XTX Steering

[lilwilly]

I've got an 09 XTX and am having trouble with heavy steering effort. I did a search and tried some of the tips including reducing preload on front shocks to almost nothing and increasing preload on the center shock. I have the Yamaha mountain skis and can barely stand to ride 20-30 miles before I'm worn out. I love my sled, but after riding my wife's Vector and friend's Crossfire's , I'm really considering getting rid of it if I can't get it fixed. Does anyone have recommendations or suggestions. Thanks for your help!

 

[Scheidl]

hit the gym! haha had to, kidding

 

[BonelNytro]

you have to relieve ski presure thats all you really can do made a huge difference on my 06

 

[Sticks in the Face]

Because the Nytro holds pretty much most of it's weight over the skis - either directly or through transfer. Steering effort is always going to be pretty high. Perhaps try a different carbide/runner set-up or put in less weight transfer.

Wider bars may also help (more leverage) - also I ride standing up in most conditions and find that this helps me cause I can use my weight to my advantage.

Just some thoughts.

 

[sleddingfarmer]

I've ridden a few different sleds with simmons skis on and they always had easy steering effort. That might help a little. But I think the nytro just has alot of weight on the nose so its gonna take more than average effort to turn.

 

[lilwilly]

I got as much pressure as I can off the skis. When trail riding the steering is so hard I usually pull towards me on the bars and push away of the other side. I also stand up most of the time. Are there easier steering mountain skis than the yamaha skis? Thanks for your help. I rode yesterday and my shoulders are so sore, Im not looking forward to riding the XTX again.

 

[sgilbert]

you have to get simmons or pilots. if you want to stick with yam skis you need to use duelies or snotrackers or try to mod them with a keel plate if your cheap. heres a post, mines bottom of page
http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php? ... 15fa73e42d
I did mod on my apex skis, haven't tried them yet, supposed to work great

 

[Sno-Xr]

That mod is for darting, not to releive hard steering.

Did you loosen your limiter straps up one hole?

It will probably never steer as light as a Vector, but a ski with a less agressive Keel will help also. Before dumping a bunch of money in aftermarket skis, try finding a used set of stock yami skis with shorter keel.

Less weight transfer will cause more ski pressure, creating more steering effort.

 

[gormleyflyer2002]

pilot skis make a huge differencce in reducing steering effort........but they are only good for trails, taken off trail or in deep snow they don't work as well on a Nytro.

 

[larrypolaris]

I've got an 09 XTX and am having trouble with heavy steering effort. I did a search and tried some of the tips including reducing preload on front shocks to almost nothing and increasing preload on the center shock. I have the Yamaha mountain skis and can barely stand to ride 20-30 miles before I'm worn out. I love my sled, but after riding my wife's Vector and friend's Crossfire's , I'm really considering getting rid of it if I can't get it fixed. Does anyone have recommendations or suggestions. Thanks for your help!

I thought about running Nytro mountain skis. I talked with a Yamaha rep at the Michigan Novi show. He said the mountaing skis have a deeper keel and would increase the steering effort.

I ran USI X2s on my Nytro and those had major steering effor also.

I too want a wider ski to use. Sounds like the 6.9 pilots are good for hard pack trails but push in the fluffy snow.

I plan on trying Hygear tripple rate springs to reduce some on the preload on the ski's. See if that helps.

How was the steering effort with stock ski's.

 

[nytro addict]

I'd go step by step so we all know what you've done for changes. First things first I'd put it all back to factory setting's and start over. You may have to many things going on and making it worse.
My wife is 5'2" and has no problems with her XTX. All I've done to her sled:
1. Widen the stock ski base by switching the spacers around.
2. Added Woody's dually 6" carbides.
3. Move the limiter strap down 1 hole from stock setting.
4. Turned the torsion block to hard.
She has no problems with steering or darting and doesn't complain about being sore. I'd really start for factory setting and make a tweak at a time if it doesn't work change it back, and try something new that does work.
MY 2 Cents and Good luck

 

[Grimm]

Adding a shim under the rear of the ski rubbers can help, but you sacrifice ski bite.

Leaning back while you turn can help, maybe even adjust your handlebars aft to shift your weight backwards.

 

[**sj**]

loosen the limiter strap out...and try to add some more transfer...a set of dualies also...

 

[Bamboo]

I've ridden a few different sleds with simmons skis on and they always had easy steering effort. That might help a little. But I think the nytro just has alot of weight on the nose so its gonna take more than average effort to turn.

I put Simmons on both my XTX's They are great. Steering is easy and 0% darting. Plus they float very well in the deep.

 

[chris3475]

I spoke with Ross at HYGEAR and he said I should start by backing off my tranfers nuts all the way off and start there. Also have about 5mm of preload up front. Does anyone know what these transfer rods do? Is it it just more weight transfer?