Venture lite, flotation

[snodancer]

Hi
I'm starting to collect ideas to improve my "deep sno" performance on my 2011 VL.
I'll consider a belly plate, but the reviews are mixed on ice/sno build-up,,but i'm open minded so i'll listen.
I'll consider a wider flotation ski, but being in New England, I cannot give away too much on handling especially on this sled.
So If you have any first hand input, i'd appreciate it.
As soon as this sled goes off track, it sinks like a stone, [as i expected] and wish to improve it.
thanks.

 

[Bugbear]

Your comment about sinking like a stone brings back memories. I can only tell you what I did which worked out for me and my kind of riding with my VL I ride 90% on trail and the rest kinda back country trying to keep in my buddies' tracks. I installed Yamaha mountain skis for flotation up front and lengthened the limiter straps a couple of notches. This put more weight on the track and yeah, it steers a little harder but every thing you do compromises something else. With the 42 inch stance it's a bugger to turn in powder. It's a trail sled.

 

[Mooseman]

I have the Venture MP, which is the "utility" version of the VL. The main differences are wider skis and 16" wide track. Although I have yet to really take it off-trail, I once hit a huge long drift and it just floated on top of it like nothing. My son took it off-trail a few times and he couldn't believe the flotation on it despite its weight.

For skis, instead of the Yamahas, you could go with Slydog Powderhounds. Just saw that they now have 8" Powderhounds along with the 7". All their skis use the same keel design so trail riding shouldn't be too adversely affected. My stock skis were terrible for steering on trail but floated great. They are 7". I just picked up a set of 6" Trailhounds so I'll see how much that 1" makes a difference for flotation.

 

[BombaPolaYama]

The Slydog PH skis are a big improvement both on and off trail when compared with the stock ski. Made steering much easier on trail but don't respond as well as I'd like in powder. I would like to try another type for comparison but can't justify it until the PH's are worn out.
Let us know your choices - if money is not a problem there are better tracks as well like the Camoplast crossover.

 

[Groomer08]

im putting simmons gen1s on my new phazer to keep the front end up. made a HUGE difference on my nytro.

 

[yamahas]

The PH did wonders to my phazer on and off trail. Not sure what comes stock on the VL for track but the font end of my phazer floats and the back sdinks like a stone. I need a track that compliments the front end.

 

[BombaPolaYama]

The PH did wonders to my phazer on and off trail. Not sure what comes stock on the VL for track but the font end of my phazer floats and the back sdinks like a stone. I need a track that compliments the front end.

VL has the 144" x 15" Ripsaw and the MP has 16".

 

[Mike K]

Snodancer, I was hoping more people would have input on this thread and was watching it myself to learn a few things. The most "deep snow" set up on here I believe is Karl's machine. Don't quote me on these numbers but I think he runs a 159x16x2 track out back. Some sort of powder ski and Phazer MTX A arms for the narrower stance. Not to mention swapping over the Phazer body work as well.

I've been watching for a deal on a 16 inch long track for mine as well with some larger paddles for more traction. I see I can also move the spacer on my skis to take the stance in a couple inches as well (hope it doesn't affect anything). Also I was at the Yamaha shop yesterday buying some new bibs and they had some nice looking powder skis on the floor. I asked about them, apparently they are the new 2012 ski on the Nytro MTX. They looked to be a bout 10 inches wide up front and then a quick taper part way back to an 8 inch width. Looked to take a single carbide on the bottom. I think he said $150 CDN each, not a bad price I thought.

 

[Tbyrd]

The skinz float plate is a must if you ride powder at all. Does it ice up?sure a little, but keeping the a arms from plowing through the snow, Priceless! As far as ski's I run the simmons gen 2 and they are awsome, floatation is the best out there based on the tunnel design of ski, in my opinion. They also made this sled way more stable and got rid of the darting issues. If I had a complaint about the gen 2 it would be that they are heavy and a little tuff to turn when the sled is stopped, due to the deeep twin keel. Once in motion no problem tho. The gen 3 is a great comprimise and is sapposed to turn easier due to inside keel being shorter. As far as tracks the bigger the better for floatation. I went with a 151 and love it, kinda wish I would have went bigger. I ride in untouched deep snow all the time, so I went with the most floatation I could get. Not that this might matter to you but the simmins skis do great on water/overflow, very stable with minimal spray.

 

[BombaPolaYama]

I was also interested in the Skinz float plate but was told that the bottom of the Phazer and VL is different so it may not fit that well. Has anyone tried it on a VL? - I believe they are available through Royal Dist.

 

[Mooseman]

I'm not too sure about that. Since I own both a Phazer and VL/MP, they both look very similar, if not exactly the same. The only difference I have seen so far is the attachment of the front top plastics and and the tool kit/manual pouch attachment.

Aren't they so much the same that the plastics can be swapped from one to the other? Didn't Karl swap all the plastics off his MP for the Phazer's? I noticed it because he kept the MP bumper.

 

[Tbyrd]

as long as the front subframe is the same the floatplate will fit. And I think they are, the tunnel is the difference i think...

 

[karl]

Hi guys, haven't been on here for a while... stopped by tonight and found this thread and see some of my stuff being mentioned.

On the plastics and front frame - the MP/VL is around 2 inches wider and the air box sits off to one side as compaired to the phazer. plastics are not a drop on affair. The A-arm attachment points are the same width as the Phazers

I am running Simmons Gen2 skiis and they are great, I ride mostly all natural snow and these things float the front really well. I am running Timbersled A-arms for the Mountain Phazer to narrow the ski stance which makes turning in powder way easier. I have also removed the sway bar to improve rolling the sled up on edge when turning and side hilling. I also installed a 159x16x2 Challenger track and geared the sled down. this combo rocks in the powder. floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee

http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php? ... highlight= here is a link to some of the work I posted about the remodel of the MP.

 

[BombaPolaYama]

I'm not too sure about that. Since I own both a Phazer and VL/MP, they both look very similar, if not exactly the same........

So it would be easy for you to check the bottom of the sleds to see if the holes for attaching the plates are in the same position with the same spacing on the Phz and VL?
Let us know, thanks

 

[Tbyrd]

You could always check part# from yamaha and see if they match? Just an idea...