Artic Cat Skid Settings

doo_man

doo_man

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Finishing up things tonight, heading to Revy Friday, would like to get skid set-up decent. What's been working with the Cat skids so far? I was going to set limiters to middle position(to stop track/rail interference mostly), front shock soft and rear to stiffest settings. What are you guys finding works best?
 
I found that my Mountain Cat skid worked best in the powder with limiter straps all the way out, center shock in the middle for preload and the rear spring preload at it softest. I bought a pair of shorter spring blocks so I could get even less preload with out changing rear springs. I think a softer rear spring would work better so I would have more adjustability with the preload adjuster. Since the front is heavier than a 2 stroke, you need a softer spring to get the weight transfer. Never even needed the highest preload in spring time. Ran the rear on medium in the spring. Unfortunatly, my local cat dealer's mechanic is not the most friendly person (hates yamaha), so i have not been able to find out what the stock spring rates are. My guess would be that the M-7 has a stiffer rear spring than the MC but would like to find out so i can replace with King Kat TI someday.
 
I am running the 162 M7 skid with a 162 Maverick. The first day out limiters about the middle and everything full soft. The sled handled very easily with this setup. Second day out I went full stiff on the rear soft on the front. I think it all out climbed better the second day but was a little more work for boondocking. I'll be trying middle on the rear next time and see how I like that. I may tighten the front shocks just a hair for our next ride. I don't want to change too many things at once.
 
I have been running middle spring at medium and rear at soft to maximize transfer. Seems to work well. Now I am pulling the limiters in to the middle postion so I backed off the center spring a bit. Also, just so you guys know, I was getting vibration from the skid. I thought it was the rail tips as that was the only wear I could see. However, after reading a post on snowest, I checked under my center shock on the cross shaft and the track drivers (the rubber nubs on the track) are rubbing the bottome of that shaft. I don't know if it is because I removed my bogies or not (doesn't seem like that made a difference) but I have decided to move the cross shaft to the upper hole where the wheels were located. I understand this changes the shock geometry a bit, but I don't think it will affect the ride. I will try it this weekend and get back to you.

T
 
I noticed when mounting my skid the bottom of the shock mount rubbed the track too(let me know about the repositioning, might work good). It's snowing today not enough to run around yet. I'm leaning towards middle on the limiters, soft front and medium on the rear springs and give it a go. No time to tune, this trip is quick two day trip with 11 hours of driving each way!
 
Trxster said:
I have been running middle spring at medium and rear at soft to maximize transfer. Seems to work well. Now I am pulling the limiters in to the middle postion so I backed off the center spring a bit. Also, just so you guys know, I was getting vibration from the skid. I thought it was the rail tips as that was the only wear I could see. However, after reading a post on snowest, I checked under my center shock on the cross shaft and the track drivers (the rubber nubs on the track) are rubbing the bottome of that shaft. I don't know if it is because I removed my bogies or not (doesn't seem like that made a difference) but I have decided to move the cross shaft to the upper hole where the wheels were located. I understand this changes the shock geometry a bit, but I don't think it will affect the ride. I will try it this weekend and get back to you.

T
Click to expand...

I think I am having the same issue. When did you feel the vibration? I noticed it when I gave it a quick burst of WOT while going over some bumps. Kinda felt like track ratcheting, but softer. Anyway, I will check that cross shaft.
 
Well, I was only noticing it when I went down in to dips and transitioned to the up hill side. I think this was due to loading the weight on to the rail tips. However, this last weekend we road a fair amount of trail and I really noticed it below speeds of 25mph. Once I went fast enough it went away but when it was there it was like a constant cycling humm. I am sure this is going to clear it up. The good news.......so far I have not ratched once and even without wheels my hifax look good and are even. I am not even noticing wear at the front bend (9 rides so far).

Also, once I got the skid back together the suspension seemed a bit better feeling.....didn't have any sag but felt responsive sitting in my garage. We will find out Sunday. Looks funny now...the blue paint all wore off my rear wheels which are now green again. Wondering if I should leave it or get blue ones?

Rt
 
Well, took the sled out this weekend. Felt ok Saturday but mostly road ride. Then took it up real stuff on Sunday and had some problems. I decreased the load on the front spring since I pulled in the limiters and moved the shock up...well, the suspension was bottoming a bit on me and I heard some rubbing which I think was from the track sagging too much up top. I also heard the rail tips rub a few times so pulling the limiter didn't get rid of it. Any way, I think I need to tighten that center shock a hole bunch and try again. The only concern I have is that since I moved that shock up a bit that if I tighten the spring it could completely compact the spring prior to hitting the bumpers. We'll see.


Todd
 
Just got back from trying mine, rode with limiters in the middle and medium setting on rear springs and no load on shock. Too much ski pressure, seemed to ride very well but I noticed the vibration somewhat, wondering if I need less track tension? Other than that, worked awesome - going to move up one hole on rear mount to increase transfer and see how it climbs!
 
In playing with it this week I noticed that having the rear mounted in the highest hole let the track rub under the tunnel when I bottomed the suspension. I had the back on soft so I bumped that to medium and also increased the preload to medium on the front shock. Hope for snow so I can try it out.

Rt
 
Anybody try the sledjunky brackets? My friend has them on his 1m and he can take a trail at 50mph sitting while I have to stand and can't go over 30mph without getting bucked off (it was a bad trail).

Rt
 
The pic shows how I am running it now, I am going to move it up one. What is causing the track to rub, is it on rebound when tension is lost? They tighten as they compress, so what is the perfect mounting position so there is no interference. In the position it's in the trail was real good, actually comfortable and at Keystone its ROUGH!
 

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Trxster
You may want to send the shocks out for re-valving. I sent my KK ACT shocks off to Bruce at Pioneer Performance (same guy that does KYB re-valves for Yamaha's). He softened up the compression some, and rebound quite a bit, so far it's making a big difference.
Since it's a custom set-up, (cat skid on a Yamaha) and he has no "set-ups" for that, Bruce said to try'm out. If I felt that they needed some more valving changes, I could send them back to him for another valving change for free. Any valving changes after the second time, he'd have to charge for it, which seems more than fair to me.
 

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How far down from the top of the tunnel do you have your rear arm mounted? I am about to install a cat skid in mine, just wondering how far down you guys went with the brackets?
 
the vibration sound you are hearing is the tips of your rauls rubbing on the track clips. the big set back allows ample room for the tips of your rauils to be pushed down onto the track. if you are running a cat rear skid keep an eye on the plastic tips of the rail. do not let them get worn or broken! track damage is almost certain, especially if you run a loose track.

i speared my 162 attack 20 last year 30 miles from the truck. luckily i made it back and then i had to replace the totaled track.

mine speared when i was just at the bottom of a hill going throught the little dip right before the transition started.

back fully compressed and front all the way down against the limiters.

my 2 cents.
 
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