Front Spring retainer clip falling off!

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Hey guys,

I have a 2012 Pro-RMK, and on my first ride a few weeks ago, I loosened up my front preload a little, cause I wanted the sled to tip even easier. I've been out a couple times since then, but out for a ride yesterday in Montana, and I lost one (almost both) of my front spring retainer clips. The spring is just resting on the bolt now.
Now, I only loosened the spring off so that the top of the collar was about in the middle of the range for the threads. This is obviously too much. I hit one little bump in the otherwise smooth Montana trails where both my skis came off the ground, that must have been where it fell off. As, just after that, I felt like my ski pressure just wasn't the same.
I feel like the springs are too stiff and short for the shocks, if you loosen it off just a bit too much, those clips are coming off with no effort. They only have to move about 2mm in order to fall off.

I was wondering if anyone here has had this problem.

Thanks

 

[NeilV]

if you lift up the front or flip the sled to one side then you can tell how loose you can go. as long as the spring is compressed a little bit you should be fine.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

if you lift up the front or flip the sled to one side then you can tell how loose you can go. as long as the spring is compressed a little bit you should be fine.

When I adjusted them, I tipped it to both sides to check how tight it was, and they were fine. However, with the Pro, you need to have both skis completely unweighted to get full travel, which I guess is why it popped off when both skis caught some air. I've been reading around, and this seems to be a problem that's happening to others. Some are saying the screw is actually loosening itself off over time. Just something for everyone else to look out for.
Off to the dealer tomorrow to see if there is anything they can do about it. I have some damage to the shocks and inside of the springs, looks mostly cosmetic.

 

[Summiteer]

There are some pretty specific maximum and minimum measurements for the springs in the rear shock in the manual, don't remember seeing measurements for the fronts though.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

There are some pretty specific maximum and minimum measurements for the springs in the rear shock in the manual, don't remember seeing measurements for the fronts though.

No, I don't remember seeing anything about it either. That's why I only went a little below the middle of the range.

 

[NeilV]

im pretty sure it says they need to be compressed 1/4" in the manual.

with the Pro, you need to have both skis completely unweighted to get full travel,

never thought of that, but i took my sway bar out so i should still be getting full travel when the sled is on its side.

 

[snowho]

Same thing happened to me when I flipped the sled to get out of a stuck. Had to buy another for $50.00 from a dealership and he told me at one time they had a c-clip that would hold the retainer in. I set the pre-load with no weight on the sled and just enough pressure on the coil spring to hold the retainer in. This is as soft as it can go unless I want to loose another one. At 148 pounds I am a light rider and prefer the softest setting ,also thinking about removing the sway bar too, so I guess this is now my comfort zone.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Guess I'll be calling Cycle Works today and hope they have some in stock, maybe buy an extra, just in case. I hope the damage on the shock and inside of the spring are just cosmetic, as I rode a couple miles with one clip gone, and one clip half off. The inside of the springs were rubbing on the shock. This is when I started to be worried about the low ski pressure and checked it out.

I guess this is just a warning for anyone else out there playing with your pre-load on the front.

 

[E-Zmoke]

Mine has blown off twice now, funney thing is the dealership replaced it last time "bent" the spring back into position and sent me on my way said it was good to go. It never even lasted 1 mile up the trail. Mine are cranked up pretty good and can't seem to keep my left retaining nut on. I rode for 5 days without it, just cranked the spring all the way down as far as it would go up against the arms, actually worked pretty good, had even pressure on both sides. Did a fair bit of damage to my spring and shock before I tightened it down all the way though.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Mine has blown off twice now, funney thing is the dealership replaced it last time "bent" the spring back into position and sent me on my way said it was good to go. It never even lasted 1 mile up the trail. Mine are cranked up pretty good and can't seem to keep my left retaining nut on. I rode for 5 days without it, just cranked the spring all the way down as far as it would go up against the arms, actually worked pretty good, had even pressure on both sides. Did a fair bit of damage to my spring and shock before I tightened it down all the way though.

So, I did some more looking in to the owner's manual. And it does only say that you need to have the installed length only 1/4" shorter than the free length. Mine was definitely in that range and it still fell off. After talking with a dealer yesterday, they said that you should touch the pre-load adjustment at all on the front springs. I find that hard to believe. I guess once I get my spring back together I will be riding with them cranked down, and just have some heavy ski pressure. Good thing the Pro is a super easy sled to throw around.

 

[snowseeker]

Flip them up the other way. I have a few buddies who did that and it cured the problem.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Flip them up the other way. I have a few buddies who did that and it cured the problem.

Flip just the clip over? That could actually help, as it will give you and extra 1/4" of tension or so on the spring. Hoping that clip gets in tomorrow so I can head to Golden this weekend.

 

[stams]

Flip them up the other way. I have a few buddies who did that and it cured the problem.

I had the same problem with my sons sled, because he weighs around 120 and set them for 160 according to manual, and the clip fell out. I let my dealer know, and he said the spring needs to break in. I think walker evans made the spring to short. The dealer gave me two clips at no charge, which they should. my son rides a 600 pro. Most people on 600s are under 160lbs, and you can't set the springs for that.I think it is a factory screw up.