wanting to upgrade to 151" x 16" this summer

alaskanbowtie

New member
Joined
Nov 30, 2004
Messages
55
Age
51
Location
Haines
So I'm going to buy a new Apex Mountain next fall,( lord willing ) and want to give the MM to my wife . BUT , I don't want to be digging it out all the bloody time when she gets stuck , so i want to upgrade to the 151"x16" if possible if not then it will be the 159"x15" that Hartman sells as a kit . Has anyone on here done this and can you give me some pointers ? Do i really need to buy the newer drive axle and extroverts ? She weighs all of 120 soaking wet , also would it be worth it to upgrade to the 7" C&A ski's for floating since she hasn't got much riding experience ? ALL help appreciated so i can start planning for the build and cost of everything . :rockon:
 

I have a 151x15 on my 700 MM, it works well. I'm using 8 tooth extros and a hardened driveshaft with a Mountain Performance transfer kit and tunnel extension. I'm also geared at a 2.0 ratio. Good floatation ski's are always a plus when it gets steep and deep.
 
could you explain more about your gearing ?

2.0 , what is your top and bottom gear size and do you use an overdrive sheave ? I've seen these and wonder if they are worth using in a low gear set ?
 
20 top/40 bottom with a 68 link chain. I doubt the overdrive would work well with the hard pulling of a 151 or 159 in deep snow. Belt contact with the sheave is reduced after it changes angles and is prone to belt slippage.
 
thx for the "overdrive" info

ok great sounds good , how much more ability did you gain with going from 141 to 151 ? was it worth the 1000.00 in parts it cost time you buy the kit and a new axle and extros ?
 
Floation is a lot better, it climbs better, and boondocks better. I tried it without extros and wouldn't advise that...even though I have both 8 and 9 tooth standard drivers that I'd like to sell. What year is your MM? You may already have the hardened driveshaft.
Is it worth it? Heck yea! I'd love to see your 120 pound wife stomp that 162 of yours. ;)! I believe Tracks USA has some 151x15's on sale right now for $349.
 
LMAO........she would too!!

:Moon: HA Ha ...... it will take her a year or two to get even remotely good enough to be stuffin anything up my *** ...... LOL . I'll do whatever it takes though to not be allowing that to happen any time soon . All my boys would be riden my *** so hard I'd have to find new riding partners . Mine is a 2000 and I'd like to run the 156" or 159" , if I'm going to do it . I weigh around 275 without gear so I'm a big boy and want to be able to hang with some of the others I ride with . I would run a 3.0 pitch and 7 tooth drivers maybe if I can get a decent deal on a track . Also I wanted to run the 16" wide version for the added floatation .... is this a problem with clearance or is it a direct bolt in , if I can't run the 151x16 then it will have to be atleast 156x15 to carry my big azz ? Any suggestions on putting the skid back in with a transfer kit ? Does this help or make it more difficult ? I'm going to ride it in the fall actually then see what yamaha has to offer for the 07' mountain sled before I buy the Apex . If it's considerably lighter or better in some way then I'll buy the 07' if not , I'll buy the 06' in Feb. probly . THX for all the info so far ;) !
 
Last edited:
I believe 2000 was the first year for the hardened driveshaft, so you should be ok there. The transfer kit makes skids installation easier. If it is for a lesser experienced rider the transfer and ski lift might be an issue as the skis are rarely on the snow. A 16 wide would be a tight fit, I went out and looked at mine, the drop plates would need to be redesigned for clearance. Plus you'll probably want to boost the horsepower if you're running stock yet. Mine is upwards of 150 horse...and I want more. $$$ :WayCool:
 
cool sounds good

THX chance , I appreciate all the help and punctual answers , I called tracks USA today and they have 159" 2&1/8" paddle Polaris tracks for 425.00 so i'll probly be doing that . Unless I can get the whole kit from Hartman for around 700.00 then i'll go through them .... time will tell THX for all the help .
 
;)! You're most welcome. That sounds like a nice setup and good price on that track. Tracks also sells some nice rail extensions. Tom does have some nice tunnel extensions at Hartman. You may also want to update your secondary spring as it'll take more backshift with that much hook.
 
cool , yea I need some other things also

I'm going to get a dual angle helix and a P85 clutch from them also , it has a 108 comet now and really sucks ! I think the helix thats on it now says 38/32 I believe and I know it should be much higher.......or thats what I've read . So I have a few things to do before next year .
 
What are you doing with that comet and 32 degree helix on there?? Give that stuff to some cat rider. lol

I've tried several combinations of multi and straight angle helixs, when it gets steep and deep I've found that a straight 43 degree works well. I've also got the secondary shimmed. With the stock green spring you'll have to twist it to 80, with a white spring 70 and maybe even 60 depending on conditions and rider weight.

Be prepared to spend some time working on your setup with all the changes you want to make this summer.
 
Don't want to shoot your plan down, but I think you're wasting your money spending that much on a 6 yr old sled. That and I don't think your wife will be happy wrestling around that big of a track. I don't know of too many 120# people that could handle that big a sled, comfortably. If this will continue to be your sled then MAYBE, but I'd be willing to bet your wife would be happier with the 141 or a 144.
 
I put a 151X15 extension on my srx. Went with hartman's kit. Got the kit and a 2" track for a little over a grand. Put extros on it also. I went 2:1 on the gears per tom's suggestion. Put on a 6" powermad adjustable riser. Had to get throttle extension kits for the throttle and brake cable. can't find an emergency brake cable long enough. Sad part is the snow is all gone so I can't tell you how well it works. sure looks nice. I'll take a pic and attach it
tommorrow.
 
Oh forgot put on SLP Powder pros and a tranfer kit from Mountain perf also. Can't wait until next year. Thought about taking all the paint off the tunnel.
there was a post on here of someone that did it and it looked pretty nice.
 
From the sounds of it your wife is a beginner rider and I do not know many 120 lb guys who can really handle a 151 or larger track let alone a 120lb gal. I think the 151 or larger would be too much for her and she would be much happier with the more agile current 141. Think of it like this you weigh 275, your wife weighs 150 lbs less than you, the flotation/agility of your current MM will be greatly increased with 150 less pounds on it.

If you are making the modifications for yourself to ride the sled then by all means go as long as you feel the motor can take. I have heard that to fit a 16" under a MM or viper you need new drop brackets and have to shave any showing threads off all bolts between your track and the tunnel. I believe hartman sells a 144" track kit for the MM so you dont need a tunnel extension or rail extensions, so you could buy the hardware from Hartmen and then pick up a 144x16 track and run that since a 144x16 is more track than a 151x15.
 
Last edited:
thx for the help

yea I was concerned with this and my main reason for doing the upgrade is for me this next fall and her in the future but like you guys say she is small and relatively new to the sleding . So I do think i will do the 151" for me and she can get used to it i'm sure i've seen several chicks riding that size with out difficulty , might be tuff at first but shes a fighter . I don't want to be digging her out all the time with the 141" , track this makes riding not much fun for either of us . The weight will help alot but it weighs a ton reguardless . The weight will actually not increase , maybe 2 lbs I think . So this won't be a big deal , just her getting used to riding it . I think the 151" is the best for both cenarious . The comet and helix were on it when I got it and i want to buy the best so i'm waiting for the cash to be saved . So i've riddin it this way for now and will do everything this summer . Those pics would be cool ! :rockon:
 
I've seen it before too. Smaller gal's that are good rider's, on a big sled with a big track. They have a heck of a time trying to boondock, because they dont have enough body mass to make the sled go where they want. Then you end up digging them out of tree well's. I've seen the same rider on a 136"- 144" sled, go where she want's, having more fun, and some times even out doing the boy'z on the bigger stuff!
Sometimes it's hard for the bigger guy's understand what they are going through, because they have body mass to yank the big sled's over and go where they want.
 
I agree. My wife is only 100 lbs and has a hard time throwing anything around.
Thanks chance for the info on the E brake.
 


Back
Top