New to me '08 Apex RTX, need some general setup suggestions

[jgustman]

Finally jumped ship from Ski-Don't for good after my 2004 Rev 600SDI blew up at 3,000 miles right after the dealer blew the drive belt and updated the computer... Traded for $2,400+tax for a 2008 Apex RTX with 3800 miles. Definitely need to revalve the shocks over the summer, I read the sticky post. Is ther a decent stock setup for me at about 230 pounds rider weight somone could recommend? Also, I didn't get the fox air pump with the sled, can I just use the air compressor and tire guage? Lastly, the exhaust donuts were just replaced under warranty before I bought it, is there anything else I need to look for to freshen up. I didn't get the RTX owners manual so I don't have the factory suspension recommendations, I just know the previous owner set the front track shock spring pretty stiff at about 2-2 1/2 inches preload, limiter strap 1 notch from full extension, and rear springs in high position. Don't know which way to turn the compression dampner or how to set it. I don't see any other maintainence issues with the apex, except is there a fix for the exhaust resonation that is deafening??? Has a aftermarket exhaust, but that's not what's causing the noise from what I've read. Thanks for any info.

 

[Ak Yammy]

Wow lots of questions on here let me do my best to try to answer some(most) here goes:
Yes revalve ASAP Hygear, Pioneer or Carver will set you up for riding style and weight.
I would get a hold of the Float air pump and manual for the sled as they are going to make life much easier for you.
At 3800 miles I would be for sure checking/replacing the lower drive shaft bearing (easy to do) grease upper, have chaincase fluid changed and go through your skidframe wheels and greese/replace as needed. Check front end bushings for looseness/wear.
Most guys run the limiter strap tight to get it to corner and keep the transfer down, depends if you want to rail or carry skis from corner to corner.
Turn rear shock adjuster clock wise (in) to go stiffer (covered in manual). I would keep everything fairly stiff if you ride bumps especially without a revalve as you will be bottoming all the time if set softer.
Drone has been beaten to death on here and I don't know if anyone ever really found a cure. Search button is your friend on that one-many pages of reading to be done. I never ride in that range so I never notice it.
Hope this helps. These are really fun sleds!!


Whew!!

 

[jgustman]

I was thinking Carver for re-valve, since they are here in MN where I live. Also will checked skid quickly before buying, all wheels look ok for now. Also plan a studding adventure very soon, as I had a bad experience already on the first day riding, must have let off the throttle while looking over my shoulder to cross to the other side of the road for better snow and the road was snow packed wet ice...Needless to say, after doing a few 360's I got dumped hard on the left side and cracked the plastic of left headlight mount, windshield cowl and side cover of the cowl and left handguard mount. $335+ to replace all that because I didn't have studs. Also have a nice M-10 sitting in my house, had planned to put it in the Viper S.....Still think I should...and just revalve the apex.

 

[smacho]

Enjoy your RTX! I have 4K+ miles on mine & love it ... but getting it to handle correctly was a challange.

Changing those skid settings can make me nuts. I am a bit lighter (180) so my setting may not work at all -- but this is what I have settled on: limiter strap one hole open (set on second from top), transfer out until I see red, then back in a turn, main spring loose + 1 turn to keep it from ratteling, Set the floats by looking at them (should be @ ~10 degrees up from ski side to bulkhead with weight of sled), & I had a revalve by Bruce @ Pioneer (just down the road for me). I have not touched the compression dampener since Bruce set it last year with second shock-rebuild. I have been running Woodys Slim Jims & they stop any darting. If reverse gives you grief, it is a simple adjustment.

There are lots of options & the stcky post covers most of it. But of all the things I had tried, changing the shock to a progressive setup was the BIG deal.

 

[smacho]

As an aside thought, throttle control on the sled is a big deal -- no, not just the ice & bad luck you found -- but in general. I had only rode 2 sleds (less than 5 miles) in more than 25 years (but had a moto-ski as a kid in MN). So, I got into this without any 2-stroke trottle habits. I treat the trottle more like cruiser style motorcycle. Now I seem to always keep a little pressure on the trottle (enough to always keep the clutch engaged - like a powerd-engine-brake). As a consequence: I rarely use the brakes, and the handwarmers work!

 

[jgustman]

I think the engine braking is what got me in trouble on the ice, forgot about it for that split second, and that's all it took. Had a RX-1 a few years ago...Engine braking seemed even worse on that.
The handwarmers on this one seem plenty warm to me.

 

[ranger1]

You mentioned that the sled is "deafening", did you, or can you compare it to another apex as you might have a cracked pipe. Good to at least compare the loudness with another one.
They are fairly loud to begin with but add a cracked pipe or cracked flexy pipe = REALLY LOUD!!!

 

[jgustman]

nobody to compare to, maybe the dealer can let me compare to a new one. They just did the exhaust donuts in sept. when they took it in on trade, buy I suppose they could have overlooked it.

 

[Ak Yammy]

Didn't you say it has an aftermarket exhaust in your first post? Some of those Hauck systems are deafening.

 

[giddy up go]

Here is what worked for me

Thanks to a lot of help from good people in this website, I found what works for me and I'll try to Play It Forward
I am about 225 whith my gear on. I had the shocks rebuilt by Pioneer after the first season. I found Bruce there to be very helpful and almost dead on with his set-up of the shocks.
I feel why people dis-liked this suspension is it takes a lot of trial and error setup to find the ride YOU want and people just got discouraged before they got it set. Mine is set and I love it and no REV will leave me in the trails. Anyhow hope this helps you. If you follow the chart it'll take you from factory set-up to what I like. Good luck

 

[smacho]

Cool! I had peice of paper (long since lost) when I was going through all the possibilies.

What does the number mean for limiter strap? & do you ever change anything according to conditions?

 

[giddy up go]

Limiter Strap

Ok the limiter strap has 5 postions to set it. 5 makes the strap as short as it can go and 1 make the stap as long as it goes ( for wheelies). From the factory it's set on 3, I simply found I had ski lift in the corners especially so I tightened it to position 4 settled right down. Try it.

 

[yamy]

from the sound of your post im thinkin u bought my old sled, let me guess from action sports?

 

[jgustman]

from the sound of your post im thinkin u bought my old sled, let me guess from action sports?

YES, that's the sled. Just got back from a 110 mile ride from Cottonwood to Jackpot Junction and back, and it beat the #*$&@ out of me... I loosened the front track shock to minimal tension, put the rear springs on full soft, backed off the compression dampner...I left the coupling to near full as you had set it, limiter strap is in #2? From the looks of it. I've got about 200 miles on it now and I'm not very happy, ready to look for a phazer...It's been on it's side 3 times due to ill handling, make that horrible handling. It feels as if it's not using hardly any of the rear suspension travel, very stiff. Was going to sell the viper, but I actually like riding that. The snow conditions weren't good today since it was hot and mushy, then got hard later tonight, so the ski's were darting badly. Somone needs to help me or it's gone, worst handling sled I've ever been on... BTW do you have the fox float pump for me? I kinda need it. Also, what kind of exhaust is on this, man it's loud.

 

[giddy up go]

Throw a set of duece bars on it that will fix any darting issue
As far as changing set up according to the conditions, myself I don't find a need to.