Sled steers like a tank fights me all the way - powderhounds

[kinger]

Hey guys, Happy New years soon!

Anyway I wanted to get some input and see if my plan is ok for getting my sled back to where it was last year.

This year I switched to 08 ohlins shocks, slydog powderhounds (from the trail version), and new spindles and oilite bearings.

The sled pulls to the left, its steers very hard and right now is running about 3/8" toe IN. I'm running ski savers and 6" shaper bar carbides. Ohlins are set to 5 clicks from soft

My plan to right the ship:

-Full alignment to track (I checked the toe but never in relation to the track when I installed the spindles)
-Adjust Toe IN to 1/8" to 0
-Loosen ohlins shock spring preload to zero then tighten less then 1/8"
-Check shimming of carbides maybe the front is up too high?

Has anyone had settings similar to where I am and had it steer and handle so bad? I sure hope the changes work out but have a hard time believing they will.

Thanks again for any advice!

 

[subaru2006]

When I put my powderhounds on I left the ski toe in stock from yamaha. What I did make sure is I read some where on this site is to make sure when on level ground the carbides near the front of ski should be like a 1/4" off the ground. I want to say this is done by which way you put the block piece thing on at the ski mounts.

Mine turns really easy at least earier than stock setup. My setup is the skis plus 6" stud boy shaper bars and thats it.

Hope this helps some.

Subaru2006

 

[kinger]

Sounds like the same set up.

Do my ski savers make it easier or harder to turn do you think? Toying with removing them....

 

[subaru2006]

I have no clue ive never used any. Maybe someone can chime in.

Subaru2006

 

[powershot1]

try towing the skis out 1 or 2 mm never in. also tie the ski tips togather with a bungy cord to take up any slop in the front end.

 

[Honk]

Also sounds like to much preload on mono shock. Do your sag before anything else, then onto the front end.

 

[Viper_Dave]

Kinger, I am toed IN 3/8 and run 8" Triple points with Skisavers and shims. My Attak turns great, even with the 144 in it. I don't know what else in your setup would be causing heavy steering. Mine is comparable to my new XTX with power steering

 

[ahicks]

I'm a fan of "toe out" as well. Enough to say I have some (1/4"?)

As a rule (not sure what style you have) commercial ski savers add to the amount of "keel" area on a ski - which could lead to heavier steering in some, but not all conditions. I ALWAYS run my own design savers made from 1/8x1.25 metal strap. They install simply between bar and ski and guarantee no ski keel wear running in crappy conditions - without adding much extra keel area.

The only times I've encountered noticable pulling to one side I've had some kind of problem with the wear bar on the side it's pulling to (badly bent/partially hanging off/whatever).

 

[Viper_Dave]

ahicks, I agree that most of the time toe out is correct. But for whatever reason, the Slydogs work best toed in. My setup came from a prevous user who had tried all of the usual adjustments for darting. Once he toed his Powderhounds in, darting became less noticeable. He started at parralel and worked his way in with 1/8th increments. As far as the Bergstrom Skisavers, I haven't noticed any increase in steering on my multiple installations. Nor have I noticed any speed loss. Once toed in and shimmed, my sled doesn't dart and in 136x1.25 Predator would run 123-125 on the dream-o-meter. Again, I can only speak to my experience with this setup.

 

[ahicks]

ahicks, I agree that most of the time toe out is correct. But for whatever reason, the Slydogs work best toed in. My setup came from a prevous user who had tried all of the usual adjustments for darting. Once he toed his Powderhounds in, darting became less noticeable. He started at parralel and worked his way in with 1/8th increments. As far as the Bergstrom Skisavers, I haven't noticed any increase in steering on my multiple installations. Nor have I noticed any speed loss. Once toed in and shimmed, my sled doesn't dart and in 136x1.25 Predator would run 123-125 on the dream-o-meter. Again, I can only speak to my experience with this setup.

Point made...and noted! Thanks. I've heard that, but it never registered here.

I don't care for the Bergstrom savers myself. They're fine until they get some miles on them, then they get a V shape, like an unprotected ski keel gets. This does nothing to help get the ski up on plane, or hold them there once up. That's why I went with the metal design...they stay pretty much flat (for several thousand miles frequently), or they're gone! No in the middle... Personal preference here. No more. Don't want to make a big deal out of it.

 

[Viper_Dave]

 

[Grimm]

Maybe there is something not working right in the rear suspension, like binding/rubbing, that may cause one side of the track too much friction and causing it to pull to one side. Track clips missing on one side versus the other, track tension, axles bent, worn sldes, missing parts. I'd look into this.

 

[ditchdweller]

I notice you replaced the spindles , were they new ? I bought some used ones ( spindles and housings) put in the oilite bushings, one was perfect ,the other not so much , took out the bushings and put them in another housing, and all is well . If you have crashed this machine there may be other things bent too , but I dont think "a" arms or the bulkhead to "a" arm bolts would make nearly as big a difference . The oilite bushings a much tighter tolerances and will make even a slight bend very noticeable .more so when loaded (NO NOT THE OPERATOR THE STEERING ! ) what I did was use some stock plastic bushings, just the2 big ones, until i could get straight parts . Hope this helps . ( Who knew they put trees in some of them ditches ?)( now you know how I know about this problem ) Ditchdweller ( mostly a trail rider named by accident)

 

[kinger]

Thanks for the help guys.

Grimm - your soooo good at helping me. I adjusted my track tension in a hurry and I have the righ tright side much tighter then the left side I bet this would cause the right side of the track to spin faster forcing the sled to the left a little bit! Your a damn genius, I will straighten that out thank you!

I bought spindles from snopromod because mine needed new bushings and he already had them in stalled on his spindles and they were the same price as the oil lites, I know they are not bent I have my stockers here and I compared them both and they are identical according to my vernier calipers.

I'll inspect the wear rods they were used but looked new when I put them on 250 miles ago.

viper dave - are you shimming the front of the rubber or back to level the carbide? I dont have shims and the front of the carbide is higher then the rear by about 1/8".

 

[Viper_Dave]

Mine are shimmed in the front. My ski rubber are their 1st gen design. I would try a 1/4 shim in the rear and toe it in 3/8 and see if that helps. 1/8 is a little shy of what you should see. 3/16-1/4 is the sweet spot for carbide.