XTX REAR SKID SHOCK BLACK AND BLUES

[LeeKo]

You would be surprised how well the skid works with the right shocks. I tried the works front end setup from hy-gear on my gytr's and still could'nt get it to keep up with stock skid with OHLINS. I ended up selling the hygears and got some OHLINS up front. I am very pleased with the rear skid. I also run the hy gear torsion spring spacers.

 

[BADSLED]

You would be surprised how well the skid works with the right shocks. I tried the works front end setup from hy-gear on my gytr's and still could'nt get it to keep up with stock skid with OHLINS. I ended up selling the hygears and got some OHLINS up front. I am very pleased with the rear skid. I also run the hy gear torsion spring spacers.

Your Ohlins in XTX skid are only a band-aid to design of the rear arm or you consistantly ride in rough or smooth trails and have the shocks calibrated to suit those conditions. You simply can NOT get this skid to perform equally well in stutter, medium and big bumps the way you can an SC-5 Doo skid regardless of how you valve your shocks. This skid has great potential with pivot design of rear arm. If you disagree with my statments take a look it Star's static force vs. load attachment below, it pretty much sums up the skids design.

 

[Beenba]

^totally agree. I will be buying star's kit in the fall or over the summer if I get bored. Seeing a graph like that shows that they clearly know what their doing! And only a few hundred compared to thousands on shocks.

 

[berge75]

These skids are under sprung and adding a little stiffer spring allows the skid to return to a higher ride height. I have one apex mountain and one stock, rides decent.
It's wierd how the same skid in the apex xtx rides much better than the nytros.

 

[flipside]

Hey guys, sorry. Heading to Colorado this weekend and left in to big of a hurry. Forgot to measure shock stuff. Will do it when I get back on tues.

And as clarification so those who don't think the suspension isnt that bad. I am probably an extreme case. I used to race stand-up jet skiis. I still have that mentality, its all go or quit with me! I ride very hard, and almost all of it is in ditches and corn fields in Iowa. Or trails in northern WI and the UP, which we all know can get brutal on busy weekends. I know I am asking a lot out of it. I probably would of said nothing if I hadn't rode other machines and saw what I was missing!

I also bought the sled with 1500mi on it earlier this year. I put on 1100mi this season, so I'm at 2600mi now. I have no idea how hard it was rode by the previous owner. There could be something already wrong with one of the shocks for all I know.

It sounds like I just need to put the Star kit on it, and because I hate doing things twice. I'm just gonna have the shocks revalved while it is apart.

Should I have Star revalve to? Or use someone else?

If this doesn't make it better, I'm sorry, but she is probably gonna get sold.

 

[LeeKo]

You would be surprised how well the skid works with the right shocks. I tried the works front end setup from hy-gear on my gytr's and still could'nt get it to keep up with stock skid with OHLINS. I ended up selling the hygears and got some OHLINS up front. I am very pleased with the rear skid. I also run the hy gear torsion spring spacers.

Your Ohlins in XTX skid are only a band-aid to design of the rear arm or you consistantly ride in rough or smooth trails and have the shocks calibrated to suit those conditions. You simply can NOT get this skid to perform equally well in stutter, medium and big bumps the way you can an SC-5 Doo skid regardless of how you valve your shocks. This skid has great potential with pivot design of rear arm. If you disagree with my statments take a look it Star's static force vs. load attachment below, it pretty much sums up the skids design.

I don't know how to read your graph. I think shocks have more to do with it than you think. Granted if you used hi-end shock in all skids I am sure the Star or the SC-5 may work better, but in my experience shocks matter most. I have ridden my sled back to back with a 2011 renegade x, 2012 Assault trail and Nytro with Ez-ryde/exits. For the way I ride I didn't feel I was giving anything up compared to these sleds. The Renegade feels softer and may work better for slower riding or stutters compared to all of the above. For aggressive riding with the combo of Ohlins PDS front end and Ohlins rear I felt my overall setup works and rides better than all above.
By the way I still have a Viper with the stinky Pro-action skid and you would be amazed how well that skid works with all it's short comings with Ohlins shocks and proper calibration. Granted for snowcross riding it would suck but for aggressive trail you would be surprised. I have been trying to fix the Yami suspension shortcomings for a so long it has become my hobby. I would like to try the Star linkage but I am happy where I am at and don't want to put any more money into this sled.

 

[sgilbert]

Should I have Star revalve to? Or use someone else?

[/quote]
Thats the thing, if you are changing arm geometry, how do you know what to ask for in revalving? do most people talk about revalving when they have no idea of what change they are looking for?

 

[BADSLED]

You are not really affecting geometry as much but mostly freeing up unwanted binding. I would recommend you use star to address a revalve if upgrading to a pivot design. Anyone else it would be more of a guessing game unless they tested the pivot and have a good baseline valve stack to suit your riding style.

 

[Yamatario]

Here are my settings for the XTX with the Star Suspension installed.

NYTRO XTX SETUPS
TY Member Yamatario

Date 2011-03-09
Nytro Year and Model 2009 XTX
Rider Weight (Lbs) 185
Rider Style Moderate - Aggressive
Riding Area/Conditions Ontario / Quebec
On/Off Trail split 80 / 20

Skis
Ski Type (Stock, other) Split Rail Skis
Toe Out 1/2"
Ski Bushings/Mounting na

Front Shocks
Spring Preload (Measued between the locknuts) 2.8" as per photo
Compression clicks out 4 out from Full Hard
Rebound clicks out 4 out from Full Hard
Sway Bar Front / Upper

Rear Suspension
Front Limiter Strap 2nd hole
Torsion (soft,med,hard) Soft / Medium with Saddle bags
Control/Transfer Rod (Measured with rear of sled off the ground) na

Center Shock
Spring Preload Length (Measured length of spring w/ rear of sled off the ground) 1.62" of thread exposed as per photo

Rear Shock
Compression clicks out 9 out from Full Hard

Comments The center shock preload really changes the pressure on front skis. Using this set-up with the Split rails, the steering is not heavy at all. Increasing Preload beyond caused the front end to float during transfer.

Suspension & Ski Mods These setting are with the Star suspension kit installed and 2 stage valving on shocks.

 

[MCApex44]

Yamatario, the Star Suspension has really sparked my interest in it. I love my XTX but if I can make it better I will and the rear suspension/ride is an area I would like to improve. In your opinion, did the star suspension provide a 'big' difference/improvement? Big enough improvement that you would say it is worth the money...would you do it again? Thanks...

 

[sgilbert]

x2, no one really saying much. reread your post and you said it was awsome with 2k mi. any deeper thoughts?

 

[Yamatario]

The Star kit is well worth the investment. It used to bottom out all the time now it absorbs them. You have to work with the center preload to balance out your transfer and pressure on front shocks, but after that away you go. I have a bad hip so I like the Nytro for standing up. I could only sit for very short periods because of the stock suspension. Now it does not beat up your back end. We did have some trail with bad studders that still pounded, but that was the day five of a six day trip, so I was also tired.
The handling through twisting trails is also improved. With the Split rails skis and the Star suspension this thing handles like it should have. It is almost scary because cruising down the trails I don't have no fear of the corner, or hill and corner, or even hill bumps and corner.
I just can believe the handling improvement, and all my riding buddies have commented on my average speed increase.
For Price of the Star suspension kit you can't not do it.

 

[sgilbert]

its too bad for us you did the skis and shocks at the same time. just paid plenty for gen 3's and am very happy. would like to mod rear arm and leave shocks alone

 

[Yamatario]

its too bad for us you did the skis and shocks at the same time. just paid plenty for gen 3's and am very happy. would like to mod rear arm and leave shocks alone

I did split rail skis last year. Shocks and skid this year.

 

[LeeKo]

The Star kit is well worth the investment. It used to bottom out all the time now it absorbs them. You have to work with the center preload to balance out your transfer and pressure on front shocks, but after that away you go. I have a bad hip so I like the Nytro for standing up. I could only sit for very short periods because of the stock suspension. Now it does not beat up your back end. We did have some trail with bad studders that still pounded, but that was the day five of a six day trip, so I was also tired.
The handling through twisting trails is also improved. With the Split rails skis and the Star suspension this thing handles like it should have. It is almost scary because cruising down the trails I don't have no fear of the corner, or hill and corner, or even hill bumps and corner.
I just can believe the handling improvement, and all my riding buddies have commented on my average speed increase.
For Price of the Star suspension kit you can't not do it.

With this kit does it does it no longer have rear arm transfer adjstments? Does it become an uncoupled skid? Can you stay on the gas and carve through turns or is there more ski lift than stock skid?