Mountaintech 38" +3" A Arms Test Report

[ViperTurboPete]

I received a set of Mountaintech 38" wide 3+ forward A arms with stabilizer bar mounts on Monday. I installed MPI oilite bushings and got everything mounted on the sled. I am extremely impressed with the quality and build design. The ball joints are super heavy duty and make the Yamaha ball joint set up look like a joke. Apparently they are very economical to replace if they ever wear out....unlike a Yamaha ball joint where I paid something like $108 for one from the dealer. Installing them was straight forward like any other A arm. I also received clear and concise instructions....but what guy reads/needs instructions??

While setting up the caster/camber angles a couple of friends of mine dropped by and whipped out their smart phones with these angle apps. Turned out I was getting some whacked out readings that almost made sense, but didn't. I called Mountaintech for some tech support and I was told to get a good old Angle Finder from Princess Auto. I picked up an Angle finder for 10 bucks and got the readings I needed. As for the smart phone, it works great if you have the correct app which the guys didn't have the first time. The correct app is called the Clinometer. It is very accurate to a tenth of a degree. The coolest and most innovative part of this design is being able to adjust caster AND camber quite easily. I have read in sled magazines for many many years about caster and camber angles where manufacturers have played around with it from one year to the next and the spindles have always been fixed in one position. Now one can set the spindles up the way they want. Recommended settings for the Nytro are 23 degrees caster and -1 to -2 degrees camber. My subframe may be slightly tweaked so I can compensate and still get the 23 degree caster sweet spot.

I removed my JRE spindles and put on my stock 08 spindles to really be able to gauge an opinion on how the A arms will affect the sled. My 08 MTX came with a stabilizer bar and I recall many people taking it off completely (mainly true mountain riders). I never wanted to take mine off because my riding is on lakes and bush trails and when I play in the powder in swamps and climbing hydrolines I disconnect the swaybar. So, I am happy I have the option of being able to utilize a swaybar on actual mountain/narrow A arms.

I am taking the rest of the week off to really put these to the test. Tomorrow I will be doing the initial spindle settings and getting all the plastics back on. I will go for a shakedown run and make sure my install holds together. Then I will be taking off to camp with lots of gas for 3 days. They are calling for another snowstorm tomorrow. It was -30C again this morning. The snow is very deep and winter is still going on strong!

I will keep everyone posted.

 

[ViperTurboPete]

Back to the garage and I set the caster to 23 degrees and camber at -1.5 degrees. It is pretty easy to do where a full turn of the ball joint would bring it up over a degree on the gauge. I just set it and forget it.

I went for a shakedown this evening with buddy who has an 800 Summit 146 x 2". I immediately hit the powder when we arrived at the swamps and almost killed myself right from the get go. The sled takes much less effort to tip over! I felt like I had to learn how to drive all over again! I couldn't believe that I didn't have to hang off the sled with two feet on the running board to get it lay down. I could carve tight donuts with ease. There is a little bit of a crust a few inches below that made things a little hairy.

My steering effort felt cut in half. I felt like I had power steering because it is effortless. I don't know where that comes from but I will take it. Obviously there is less pressure on the skis so I have to watch the corners a little bit. I need to tighten the limiters to give me a little more ski pressure so I can get some more bite in the corners. I was riding single lane extremely rough bush trails so there isn't much room for error.

I did drag race the Summit 800 a couple of times. He took me out of the hole but I quickly reeled him in. There wasn't enough of a stretch, but I easily have more top end and could have walked right by. I was impressed with that too! Last year, he would blow me away in all aspects. This year is a totally different story. We traded machines and I didn't like it at all. I was happy to get back onto the Nytro.

So far, a short little ride was very impressive! I am heading to the camp for 3 days tomorrow morning and will put the front end to the test.

 

[Dahlin]

Did you use your stock tie rods?

 

[ViperTurboPete]

Yes, I am using the stock tie rods.

A week of solid pounding over the holidays and everything is holding up just fine. We have about a foot and a half of snow and there is a hard base under the fresh stuff due to the rain at Christmas. So riding is rough in the bush and rough on the lakes due to drifting. Buddy with his stock Nytro MTX 162 tried mine and could not believe the difference. Still racking up the miles.....

 

[Colorado Nytro]

Can you tell us how long the install took? What was the most difficult part I hear some of the A-arm bolts are a challenge to get at.

 

[ViperTurboPete]

The install took me a few hours. It's the little things that take the time....lining up the tie rods, aligning the skis etc. The a-arm bolts aren't bad at all. I used a ratcheting combination wrench to loosen/tighten the bolts without any issues. I have had my front end off several times over the years and it really isn't a big deal so I wouldn't be too intimidated by it. I am no mechanic, but I have always done my own work and I figure it out as I go. This mod works wonders for me. I honestly have no idea how I drove my MTX with the stock front end. Highly recommended and Peter at Mountaintech is superior to deal with.

 

[Colorado Nytro]

Thanks Pete I am going to purchase a set, now a two week backorder. I have had most of my 09' front end apart to replace bushings and such. I am also no mechanic but also try to attempt it all. My next challenge will be a track change, luckily I have watched this once in person.

 

[ViperTurboPete]

Two week back order....that must mean there are a bunch of happy customers and jealous friends!

 

[ViperTurboPete]

Logged on many more miles this winter and this weekend I really put the front end to the test through miles of rock hard snowdrifts. I was at camp this weekend and there was a snowstorm on Friday. On Saturday we had high winds with severe whiteouts and windchill all day long. The next morning the lake was covered with huge drifts which turned hard as rock due to the bitter cold. While riding into the steep end of the drifts my sled would end up straight up into the air and landing hard into the next drift. I would hit the drifts at a pretty good clip and the machine would stay stable and predictable. I thought I was going to break my skid in half due to the hard impact. I remember the days in stock form I would not dare to go any speed at all over any drift without fear of killing myself. I would then hit the bays and carve extremely tight donuts and figure 8's in the powder with ease. I did a close inspection of the front end it is holding up flawlessly. I am happy that my sled can do all that I want it to do.

 

[Colorado Nytro]

Got the install completed and far simpler than I thought it would be. My first ride was great, lighter steering, quick turns and the sled carved and handled like a new sled. Camber and caster are a nice thing to be able to now adjust. Peter who makes and sells these is great at answering questions. He is a great resource for the Nytro's and Yamaha. Highly recommended!

 

[Off Trail Mike]

Logged on many more miles this winter and this weekend I really put the front end to the test through miles of rock hard snowdrifts. I was at camp this weekend and there was a snowstorm on Friday. On Saturday we had high winds with severe whiteouts and windchill all day long. The next morning the lake was covered with huge drifts which turned hard as rock due to the bitter cold.

Hey Pete....you talking Sudbury or Atlantic Canada LOL....thought maybe you took a trip east!

Loving that description..... it snowed, then wind, then cement.....it's the same here.

We got boatloads of snow this winter, but I have never seen anything like it in my 30+ years of sledding. Before, all our snowstorms occurred when the temp was close to 0 deg. C. Now we get 50cm's of snow falling at -25C...and this "cold" kind is definitely weird stuff .... sets up almost like soft styrofoam....you can walk on top of the snow basically anywhere after any amount of wind (or time) gets in and sets it up.

Glad the front end is holding up to the pounding because I think we're not thru with it yet.....

OTM

 

[Mountaintech]

Thanks for the feedback guys! Nothing like happy customers.

 

[Mountaintech]

Spring pricing on the 38"+3" A Arm kits are now $639 +shipping. Best pricing in the industry!!

 

[mateo]

Always interested in new products. I've been chipping at the upgrades over the years, and now with the addition of boost, I'm quite a happy rider. The last thing on the bucket list has been a front end, but for cost purposes I've been looking for one that doesn't need to upgrade the stock coilover shocks - so this product is certainly looking good in that regard.

How would you compare the strength of these A-arms compared to the competitors? and to Stock?
Is the upper attachment of the shock a possible weak point?

M

 

[ViperTurboPete]

Well, I personally can't compare the strength of these a arms to the competitors because I have never seen the competition. I believe the Mountaintech a arms are every bit as strong as the stock a arms. The Mountaintech's are about one to two pounds lighter than stock. Yes there are lighter a arms out there, but you will sacrifice strength. I have heard of others using lighter aftermarket a arms and having them completely break after hitting a tree and therefore not being able to limp it home. I once hammered a pressure ridge on the lake at high speed and demo'd my stock front end (and almost myself) and was able to limp it back home. Everything was still together, but badly bent out of shape. So, strength is definitely something I keep in the back of my mind after experiencing something like that....otherwise it would have been a long (painful) walk. My guess would be that lighter a arms may not take impact as well as stock or Mountaintech.

I had the same concern regarding the upper attachment of the shock being a possible weak point. Mountaintech assured me that there has been no issues in testing and I have not heard of anyone here on the site reporting an issue. I have been testing the Mountaintech 38 +3 for a second season and there have been no issues whatsoever. Just recently I put the front end through some serious punishment on the lakes that have 2 foot high rock hard drifts. I was hitting them at the blunt side (almost like hitting a wall) and my sled would point to the sky and come down and pound into the next drift. I did this for 4 days because there was no avoiding these drifts no matter where you went. Close inspection of the front end showed no evidence of bending (the so called "weak point" was the first place I checked and I can personally say it is not weak!). Close inspection of my skid....well not so good.....I have a cracked one rail. Looking back, I guess I didn't really need to drive so fast and hit the drifts so hard, but it was fun. I remember having to change out my stock balljoints often enough at over a $100 a pop due to riding in the rough all the time. No balljoint issues with this front end.

I am very happy with the handling of my sled. It is much more stable and predictable and fun to ride. The 3 inch forward makes a big difference. This says a lot because I was absolutely disgusted with my sled before.