A more versatile SRX Skid?

[yamisrx]

Hey everyone, new member here. I recently got back into snowmobiling with the idea of buying an older sled to help pass the time in winter but also introduce the sport to my little boys. It started a couple years ago with a 99 vmax sx 600. I was hoping for an SRX because I had always wanted one but there weren't a lot of decent ones for sale at the time. Anyway after riding the vmax for most of a season I determined the suspension could be better and where I live we end up doing quite a bit of ditch riding. We can get a fair amount of snow at times but it usually comes with quite a bit of wind and it puts it all in the ditches and leaves the trails bare. On the Vmax SX I put SXR long travel front end parts with some aftermarket shocks and that worked great! Lifted the sled, rode nice, and still handled well on the trails when we would take it to northern MN. For the rear I did a apex mono 121" skid swap and ran a ripsaw 1 1/4" track. That was a big improvement over stock but I wasn't as impressed with the rear performance as I was the front. I also was wanting more track in the deeper snow.

Fast forward to the end of last season I stumbled on a 2000 SRX that had a very tough life and was somebody's mountain machine by the looks of it. I bought it very cheap and I figured I could possibly rebuild it but it had some parts on it that would be an easy part out or good parts machine to have on hand also. The engine looks to need a complete overhaul even though it did run and showed 120 psi on all cylinders. This sled has an M10 144" skid under it with Ryde FX adjustable shocks and it's also an Ohlins sled and I have already had those front shocks rebuilt . As I've been diving into this machine I was starting to realize it's probably going to get pretty spendy to put back together.

Keeping the 2000 SRX's and my 99 Vmax's suspension in mind I'm trying to determine what direction I want to go with a 2002 SRX I picked up this summer. I know what the SRX was designed for and a lot of purists like to keep everything stock but I don't have great access to the kind of riding that suits it. After changing the suspension on the vmax and raising it considerably I found it got through the deeper snow much better and when riding it aggressively on trails next to my dads stock 97 Vmax SX 700 we were impressed that it actually handled quite well and could hang with it no problem,...until we hit those long straights. This is getting a little windy but what's a good skid for my style or type of riding in this machine? The 144 M10 out of the 2000? I've rode some 136-146 sleds on the trails and yes the 121 does it better but they can still be setup decent to do it. I will still plan to ride trails some but I do more ditch and off trail riding in deeper snow for the majority of the time. I have a polaris 2" paddle track that I cut down to 1 1/2" paddles for the 144 if I used it. I will plan to run a 1 1/4" to a 1 1/2" lug track regardless.

Greg

 

[Maim]

welcome!

well you can long travel what you have and only use 2-5 mph on your top end with the 121" set up with the 1.25" lug track on the srx.

from what i am reading, a fx nitro xtx or 2011-15 apex xtx skid sounds like what you are looking for. it is a 144" skid that rides and handles like a 136" skid as it has tipped rails. i prefer my 11 xtx over my 16 xtx as the 16 has flat rails and handles like a bus in comparison.

never rode a sled with a m10, so i cannot comment on its ride qualities.

as to putting an 1.5" or bigger lug track into an srx, you would need to use 8 tooth drivers to get the clearance at the front cooler. with going with the smaller drivers, you would not have to re-gear to compensate for the extra weight of the 144" track. you will loose 10-15 mph minimum going that way.

 

[yamisrx]

welcome!

well you can long travel what you have and only use 2-5 mph on your top end with the 121" set up with the 1.25" lug track on the srx.

from what i am reading, a fx nitro xtx or 2011-15 apex xtx skid sounds like what you are looking for. it is a 144" skid that rides and handles like a 136" skid as it has tipped rails. i prefer my 11 xtx over my 16 xtx as the 16 has flat rails and handles like a bus in comparison.

never rode a sled with a m10, so i cannot comment on its ride qualities.

as to putting an 1.5" or bigger lug track into an srx, you would need to use 8 tooth drivers to get the clearance at the front cooler. with going with the smaller drivers, you would not have to re-gear to compensate for the extra weight of the 144" track. you will loose 10-15 mph minimum going that way.

Thank you! Is a 2011-2015 apex xtx skid going to be hard to come by? Would that skid mount the same as the 08 apex mono I have in my 99 Vmax? From experience with my own sled and friends and family's sleds I don't think a 121, 1 1/4" is enough for the riding we do. I haven't rode sleds with longer tracks like 136-146 with 1 1/4" lugs but maybe the length would be plenty rather than needing the 1 1/2" lugs. I had heard I could go to 1 1/2" lugs if I removed the tunnel and heat exchanger guards. The srx that has the 144 on it now has 9 tooth drivers and a ruined 2.25" track so I know I can't do that lol. It's also been geared down to 22/38? I think that was one tooth? My main goal is to have a better more travel ride and get through the soft snow better. I hear the M10 rides very nice but I have also heard they don't transfer or hook up the best. I definitely don't want to sit and spin and I don't need the front end to wheelie straight up but it is nice to have a little front end lift at times.

 

[Maim]

the xtx skid i prefer came in the 2009-13 fx nitro xtx as well as the 11-15 apex xtx. i do have a spare one for my 11 that i bought for the shocks off of ty 4stroke member. now a days i would try travis at barn of parts and i reccomend the nitro one as it came with lighter torsion springs from the factory as that is what i use on my 11.

mine is set so that if you roll onto the throttle, it behaves like a normal sled. when you smash the flipper without any added english, it holds the skis about 6" off the snow until about 65 mph. smashing it with a good yank on the bars, it will tail walk the sled at will.


the xtx skid mounts totally different from the mono shock and you would need the mounting locations for it with someone who has that sled.

i reccomended the 8 tooth drivers as it will mean less issues with clutching and you do not have to remove any of the protectors for clearance.

viper dave loves the 1-3/8" snow cross track but i personally have never tried one. i know i prefer the ripsaw to the ripsaw II as i find it grabs better for the riding i do. got 14000 mi on one riding agressive. i replaced it with a composit 1.5" paddle track and i like it better so far (when gf lets me ride it). slide wear is pretty good too.

on my sx500r, it got really grippy with the1.25" ripsaw compared to the stock .92" yokahama it came with. brother still has one on his 02 viper extended to 136" (just bought it back) and it works great on that sled. track preferenece is a personal thing as my brother prefers the ripsaw II and i find the ripsaw grabs better for me. cannot wait to get the one off of my 16 xtx.

 

[yamisrx]

the xtx skid i prefer came in the 2009-13 fx nitro xtx as well as the 11-15 apex xtx. i do have a spare one for my 11 that i bought for the shocks off of ty 4stroke member. now a days i would try travis at barn of parts and i reccomend the nitro one as it came with lighter torsion springs from the factory as that is what i use on my 11.

mine is set so that if you roll onto the throttle, it behaves like a normal sled. when you smash the flipper without any added english, it holds the skis about 6" off the snow until about 65 mph. smashing it with a good yank on the bars, it will tail walk the sled at will.


the xtx skid mounts totally different from the mono shock and you would need the mounting locations for it with someone who has that sled.

i reccomended the 8 tooth drivers as it will mean less issues with clutching and you do not have to remove any of the protectors for clearance.

viper dave loves the 1-3/8" snow cross track but i personally have never tried one. i know i prefer the ripsaw to the ripsaw II as i find it grabs better for the riding i do. got 14000 mi on one riding agressive. i replaced it with a composit 1.5" paddle track and i like it better so far (when gf lets me ride it). slide wear is pretty good too.

on my sx500r, it got really grippy with the1.25" ripsaw compared to the stock .92" yokahama it came with. brother still has one on his 02 viper extended to 136" (just bought it back) and it works great on that sled. track preferenece is a personal thing as my brother prefers the ripsaw II and i find the ripsaw grabs better for me. cannot wait to get the one off of my 16 xtx.

I contacted Travis and left a voicemail. I did get a return text message but no reply after that. I've done a little research on the skid but I've kinda read mixed reviews. It seems like some love it while others hate it. In everything I read regarding the M10 people love the ride. Some people claimed great ride but they don't weight transfer or hook up as well as they would like. Others claimed they were great everywhere.

 

[MURDER YAMAHA]

I know others will balk, but I like to keep Yamaha parts in a Yamaha.
Makes my skin crawl to hear people putting Ski Doo stuff in a SRX...
but, thats just me.
I like the Idea of a newer Yamaha skid in that sled though, and will eventually do it to a few of mine as well.

 

[yamisrx]

I know others will balk, but I like to keep Yamaha parts in a Yamaha.
Makes my skin crawl to hear people putting Ski Doo stuff in a SRX...
but, thats just me.
I like the Idea of a newer Yamaha skid in that sled though, and will eventually do it to a few of mine as well.

Yeah If I new a good option I would like to keep it Yamaha or maybe this M10 I have since it was already in an SRX and I have it just sitting here. I tried the mono skid in my VMAX and I would definitely use that over the stock skid but I wasn't blown away with the ride and I want something with a 136-144 track length. I don't love the idea of something like a ski doo, or other brand suspension but if I knew it rode and performed nice I would entertain the idea depending on price.

 

[Maim]

I contacted Travis and left a voicemail. I did get a return text message but no reply after that. I've done a little research on the skid but I've kinda read mixed reviews. It seems like some love it while others hate it. In everything I read regarding the M10 people love the ride. Some people claimed great ride but they don't weight transfer or hook up as well as they would like. Others claimed they were great everywhere.

the reason i reccomended the nitro skid over the apex version is it has lighter springs than the apex came with. i use the 09 nitro xtx springs in my 2011 as my 260 lb butt could not get the factory springs to flex at all with everything on full soft. it kicked my butt bad. put the nitro springs onto it with the sr viper 4 position adjusters at position 4 (full hard) and now it rides flat and smooth with the ability to lift the skis with a little body english with throttle. site member ding ran the same skid on his sx viper. from last i heard he was removing it as he is mostly sledding in mountains as it kept breaking skid parts on the extreme tail landings it was getting.


i am going to put a mono we have floating around into a phazer II with the stock .92 lug track from a sx500r as i have a better home for the phazer skid in another project sled.

 

[yamisrx]

the reason i reccomended the nitro skid over the apex version is it has lighter springs than the apex came with. i use the 09 nitro xtx springs in my 2011 as my 260 lb butt could not get the factory springs to flex at all with everything on full soft. it kicked my butt bad. put the nitro springs onto it with the sr viper 4 position adjusters at position 4 (full hard) and now it rides flat and smooth with the ability to lift the skis with a little body english with throttle. site member ding ran the same skid on his sx viper. from last i heard he was removing it as he is mostly sledding in mountains as it kept breaking skid parts on the extreme tail landings it was getting.


i am going to put a mono we have floating around into a phazer II with the stock .92 lug track from a sx500r as i have a better home for the phazer skid in another project sled.

Sure. I wish I could ride some of these sleds and see what the suspensions were like on the michines they came in originally. The mono 121 is much better in my vmax than the stock skid but the ride isn't as smooth as I would like in the chop and seems a bit stiff but then in the same setting bottoms out easy on a big bump like it's too soft. Just can't get both scenarios to be good on the same setting. I way around 185 without gear.

 

[MURDER YAMAHA]

I assume you have newly rebuilt shocks in these skids?
My stuff rides night and day better after a set of rebuilt shocks are installed.

 

[Vmax4creed]

Thank you! Is a 2011-2015 apex xtx skid going to be hard to come by? Would that skid mount the same as the 08 apex mono I have in my 99 Vmax? From experience with my own sled and friends and family's sleds I don't think a 121, 1 1/4" is enough for the riding we do. I haven't rode sleds with longer tracks like 136-146 with 1 1/4" lugs but maybe the length would be plenty rather than needing the 1 1/2" lugs. I had heard I could go to 1 1/2" lugs if I removed the tunnel and heat exchanger guards. The srx that has the 144 on it now has 9 tooth drivers and a ruined 2.25" track so I know I can't do that lol. It's also been geared down to 22/38? I think that was one tooth? My main goal is to have a better more travel ride and get through the soft snow better. I hear the M10 rides very nice but I have also heard they don't transfer or hook up the best. I definitely don't want to sit and spin and I don't need the front end to wheelie straight up but it is nice to have a little front end lift at times.

If you could find one reasonably priced I would be inclined to into Arctic cat pro cross 141 suspension although they are becoming increasingly difficult to acquire. Yamaha builds a top notch durable suspension but they are incredibly heavy!! I have stretched 2 of my sleds & used this skid, my apex skid 121 was over 70lbs the Cat was just over 40lbs.The 90s vmax4 the same weight savings roughly. They transfer great & so far are problem free. In my 01 SRX i will be using an AD Boivin 136 composite suspension witch is surprisingly heavier then i thought but still lighter then the OEM so i cant comment on it as of yet.

 

[yamisrx]

I assume you have newly rebuilt shocks in these skids?
My stuff rides night and day better after a set of rebuilt shocks are installed.

Yeah I had the mono shock rebuilt before installing that skid. I just had a set of srx ohlins rebuilt also and I have some aftermarket brackets that allow you to raise the front in different holes. I'm not sure if I will use those or not. I will also rebuild the m10 skid shocks or whatever I end up using. I do have another long travel option that I had on the Vmax and those should be freshened up also.(KYB with piggyback reservoir)

 

[yamisrx]

If you could find one reasonably priced I would be inclined to into Arctic cat pro cross 141 suspension although they are becoming increasingly difficult to acquire. Yamaha builds a top notch durable suspension but they are incredibly heavy!! I have stretched 2 of my sleds & used this skid, my apex skid 121 was over 70lbs the Cat was just over 40lbs.The 90s vmax4 the same weight savings roughly. They transfer great & so far are problem free. In my 01 SRX i will be using an AD Boivin 136 composite suspension witch is surprisingly heavier then i thought but still lighter then the OEM so i cant comment on it as of yet.

I'm not too familiar with Cat suspensions. I do know they have had pretty good suspensions over the years. I did a quick search for that skid but I didn't come up with anything.

 

[Vmax4creed]

I am not a cat advocate so my info is limited i believe they started them in 1000 Crossfires & refined them until now. The ones I have are 2012,2013 models out of there 1100 models ,but im sure the Viper 144 is probably the same worth a look if you cross paths with one.

 

[Maim]

@snowcrosser ran a cat skid in his sx viper

 

[yamisrx]

I've been searching out my options but I keep circling back to the M10 I already have. It's nice it's already paid for, I have new slides and a good track to go with it. I've been told and read many times they ride very nice. They do have a trade off in some performance areas but I've also been told you can set them up to still perform very well and have a great ride also. I think for the riding I'm doing that 144 length will be good and and the price is definitely right.

 

[Maim]

go ahead and use it. only you can tell if it will work how you want.

part of why i will be putting a mono in a phazer II as i have another use for the phazer skid that is no good for the mono as it weigh's too much for what i want to do with it.

 

[yamisrx]

go ahead and use it. only you can tell if it will work how you want.

part of why i will be putting a mono in a phazer II as i have another use for the phazer skid that is no good for the mono as it weigh's too much for what i want to do with it.

Yeah I probably will. I just wish I had some first hand experience with an M10. I won't know if I like it or not until I install it and ride. lol.

 

[WildMax]

My question to those who have done skid swaps, does the SRX still hold the tight curves at high speed with the longer travel? I personally love the slot car performance on a smooth track but those sections of bumps are feeling rougher the older I get.

 

[yamisrx]

My question to those who have done skid swaps, does the SRX still hold the tight curves at high speed with the longer travel? I personally love the slot car performance on a smooth track but those sections of bumps are feeling rougher the older I get.

I just got my srx with the 144 m10 in it and I love it so far but I haven't been on a trail yet. I long traveled my 99 vmax sx and used an apex mono 121 in the rear of that. It handled awesome and I would trade the better ride in a heartbeat. I don't think the mono skid had the ultimate ride but it was much better than the proaction and had great weight transfer. It would just lift the inside ski on a tight corner but was very planted in the corner.