Slydog Powderhounds darting

[kinger]

I bought this sled with these skis and haven't even looked them over check the toe or anything. Wondering if trail guys run these and what you did to set them up?

My plan is to toe out 1/4-1/2"
Shim the rubber stop till the carbide is just slighty up in the front

I'm running 4" carbides and will probably scratch them off the rest of the year and switch to 6 or 8's next year.

Anybody tips would be great, thanks!

 

[ahicks]

You have the plan. I would shoot for something closer to 1/4".

I didn't have to shim mine, they we're really a battle to just get installed, but I can't see why they would be any different than anyone elses.

 

[Grimm]

I remember that for the Slydog skis, toeing them in 1/4 inch was recommended, which seems to contradict popular recommendations.

Also, shimming them at the front of the ski rubber was needed for my application, again against popular recommendations.

These skis seem to just go against conventional wisdom.

 

[kinger]

How do you shim them at the front and keep the carbide angled up? I have never heard of toe in was good. Interesting.

 

[Grimm]

I was using the Yamaha rubbers to mount the Slydogs at the time and the front of the carbide was off the ground way too much imo, so I shimmed them down so that they were just a bit off the ground.

 

[kinger]

Ok perfect so the same theory applies just get the front edge off the ground a little bit. I will take a peek at her.

 

[studdog]

Slydogs should be toed in 1/8 inch front stud to rear stud. Trail skis need front shimmign on mine. Powderhound skis might be different on shimmng depending on application

 

[kinger]

Did you try them toe out and they didn't work?

 

[Srxspec]

Toe in 1/8" has usually worked for us here. Is there a ski saver on those things Jesse? I can't remember if there was or not. That will help as well.

 

[gotta-b-blue]

skis

When I shimmed mine it made it steer very heavy. Took the shim out at everyone is in awe at how it rails! I use 7.5 shaper bars.

 

[bh0396]

re

I set my apex up per recs from Scott at Bergstrom and never looked back. He shimmed the rear of the rubbers with a 1/4" and had me 1/8" toe in. I added 6" triple points with ski savers and it was like a new machine. Then I took all the preload off of the front springs with the skis off the ground until the springs were loose. I then turned them back tight 5mm of preload and never darted the rest of the year. I hope this may help. The key according to Scott is if you park your sled on cement and get down to look at your carbides, your carbides should be resting on the center of the carbide.

 

[kinger]

I found I had a extermely loose front end so I replaced the front bushings with oilite and right now its set at zero toe, 6" shaper bars with ski savers, the carbide as slight pressure on center and rear and maybe 1/32" off the ground on the front edge of the carbide. I have zero preload in the front springs. I may toe in 1/8" but I'm darn close now its hard to measure by myself. Hopefully this takes care of it! Going for a 1000 mile trip Feb 10th, I hope it works!

Thanks guys!

 

[kinger]

Just a quick update all the changes worked perfect! Very little darting to the point I wasn't annoyed. I may add a 1/4" shim under the rubber to bring up the front edge of the carbide just a titch and I bet they wont dart at all.

This summer I will finish off the front end bushing kit once Ulmer gets them back in stock, but just the bulkhead bushings worked great!!!

 

[BETHEVIPER]

I used the powder hounds with dartless plates and found they worked great, I found no darting on any icy conditions I found and they turned easy. I did find that the powderhound with its flat and wide back doesn't let the keel drop into the deep stuff and if the conditions get powdery in the corners the skis seem to float over it and not turn the sled. A stepped back on this ski I think would work better, still have the float and bite.
I do not like the open faced carbide, tuck that thing up in there.

 

[canadianhunter]

We have the Slydog Trail on our sleds. tryed toed-in and toed -out, toed-out was best for us. Didn't want the keel to wear and the ski saver were going to take to long to get at the time so I made my own ski savers from 1/8" x 1 1/4" flat iron. Then after seeing the trackers I welded 1/8" x 1/2" flat verticle on one side, like 1/2 a tracker. These wear down past the carbide, but it doesn't matter we have zero darting.
If a sled darts even slightly my wife is so far behind you can't see her, thinks it will jump in the bush. Now she is right behind even at 80. I want to get new sleds, but she says she is keeping hers forever because she is so comfortable on it.