MM sinking rear doesn't float, AT ALL!

C

cappel

New member
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
17
Age
47
Location
steamboat springs
I cannot keep the rear end of my 2003 MM (141) on top of the snow! Anybody else have this problem? The thing runs great in the deep stuff but I have to have the throttle mashed all the time or the rear end sinks. The limiter straps are all the way out and I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions on what to do to get this thing to float. No problems with the skis being up AT ALL. It's just the d&%m rear end sinking. No money now to put on a 51 track and extensions either so any suggestions?
 

How deep is the snow? I see you in CO, With a 141 that may be the best your going to get, What track do you have on it? What are your rear suspension settings? Your FRA. Is it in the softest setting? Need some more details..Whats your weight?
 
I am not a suspension expert but I thought if you had the limiters all the way out it actually makes the sled more prone to trench. You might want to tighten them up a little and make sure your front skid shock is not to stiff. Also maybe make a transfer enhancement kit to get rid of the transfer rods.

TransferKit1.jpg
 
The snow here is deep, over a foot. 18-20+
The track is the stock Yokohama 141 heavy as F
Not to sure about the suspesnsion settings ie. soft, hard. I'll have to check that next time I go to the sled.
I weigh 160 lbs.
FRA? don't know what that is.

I was kind of thinking about tightening up the limiters, just to see what that would do. I have always heard though that you want the limiter straps out more to float. Dunno. I will check the front rear skid shock setting too and see where that is at. I was thinking about the transfer enhancement kit too just for the sake of losing weight and it's price. Couldn't hurt right? Thanks for you quick replys. Keep 'em coming.

Bret
 
Do a search on the transfer kit, If you ride trails at all it makes steering less than desirable... Depends on the setup.
On my 144 I have my transfer rods still, setup for max transfer...mod the washers, I have front shock almost all the way loose, and transfer straps are showing 1 " of thread on bolts.
FRA is in softest position with almost no preload on Main rear shock. With this setup I come up easy on the snow, But it does dart a bit on a packed trail so its no fast trail machine. That may change when I get new skiis, the stockers are not the best. If your track is really heavy ..considering some 1" to 1 .5 in port holes in it.
 
Pull in you front limiter straps in a bit. This will reduce the track approch angle. You might trench a little bit more while on the throttle but it should climb out when you let off. You have to try a few different settings to find what you are looking for and it might change with conditions. I can tell you what I have but that does not mean you will like it.
 
i'm definitely going to pull in the limiters. I think i'm just going to have to mess around with some settings. I don't ride trails at all except to get out to the goods. I think I would like to port the track too. Don't want to buy the porting tool but I don't want to mess with a hole saw and have to deal with getting the "plugs" out either. Anyone got a porting tool they wanna sell for cheap or let me borrow? I'm gonna have to get out the manual and check out some stuff too. Thanks for all your help.
 
Mountain Max Suspensions Setup

I've done some searching on here for suspension set ups, and experimented some. But most of the suspension answers are "mess with it until its right for you."

Well how about this. How do all of you Mountain Max riders set up your suspension? Please elaborate on rider weight, style, conditions etc...You know, the info you would ask someone to give that is questioning suspension setup.

This would give some of us greenhorns different places to start....

Thanks much.
 
this setup works for the wife and kids, 03 mtn viper, 01 mnt max, 00 mtn max, 97 sx vmax with the junk 141 yoko: limiters at about 3/4 out, front of rear shock in the stiffest, rear of rear at the softest, fra at the b setting. throttle controll is your friend at this game. feathering is the ticket for starting out, wfo after that. no one over 130, dressed. kids ages 11-17. not a trail happy setup, but we are not trail riders. experience and exposure to deep riding will come into play. 18" is not deep, must be bottmless fluff if your having problems, but your sled will dig to the bottom and grab traction sooner or later, and then it doesnt really matter what sled, but what rider. try taking a couple of pre-teens in over 5' of fluff. long story short, if your having problems making your sled go now, consider your capabilities, not your sleds. no disrespect intended, but you cant sit on your butt and expect the sled to perform, you have to make the sled perform. learn to shift weight by standing on the boards, not sitting on the seat. either your mtn max skid is way poorly setup, or you need some more practice. harsh, maybe, but it may motivate your learning curve.
 
Thanks for everyones help. I'm going to be messing with all the susp. and limiters soon. The MM is not my primary sled and i've been throwing it around for 5 years so sitting down boondocking and standing up, shifting weight on the boards is a religous practice of mine. I ride an 07 M8 now but have put a lot of money in the Max so i'm not getting rid of it. It is a great "back up" sled. We have lots of bottomless days here in Steamboat Springs and the Max does well as long as i'm on the throttle. You have to be with a 141 and the stiffness of the Yoko. The fact is and no one can deny this, it is a heavy sled and yes, rider expeirence plays a big part in whether your digging yourself out or floating around on top. I'll be taking a lot of advice from here and applying it in the coming week.
 
cappel said:
The fact is and no one can deny this, it is a heavy sled and yes, rider expeirence plays a big part in whether your digging yourself out or floating around on top. I'll be taking a lot of advice from here and applying it in the coming week.
Click to expand...


MM 700 = 515 lbs dry
07 M8 = 485 lbs dry

Dif = 30 lbs

I pack more weight in beer in my pack than that. Me, at 250, is the heaviest thing about my MM. If I want to lighten the sled, I jump/fall off, then its the lightest sled on the mountain.

;)!
 
Ok, so I finally got the sled in the shop and thawed out today and made some adjustments. We'll see how she runs in the deep, if we ever get more snow. Anyway, here's what I did...

*Set front shock in skid to the #1 (softest)position. Was in the #3 position
*Set the FRA to the A position(softest), highest. Was in the middle position
*Tightened the limiter straps. Now have 1" of thread showing. Was all the
way loose.

I didn't move the back shock on the skid at all. It's in the #4 position.
Already have the skid in the lowers holes in the back drop bracket and front of tunnel.

Thanks for everyones help especially snomoguy. Soon as we get some snow i'll be able to test her out.
 
If you ever have the chance ($, time, etc) the best change you can make is to get rid of that skid and track. I was literally running circles around my buddy's 144 viper mountain this weekend with my 151 holz/edge skid mm. He also has a 151 viper with the stock skid + mpi transfer kit which is better but still likes to dig in comparison to mine.
 
For my particular installation I have quite a bit of all of the above. I have a Ekholm tunnel with D+R that a have extended and turned into a kick-up tunnel as well as modded so I can run reverse. I have a Holz skid with floats and 9 t extros.

If you are patient and don't mind waiting for a deal, usually you can get a decent used track for $200-$300, tunnel extension for about $100, extros (have to be 8t without a d+r) for about $100, and a stock edge 144 skid for around $350 ish (maybe better). Try and find a SKS or verticle escape skid because they came with the better shocks. I have heard others say good things about Cat skids but have no personal experience. I landed my Holz with floats for a song (but a bit more than a stocker) and am putting the edge skid I had under a buddy's Viper.

I used the 144 skid with a small set-back and an offset axle with big wheels. The hardest thing about it is getting the hole measurements correct in the yamaha tunnel. It goes a lot easier if you have another sled to copy from. I used a buddy's RMK to get things started.
 
great looking sled nben! I'm up in the air now about what to do. If I just change the track to a 44 why not go with a 151 kit. Gotta take all that stuff out anyway right? I guess I didn't think of this first off but hopefully you all have read my signature afte my posts so you know what i'm working with here. Thanks for all the advice. It is very helpful.
 
Fabcraft 15 degree bars with a Wildchild +2" post and 5" pivot riser. I am 6'5" and don't like to bend over all day......
 
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