled up into the tunnel. This is why you get more top end, because theoretically there is less track on the ground, which means less drag, which means higher top end. It will now get there slower, but you will pick up a couple mph. Also softening up the front springs on the front end is not the answer, then your smashing the front end on any bump and you will have a considerable amount of body roll by doing this. However, I do believe by tightening the control rod (descrease transfer) to a min and tightening the limiter 1 hole is the max you want to go. You can tighten it all you want, but you are just NOT making the sled work the way it should. You are trying to make the sled have that overall balance, so it excellerates good and corners flat, without ski-lift. I would put a stiffer stabilzer to help offset the ski-lift and have the front shock re-valved/re-sprung to achieve the desired balance. Like the manuel says, tightening the limiter is the last thing you want to do. If you don't believe me get two sleds side by side and make the adjustments to one and leave the other stock and tell me what the outcome is.....

How do you define "good" weight transfer? Skis in the air as much as possible? If so, sure let out the limiter all the way and crank the weight transfer to max and your done.

I've been experimenting with my monoshock suspension for 10,700 kms. How many kms on yours?

The Apex has a different center of mass (rider more forward, etc.), but in general the same suspension tweaks should provide similar changes.

The weight transfer setting limits how far the sled will "rock" back about the mono shock's pivot point but doesn't affect how much acceleration or weight thrown back is needed to for this "rocking back" to happen (the heavier you are the more your skis will be in the air).

If you tighten the limiter strap, the monoshock has to compress in order to allow weight transfer. This means it will increase the amount of acceleration needed to lift the skis. It also reduces the amount of ski lift but this can then be adjusted to your preference with the weight transfer adjustment. You can also get a similar effect by increasing the mono-shock preload and/or installing the heavy duty spring.

The limiter strap, even tightened all the way is not tight when your cruising. It only tightens up when the front of the skid droops down into a hole, your in the air or almost in the air or when you accelerate hard.

If you want to be able to accelerate moderately while keeping the skis on the ground (trail riding/exiting corners) and at the same time lift the skis under WOT at lower speeds (to get a good launch) you will find tightening the limiter does this. Reducing the weight transfer enough to keep the skis planted exiting a corner under throttle leaves you with no weight transfer at WOT and a rough ride.

The Apex has more weight on the front so I'm not sure you'll need to tighten the limiter like on the 05 RX-1's, but if you find the skis lifting at acceleration levels that you really want them to stay on the ground, the best way is to tighten the limiter. Then re-adjust the weight transfer setting to get the right amount of lift when drag racing your buddies at WOT.

Also, unless you really tighten the limiter (much tighter than all the way!) you will not lift the front of the track off the ground while cruising (or at top speed).

Adding pressure to the skis and reducing pressure to the front of the track will always slow a sled down for top speed. The skis have to slide on the snow and more pressure means more drag.