Dropping Weight on the front. Lets do it!

[beeze455]

Ok, lets drop some weight off the front of this pig.

Remove/Relocate Tool bag and spare belt for 3.4lb weighed loss

Remove that damn brake setup for an artic cat setup 2lb guess loss.

remove the windshield, foam, metal grills, cut a piece out of the dash for my steering post relocate, removed that rubber gromet thing, drilled some vents. It is down to 13.8 lbs, so a 2lb loss weighed.

Lightweight battery 11.4lb loss weighed.

Remove sway bar for a 3.4lb loss weighed.

Fox Evol Shocks 5lb loss wieghed.

Skinz A-arms 4lb loss weighed.

 

[bholmlate]

You pretty much got all the relatively cheap ways to lighten up the front end. There are only a few others that can be done before things get really exspensive. The biggest factor is the weight is the 4-stroke engine, whcih is compounded by the really poor geometry of the front suspension. It is funny that we then turn around and lighten up the rear by +30 lbs and make the front end seem just as heavy becaise we ruin the natural balance of the sled.

 

[hugger70mtnmax]

My next weight loss/movement project will be to remove the radiator and install a bigger tunnel cooler. I don't expect much weight loss but it should move a good chunk off weight off of the front end.

Bholmlate I would agree with you that it's easier to pull weight off of the back than the front. I should be installing the solution to that later this week. Add 15-20 pounds of turbo in the back and suddenly the front end should feel a lot lighter

 

[beeze455]

already removed the radiator too. lets go lighter!

 

[Mtnviper]

Diamond S Chrome moly subframe is good for 6 pounds when compared to my stock 09 XTX subframe.
Polaris gripper skis save 4 pounds and change (total) when compared to 2011 and earlier stock MTX skis.
Fill all the empty spaces in the nose, in the subframe, etc with bubble wrap. Saves on "wet weight" in the areas that always seem to pack with snow!

Bill

 

[soldi]

anyone know of a writeup of replacing the yamaha brake handle with an articat one? Seen other people do it but not sure if I would be able to do it withough a detailed writeup...

 

[beeze455]

anyone know of a writeup of replacing the yamaha brake handle with an articat one? Seen other people do it but not sure if I would be able to do it withough a detailed writeup...

From my last years build thread. I think people have found a shorter bolt and not cutting the stock one.

One thing that has been bothering is the parking brake. I did not like this thing day one and after I saw all the items it added I was even more displeased. I think MPI is the only one that makes a kit to delete this, but 100 bucks to remove it seemed a little high. You cannot just swap it for another brake because the Yamaha controls are connected. Many simply remove it all together. I started looking at it and grabbed an old arctic cat brake lever with the parking brake on it. I found you could simply cut off the parking brake holder tab and bolt half Yamaha to half arctic cat right up. Shorten the Yamaha bolt for the hydraulic line and splice ac's red to the yamaha wire with a red line and the yellow with yamaha's other. I got this lever for 5 or 10 dollars and it is lighter then just removing the setup because AC's lever is all plastic. This was too easy.

 

[ruffryder]

Are there any model years to avoid for the plastic lever? What year / model did you use?

Thanks

 

[beeze455]

I grabbed mine from an older ZR--1996-2003 shoudl work. The firecat brakes have the high beam switch on them too, so I would avoid them unless you want that switch and use it somehow for something. The newer crossfire ones look nice and may work.

 

[Sportsterdanne]

Any difference in the feel of the brake ?

 

[ruffryder]

Beeze, I think I am still confused. If you only need the brake lever, why are you splicing wires? Or are you using the brake lever and hydraulic cylinder / reservoir.

Thanks

 

[Sportsterdanne]

The complete mastercylinder with reservoir and lever. The splicing is for the brakelight.

 

[ruffryder]

That is what I thought. Thank you for your response.

 

[beeze455]

Yea, the whole brake lever with cyl. I saw one on ebay for like 10 bucks earlier today, but it may be gone now. Tons of zr sleds around to steal them from.

 

[Jagos]

Well that makes around 25 lbs. Nice. What are the more expensive steps possible after this?