16 front suspension on a 12 M8

[catskinner13]

I put the new front end on my 2012 and found out that the shocks were different on the 12 compared to the 13 and up sleds. Anyone else put the 16 front on their 12 and if so are you running different shocks? I had the spacer put in the shocks and I don't see any problem with the travel other than it may not go as far up as before.


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[RFish]

You put stock length 12s on a 16 kit? The 12 was 40" wide. 13,14,15 was 38" now the 16 is 36" pretty sure you need around a 16.5" eye to eye shock. That's what I just got my raptors shortened to this week for my alt impact 36" front end. Even with 1/2" to long of shocks they extended to far on full drop and binded tie rods. Jack your front end right up and see if your steering and everything clears with no weight on it.

 

[0neoldfart]

I put the new front end on my 2012 and found out that the shocks were different on the 12 compared to the 13 and up sleds. Anyone else put the 16 front on their 12 and if so are you running different shocks? I had the spacer put in the shocks and I don't see any problem with the travel other than it may not go as far up as before.


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The '12 shocks will not work properly. You could go to a 38" kit (2013-2015) with the spacer, but the '16 front end requires 2013-2015 shocks with a spacer installed, or different shocks. The eye to eye length you need is 16 3/8"

 

[catskinner13]

It doesn't rub the tie rods when it is fully extended. I put a couple of washers under the tie rod bolt to lift it off the spindle a bit and it clears fine now. If you look at the parts breakdown for the 12 shocks compared to the 13 shock the upper shock tube is the same part # just the lower is different. I'm sure the only issue I'm going to have is that I will be missing about a 1/2" of travel. If that's all I can live with that. Thanks for the input! I will check that eye to eye length and see what I have.


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[catskinner13]

Just measured them and they are 16 3/8 eye to eye with the spacers installed.


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[catskinner13]

Sorry I didn't have the air chamber pumped up when I measured it's actually more like 16 7/8


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[RFish]

You'll also have more ski pressure and take weight off the front of track for more planted feel. It can work it just dosent work to its full potential.

 

[0neoldfart]

You'll also have more ski pressure and take weight off the front of track for more planted feel. It can work it just dosent work to its full potential.

X2 - and the longer shock can "top out" as well if you bottom out hard. Physically, it wasn't designed that way - will it work? Sure. Will it work as well as the correct setup? No. I'd be willing to bet that the shock out of the sled measures 17.5" C to C. Your valving will not work as well, and at full extension your steering may bind - check tie rod clearances at full extension at full lock, as if you were sidehilling the sled.