Viper thoughts after First ride

[Vilas]

yesterday I had the chance to ride my 2014 viper xtx for the first time!!! I put in about 40 miles in Northern Wisconsin. The trails are closed but I have a family member who owns a lot of land and I was able to ride there. Here is a list of what I did to the sled in the sled this fall before ever riding it:
- thunder products venom clutch kit with gates belt
- osp deflection adjuster
- re packed jack shaft, drive shaft and all idler wheel bearings
- installed Ulmer quiet can with copper gasket
- installed 160 pound rear shock spring (Stingray's suggestion from this forum)
- installed Ulmer air intake kit
- greased skid suspension (2 grease fittings were missing! I had to install them)
- j&t 4th wheel kit
- installed dielectric grease in every electrical connection (including fuse box) to keep out moisture and prevent oxidation.
- changed oil
- adjusted chain tension

The sled had 1,000 miles when I bought it and the previous owner had installed curve xs skis, raceworks bumper, different windshield, and an OSP can which I switched out because it was too loud for me.

OK...so here is my review. The last 2 seasons I was on a 2009 nytro xtx with studded track which I liked quite a bit aside from heavy steering and a heavy off trail feel.

Viper LIKES
- Seating position. It is very upright and comfortable with a good handlebar riser. It was easy to change position from sitting to standing.
- Power. It felt very much like the nytro although without studs I didn't have quite the traction. The engine has a different tone but most importantly the torque was there with all the power that I need for my skill level and riding style.
- I like the push button reverse and mine has been updated and works fine.
- handlebar and thumb warmers. They actually work!
- gauge cluster has lots of available data
- handling in the bumps was very good. I found a bumpy section of trails and I could blast thru it much easier than the nytro.
- looks. Hands down the best looking sled out there.

Viper DISLIKES
-steering still feels too heavy. I have the air pressure in all shocks set at the standard from what I've read here. My next step will be to add some more preload to the rear skid spring.
- hood removal. Wow! What the heck was that engineer thinking?
- raceworks bumper. The holes on the bottom don't line up properly so it required taking the bumper off to remove hood. I made the holes on the bumper bigger so now I can access those 2 lower screws to remove hood without removing bumper. Other than this I'd say the bumper is very good.
- torx screws. Too many different sizes make it easy to accidentally use the wrong bit. How about just one size of head. Or even just 2 sizes?

Overall I'm very happy. It's a great sled and I'm confident I can get the heavy steering fixed. I've learned so much from this forum and it's been a pleasure to work on this sled. Looking forward to 8" of snow tonight!

 

[FAMILYMAN]

No more screws for me and hood

comes off in seconds.


2014 viper, mpi
2009 Phazer 144"

 

[Yamadog]

Vilas - yes I fought very heavy steering on my 14 the first year. I finally got rid of both the stock floats and tried Evol rc2's for that season along with Simmons skis with 2 - 8" carbides on each ski and just could not ride the thing. Last season I put the Hygear linkage in along with the Axys front and rear skid shocks and it became a trail rocket. I am back to the stock skis on it with 8" dually's up front and 144 studs in the back.

My 15 was a completely different animal and rode pretty good straight out of the box. They say there were no changes but with the tuners up front it was crisp and light in the steering still had a bit of push but am looking forward to getting it out for testing here in a few days.

 

[yzf1999]

Hey Vilas me and you don't live too far from each other...I'm in Bloomington

 

[4StrokeAddict]

hood removal. Wow! What the heck was that engineer thinking?

Whats wrong with the hood removal? 6 bolts and its off. It's way less of a PITA than the Apex especially with the good looking Apex mirrors.

 

[stingray719]

yesterday I had the chance to ride my 2014 viper xtx for the first time!!! I put in about 40 miles in Northern Wisconsin. The trails are closed but I have a family member who owns a lot of land and I was able to ride there. Here is a list of what I did to the sled in the sled this fall before ever riding it:
- thunder products venom clutch kit with gates belt
- osp deflection adjuster
- re packed jack shaft, drive shaft and all idler wheel bearings
- installed Ulmer quiet can with copper gasket
- installed 160 pound rear shock spring (Stingray's suggestion from this forum)
- installed Ulmer air intake kit
- greased skid suspension (2 grease fittings were missing! I had to install them)
- j&t 4th wheel kit
- installed dielectric grease in every electrical connection (including fuse box) to keep out moisture and prevent oxidation.
- changed oil
- adjusted chain tension

The sled had 1,000 miles when I bought it and the previous owner had installed curve xs skis, raceworks bumper, different windshield, and an OSP can which I switched out because it was too loud for me.

OK...so here is my review. The last 2 seasons I was on a 2009 nytro xtx with studded track which I liked quite a bit aside from heavy steering and a heavy off trail feel.

Viper LIKES
- Seating position. It is very upright and comfortable with a good handlebar riser. It was easy to change position from sitting to standing.
- Power. It felt very much like the nytro although without studs I didn't have quite the traction. The engine has a different tone but most importantly the torque was there with all the power that I need for my skill level and riding style.
- I like the push button reverse and mine has been updated and works fine.
- handlebar and thumb warmers. They actually work!
- gauge cluster has lots of available data
- handling in the bumps was very good. I found a bumpy section of trails and I could blast thru it much easier than the nytro.
- looks. Hands down the best looking sled out there.

Viper DISLIKES
-steering still feels too heavy. I have the air pressure in all shocks set at the standard from what I've read here. My next step will be to add some more preload to the rear skid spring.
- hood removal. Wow! What the heck was that engineer thinking?
- raceworks bumper. The holes on the bottom don't line up properly so it required taking the bumper off to remove hood. I made the holes on the bumper bigger so now I can access those 2 lower screws to remove hood without removing bumper. Other than this I'd say the bumper is very good.
- torx screws. Too many different sizes make it easy to accidentally use the wrong bit. How about just one size of head. Or even just 2 sizes?

Overall I'm very happy. It's a great sled and I'm confident I can get the heavy steering fixed. I've learned so much from this forum and it's been a pleasure to work on this sled. Looking forward to 8" of snow tonight!

Should steer like it has power steering, do you have a real aggressive set of skis on?

 

[Reaper]

I have a 14 XTX as well, same thing steering very heavy. Tried heavier front spring, tuner ski's, played with pressure nothing has worked to date.

I just installed the HyGear 141 linkage and Reservoir and that made the bump compliance fantastic but zero effect on lightening the steering.

You can let out the straps and crack the spring up but then its so tippy its not good on trails.

Its my only beef with this sled.

 

[stingray719]

I have a 14 XTX as well, same thing steering very heavy. Tried heavier front spring, tuner ski's, played with pressure nothing has worked to date.

I just installed the HyGear 141 linkage and Reservoir and that made the bump compliance fantastic but zero effect on lightening the steering.

You can let out the straps and crack the spring up but then its so tippy its not good on trails.

Its my only beef with this sled.

What pressures did you run with the 160 spring

 

[Reaper]

Front? 80lbs

 

[Reaper]

I have the heavier spring with preload removed and maybe an 1/8" of preload or its too tippy

 

[Vilas]

Should steer like it has power steering, do you have a real aggressive set of skis on?

I have curve xs skis. I'm not sure how aggressive they are. I cranked the collar on the skid shock, maybe 8 turns and tried it again. It really made the turning easier with more pressure on that spring, especially at slow speeds. Is there a trade off with having the spring cranked down like this? I'm 100% new to suspension tuning and honestly I'm still trying to understand how the rear skid really works. Thanks for your help on this stingray.

 

[stone88]

I have curve xs skis. I'm not sure how aggressive they are. I cranked the collar on the skid shock, maybe 8 turns and tried it again. It really made the turning easier with more pressure on that spring, especially at slow speeds. Is there a trade off with having the spring cranked down like this? I'm 100% new to suspension tuning and honestly I'm still trying to understand how the rear skid really works. Thanks for your help on this stingray.

Remove them put on the stock skis and install dually carbides. I can drive with one hand and very light steering, it will push a little in deep snow but the trade off is worth it.

 

[Byam]

put some load on the central! How is it set right now?
I dont think the skis are your problem!

 

[stingray719]

Front? 80lbs

My settings, I am 165 pounds weight

Front 65 pounds (have lowered now that I have RC2 but stock was 65)
Front skid shock contact and two full turns on collar
Rear float 110 pounds

In my opinion 80 is way too much in the fronts

 

[stingray719]

I have curve xs skis. I'm not sure how aggressive they are. I cranked the collar on the skid shock, maybe 8 turns and tried it again. It really made the turning easier with more pressure on that spring, especially at slow speeds. Is there a trade off with having the spring cranked down like this? I'm 100% new to suspension tuning and honestly I'm still trying to understand how the rear skid really works. Thanks for your help on this stingray.

If you turn the adjuster to where you have half of te adjustment left or less the shock will not work as designed. PM me and tomorrow we can chat over the phone and find a solution, the XTX steers like power steering set up right.