1600 miles on Pilot Skis REPORT!!..part #s added

Well after 1600 miles on my Pilot skis and at the request of SWISS SLEDDER i figured i would write a report on the 5.7 pilot skis!

I replaced the stock skis that had 8 inch carbides with the pilots in hopes that it would eliminate the darting and give the sled easier steering (it had steered like a dump druck)

I rode the first 360 miles in wyoming and another 240 miles around my house with the stock 4 inch carbides! The conditoins were hardpack in wyoming and the sled was perfect for those conditons... easier steering with a slight amount of push that was not uncontrollable... My buddies complained of darting on there sleds but i felt my sled darted very little and mainly at lower speeds under 30mph..(did not dart at all at higher speeds) These skis are definitly not the best ski for off trailing because you dont have a deep kneel and the sled doesnt want to turn. In this case you would want the pilot 6.9 skis!

After that trip i switched to 6 inch carbides in the middle to help the slight push i had in sharp corners!

Rode the remaining 1080 miles in the U.P. the conditions were always changing due to the fact that it was always snowing off and on! Some trails were torn up pretty bad in corners and others were hardpack!

In the hardpack these skis rail around the corners with the 6 inch carbides! In the soft floffy snow you actually can oversteer and the sled turns better than trying to allow the carbides to grab... (i think this could be due to the outside carbides bitting better when oversteering)

IMO... These skis and carbides are a great investment if you want easy steering and great cornering, they also seem to give you way less ski pop up and more control!

My buddy has a 02' polaris xc600 and wants a set for his sled! He would push threw corners badly while i was easily cruizing threw them with little effort or leaning!

FYI... I have 162 studs in my sled, Limiter strap is at OEM setting and weight transfer rod is set at MAX..

ENJOY...


Brian

I agree 100%...love mine and also like shaper 6 inch carbide in center with 4"stock carbide on outer..

great detailed report as usual!

thank you
Dan

They do resist darting for the most part. Not sure if it is the dual carbide that does it, the second one is higher and actually does not touch sometimes.

I think a lot of the anti dart comes from the 506151233 stopper.
It gives a big preload to the back of the ski (preshimmed effect) and the stopper is much more firm than the yammie one so the preshimmed effect is stronger. I have extra stoppers on order to use on my stock skis and my simmons skis. I will work them on a belt sander for proper fit.

They can push in a corner, but if you turn the bars more the outside carbide on the inside ski really bites and does get you turned. I think of it as the "Ace in the Hole carbide ski" LOL

Welter, thanks for the report. I have been debating new skiis (non pilots) versus stock skiis shims, ski savers and triple points, versus pilots 5.7s. Pilots seem to be the way to go for me.

Can someone please post here exactly what I need to order from the Ski-Doo dealer. I know that there are different part numbers for the 07 Pilots (more plastic in wear areas) compared to the 06. How about ski loops, will nmy Yamaha ones work? Bolts, bushing, rubber bumpers to get a shimmed effect, etc. Part numbers would be great.

Thanks Guys!

Would like the same info as T-Bone. Thanks for the report.

The fifth post in this thread contains the information you need on ordering and installing Pilot skis.

I have these on 2 Rx1's. Mine are set up with 4" center and 6" side. We love them, about 650 mi on each sled with them and no darting. They work great in hard pack but push in powder or loose snow over hard pack. I have a 15 yr old daughter on one of the sleds and the pilots made it much easier to steer. I was thinking of switching the 4" & 6" around to reduce the push in the loose snow conditions.

Part #s 07 PILOT ski $83.47 ea for the 5.7
part numbers for all ski colors click here

HANDLES $16.47 ea..the Full Moon is a great looking silver color
part numbers for all handle colors click here

6.9 ski colors and part numbers
http://www.ski-doo.com/en-US/Accessorie ... ionControl

Pilot Carbides, extreme, I think these are 6" inchers
860511200 1/2", 60° Pilot $129.97
4 inchers
860511300 1/2", 90° Pilot $109.97

You do not need the mount kit, The Yamaha bolt works fine.

you do need the stopper # 506151233 need one for each ski like $12.50 ea
mrance111 says trim them, I think they are better untrimmed myself


you can use 8 of the cool rivits to mount the handles but they are a bit difficult to press in (I used them) or you can get SS bolts from your hardware store...sorry no part number

Thanks Tork!!

Interesting report. I have been hoping to get an in-depth report on the Pilot's. After struggling with tracking/ darting with a set of C&A Razors, I kinda hoped this report would be the answer... Maybe not? I tried shims, toe in and out from stock settings and several suspension adjustments, but they steer to hard and still dart. I have gone back to the stock ski's with 6" studboy duece bars and handle exactly the same as your report on the Pilots. I don't get any darting with this set-up, but if not on real good hard packed conditions, I also develop a push.

Tork, how do the Simmons compare to the Pilots' as I noticed you have both? Can you give your opinion between the two? I ran simmons on my ZR900 and they worked great in all conditions.

Simmons have that slider in the loop (the front of the simmons easily flex a lot). So for example cutting across a lake with frozen in ruts, they really cushion (shock absorb) this type of jolt that comes through the bars with other skis. On powder floatation is superb while the pilots are just a little better than stock. The simmons actually push less, but I havent gone bigger than a 4" in the center on the pilotsyet

Simmons can be scary in one condition, ice on top of powder snow (crusty snow that you can break thru) What they can do then is jerk your handlebars back and forth. Simmons do turn harder and they could make your arms tired with a long day on twisty trails (but they are noticably easier to turn that C & A). Pilots turn easy. Simmons can still dart, but less so than about any other ski, shimming can still apply here. I plan on trying the Pilot stopper (reworked on a belt sander if need be) the stock Yammi stopper is too soft.

Looks, the pilots look good in a busy sort of way, very sculped a lot going on with the top of the ski. Simmons are flat on top and streamlined.

Hope that helps

I already have new Triple Point carbides on the stock skiis. Will they still fit if I swap out the skiis for the Pilot 5.7s?

How come no one mentions the woodys doolies? I have absolutely no darting. A little push in corners, but that is it. Stock skis. Am I missing a better ride?

I haven't used the doolies on my RX1's, but I had a set and gave them to my father to use on his Vmax700. That has the same keel as the Rx1 ski but still has the aluminum saddle and of course the front of the sled is not as heavy.

He loves them, says they completely eliminate darting and steer well for him.

For the Rx1, the effectively wider ski stance you get with Simmons or pilots is another factor for improved handling not available with stock skis. Also, the Pilots for sure steer way easier and that is important for the girls in my family,

Attak-Firecat said:

I already have new Triple Point carbides on the stock skiis. Will they still fit if I swap out the skiis for the Pilot 5.7s?

Click to expand...

No the wearbar (carbide) is quite different.

CENA said:

How come no one mentions the woodys doolies? I have absolutely no darting. A little push in corners, but that is it. Stock skis. Am I missing a better ride?

Click to expand...

Not a better ride if I follow, everybody had different likes. As far as "ride" goes the simmons can greatly cushion certain bumps and ruts

Doolies have been much discussed and they are another avenue to cure darting. Not mentioned here perhaps as it is staying on topic with it being a report on the Pilot skis. If you do a search you would see many threads where Doolies are a hot topic