New Viper Owner. What are must do mods?

[I'mAllIn]

Looking at Woody's site is a bit confusing. What part # for the setup listed above?

 

[I'mAllIn]

For the Turbo sled I would run Woodys carbides, 6" inside and 4" outside and 144 / 1.325 Woodys Gold Digger or Megabite studs. On the stock sled I would go with Woodys 4" carbide inside and out and 96 / 1.325 megabite studs. The 144 studs won't provide real holeshot traction on the turbo sled but will do just fine for trail riding.

Are you referring to round or shapers?

 

[titanrcr]

Are you referring to round or shapers?

I have what appears to be the ACE series bar by woodys, tall square host bar. I have 6 and 4 inch carbide but only the 6" is listed on the Woodys web site ? The bar itself helps quite a bit with turning.

 

[Mike P]

Hello guys & gals,

I just relocated to MN from Memphis and quickly went about shopping for and buying a couple of sleds. My wife and I are avid sledders and have gone for a week or two for the last several years. It will be nice finally riding our own sleds and not a beat-up rental!

Both sleds are 2016 Viper LTX-LE with mine being a turbo. We should take delivery in the next 3-4 weeks. So, having said all that, are there any must do things to watch for on the sleds? Not necessarily accessories as those as personal, but any items that need addressing prior to riding?

I plan on dressing them with Up North LinQ brackets and LinQ jerry can and saddle bags, mid-size windscreen, hand guards and muffs, etc, etc.

Thanks in advance and we look forward to the biggest snow totals in decades!!!!!

Steve

https://www.qualipieces.com/en-US/y08-352-06/top-gold-hc-carbide-runners Ask your dealer, these are the best carbides I have found a must-do!

 

[Joe ltx-le]

https://www.qualipieces.com/en-US/y08-352-06/top-gold-hc-carbide-runners Ask your dealer, these are the best carbides I have found a must-do!

After burning through my stock ones I bought Yamaha 6 inch squares. Similar to these ones. On groomed trail this sleds on rails now! I honestly might go to a round bar on the outside. These have so much bite.

 

[Mike P]

Welcome to the site I'AllIn
As for my wife's sled I installed better carbides, stud, a higher windshield, 4 wheel kit in the rear of the skid and knee pads( only because she liked the look). That was all she wanted and loves her sled. I had to adjust her suspension to suit her riding style.
For my sled I did the same as hers except I added a clutch kit, pipe (only because she was kicking my butt all last season)
We are trail riders so to me the 4 wheel kit, higher windshield carbides and stud are important

I might add Ice scratchers, hand guards and a small saddle bag for the extra belt belt, gloves, water ect....

 

[Mike P]

I have not even seen my sled yet. That being said I have a Larson Racing 4th wheel kit, OSP belt tensioner, 8Dn Belt, Ulmer Clutch kit (Due to MPI turbo being installed), Dupont Sliders, a Four Strokes Solutions Roll over Kit (cause I will probably roll it all due to my own stupidity), Fan reverse and fuse box relocate kit and a Yamaheater power supply ready to install. I still want a real front bumper and I assume I will need different skis. This is all sitting in my garage at the lake ready to be installed. NONE of this is mandatory but I have only so much time to ride and insist on getting the most out of every journey.

You should probably consider a set of after market carbides. They would certainly help you along on your journeys. https://www.qualipieces.com/en-US/h...rderBy:null&IsDescOrder:false&Index:0&Count:0

 

[Jim D]

When I first rode my new RTX, I was disappointed to say the least. It had great off idle power and through the mid range, but fell on its face past 60mph. It pushed in corners something fierce and the engine braking was unmanageable. The engine braking and corner pushing was such that I found myself either blowing a corner or slowing far too much to make it. I could not carry speed/momentum.

What I did to make this sled work, and to become a favorite of mine:

1. Loosened the track substantially from the dealer set up. It was sagging about an inch without weight, and I found that this setting was the real reason for the perceived engine braking. The track had huge rolling resistance, and would not rotate on a stand under idling engine power. I noticed this in the garage between my 2nd and 3rd outing with the sled. The looser track was a quite noticeable improvement in responsiveness above 60mph.

2. Raised the limiter strap one hole from full extension. This improved flatness in the corners and speed over snow covered trails.

3. Replaced the stock tuners (which I had already improved with everlast carbides) with the Curves skis. Lots of Viper owners go to Curves and one guy on this site uses them exclusively. They work very well on this chassis and now my RTX goes where I point it.

4. SLP muffler, PCV and Ignition Module (with Ulmer maps), cold air intake, and stock clutching with the tip rivet removed. 9200 rpm shift out, 9800 rev limit (Ulmer map). Now, the sled rages to 90mph on a snowy trail (would do a lot more on a snowless road or lake) and truly feels like an 800 class sled!

5. Shimmed the stock helix using 3 washers to ensure full shift out and went back to the shorter 8jp belt (away from the suggested 8dn). More top speed and better acceleration. The shorter 8jp will go down in the secondary farther that the 8dn and give higher gearing. Note that if you modify the primary by machining or installing an overdrive sheave, you can achieve the same with the 8dn. The 8jp is too short to utilize overdrive on this chassis.

I am now very happy and cannot wait for December this year to get back out!

Jim D from Canton

 

[Mike P]

When I first rode my new RTX, I was disappointed to say the least. It had great off idle power and through the mid range, but fell on its face past 60mph. It pushed in corners something fierce and the engine braking was unmanageable. The engine braking and corner pushing was such that I found myself either blowing a corner or slowing far too much to make it. I could not carry speed/momentum.

What I did to make this sled work, and to become a favorite of mine:

1. Loosened the track substantially from the dealer set up. It was sagging about an inch without weight, and I found that this setting was the real reason for the perceived engine braking. The track had huge rolling resistance, and would not rotate on a stand under idling engine power. I noticed this in the garage between my 2nd and 3rd outing with the sled. The looser track was a quite noticeable improvement in responsiveness above 60mph.

2. Raised the limiter strap one hole from full extension. This improved flatness in the corners and speed over snow covered trails.

3. Replaced the stock tuners (which I had already improved with everlast carbides) with the Curves skis. Lots of Viper owners go to Curves and one guy on this site uses them exclusively. They work very well on this chassis and now my RTX goes where I point it.

4. SLP muffler, PCV and Ignition Module (with Ulmer maps), cold air intake, and stock clutching with the tip rivet removed. 9200 rpm shift out, 9800 rev limit (Ulmer map). Now, the sled rages to 90mph on a snowy trail (would do a lot more on a snowless road or lake) and truly feels like an 800 class sled!

5. Shimmed the stock helix using 3 washers to ensure full shift out and went back to the shorter 8jp belt (away from the suggested 8dn). More top speed and better acceleration. The shorter 8jp will go down in the secondary farther that the 8dn and give higher gearing. Note that if you modify the primary by machining or installing an overdrive sheave, you can achieve the same with the 8dn. The 8jp is too short to utilize overdrive on this chassis.

I am now very happy and cannot wait for December this year to get back out!

Jim D from Canton

Sounds like your dialing your Viper in. What are you running up front for shocks? If you have the stock Fox what air pressures are you running, loaded or unloaded,your height and rider weight, any studs? Shock pressure can have a very large affect on corer push along with snow conditions. I find the tuner ski is just a bit slower at WOT but with the way my RTX is set up as I transfer a little weight forward I'm able to carry as much speed thru the corners as conditions permit. Studs also will contribute to corner push and after putting 90 down the center I bumped up to a much more aggressive carbide set up. I'm running 65psi up front on Fox 3s and lightest setting on the skid,I'm 195/200lbs dressed, limiter is stock. This sled w/the turbo needs to be driven aggressively. As I get more seat time on this chassis I'm learning more about what makes it tick and how to get it to perform just by physically moving around on the machine. As with all sleds, rider position and location will impact chassis control and this chassis really needs the rider to be an active rider.

 

[Jim D]

I have the float 3's. They were set at 75 from the factory, and with the tuners (using lots of carbide from everlast), they pushed terribly. I had to run 125 to get the ski pressure I needed to navigate any turn. Now with the Curves, 4 inches of carbide, I am back to 75 and it handles really well. No studs and I weigh 240 with gear.

I also use a lot of body position to increase speed through the woods. The same way I get off my zx10r on the race track. With tuners, even dragging an elbow did not work at speed. Really a crappy ski for everything but snowless surfaces.

 

[Mike P]

I have the float 3's. They were set at 75 from the factory, and with the tuners (using lots of carbide from everlast), they pushed terribly. I had to run 125 to get the ski pressure I needed to navigate any turn. Now with the Curves, 4 inches of carbide, I am back to 75 and it handles really well. No studs and I weigh 240 with gear.

I also use a lot of body position to increase speed through the woods. The same way I get off my zx10r on the race track. With tuners, even dragging an elbow did not work at speed. Really a crappy ski for everything but snowless surfaces.

I would have to agree, more snow more push. I find that higher pressure up front adds more push and less pressure adds more bite. The first time I put this chassis on scales and saw the actual weight at the contact points, front left and right and the two on the skid it started to make more sense. Like you said snow conditions affect handling. The equalizer or correction to conditions can only be a combination of the equipment and the rider input. Knowing what affect a rider has on the equipment, loading and unloading the suspension for the given conditions seems as important if not more than the equipment its self. I have found that focusing on my job (skill and input) as a rider is most times, more important than the equipment its self.

 

[cannondale27]

I would have to agree, more snow more push. I find that higher pressure up front adds more push and less pressure adds more bite. The first time I put this chassis on scales and saw the actual weight at the contact points, front left and right and the two on the skid it started to make more sense. Like you said snow conditions affect handling. The equalizer or correction to conditions can only be a combination of the equipment and the rider input. Knowing what affect a rider has on the equipment, loading and unloading the suspension for the given conditions seems as important if not more than the equipment its self. I have found that focusing on my job (skill and input) as a rider is most times, more important than the equipment its self.

True but the 14,15 rear shock has rebound valving that is way to slow. When coming into a corner its important to do one of 3 things. Lift,tap brake or get way forward and inside. Those things plant the skis by transfering weight to front of sled. With slow rebound that transfer doesnt happen till you are out of the corner. That means you either have to go slow or hope that you can slide back end around under power. The two biggest mods I recommend are rear shock revalve on 14 and 15 or replacement and a skid plate. To the OP if you have LE with the QS3 shocks you are set. Just get a skidplate!

 

[Mike P]

True but the 14,15 rear shock has rebound valving that is way to slow. When coming into a corner its important to do one of 3 things. Lift,tap brake or get way forward and inside. Those things plant the skis by transfering weight to front of sled. With slow rebound that transfer doesnt happen till you are out of the corner. That means you either have to go slow or hope that you can slide back end around under power. The two biggest mods I recommend are rear shock revalve on 14 and 15 or replacement and a skid plate. To the OP if you have LE with the QS3 shocks you are set. Just get a skidplate!