What's the final verdict on the best tunnel extension?

[Frostbite]

I was contemplating installing an aftermarket 151" tunnel extension this season.
Who makes the nicest tunnel extension? I was planning on going with the MPI version until a buddy told me the newly redesigned Hartman extension is top notch. Maybe it's time for second thoughts?

PS:I ride a lot of trails so I have zero interest in going longer than 151".

 

[Mountaintech]

I am very happy with my MPI. It was either going to be an MPI or Hartman extension and I chose MPI. How has the Hartman one changed?

 

[RED]

Why not try one from Chris Banser from Westbank B.C.

 

[TurboVector]

I think I'm going with the Hartman extension because I like the bumper design better.

 

[LazyBastard]

I wouldn't be giving any more money to Hartman. The extension looks nice, but the rest of the kit simply didn't work. They really don't put too much effort into developing their products and don't stand behind them.

 

[Frostbite]

LB, based on my previous experiences with Tom Hartman I tend to agree with you. He is very interested in you when he knows you have test results he is interested in using to sell his products but when you need a break forget it.
I should build my own I guess. I have built plenty of them over the years but times have changed and I no longer have the access I once had to the materials and facilities to do so.

 

[Frostbite]

Here's a picture of the Hartman extension:

http://hartmaninc.com/sections.php?op=v ... e&artid=40

Does anyone have one of the MPI? I don't really see a GOOD picture of one on their website.

 

[Jonny Rocket]

I had a Holz and didn't like the finish at all (sent it back) so I went with Hartman and like it a lot. He added some bolts, which were not on the previous version, that did help the stability and strength. It looks great and you could pick the sled up by the bumper. So I would say go with the Hartman. I have not had any trouble that the others are speaking about.

J.

 

[Mountaintech]

Frostbite, PM me your email address and I'll send you some pics of my MPI extension. Its very strong structurally speaking.

 

[HAMMER]

Howdy... Some of you may know me from TY & SnoWest... First post here though... The main reason I haven't logged on here is that I don't have an RX-1... Still running the Big Bore/N20 Viper 151... I plan to build a custom chassis turbo Vector in the future because boosted-4s are the future...

Now... Some of the negative comments above I have issue with... I have been on both the above mentioned sites for at least 5-years and supported my fellow Yamaha riders in every way I can with technical information, setup advice, and detailed ride reports of my on-the-mountain product testing... Feel free to do an author search on those sites for HAMMER and see for yourself... If you have issue with a Hartman Inc product I would like to help get the situation resolved but the best way would be talking with Tom himself... I've know the owner my whole life and I'm very proud to call him DAD...

I don't work for Hartman Inc... It is a one man show (Tom Hartman) so he is the proverbial one-legged man in an azz-kicking contest... Working 12-hrs a day / 6-days a week trying to make a living... I keep telling him the dollars per hours invested ratio is pizz poor in the sled business but he's passionate about the sport so what can I say to that... That being said he can't stock, develop, and test everything for everybody... He does the best he can, supports his products, as far as I know has had no customer relation problems... He sells tons of kits directly to Yamaha dealers and they keep on buying them so they must like them... Look for Hartman Inc products on the upcoming SnoWest project RX-1...

Thanks for your time...

 

[LazyBastard]

I'm very proud to call him DAD...

And so this is an unbiased report?

You just have to think about the geometry of the suspension to realize that suspension relocation just CAN'T WORK (and thats what he's selling). If the arms aren't parallel with the track then the radius of the track is different from the radius of the arms, which means that with any compression or expansion of the suspension, that the tension on the track will change. You relocate the suspension backwards and you can't compress the suspension unless the track is falling-off loose, and if its that loose, it will tend to ratchet badly and fall off the rails.

 

[HAMMER]

Seems to be working just fine on the thousands of kits he and many-many others have produced over the last 20-years or so ??? Unbiased, I never claimed that, he's my dad for crying out loud... There are people in this very post that like the kits, Yamaha dealers like the kits, and that's pretty good indication they surely do work just fine... That’s unbiased... Factory Yamaha pro-action skids have always had a ratcheting problems if the track wasn't piano string tight... Add a bunch more track/traction/horsepower to it and it amplifies the problem... Perfect example the how many stock "RX-1 my track is ratcheting" posts were there... That's unbiased... A simple set of extrovert drivers and problem solved... Never once have I ever seen or heard of a track falling off the rails because of a skid setback... Skid setback is a VERY common thing in the mountain riders world people have been doing it since the early 1980s so it CAN AND DOES WORK and I'm talking all brands not just Yamaha's... Moving the skid back is the least expensive route to adding footprint... If you want perfection it's going to cost you a bunch more money buying a whole skid... It's pretty obvious most people don't want to spend that kind of money so they take the less expensive route and do their own skid setback or buy a kit...

 

[LazyBastard]

Factory Yamaha pro-action skids have always had a ratcheting problems if the track wasn't piano string tight

No. Ratcheting is caused by 3 things;

WAY too loose of a track,
Broken W-arm/H-arm,
Missing control rods.

A simple set of extrovert drivers and problem solved

No, they just hide the problem rather than dealing with it.

Perfect example the how many stock "RX-1 my track is ratcheting" posts were there

What exactly does ratcheting have to do with this? We're discussing the suspension-won't-compress problem.


Grow up, get a job, and quit trying to talk about things you obviously don't understand.[/quote]

 

[slymax]

Welcome to the forum Hammer. Just for the record, I just bought 2 kits off Tom, based on his reputation and talking with him a few times. Have found him to be helpful so far.

 

[Kachess]

Back to the extensions. I've had good luck with the Hartman extension and Tom has given me good support. I like the way it extends the running boards, making them more useful.