2002 VMAX - Will a Viper Skid really make a difference in ride

Rockwood Yammie

Rockwood Yammie

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Jan 15, 2015
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Rockwood Ontario Canada
Hi Guys,

Just finished probably my last ride of the season here in Ontario. Mogul's were the name of the day on the trails. Got me thinking about upgrading my suspension but I don't want to go through the hassle for little to no gain. Looking for your opinions as to whether or not this is worth the effort.

Thanks
 

The 4 strokes used the mono skid. instead of doing a skid change you could get a set of the KYB rebuildable shocks off of a viper, SXR or vmax xtc, have the rebuilt and revalved, it would be a big improvement over what you have now.
 
Everyone says to revalve shocks, but what specifically do you ask for when revalve? I assume that changes the dampening?

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Look into an sc3 skid from skidoo. That's what's going into my RX1 over the summer. The pro action from Yamaha is garbage.

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I wouldn't say the proaction skid is garbage, it just needs to be set up right. I sure wouldn't want to put doo parts in my yamaha! lol
 
Valving affects the compression and rebound oil flow rates. Basically how much resistance to compressing the shock especially high speed (big bumps) but also low speed (less abrupt changes in terrain). Then for rebound it controls how quickly the shock comes back out again both after high speed impacts and lower speed impacts. If you really want to get a better grasp on it there are numerous videos on YouTube - especially the ones from well know manufacturers.

Unless your steel shocks are shot, the move to rebuildables even with re-valving is simply not going to yield that much of an improvement - noticeable yes, much improved ride no. The Mono is a very good ride compared to the Pro-Action skids. They started the Mono in 2005, so the early 4-strokes did not have it yet. Also there are numerous other skids out there (even other brands) that provide a far better ride than the ProAction. This is one area where there was significant improvement in the 2000's and even lately as well. If you are able to do medium level mechanical repairs a skid swap is very doable especially if you can find a helper or better yet someone who has done some before. Of course you will need some tools, but if you look in the Tech Pages on here you can get an idea of what is involved.

If you decide to go with just a shock upgrade, I wouldn't use any of the stock Viper valve stacks (there were more than one). I would likely even change springs too. But from a pure cost perspective you can a nice used skid for a little more than what you are going to put in shocks. Also by the time you rebuild the skid (bushings, bearings, etc.) you will likely come out even.

Let us know what you decide.
 
I always hate hearing people say the ProAction is garbage. IMO it is simply dated. There was a time when it was as good as the competition. Just in typical Yamaha fashion they were a little late getting to the table and didn't keep up once the others improved. The skid that really changed things and forced the sled manufacturers to invest in suspension design was the M-10. And then Ad Boivin came along with a different approach. Today's skids would not exist if it wasn't for many sledders riding all of the previous generation skids that some now call junk. You should ride an old bogie wheel suspension if you want to see a real rough ride :-)
 
I spent alot of money converting to a viper skid. And it was a waste of money. Swapped in an edge skid and right off the bat without any setup or revalving and it was night and day better. After getting stiffer springs and upgrading the shocks theres no comparison. Like said. in 96-97 the proaction skid was reviewed as the best but it was quickly outdated.
 
Thanks guys for all your opinions and good advice, I am going to start shopping for used skids as I think I am capable of doing the work mechanically. Keep the info coming. If there is one skid that you would put in your sled, I would like to hear about it.
 
m-10, edge, prox, iq, sc3 (or higher), and mono are the go to skids for swapping.

overall bang for buck, availability, customization options, ease of installation, ride quality id personally give to the edge skid. The sc3 is pretty much on par but because theres so many different mounting variations you could find yourself lost while installing if your unsure of what donor sled it came from.
 
Two years I have delt with the proaction...and my back has had enough. I will agree that this skid is dated, but comon what were they thinking. The only way I have been able to keep up with the new sleds is to completely couple this skid so there is no transfer. Sure you can buy different springs and shocks but at that cost just swap a much better skid...sc3. Night and day difference. The cost up here for a direct bolt in is $400 plus you give him your old skid. For my RX1, I only have to drill two holes and I'm done with it.

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