03 Viper going long track

[Agpetro]

Finally got to pulling the old viper out today from the lower shop to the heated part of the shop. I had plans of doing this during the summer but never had time. Been wanting to long track my sled since last spring but now Ive finally got time do work on it. Its time to get this build on the road!!


Whats in store.

- Track USA tunnel and rail extensions for 144
- 1.25in x 144in ripsaw track
- Custom boss seat
- Nytro LED tail light conversion (super1c style)

 

[Agpetro]

I did get the tunnel ready for the tunnel extension. Parts should be here Tuesday from Track USA.

 

[Backwoods M Max]

I might be missing something here, but what is driving this overwhelming trend of people to build mountain length trail sleds? My Mountain Max sucked on the trails when it was a 141, it would push hard in the corner and is not particularly fast because of the gearing. I'm fully expecting it to suck even more as a 151 now. Don't you guys find that you take a once nimble trail sled and make it push like crazy in the corners because of the picked long track? I could see taking a 121 and making a 136, but not a 144. A guy I ride with has a 146 XP summit, and that thing is super long like that.

 

[Agpetro]

Wow nice way to start of this thread. I'm just starting on this build and wanted to share it with the members on this site and the first comment I get is negativity??? Haven't you heard, "if you dont have anything nice to say, keep it to yourself"??

 

[Backwoods M Max]

I'm not being negative, I'm wondering why all you trail guys are building long sleds with short lug tracks and picks? Every mountain guy in the world will tell you how much his sled sucks on the trails for any various number of reasons, mostly handling but there are others.

 

[super1c]

We are not building mountain sleds. With the track USA extensions the extension is ts tipped up. So on the hard pack trail it still handles like a 121". Same design that Yamaha uses on its trail crosover xtx sleds. Like the add says, handles like a 121 on the trail, bridges like a 136 and off trail like a 144. I ran this same set up on 2 vipers last year and loved it. Did not notice a difference on trail except it hooked up better (bonus) and I did not notice any change in speed. Only difference I found is suspension was a hair stiff but I dialed that out after a few rides. I just followed BTV's set up and softened up a bit from there. I personally think he is going to love the set up, I know I do. I am not running studs, I stuck with the Cobra. Great on and off trail. We are building more of a crossover sled to bang around in fields not mountain sleds. Just my opinion. Keep up the pics of the build!

 

[Agpetro]

I'm not being negative, I'm wondering why all you trail guys are building long sleds with short lug tracks and picks? Every mountain guy in the world will tell you how much his sled sucks on the trails for any various number of reasons, mostly handling but there are others.

Just because I have a trail sled doesn't mean that's all ride is trails. I like to go out and play in the deep snow too. I did a bit of research before I even looked at doing a 144. I was going to do a 136 but got a heck of a deal on the 144. Like chris said with the tip up extension its going to drive like it did as a short track and act like a 144 in the deep snow.

 

[Agpetro]

We are not building mountain sleds. With the track USA extensions the extension is ts tipped up. So on the hard pack trail it still handles like a 121". Same design that Yamaha uses on its trail crosover xtx sleds. Like the add says, handles like a 121 on the trail, bridges like a 136 and off trail like a 144. I ran this same set up on 2 vipers last year and loved it. Did not notice a difference on trail except it hooked up better (bonus) and I did not notice any change in speed. Only difference I found is suspension was a hair stiff but I dialed that out after a few rides. I just followed BTV's set up and softened up a bit from there. I personally think he is going to love the set up, I know I do. I am not running studs, I stuck with the Cobra. Great on and off trail. We are building more of a crossover sled to bang around in fields not mountain sleds. Just my opinion. Keep up the pics of the build!

I'm definitely going to keep the pics up. Really can't do anything til tuesday. Waiting on my extensions to get here. Might pull the pipes today and prep for new paint since they need some tlc.

 

[Agpetro]

Looks like today Im going to be repainting the pipes. Going to try some rust-oleum high heat paint. To the people that have bender pipes on their vipers, taking out the mag side spark plug makes it way easier to remove and put the pipes back on.

 

[Backwoods M Max]

We are not building mountain sleds. With the track USA extensions the extension is ts tipped up. So on the hard pack trail it still handles like a 121". Same design that Yamaha uses on its trail crosover xtx sleds. Like the add says, handles like a 121 on the trail, bridges like a 136 and off trail like a 144. I ran this same set up on 2 vipers last year and loved it. Did not notice a difference on trail except it hooked up better (bonus) and I did not notice any change in speed. Only difference I found is suspension was a hair stiff but I dialed that out after a few rides. I just followed BTV's set up and softened up a bit from there. I personally think he is going to love the set up, I know I do. I am not running studs, I stuck with the Cobra. Great on and off trail. We are building more of a crossover sled to bang around in fields not mountain sleds. Just my opinion. Keep up the pics of the build!

Whoops, sorry to sound negative. I didn't even know/think about tipped up rails. The first thing that came to mind was adding 11" of footprint to the track. How much of a tip up is there? Under hard acceleration is there a rocking effect from where the tip angles up or is it not enough to notice?

It looks like a real fun DIY project, it reminds me of my build this fall. I wish I had the confidence to have done the track part myself, but with drivers and all the work they did in the chain case and clutch side bearing I feel better I didn't get into it this first time.

 

[Agpetro]

yea i wouldn't like to have 12" + of more track. I believe the tip up angle is 20 degrees. I know chris will chime in about them. Actually changing out the track is not to bad. Having reverse like me is a bit more work. But after doing it once its not bad to have to do it again.

 

[Devilin AblueDress!]

Are adding (or do you already have) rear cooler? Based on what I have read (especially triple piped) its a good idea. The 04 Viper S I picked already has Hartman 144" under it and I am going to switch out the cross over tube with a SRX rear cooler.

 

[Agpetro]

Pipes all repainted

All the pipes sanded down, primed and painted. Got that out of the way. Tomorrow comes the tunnel extension!

Devilin AblueDress, I do have a rear srx cooler that i removed before I took some pics. When I got the sled back in 2009 it already had the cooler even though it wasn't triple piped til a year later.

 

[super1c]

yea i wouldn't like to have 12" + of more track. I believe the tip up angle is 20 degrees. I know chris will chime in about them. Actually changing out the track is not to bad. Having reverse like me is a bit more work. But after doing it once its not bad to have to do it again.

I dont remember but i think its more like 6 deg of tip up just by google. Enough to keep them off the hard pack but enough to run the deep stuff. Track usa chaged there web page and couldnt find exact info. The search continues. LOL!!

 

[Agpetro]

You may be right. I will measure the angle tomorrow when it gets here. Idk where I thought 20. Lol must have not been thinking straight.

 

[Agpetro]

Got a package from UPS today. Looks like I have a bit of moding on the tunnel extension. Looks like its going to be fun getting the srx rear cooler to work, but anything can be done to work.

 

[super1c]

I found just using a file and going very slow they will fit and file your rails not the extension. Also put them in a vice to get them together, you want them as tight as possible. Nice early christmass present!!

 

[FJViper]

Really looking forward to this build. Keep up the great work!

 

[Backwoods M Max]

Are you keeping the cooler at the back of the stock tunnel, or are you goin to put it in the extension mm style and get longer hoses and covers?

 

[Agpetro]

Are you keeping the cooler at the back of the stock tunnel, or are you goin to put it in the extension mm style and get longer hoses and covers?

I have a srx cooler for the back so it has to go all the way to the back of the sled, which will be on the tunnel extension. I havet to get longer hoses still but i have mountain viper covers already.