Ski Doo Pilots

[Essarex]

I have been running the pilots for three years now, one year on the SRX and two on the Apex. I feel they are the sports best kept secret. The dual keel minimizes hunting/darting better than a traditional dually, based on the wider spacing of the cutting surfaces. The concave under surface provides more float, and this is welcomed under the weight of a triple triple or 4 stroke. They are durable, light, cheap, and you can find carbides anywhere. You do not even need to use the second carbide to gain most of the anti-darting benefit. They will dart however, if the trail is hard enough to prevent the second cutting suface from reaching the snow, but soft enough to allow significant penetration of the center carbide. This is a rare surface condition however.

These skis are installed such that the outside carbides are facing outwards, away from the sled's centerline.

In what would appear as a chance act of fate, the designed in castor angle of the Apex spindle, provides the perfect ski lean in a turn, to drop the inside of the ski onto the trail surface. So, if one were to reverse the ski installation, by placing the outboard carbides inboard, that second cutting surface will be forced onto the trail at the exact same height as the center cutting surface.

Twice the carbide, twice the keel,,,,,you get the idea.

Does anybody have experience with this?

 

[cannondale27]

Never tried it but I think you may be on to something!Great idea even if it turns out to be a bad thing.

 

[Jeffz]

I've been thinking of trying a set of these out. Are they a bolt on ski? Do I use stock Yamaha rubbers? Do the spindle spacers work?

 

[cannondale27]

Bolt on but you use the old style Doo rubbers or shim the Slydog ones.

 

[Jeffz]

Thanks for the info. I ended with a set of Skidoo Precisions that I found locally. Only had 120 miles on them, but must have sat outside for a while because they're a little weather-checked. Gonna give them a try.

 

[Riceburner]

Thanks for the info. I ended with a set of Skidoo Precisions that I found locally. Only had 120 miles on them, but must have sat outside for a while because they're a little weather-checked. Gonna give them a try.

Not sure I would use weather checked ski's. Major potential safety issue. Similar to weather checked Tires.

Cat had a real problem with them. Not sure about Doo's Ski's.

 

[Jeffz]

Thanks for the heads up! I'll mess with them before i put them on.

 

[bottlerocket]

I have been running the pilots for three years now, one year on the SRX and two on the Apex. I feel they are the sports best kept secret. The dual keel minimizes hunting/darting better than a traditional dually, based on the wider spacing of the cutting surfaces. The concave under surface provides more float, and this is welcomed under the weight of a triple triple or 4 stroke. They are durable, light, cheap, and you can find carbides anywhere. You do not even need to use the second carbide to gain most of the anti-darting benefit. They will dart however, if the trail is hard enough to prevent the second cutting suface from reaching the snow, but soft enough to allow significant penetration of the center carbide. This is a rare surface condition however.

These skis are installed such that the outside carbides are facing outwards, away from the sled's centerline.

In what would appear as a chance act of fate, the designed in castor angle of the Apex spindle, provides the perfect ski lean in a turn, to drop the inside of the ski onto the trail surface. So, if one were to reverse the ski installation, by placing the outboard carbides inboard, that second cutting surface will be forced onto the trail at the exact same height as the center cutting surface.

Twice the carbide, twice the keel,,,,,you get the idea.

Does anybody have experience with this?

I would think that this would narrow the width of the sled by doing this if the inside carbide was carving in a turn as them mounted on the side it widens the width. Just my thoughts with no exprerience on this.....

 

[studdog]

precisions are not the same as pilots. Precisions are bad skis. Pilots are good skis

 

[Essarex]

Some feedback after two trips with the Pilots reversed as I have described.

It is a big improvement in corner control. The inside carbide runs in tandem with the center, and if the bite is too much, a little bit of inside ski lift occurs, and this is enough to just reduce the effect of the two carbides, so that the sled drifts, settles the inside ski back down, and again gives the seld more bite. In a turn, this is a quick, interative process that happens without any thought or drama.

In very slow turns, like when turning around in the parking lot or at the gas station, the turning radius is so tight you will be stunned how much you can turn inside other riders that are struggling with their sleds.

 

[cannondale27]

Did it make any difference in loose snow as far as pushing?The pushing in loose is only thing I dont like about my Pilots with 6in Shaper mains and stock doo outers.

 

[Essarex]

My 6.9s do not push in loose snow on top of a groomed trail. In deep powder however, they do push and are probably not as good as a true powder ski.

 

[4strokelover87]

So, are you leaving your pilots on 'the wrong feet', Jim??? Might have to give this a shot!!! I put about 600 miles on the set I got from you last weekend...I liked them for the most part, def more so in the corners than the simmons, but they did dart more than I would like...might try some bergstrom triples on them...

 

[Essarex]

Jaron, your comment about the "wrong feet" reminds me of a funny story. Once when my daughter was very young, she came out of the bedroom with her right shoe on her left foot and left shoe on the right. When I told her she had her shoes on the wrong feet, she said "But Dad, these are the only feet I have"

Yes, I am leaving the pilots on as you describe. You should try it.