Pilot 6.9 ski's installed

[vodoo child]

Thanks bud, don't worry about it. Most likely going with the 5.7s on the widest setting. I'll be getting them from someone at the Big East Show on the 30th.

 

[cannondale27]

Thanks bud, don't worry about it. Most likely going with the 5.7s on the widest setting. I'll be getting them from someone at the Big East Show on the 30th.

If you have a Triton clamshell the 6.9's fit side by side with spacer in widest position. This is because the shell is on top the trailer edge not alongside it. It's that tight a fit. Not even 1/4in to spare but worth it. The 5.7's don't work anywhere near as well as 6.9 in any loose conditions.

 

[vodoo child]

I have a v nose enclosed Blizzard with the old style higher ski guides. The guides kind of lock the ski's in the grooves, if that makes sense. Inside is 8'3" side to side so zero room to spare. But if the 6.9s are that much better I might rethink this.

 

[ROCKERDAN]

As Fatchance stated about the 6.9s, I'm also concerned about loading the sled in the trailer. I'm leaning towards the 5.7s for the simple reason, the ""ONLY"" off trail riding I do is up in Maine when we venture into the Allagash on the lakes. The more I research these tuner ski's it seems ""ANY"" ski is a improvement!!

The 5.7s work very nicely too....ran them on my cat procross and it was amazing with them.

If you never run deeper snow, the 6.9 likely is not needed....I do find that the 6.9 is more unique though in spacing, so even on trail i believe they are the best for non darting, while the 5.7 is the single most popular ski on the snow today, so you will grab every rut in front of you.

5.7s sure are cheap though, right from doo....buy as a "kit". Many dealer are at 200 for everything!

 

[cannondale27]

The 5.7s work very nicely too....ran them on my cat procross and it was amazing with them.

If you never run deeper snow, the 6.9 likely is not needed....I do find that the 6.9 is more unique though in spacing, so even on trail i believe they are the best for non darting, while the 5.7 is the single most popular ski on the snow today, so you will grab every rut in front of you.

5.7s sure are cheap though, right from doo....buy as a "kit". Many dealer are at 200 for everything!

I am sorry but I don't agree. 5.7 is nowhere near as aggressive as a 6.9 and will push in loose trail snow way sooner. The cat skis were better than 5.7. Last few years I could count on 1 hand the times when trails were hard pack in MI and WI. But if they don't fit in trailer not much else to do. Curves are just as wide. At least 5.7 doesn't dart.

 

[ROCKERDAN]

I am sorry but I don't agree. 5.7 is nowhere near as aggressive as a 6.9 and will push in loose trail snow way sooner. The cat skis were better than 5.7. Last few years I could count on 1 hand the times when trails were hard pack in MI and WI. But if they don't fit in trailer not much else to do. Curves are just as wide. At least 5.7 doesn't dart.

I totally feel opposite on this.

the 5.7 will carve alot better then the 6.9, as they dont float in the mealy corners as much, and the 5.7 dart a ton more then the 6.9, as they follow 95% of all other sleds on the trails.

One thing that is nice with SW I find, is these pilots(either ones) can take the biggest carbides on them and not get heavy steering....the doos I would only ever use 5 to 6" max carbide and they were already heavy.

 

[KnappAttack]

I totally feel opposite on this.

the 5.7 will carve alot better then the 6.9, as they dont float in the mealy corners as much, and the 5.7 dart a ton more then the 6.9, as they follow 95% of all other sleds on the trails.

One thing that is nice with SW I find, is these pilots(either ones) can take the biggest carbides on them and not get heavy steering....the doos I would only ever use 5 to 6" max carbide and they were already heavy.

I would agree with you on this Dan. I've run both as well as the Doo single keel 5.7Race ski which is my favorite with Aggressive Snowtrackers on them.

5.7 and 6.9 have exactly the same keel depth on them, and the 6.9 floats easier obviously, and seems to me to push much easier in the loose meal.

 

[**sj**]

wow...Im confused by the varying reports...do the 6.9 push more than the 5.7 same terrain and conditions? and just eyeballing it (not back to back) I thought the keel was slightly larger on the 6.9? now snowtrackers sound interesting...but what about glare ice? loading on a trailer or catching something>? reports of sticking and wanting to high side?

 

[KnappAttack]

wow...Im confused by the varying reports...do the 6.9 push more than the 5.7 same terrain and conditions? and just eyeballing it (not back to back) I thought the keel was slightly larger on the 6.9? now snowtrackers sound interesting...but what about glare ice? loading on a trailer or catching something>? reports of sticking and wanting to high side?

Those reports came from riders that put old trackers on their 2011 Apex skis, they did not know the 2011 ski required a different part number under them. Any ski with too much runner or carbide forward of the spindle center line will become very unstable.

Always check the part number for the correct application. Many, I'd say 98% of snowtracker riders have had no problems and claim that its the best carbide they have ever run. Most complaints come from the guys who wished they'd have ordered Aggressives after trying the semi-aggressive.

The Keel under the 6.9 is exactly the same keel under the 5.7, no difference. So in the loose stuff the wider ski will float more and not allow the carbide to bite. You can tell riding them too. the 6.9 will push easier than the 5.7.

 

[cannondale27]

The 5.7 I am talking about is the Pilot5.7 not the race ski. Big difference. Never tried the race ski myself all I know is 5.7 PILOT sucks.

 

[**sj**]

Those reports came from riders that put old trackers on their 2011 Apex skis, they did not know the 2011 ski required a different part number under them. Any ski with too much runner or carbide forward of the spindle center line will become very unstable.

Always check the part number for the correct application. Many, I'd say 98% of snowtracker riders have had no problems and claim that its the best carbide they have ever run. Most complaints come from the guys who wished they'd have ordered Aggressives after trying the semi-aggressive.

The Keel under the 6.9 is exactly the same keel under the 5.7, no difference. So in the loose stuff the wider ski will float more and not allow the carbide to bite. You can tell riding them too. the 6.9 will push easier than the 5.7.

are there any negatives at all you can think of with the snowtrackers and....on the 6.9's they would push less? what about losing top speed from drag?

 

[Riceburner]

are there any negatives at all you can think of with the snowtrackers and....on the 6.9's they would push less? what about losing top speed from drag?

No top speed loss to speak of with Sno Trackers on my Apex's.
113 mph on snow with my Stocker, 138 mph on snow with my Turbo.
Deuce bars cost me 2.5 mph.

 

[ROCKERDAN]

I dont think this chassie needs trackers....Worked great on doos as the heavy steering was much worse. This cat chassie has always had easy steer effort compared to any XP/XS doo which is "extreme rider forward". Poo has easiest of all effort, with the procross being a tad heavier.

I think Mike will get a ton of miles on his this season without trackers and be fine with the effort. Where i notice it instantly on back to back tight trails to my 1200 4tec with same pilot 6.9s, is the 4tec only has 5" brp round bars, and i could put massive 8" carbide on the SW, all else being equal, and same trails the steering was still lighter effort on the SW w/ MORE carbide then the doo 4tec with less carbide. So for me I am lighter effort now with more carbide then last sled.

A wider ski will always push more then a narrower ski, all else being equal. Less float and narrow ski sinks deeper. The 6.9 benefits over the 5.7 in the only way that it will keep the heavy nosed 4 stroke sleds up higher on loose and powder then any narrow ski. And the 6.9 just so happens to offer the outrigger carbide too, which is RARE in a powder or mountain type wide ski. This is why its unique, and works so well on 4tec doos and 4s cat chassie sleds IMO. While the 5.7 IMO also worked FAR better then my cat skis did on my procross(the cat skis darted horribly) The 6.9 does better in soft/fresh/deep snow conditions, and still does amazing on firm setup trails.

For me...the first time I hit one of our many long lakes, where its right after a recent deep snowfall and before the lakes get packed down like a highway, now run that fresh deep snow lake with 5.7s....all that snow is in your face as nose sits down. Now run it with 6.9s, and that nose gets up on top even at slower to medium speeds, and now your planing on top easily, even with a heavy nosed 4s. No different then getting your boat up on plane vs not planing, the speeds increase and less power to push you.

My only one complaint is the 6.9s dont wear as long as a 5.7 over time. Maybe why doo does not really sell them anymore. Although there is a part number that was brought back Don tells me, for people who really want them. Likely 5k miles and will need to replace as the outrigger being so wide will start to push upward, bending the loops inward and now outrigger is not perpendicular to the ground anymore.....Might be fine but I noticed this more as miles go along. Lucky they are quite inexpensive when compared to most other skis.

Dan

 

[1100saber]

The 5.7 I am talking about is the Pilot5.7 not the race ski. Big difference. Never tried the race ski myself all I know is 5.7 PILOT sucks.

I'm running standard 5.7 pilots on my sidewinder. 10x better than stock tuner 3's. About 4x better than the cat procross ski's...and about 2x better than the C&A pros I had lol.

 

[cannondale27]

I'm running standard 5.7 pilots on my sidewinder. 10x better than stock tuner 3's. About 4x better than the cat procross ski's...and about 2x better than the C&A pros I had lol.

Ok I will round up my set of 5.7's for someone then.