ZX2 set ups

[STAIN]

Seeing how we are all learning about this skid together how about sharing some set-ups and other things we have tried and learned?
I have a 05 rx that I stretched to 136 this year with the zx-2. I rode it last year with the mono skid and a pioneer wide ft end kit[ wise investment ] I had it dialed in pretty well last year and the mono handled the stutter bumps great. The front end stayed flat at high speed running and was easy to drive. The g-outs and sharp bumps were a killer though--I would bottom this skid out hard 7-15 times every time I rode.
I just put my first 80 miles on my 136 ZX2. I am 210 first thing in the morning. stock set up---springs on 4 revover on 24 I noticed that it was a little stiff in the small stuff but man does this skid love the big bumps!! The harder you hit it the softer it seems. The front end seemed a little tippy--higher ride hieght of the ZX2 or 136 pushing my front end? I took some preload out of my front springs trying to get the front end on the ground. The snow was a little to melee to judge any kind of result. Next I tried the revolver on 23. This seemed to make it softer in the stutters but might have sacrificed some big bump capability. It didn't make it into the wheelie monster that I thought it might .Next I will try the springs on 5 with revolver on 23 and see if the big bump capabilty comes back. If I can't get it to take the big ones on 23 then I will have no problem going back to 24. I think this skid will be pretty awsome when I get it dialed in.
This is as far as I got today---post what you have done and results.
Oh yeah---sorry about the spelling

 

[MyOutdoors]

285 lbs rider weight, revolver on 2/4, preload at 4, Fox Floats at 45lbs. I noticed the front end didn't corner as well due to the rears ride height as well. I'm going to bump up the preload to 5 or 6 and leave revolver at 2/4. I will also drop my floats down to 40. I may lose my trails conditions tomorrow with a big rain storm on it's way.

 

[192 Woodys]

Mine is set at 2/4 with springs at 5, I believe this is how it comes from the factory. I realy found nothing that I didn't like today so I didn't find the need to adjust. As I get more seat time, this may change, but the forcast here is not looking good for that, rain coming and some warmer temps. With what I rode in today and what I got out of the suspension, if it gets better so does my smile.

 

[rxrider]

It comes stock at 2/4 on the revolver and 1 on the spring preload. I have mine setup just the same as Woodys 192. I'm 215 all dressed up and ready to ride. It takes the big ones with ease, compared to the proaction and mono it is no comparison IMO. I'm going to ride it a lot more before I start changing the settings, wanna learn what it is doing before adjusting it any more.

I did go up on the Fox Floats from 50 lbs to 70 lbs because my front end was too soft compared to the rear causing the front end to dip into the corners when off gas and breaking. This made the front end unstable and it wanted to raise the inside ski.

The sled becomes a rocking horse if the front sinks in too much under turn in. Pressure is reduced at the rear end of the skid and increased at the skis and the front end of the skid, this makes the sled unstable at turn in. I will ride and write back my results as soon as I get more snow to ride on. Winter in finally back on track again after weeks of warm weather, rain and heavy winds.

 

[ROCKRTX]

Did you see a difference between the mono and the zx2 in the sled height ( in the rear )?
because i read a lot of complain of the front being unstable.

 

[STAIN]

rx rider--what spring setting did you use? also you effectivly increased ft spring preload to combat tippyness--correct? I was going the other way trying to get the front end lower--maybe I should try to increase preload instead?

 

[rxrider]

Did you see a difference between the mono and the zx2 in the sled height ( in the rear )?
because i read a lot of complain of the front being unstable.

My Mono has been upgraded to the 2006 specs. The '05 shock blew and the '05 spring was rubbing the shock body badly. I got a new '06 shock and spring covered under warranty. I have the shock in the C-clip B position with spring preload on 2 (# 9 position of 21). On my '03 RX-1 with the ZX-2 the ride height is higher than the '05 with the Mono. I will have to measure to give you the accurate difference. My best guess is 1-2" or 2,5-5 cm difference.

On my '03 the unstability is most likely caused by running only 50 lbs of preload in the Fox Floats. And of course the ride heigth is moving the center of gravity further from the ground. But that is not a problem in my book, the diving nose under turn in to a corner is. I have now stiffened the Fox Floats to 70 lbs (have not been out riding it yet), and will stiffen up the front even more if necessary until it stops diving when I let off throttle or go on the breakes. I will have to test more under more diverse conditions before making the final adjustments to the skid. I'll leave the skid at 2/4 revolver with 5 spring preload until I have balanced the front end to the rear end. I feel that the spring preload of 5 is spot on in the big bump mogul area. I have a little too much ski lift when giving it wot, but 16 lbs of boost may play a part in that. If I have to adjust anything at all in the skid, it will be the transfer set to 1. If I do I will post the results.

 

[rxrider]

rx rider--what spring setting did you use? also you effectivly increased ft spring preload to combat tippyness--correct? I was going the other way trying to get the front end lower--maybe I should try to increase preload instead?

My ZX-2 is a 136". I ride ungroomed trails and off trail 99 % of the season, so my setup is for rough trail conditions. Our trailsystem do not see groomers cause there aren't any in our region, by late March the trails are badly beat up with moguls all over the place specially the forest trails.

I have the revolver settings at 2/4 with spring preload at 5. I have pumped up the FFs to 70 in order to balance the front to the rear and remove some of the diving effect caused by running too little preload in the front (have yet to ride it with the 70 lbs FF preload).

When removing preload from the front springs your front end will increase its dive when you let off throttle or break on a turn in to a corner. If you decrease front spring preload you will also have to decrease preload on the front of the skid accordingly, if not you will create a rocking horse, you'll create a pivot point under the front end of the skid. What happens is that your sled dives forward putting more pressure on the skis and the front end of your skid thus reducing the pressure of the rear end of your skid which will increase body roll. On the '03 RX-1 we did combat this body roll problem by sucking in on the front tork arm limiter straps and installing straight rate springs up front and stiffer swaybars. On the ZX-2 sucking in the limiter strap is not an option according to the install manual.

 

[Shane]

I have been trying various set ups and proper ski pressure is the most difficult as i found it to be either lifting the inside ski or pushing very hard in corners. I have spoken several times with Denny Boivin and he suggests the reduction of front shock preload to get the A-Arms as parallel to the ground as possible. I had tried this and found the rocking horse effect to be a problem. I have Ohlin shocks up front and have the A-Arms just above level and I turned up the preload on the rear shock as well as the dampening on the fronts. The idea is to keep the rear from dropping with my weight (230 before gear) and by turning up the dampening to hopefully keep the front from dropping to hard when letting off the gas. I will post after I have had the chance to ride with this set up. Hopefully December 26th.

Thanks for starting this thread. I think this skid is incredible, it is just going to be a bit different getting the sled dialed in with it, and learning from each other and sharing experiences is a great thing!

 

[justinator]

How are you guys finding the transfer of this skid and does it seem to mph as well as the yamaha skids?? Will the track still ratchet if its not as tight as yamaha specs??

 

[rxrider]

We'll have to work on this a bit to see what we can find to work in the various conditoins we ride in.

Shane - keep us posted on your progress, so will I.

justinator - the transfer is better than my '05 RX-1 Mono. I have not have it ratchet yet so I don't think this will be of any problem, OK I have the Doo extros in there but I have some power going to the track The proaction ratcheted even with the WhalBros extros and a tight track.

 

[STAIN]

I ride mostly groomed trails. I find to combat the nose diving in the corners I brake--or let engine braking take over-- before the corner and drive through the corner--always applying throttle but not always accelerating. I have moved my revolver back to the 2/4 position and might actually try increasing rear spring preload. I am also going to try and increase ft spring pressure.
Are the fox floats worth the money for groomed trail riding?

 

[rxrider]

STAIN - that will work just fine trailriding. Thanks for sharing what you find on different setups

My problem with ski lift is when I give it all that I dare and then break hard into a tight corner and go on wot as early as I dare, when riding like this I find the inside ski lift to be a handfull. Long sweeping turns are not a problem cause I'm on the throttle all the way thru.

The FFs takes the stutters nicely. I went with the FFs cause my old stock shocks were worn out and due for replacement at 10000 kms or 6000+ miles. IMO they are worth the money as long as you are not going Snow-X your sled.

 

[06vectorgt]

I have had little time to evaluate this skid - only been out once so far.

I do have a lot of vibration, almost like the track luggs are hitting something but I can't see where. (Any ideas?)

When I let off the throttle this thing slows like it now has twice the engine braking (track to tight?)

At settings 2/4 I feel that it is still to stiff for my dressed 190 lbs(?)

I will be looking into these issues more this week but we lost the trails to the friggin rain so test riding will be later.

 

[rxrider]

How is your track to tunnel protector clearance?
If it rubs the tunnel protectors you could always cut the lugs down some right where the lugs hits the protectors, it should remove the breaking if that's the problem.

In my sled I have lowered the tunnel protector to fit underneat the MCXpress turbo charge tube. This left me with less than desireable clearance, if fact on the left side the lugs touches the protectors. I run studs so I am a little leary cutting down the lugs, it may cause the studs to hit the charge tube. I will have to do some measuring before cutting down the part of the lugs that touches the tunnel protectors.