The Arcitc Cat Float suspension thread

[Off Trail Mike]

LSXM3

My experience is with the 153/162 so it won't help, but both Nikolai and Beeze have good locations for the 141 on the XTX.

The tricky part is getting us a "standard" reference to work from, meaning x and y; with the front at a certian ground clearance and the rear of the tunnel at a certian ground clearance. You need something so we are all on the same page when measuring. Even maybe using existing rivet holes on the tunnel would help alot.

I'm also planning to retro my XTX with the AC 141 skid later this fall. I'll get the design into AutoCAD, and post the info onto TY, but gotta get the insane work sched out of the way first.

OTM

 

[Alatalo]

Anybody know about an AC 162" skid that is for sale...?
Been checking e-bay now and then during the summer, without much luck...

 

[Off Trail Mike]

Alatalo

There are a few over on snowestonline @ 153. See below:

http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/foru ... .php?f=109

I'd also post a WTB on the Cat chat forums

http://www.arcticchat.com/index.php

You should be able to get something.

I know you want a 162, but don't worry about the rail length so much. Finding the suspension arms/hardware is key. After that, you have options on the rails.

My 2 cents...

OTM

 

[Nikolai]

I would agree with OTM. Find the newest/lowest mileage skid you can and worry about rails later, rails pop up on snowest all the time. I bought my suspension from a guy on snowest and he sold my everything but the rails since I wanted to run a 141. I'll do some looking around too.

 

[FloridaBoy22]

There is an AC 162 skid for sale on craigslist here in Anchorage. Don't know if that helps you in Sweden.

 

[Alatalo]

There are a few over on snowestonline

Couple of PMs sent...!

However, I checked on shipping again and long packages like rails and complete skids are nothing short of silly ($500-1000...). I am leaning towards starting the season on the Lightweight Rear Suspension Kit that I have already got and possibly getting a mid season upgrade with straight custom rails.

 

[beeze455]

Well it is fall, so i am back in snowmobile mode. Last year my float skid ratcheted and dug. It was great at first but racheted like crazy and when it was ratcheting it was digging. Tried a bunch of small changes, but was limited because I was running a 144 track with 141 rails.

I bought a bare m series (2006 M7) tunnel and made a template with a hole drilled where the cogs go, the front mounting bolt and the rear bolt with a line where the running boards sat. The rear of my skid was pretty close, but the front mounting bolt needs to be raised 2 1/4 inches.

Any slack in the track will be fixed with 9" wheels and an offset axel.

Would a mounting bolt 2 1/4 inches lower cause all these issues?

 

[Nikolai]

If you don't have the longer track shock up front you need to get it. That will solve all your problems and also raise the front arm. Read through OTM's posts and he explains the problems.

Here's my old post on it from a few pages back
---------------------------------------------
Two months ago Off Trail Mike was kind enough to send me a used CF zero pro front shock to try out. I got back from work on April 6th and installed it a few hours before I left for Arctic Man. I only got a couple shorter rides on it but needless to say it solved every problem I've had with this skid since the beginning. I'm going to try and get at least one good ride in before I leave again on the 20th.

Suspension performance was much improved. With the skid sitting on the garage floor, it raised the front arm mounting hole from about 10.5" to 13.5" off the ground which ironically put it in one of the original holes I had drilled. I gained a decent amount of front suspension travel and it also improved the performance of the entire skid. I'm not sure what the spring rate of the CF spring is but I swapped my Z-broz spring(160 lb) on before installing the shock.

And now for the BEST part. ZERO, I repeat ZERO track tension problems. It now maintains track tension when compressed and I'm running the track looser than before too.

Here are the two different shocks before I swapped springs.

Installed the CF shock without the spring and compressed it to make sure it would bottom on the bump stops and not the shock itself.

Couldn't get CF limiter straps in time so I cut my M straps to make due.

Unfortunately this is the only before picture I have with the M shock. Sorry its not a better profile picture.

And here's a pic with the CF shock right before I installed the skid.

And a couple completed pictures which were both taken after sitting on the skid.

Mike originally sent me the shock just to try out and see how I liked it. Needless to say, I will be sending him money to keep it on my sled. Thanks again Mike

 

[beeze455]

Yea saw that post and my skid is from a crossfire. It should have the longer shock. I can measure it later, but I am really trying to get these points correct.

How far down from the top of your tunnel is the front mounting bolt? Your bolt in the above picture looks about right ciompared to the M with the exception of being pushed back a tad.

I have a drilled template, so I know what the M mounts are now which is good.

 

[Confused?]

Will i be able to use this skid on 121" rails? Will the skid from a m series fit and what do i use for rails? If not will it work with a 136" rails?

 

[Nikolai]

Here's my mounting locations. I forget to pull the measurements before I removed the sub frame but I have a couple that will help. My front arm hole is 5.5" straight back from the edge of the die cast. The rear arm hole is 36.75". The front arm hole is approx 9.25" below the top of the tunnel, and the rear arm is 12.25" below the top of the tunnel. Next weekend when I get back from work I can pull measurements from the driveshaft.

 

[natedawgedog]

Here's my mounting locations. I forget to pull the measurements before I removed the sub frame but I have a couple that will help. My front arm hole is 5.5" straight back from the edge of the die cast. The rear arm hole is 36.75". The front arm hole is approx 9.25" below the top of the tunnel, and the rear arm is 12.25" below the top of the tunnel. Next weekend when I get back from work I can pull measurements from the driveshaft.

nikolai, are these measurements for the 141" or are you running something different this year?

 

[Nikolai]

141 setback a little for a 144.

 

[natedawgedog]

141 setback a little for a 144.

im in the process of doing the same thing for my xtx. I see from your build thread you bent up a new tunnel, are the dimensions for your new tunnel about the same as the stock tunnel?

 

[Nikolai]

They're pretty close to the same. When I get the bulkhead back on Friday I can pull a string line and get exact arm heights.