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Fat guy baseline setup advice needed

Mark F.

Newbie
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
13
Age
52
Location
Oro-Medonte, Ontario
Country
Canada
Snowmobile
2021 Yamaha Sidewinder L-TX GT
2016 Yamaha SR Viper S-TX 146 DX
Hi guys. I've been stuck up in Kapuskasing ON for an extra 5 days while my broken down truck gets fixed, and have some time to kill. I have a 2021 LTX GT Sidewinder, and need some advice on getting this thing to handle. I'm 5'11", 265lb without gear, and ride pretty aggressively. I installed 8" Bergstrom Triple skegs on the stock Stryke skis this season, hoping it would help with understeer, but only marginally improved turn in, while making darting a bit worse.

So far I have messed a bit with the front springs (stiffened to lessen roll), but other than that only played with the QS3 clickers. I have noticed that if I don't want the inside ski jacking mid-corner I need to run the front shocks at the stiffest setting. If my previous learnings with car setups has any relevance, I should be limiting roll with spring stiffness, rather than relying on an aggressive compression damping setting, correct?

The front end doesn't seem to have enough ski pressure to instill confidence in turn in, and ANY throttle applied before I'm totally straight washes the front end out to the outside of the corner. I am using a crazy amount of body english to get this heavy sled to turn. While fun, I'm exhausted at the end of the day.

I feel that the entire stock setup is SO far away from where it should be for someone my size that I'm asking if anyone has some recommended baseline settings to start with? (front/center/rear spring settings, strap setting, clickers)

Thanks in advance!

Mark.
 

Hey Mark. Sorry to hear your stuck riding in Kap -- you lucky bastard! Anyway, are you still on stock torsions? At 265 on stock I would imagine you are sagging significantly. Since I don't think you have access to changing them out to HD or XHD I would crank both sides to high to start. With all that sag you may be pulling that front end up when your sitting on the machine.

I'd put the front springs back to stock and then do a few rides while slowly starting to reduce preload on that FTS. That in combination with the torsions on high will start to put more pressure on the front skis without raising the front height which increasing preload on front ski springs will do.
 
I'm about the same size as you and ride pretty aggressively on my 20 se. I've got my front springs set with only two turns of preload from lose in the air. Back springs on 2 and center spring 2/3 tight on the threads. It rails the corners but I'm also running pilot skiis. Not sure about the strykes. I've set a few sleds up like this and where quite happy with it .after
 
Hey Mark. Sorry to hear your stuck riding in Kap -- you lucky bastard! Anyway, are you still on stock torsions? At 265 on stock I would imagine you are sagging significantly. Since I don't think you have access to changing them out to HD or XHD I would crank both sides to high to start. With all that sag you may be pulling that front end up when your sitting on the machine.

I'd put the front springs back to stock and then do a few rides while slowly starting to reduce preload on that FTS. That in combination with the torsions on high will start to put more pressure on the front skis without raising the front height which increasing preload on front ski springs will do.
Well this will be day 6 stuck up here since my buddies went home. The part to fix my truck is now supposed to arrive tomorrow. Arrrg... I've ridden all the trails from Hearst to Cochrane numerous times in the last 11 days. Just wanna get home at this point, especially since I don't like riding alone way up here. Very few sleds around.

Thanks for the advice! I'll play around today with some settings.

Mark.
 
I'm about the same size as you and ride pretty aggressively on my 20 se. I've got my front springs set with only two turns of preload from lose in the air. Back springs on 2 and center spring 2/3 tight on the threads. It rails the corners but I'm also running pilot skiis. Not sure about the strykes. I've set a few sleds up like this and where quite happy with it .after
Thanks for the baseline suggestions! I'm the only Yamacat rider in my group, and they all tell me to switch to Pilot skis. I'm going to try them out if I ever get home...

What's your limiting strap set to?

Thanks!

Mark.
 
Hi guys. I've been stuck up in Kapuskasing ON for an extra 5 days while my broken down truck gets fixed, and have some time to kill. I have a 2021 LTX GT Sidewinder, and need some advice on getting this thing to handle. I'm 5'11", 265lb without gear, and ride pretty aggressively. I installed 8" Bergstrom Triple skegs on the stock Stryke skis this season, hoping it would help with understeer, but only marginally improved turn in, while making darting a bit worse.

So far I have messed a bit with the front springs (stiffened to lessen roll), but other than that only played with the QS3 clickers. I have noticed that if I don't want the inside ski jacking mid-corner I need to run the front shocks at the stiffest setting. If my previous learnings with car setups has any relevance, I should be limiting roll with spring stiffness, rather than relying on an aggressive compression damping setting, correct?

The front end doesn't seem to have enough ski pressure to instill confidence in turn in, and ANY throttle applied before I'm totally straight washes the front end out to the outside of the corner. I am using a crazy amount of body english to get this heavy sled to turn. While fun, I'm exhausted at the end of the day.

I feel that the entire stock setup is SO far away from where it should be for someone my size that I'm asking if anyone has some recommended baseline settings to start with? (front/center/rear spring settings, strap setting, clickers)

Thanks in advance!

Mark.


Mark, You say you but 8" Bergstrom's on, did you also install the ski savers? Because those will make the ski push easier but help with darting. You could take the ski savers off to help with push, but darting should also get worse. I was never a fan of the Bergstrom's. I run 5.7 Doo Race skis which are single keel skis with Aggressive Snowtrackers for the best of all worlds.

You could firm up the rear suspension to get more weight on the front skis and get it to turn too. So more spring pressure and/or more rear compression dampening.
 
Mark you are correct with your thinking of springs controling body roll and wieght transfer. What applies to cars, trks also applies to sleds for handling, all my yamacats are set the same 4 trail riding, im 225lbs, front end off ground set front ski shocks with 6 rounds preload from zero, clicker #1, front rear center shock 6to 8 rounds from zero preload, limiter strap long as possible, my rear torsion spring has the 4 postion block from yamaha set on 3 if trails realy banged out. This works for ME.... but as i have seen with 3 decades of circle track racing (cars) dirt and asphalt what works for one doesnt for another. Im a hard charger, i prefer excellant wieght transfer, skis up a bit, off the throttle for corner entry skis down, nutts on the gas cap, slight throttle threw corner (rolling the corner) then steady throttle application....every body is diffrent. I set my springs to keep the sled from bottoming out on the nastyest of situations, that way i can keep my soft ride with clickers on 1 or 2, shocks are for rate or speed of witch wieght transfers, not to be a spring.
 
Thanks for the baseline suggestions! I'm the only Yamacat rider in my group, and they all tell me to switch to Pilot skis. I'm going to try them out if I ever get home...

What's your limiting strap set to?

Thanks!

Mark.
Limiter is all the way out! I don't like loosing suspension travel!
 
I have very little preload on my ski shocks. Two turns max from loose off the ground. You want the front a-arms level when your on it. That's when it react best to bumps. Also it's lower so less ski lift. Roll reaction is controlled by the sway bar. Tightening the springs only raises the sled as spring pressure doesn't change just get higher
 
I have very little preload on my ski shocks. Two turns max from loose off the ground. You want the front a-arms level when your on it. That's when it react best to bumps. Also it's lower so less ski lift. Roll reaction is controlled by the sway bar. Tightening the springs only raises the sled as spring pressure doesn't change just get higher
Like i said every body is diffrent, if i ran only 2 rounds of preload i couldnt get out of grandmas way, it would be what i call a door handle scraper.
 
I also have fox factory qs3r that I converted to dsc valve. Which helps with the roll if I want to firm up the low speed damping but I keep them pretty soft for bump compliance.
 
I have very little preload on my ski shocks. Two turns max from loose off the ground. You want the front a-arms level when your on it. That's when it react best to bumps. Also it's lower so less ski lift. Roll reaction is controlled by the sway bar. Tightening the springs only raises the sled as spring pressure doesn't change just get higher
I agree with this for sure. I would like to add that after 2 spring order sleds and fighting settings while brand new is fine and I understand you want the ride to be good. IMO you need a minimum of 500 miles on these sleds before your setting will make the sled act the same every ride. My point is until the sleds shocks and springs get broke in your chasing the settings. Don’t ask how I know. What you have for spring pressure on the front shocks and middle at 20 miles on the sled will be different then 600 miles. Food for thought.
 
I agree with this for sure. I would like to add that after 2 spring order sleds and fighting settings while brand new is fine and I understand you want the ride to be good. IMO you need a minimum of 500 miles on these sleds before your setting will make the sled act the same every ride. My point is until the sleds shocks and springs get broke in your chasing the settings. Don’t ask how I know. What you have for spring pressure on the front shocks and middle at 20 miles on the sled will be different then 600 miles. Food for thought.
Agreed! Took a good season of adjusting before I got it perfect.i also revalved the shocks a couple times to my liking! My buddy gets a new sled every year and I get it set the way he likes it right before he gets rid of it. Then he hates the new one again. Drives me nuts
 
Agreed! Took a good season of adjusting before I got it perfect.i also revalved the shocks a couple times to my liking! My buddy gets a new sled every year and I get it set the way he likes it right before he gets rid of it. Then he hates the new one again. Drives me nuts
Yup. My 17 and 22 winders I did not care for until I got like 600 miles and made a few tweaks slowly on each coming ride and BINGO loved it. I’m just about to that point on my 22. I put new front shock springs and rear torsions(t cat lowered 1”)on the 2021 kitty cat 8000 and it did the same thing. The girlfriend says what’s up with this thing this year my shoulders are soar? 500 miles later and some slight adjustments on those front shock springs and she was like don’t touch it!!! Biggest thing you mentioned was the amount of turns on those front springs with sled on stand in garage. 2 full turns max from no tension on new shocks and springs was different then 2 full turns on those same springs s d shocks at 500 miles. Big difference.
 
Yup. My 17 and 22 winders I did not care for until I got like 600 miles and made a few tweaks slowly on each coming ride and BINGO loved it. I’m just about to that point on my 22. I put new front shock springs and rear torsions(t cat lowered 1”)on the 2021 kitty cat 8000 and it did the same thing. The girlfriend says what’s up with this thing this year my shoulders are soar? 500 miles later and some slight adjustments on those front shock springs and she was like don’t touch it!!! Biggest thing you mentioned was the amount of turns on those front springs with sled on stand in garage. 2 full turns max from no tension on new shocks and springs was different then 2 full turns on those same springs s d shocks at 500 miles. Big difference.
You know it! I found some factory fox qs3r the end of my first year with my 2020se and they've got really good springs, shot peened and thinner wire. But at the end of the day I still set it up my way and handles very well.
 

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