HELP! skid set-up

mattyg1405

mattyg1405

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i have a 2001 srx, just looking at it next to my buddys tonight at the shop and i noticed the back of the track is actually off the ground.... what does this mean? something to do with the transfer? the limiter straps seem like they can be tightened upp too , i just dont know how the skid setup works if the back is off the ground would that mean more or less transfer? which way do i adjust the rods? do i even adjust it on my buddies sled it seems level thanks in advance
 
mattyg1405 said:
i have a 2001 srx, just looking at it next to my buddys tonight at the shop and i noticed the back of the track is actually off the ground.... what does this mean? something to do with the transfer? the limiter straps seem like they can be tightened upp too , i just dont know how the skid setup works if the back is off the ground would that mean more or less transfer? which way do i adjust the rods? do i even adjust it on my buddies sled it seems level thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Matty, did you ever figure yours out? I loaded mine on the trailer today and my buddy noticed the same thing. I rebuilt the skid and set everything in what I thought would be a close to previous setup. Not sure how much the suspension will set in with my 270 pounds of weight on the seat.

I never really noticed it before. The dealer will have my skid out tomorrow to install my Ripsaw track, so I may not know what it was if it lays flatter when I get it back.
 
Make sure front shock & shock bushings are in proper working order.. along with the other notorious bushings......on that skid....
 
There was hardly a bushing that I didn't replace. Pioneer rebuilt the shocks and I set the FRA to hard. I did add Bender adjustable transfer rods that are close to the same length as stock.
 
OH oh that might might be a problem with the length of the rods,,, there are different holes to mount,,, but u may have to switch out rods for proper length..
 
Rods were the same length and I used the same holes. I am thinking the front holes if I recall, but I don't care to walk out in the dark and cold to look at it right now.....

Curiosity got the best of me and I left the warmth of the wood burner....yes, it's in the front hole. Sled is on the trailer and not hitched to the truck, so I can't sit on it to see how it settles with my heavy self on it.
 
The space between the upper nylon washers top and bottom on the rods should be the same when you sit on the sled.
 
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MSRXRider said:
The space between the upper nylon washers top and bottom on the rods should be the same when you sit on the sled.
Click to expand...

I will hook the trailer to the truck in the AM and sit on the sled and see where she settles.
 
May be a bit misleading, but we will see how it looks with me sitting on it.
 

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Looks like you have it set up to corner on a dime (i.e. sled rotates on the very front of the track when turning).
How much preload do you have in the front shock of the rear suspension? Too much preload in this shock and not enough in your rear-rear shock or the front shocks will lead to the back being that high off the ground. If I go through my suspsension I set it up to start at:
-- 2.5" preload in your front shocks
-- 2.75-3.00" preload in the rear-rear shock
-- FRA set in HARD position
-- set the limiter straps so they have about 1.25" of thread showing
-- preload of Front shock in rear supsension set just so that the spring does not rotate
-- set spacing on transfer rods so that when I do get on the sled the gaps are even
-- reset toe-out to 1/8" total (1/16" per side)

I have found that this set up will get me in the ball park for how I like my sled to handle but, I have C&A skis with 8" Woodys carbides and a 1.00 camo track with 96 studs down the middle. Over the years I have backed the FRA setting to soft and then played with the shock preloads to make the sled ride smoother. The setup above will be rough until you adjust to your liking.
 
Mills said:
Looks like you have it set up to corner on a dime (i.e. sled rotates on the very front of the track when turning).
How much preload do you have in the front shock of the rear suspension? Too much preload in this shock and not enough in your rear-rear shock or the front shocks will lead to the back being that high off the ground. If I go through my suspsension I set it up to start at:
-- 2.5" preload in your front shocks
-- 2.75-3.00" preload in the rear-rear shock
-- FRA set in HARD position
-- set the limiter straps so they have about 1.25" of thread showing
-- preload of Front shock in rear supsension set just so that the spring does not rotate
-- set spacing on transfer rods so that when I do get on the sled the gaps are even
-- reset toe-out to 1/8" total (1/16" per side)

I have found that this set up will get me in the ball park for how I like my sled to handle but, I have C&A skis with 8" Woodys carbides and a 1.00 camo track with 96 studs down the middle. Over the years I have backed the FRA setting to soft and then played with the shock preloads to make the sled ride smoother. The setup above will be rough until you adjust to your liking.
Click to expand...

If I recall the skid shock settings, I recall setting just enough preload on the front shock so the spring wouldn't rattle around. I also think I added a little more preload on the back one than what I had when the skid came out.

I didn't touch the ski shocks, but thought they were close to the stock measurements. Will check when I get the sled back.

I will check the strap setting when I get the sled back. I had to guess from old measurements on the broken strap eye bolt.

I am having the skid pulled by a Yamaha dealer and having them install a 1.25" Ripsaw track. If I installed anything wrong I am sure I will hear about it. I sat on the sled while it was on my trailer and the transfer rods didn't move. I lengthened the Bender transfer rods a few turns to 3 lines, which had no effect.

I did send the skid shocks out to Pioneer and had them revalved to my weight and rebuilt. Thought they might be due at 6500 miles. FRA is set to the hard setting.

I also have to wonder if the sled looks goofy on the trailer because of the 1/2" cow mat. I wonder if the ski hold downs are pivoting the sled?
I will report more when I get the sled back.
 
Mills said:
Looks like you have it set up to corner on a dime (i.e. sled rotates on the very front of the track when turning).
How much preload do you have in the front shock of the rear suspension? Too much preload in this shock and not enough in your rear-rear shock or the front shocks will lead to the back being that high off the ground. If I go through my suspsension I set it up to start at:
-- 2.5" preload in your front shocks
-- 2.75-3.00" preload in the rear-rear shock
-- FRA set in HARD position
-- set the limiter straps so they have about 1.25" of thread showing
-- preload of Front shock in rear supsension set just so that the spring does not rotate
Click to expand...

Front shocks are at 2.5" preload.

Rear skid shock is maybe a sliver over 2.75" (I can see I gave it a few more threads preload after rebuild....clean threads).

FRA is still in HARD position.

Limiter straps have roughly 1" from end of threads to the bracket the strap eye bolt is mounted to. In the AM I will pull the straps 1/2" tighter and see what happens.

I lengthened the Bender adjustable transfer rods out 7 full turns so there is 6 lines showing in hopes that the longer rod would lower the back of the track, but no help. I also sent another email to Bender Racing to see if they will help explain some good settings. Right now the bottom of the transfer rod hardly moves an eighth inch when I sit on it.

I have a feeling sucking the straps up is going to be the ticket. Does it look like I am on the right track?
 
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Yep, just make sure that after you make adjustments to reset the preload of the front shock in your rear suspension so that the spring is just slightly loose and can rotate without you on the sled.
 
Mills said:
Yep, just make sure that after you make adjustments to reset the preload of the front shock in your rear suspension so that the spring is just slightly loose and can rotate without you on the sled.
Click to expand...

I don't remember if I had to move the spanner nuts on the shock to take the slack out when it was in my hand before I put it in. I never thought that I would have to touch it once it was back in the sled, but it does make sense that there would be compression of the shock once the straps are pulled up I guess.
 
Cleaning and adjusting the power valves took much longer than I had figured. Loosened the heck out of the front skid shock and pulled the straps up close to a half inch. I don't like the way it looks like I will have limited front skid travel, but with the sled sitting on the floor I now have zero preload on the front shock.

The rear of the skid looks like it lowered some. I get next to no travel yet on the transfer rods. If I bounce on it I can get maybe an eighth inch travel off the bottom stop. Would anything change if I was to change the FRA from full stiff to one of the other settings? I am over 275# clothed for sledding.

My best guess is the rebuilding and revalving done by Pioneer is effecting the amount of preload needed on the rear spring. I guess I need to take it out and see what happens. I would have hoped having the skid removed and the track installed by a certified Yamaha mechanic, and mentioning to the person writing the service order to make sure settings are close to stock, that things would have been much closer. As a matter of fact, the guy that wrote the order also loaded the sled back on my trailer said "man does the back of the track stick up in the air"! Yeah...no kidding.



Here is a picture of my strap setting. 1.5" from end of eye bolt to bracket, and roughly 3/4" of thread between the bracket and the strap end.
 

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