new sled weights are a joke..

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Something I've found is that weight loss can compromise long term durability so if you start looking at suspension and steering components ask yourself and the place your buying from if they have any thoughts.
My light weight spindles looked great but didn't stand up so now I'm back stockers (which I had to buy) so it was a bad investment.
Cheers

 

[Billy Boy]

Losing Weight

Thanks for he great responses!! Looks like the biggest bang for your buck is the light weight hood and seat. Wll have to keep an eye on the classifieds for some deals, back to the lightweight hood I noticed any pictures I have seen of the light weight hoods there were no headlight holes cut out? Do I cut the headlight cavities out or are the light weight hoods designed to hold headlights??? (This may be the first of my dumb questions since I am new to this weight reduction thing.) As to suspension parts I have not given any serious thought of what to do??? Was looking into light weight tariling arms but like Sledbunny says how much durability are you comprimising??? I will take a picture of the sled this afternoon and try and post it on a response this afternoon.

Thanks

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Hoods come with no holes or lights:
You add your own screens.
Lights can be added to your helmet "Lead Dog" or mount them on handlebars or in my case I put one on my hood (small driving light).
You also have to add rubber tie downs (like at the back of your hood) becuase you don't usually use hinges.
I don't want to say that lightweight suspension and front end parts don't work, just look at your driving style. I still have all my other light weight components (lots of them).

Thanks for he great responses!! Looks like the biggest bang for your buck is the light weight hood and seat. Wll have to keep an eye on the classifieds for some deals, back to the lightweight hood I noticed any pictures I have seen of the light weight hoods there were no headlight holes cut out? Do I cut the headlight cavities out or are the light weight hoods designed to hold headlights??? (This may be the first of my dumb questions since I am new to this weight reduction thing.) As to suspension parts I have not given any serious thought of what to do??? Was looking into light weight tariling arms but like Sledbunny says how much durability are you comprimising??? I will take a picture of the sled this afternoon and try and post it on a response this afternoon.

Thanks

 

[OVERKILL 19]

I had a 01 800 X and was really close to pulling the trigger and buying a set of light weight trailing arms when a freind pointed out to me " have you ever seen a set that is a year old that isnt bent". So I started looking for them in the parking lots etc. 7 out of 10 were bent or replaced completly. I bent a stock one driving through a ditch at 35 kms. If they were cheap I'd have a set to but at $300-$600 bucks. Money better spent else where

 

[Summitric]

Lightweight Suspension Parts And Lites

Yup, lightweight suspension parts are good too, but biggest bang for the buck and about 50 lbs savings are in the hood and seat. Have you thought about drilling holes in your track too(helps with snow evacuation and also helps keep the sliders lubed a little better and can save several more pounds for free(unless you have to buy a hole saw.......... Drill 2 or 3(1 to 1.5") holes between the driver holes in the track and i bet that would amount to around 10 lbs?? as for lights, like sledbunny sez, you can be very creative if you want.......... For some good idea on lites check out "powderpuffs" pictures on this site under "revy conditions - especially trout lake" -- she has posted a link for about 70 pages of modded sleds that she has seen go through the gates at the hills..................................cool!!!

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Light weight trailing arms:
Yep, mine are bent and always will be. Never broken one yet, but just sever "banging" in the mountains can tweek them. It's life.

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

lightweight parts

Here is a poor photo of my 800.
Lightweight fibreglass hood with many rivets from my 50+ roll a few years ago in Sicamous with headlight on the hood -> some shots of the roll ->
Aftermarket lighter skiis
Lightweight Trailing arms + all the steering components. It is noticably lighter than the same sled that is stock.

 

[GRD]

nice roll... ouch!

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

The guys that the top taking photos were giggling like a bunch of schoolgirls when it happened. Me, I was just glad it started and I was able to drive it out another way.

nice roll... ouch!

 

[Billy Boy]

Sled Weight Watchers

Man I am getting lots of good ideas!! I will be punching some holes in the track this summer (a cheap weight reduction) a question how big a hole can I get away with and will it reduce the integrity of the track? Also I heard that you can remove every other set of metal track clips? I am going to attempt to post a couple of pictures of the sled in question. Again thaks for the info:thu







mbsup2:

 

[Linkz]

I wasn't knocking down the turboed rx1's or apexes. They are great sleds only when you spend $25000 to $40000, thats the only way they work good. I don't have $40000 to spend on them other wise. But you're right they are 2 piece bulkhead and tunnel. They are awsome sleds point and shoot sleds. I have been in the hills many times and only seen 1 stock apex on the hill otherwise they are heavy with no more hp than my 800 which I only paid 13400 for

Whatever happened to the challenge and thrill of hill climbing, with the four strokes it takes a lot of that away. So in short, the more money you spend on a sled, the less challenge (fun, is my definition) you will have. I sure enjoy manipulating my sled to the top (much more rewarding) than point and shoot. Wouldn't anyone agree??? This is not directed to you doo800, just your response prompted my thoughts.

 

[renegade x]

Lightweighting

Does your 600 have xtrovert drivers installed? If you put them in,with drilling the track holes,you can run the track real loose ad the 3to4 lbs of rotating mass you will lose from drilling out your track it's like adding 5 ponies.Just my 2 cents.

 

[turborx123]

well Linkz if you think that the four strokes are just point and shoot sleads your wrong ask any one who has rode one or owns one they will tell you diffrent they are a hand full it a awasome challange plioting one threw the trees. second of all you can't tell me that climbing a shoot that has only a one way ticket is not sick come on just spend a few bucks and you will see

 

[snotterite]

Remember everyone there is more than one way to beat the beast.Was gonna say skin the cat but thats just asking for it. Power to weight ratios influence many handling issues if not all of them. You can diet your sled all you want but in my opinion a more noticeble difference is achieved in a 25 H.P gain than a 25 lbs. loss. When both can be accomplished all the better, but many times durability is sacificed. I run a 07 M1000 and mid season I picked up a 07 Apex. People told me the M1000 was a pig and it was but only for a little while ,did the can thing , hood thing,seat thing it all made a difference but nothing like the H.P. mods. In my opinion controlled and understood H.P. cures 85% of what ails a sled. The M 1000 is light like a 600 ,down hill decents are pig like ............... no throttle no control on the extreme steeps. Many people do mods to their sleds and all they really need is their clutching dialed in .This is why you hear so many stories about a 1000 or 800 getting out scratched by a 700 or 600. Most sleds cannot be riden to their optimum without tweaking fuel mixtures also. Now to the part you really want to here .It seems there are more Yammie haters than Cat haters. The Apex is heavy in light to moderate snow. Thats it .....the rest is GOOD. Once you adjust to the 4 stroke it lightens up considerably, you must not braaaaaap around with this motor stay on it and hold. Most people who dont like it have not given it a decent try. Now take the 4 stroke riding science and puff in 12+ lbs of boost nobody can tell me I made a mistake. Yammie heavy.......I dont think so sometimes I think about adding wieght to keep her down.Just my two cents but my point is make sure you are using all your reliable H.P. that the factory sent you, your sled just might feel light on its own. P.S. To all of you that think a turbo Apex takes the fun out of shoot ripping, I can tell you in 30 years of sledding this is the scariest, funnest and sickest. BOOOOYAAAAAAH

 

[turborx123]

snotrocket you know it buddy the sickest of the sick only one of my buddies will only ride my machine and the outher guys i go with took it one and said that they would never ride it agian no matter what ,it takes some big balls and a good rider to pilot turboed 4 stroke

 

[NosRX1]

Snotrocket a guy I ride with has a turboed rx1 and that thing rips, I love hoping on that sled when your doing 60-80mph going up a mountain yeah its alot of fun!! My sled has some mods to it, but like you say HP is every thing!! my sled handles alot better when hit with 40 extra hp!! I find a times when sidehilling the other track on the hill don't kick the sled around as much because of it being heavier. I like it, although I do have a 800 dragon on the way for next year!!!!