redoing my shocks

[Sr_Viper_RTX_LE]

yeS, I know if I do a search I can find my answer but it's in the middle of the summer I have nothing to do and I want to post a new thread asking this question to kill some time and talk about snowmobiles as opposed to just looking it up. So please bear with me and let's talk some slides, because it is in the middle of May and everyone else looks at me like I have 5 heads when I want to talk about sleds I am getting a 16 RTX LE and I think I'm getting rid of the shocks, I don't know if I wanted to go with evol RC 2,axis pros or Ohlins? right now. X EvoLs r on it. It has the stock shock package, but from what I understand it even though the Fox floats 3 evol rc 2 are a $2000 shock and a very good one if you bought a very expensive Coil over shock the coil over shock will be better than the air shock 10 a 10 times,is this true? My type of writing would be like Tug Hill New York. Some groomed mostly RoUghTrail with some ditch banging

 

[vsmpowered]

I got axis pro couldn't be happier riding tug hill on rough trails its a beast also rode friends rr and wasn't happy with fox floats

 

[vsmpowered]

Its mine

 

[Sr_Viper_RTX_LE]

Yes,I know thefloat 3 evol X are good shocks,but i am wondering if the X RC 2 would be worth the money. But from what I understand even tho the latter of the two shocks im talking about is a very good shock but a 2000 dollar coil over shock is a much better shock then a comparable air shock no matter how good the air shock is as long they are within the same price range. Do you guys agree with this statement?

 

[cannondale27]

No not ride wise at least in the RC2 case. When adjusted to optimum they are awesome but it is more complicated adjusting than spring shocks. But if you aren't into keeping the air at correct psi and to pay higher rebuild costs then spring shock has the lead.

 

[Sr_Viper_RTX_LE]

Yes,I am talking about ride. So in your opinion the Float 3 Evol rc 2 is one of if not the best riding shock

 

[cannondale27]

Mine are. Just remember takes a lot of adjusting to get right.

 

[Sr_Viper_RTX_LE]

I really want the best rough trail shocks I can buy,I just heard Pound for pound a coil over shock is a better shock then an air shock

 

[cannondale27]

Well I think the tune of the shocks is what is most important. Will say I see more winning racers with Evols than any other shock but that's racing not trail riding.

 

[mtotguy]

I really want the best rough trail shocks I can buy,I just heard Pound for pound a coil over shock is a better shock then an air shock

I'd probably disagree . Like Cannondale said, there's an awful lot of guys racing Evols. I like mine. My racer friends like theirs.

 

[Sr_Viper_RTX_LE]

I can get a pair if float 3 evol rc 2 brand new. Is the rc 2 worth that much more money then the float evol rc that come on it stock?

 

[Yamadog]

well its been discussed many times on here over the last 3 yrs and all I can say is I put a set of Evol RC2's on my turboed XTX out of the box back in 13/14 season. They were as bad on the valving as the stock shocks and yes they have infinite adjustablity but you need a race teem behind you and a notebook to keep up with the settings. Yes racers love them they do a couple hot laps and then tell the mechanic what is going on and they adjust them. But out on the trail the conditions change every couple of miles and the snow changes as the sun lights it up later in the day.

To change air pressure on the 4 tubes takes about 10 minutes and then the high and low bound and rebound settings require awrench and a screwdriver. To properly set pressures the book says to do it with the skis off the ground - good luck!

I put a set of Axys from Hygear on it at teh beginning of the season last year and as the conditions change from flat as glass to rutted i simply walk to the front and turn the clickers 2 turns. If my sled sits for a week in the heated shop then goes back out on the snow I don't have to worry about pressure drop and my wrists no longer dread the sudden impact at plow berms at road crossings. Hygear builds the shock and sets valving according to your sled, weight and driving style. I put mine on and never had to do anything but a mild clicker adjustment here and there.

 

[drumz11]

It would be cheaper to just have dual speed compression adjustment added to your RC shocks than go out and buy new RC2's. Unless you sold the stock ones for good money I suppose. If I'm not mistaken, yours will have only single speed adjustment vs high and low speed adjustment on the RC2. It depends on how much you want to adjust them. You might be happy with a single compression adjustment. Generally the valving is setup to take the bumps as opposed to a smooth ride, but you can adjust them to your liking and floats should be valved to what you prefer just like any other shock. The coil vs float debate is simply a preference thing. Typically the coil overs are quicker and easier to adjust than floats but it doesn't mean they ride better. I have RC2's on a sled and good adjustable coil overs on another. They both work great. The RC2's are great shocks with more adjustment than most trail riders need. They work great when setup correctly but it takes some knowledge to know when and which to adjust, and some guys don't like to learn it and play with adjustment. Guys that don't like the way they handle probably don't adjust them correctly along with possibly the wrong valving for their riding style.

 

[TD Max]

I can get a pair if float 3 evol rc 2 brand new. Is the rc 2 worth that much more money then the float evol rc that come on it stock?

The standard RC2 may rub a bit on the body due to the neck angle. The ones that Cat uses have a bent neck for better access/clearance.

 

[biffdotorg]

Will say I see more winning racers with Evols than any other shock but that's racing not trail riding.

Pure marketing at it's best. Ask any one of them and they will tell you how good they are. On the backside of that, how much are they getting paid to run those shocks, and talk about those shocks. You have to admit, something that Fox is better at than any other shock Mfgr is marketing. Fox is not the first to have cashed in on winning racers using their products. It portrays this image that if they are using them, then I should too.

I won't badmouth their shocks as they do build a quality product. And as others have said, you need to be ready to make adjustments on the fly based on trail and temp conditions. I just think the average user is not touching the settings on their shocks during the day, some not once during the season, and even beyond that, some never touch them after leaving the showroom!

I'm not pointing this comment at the original poster here, but many folks that ask for "the best money can buy" don't realize the best and most customizable may require the most attention and customizing. Then they buy it, and never touch it. I could be making a generalization.

Honestly, I loved the idea of buying custom shocks from Hygear for my weight and riding style and letting them do the heavy lifting on setting those shocks up. From then on, it's just tweaking. As I am that guy that will not touch my shocks if I don't have to. Hygear for me on three sleds over the years. The latest was purchased for my daughter with HyGear Axys and they were setup for a rider with similar weight and riding style. I don't plan on touching them. I did put some miles on them before handing over the keys, and they were amazing! Easy to tweak if needed too.

Good luck!