Maggot snowmobile thread

[cliffhucker]

I'm not a sledhead or a machanic but I can offer some simple advice. I bought my sled (2002-2003 ski-doo summit 700) in 2005 for $4000, new. It didn't get sold because the odometer was in Km/hr. It's the year before the REV chassis, but was the last year of a successful series, ie: all the glitches got worked out.
I have just over 2000 miles on the sled, and I have yet to have a single problem with it. Its doesn't have near the power of a 8 or 900, but it can get me where I need to go. It seems like the 700 engine doesn't have as many problems and last longer than the bigger engines, but that might just be me. If a sled looks beat up, it probably was and thats why they are selling it.

[Mannix]

I have an 03 700 - same experience as you.

That said, the electronic odometers' english/metric display is controlled by a black plug attached to the hood - on the left side, I believe. Open hood, there's a black plug. Plugged in = km/h, unplugged = mph.

What dealer was that from? Heh. Surely they've figured that out by now. The dumbasses at the rental shop had not figured it out, though - "it says 5xxx, but that's them kilo-meter-thingies." Uhhh, SURELY that's changeable.....yup. Unplugged, started sled, lookie there, miles.......



Iain

[Mike_Records]

I got my first sled back in April, its a Summit 800 X. Super stoked about it! Its definitely taken me a while to get riding it down, but I feel like I'm getting to the point where sled skiing is more efficient than skinning. I built a little 2 ski carry system using some steel tubing and straps, with a little tweaking it should work great next year. Basically I just need to raise the back of the rack a bit so the skis don't get caught up in snow when the track digs in climbing/turning. Looking forward to next year!

[Loon]

Summer in AK

[Gone Skiing]

whaaa

need video!

[johnnygolucky]

Loon, aren't you worried about mosquitos round that lake/pond?

[cliffhucker]

video please

[Yukonrider]

Any mags selling an 05/06 M7 for a good price? PM me..

[Beakjones]

I only have a 700XC polaris with a 144x2 paddle track conversion on it, probably a bit underwhelming considering what you're looking for.

[forest]

AWESOME!!

Summer in AK

[Dhelihiker]

OK that was rad, I cant believe you rode away from that SICKK!!!!

[Loon]

Must clarify, this is not me. I just thought the community would enjoy. These are a bunch of wingnuts from Fbanx doing their thing. If you make it up there, 9 mile is going off.

[skibum193]

Looking to get a sled this winter, will be my first one, looking for a Ski Doo 800 or Arctic Cat M7 '04 or newer. Looking to spend about 3k so let me know if anyone has a line on something!

[JeffreyJim]

Summit 800 in great shape I'm getting rid of for a bit over $3K---PM me if you are interested. Great sled but the current job wont let me stay in sledding for this winter (super upset about this btw...)

[Mannix]

What year is the Summit, J-Jim?


Iain

[RonMexico]

Need a ski rack for my '08 M8 and I too lazy/not creative enough to rig one up myself. As a result, I'm looking at either the EZ-RAK or CFR rack. Anybody have any experience with either of these?

Also, a general question... I'm going to go with the rack where its just one ski on wither side so the bottom of the ski can be flush against the tunnel. But, how does it work with the racks where a pair of skis goes on each side? How do you prevent the tips/tails from getting beat up and scratching the shit out of your tunnel?

[Mannix]

I have a CFR rack; it is spectacular. Two pairs of skis, tips forward.

The sled is an 03 Summit 700 - relatively short tunnel (as compared to a
16x" anything). When standing on one side, I put the toe of my rear boot
under the ski; the tips (typically a big rockered ski) wind up in a place
where I'd want to put my foot, but I got used to it.

The tips do touch the side of the tunnel a bit; no real damage after a couple
of seasons of use. The skis are fine. Just little scratches. I actually
worry more about hooking a tip when the sled is leaned WAY over, but
that's not happened yet.

I've not tried the other option. That said, I'll buy another CFR in a heartbeat
- the skis go on and off fast, are _attached_, nothing bounces loose, ever.
I tie all sorts of other crap to the rack portion.

The only complaint I have is not really a complaint - I wish my tunnel were
longer so the tips would be farther back on the sled. Again, that's not
the rack's fault.

+a lot for CFR. It just works. The biggest thing (that I did not realize
before I got it) is how much time it saves - the skis get back on the sled
instantly; we used to burn a lot of time attaching skis with some of the
ghetto contraptions we made. More skiing in less time; it is a pretty
big benefit.



Iain

[Shredhead]

I also have the CFR and agree, it's bomber. I only have the ski ratchet on one side, next time I'll go with both.

[hick]

Had the kitty out the other day after installing my running board inserts. Thought I'd throw up a pic of the gunrack that has been working for me. Cheap, easy and most important for me, quick to remove from the sled.

Oh, those are not my touring skis. Resort only for the 112s.

Holy shit, just attached my fist pic and it worked!

[RonMexico]

Mannix and Shredhead, do you have the brackets attached to the D or DD rack? Have you heard any reviews of the system where the bracket just attaches directly to the tunnel so you don't need the rack? Just seems like a less expensive option.

Thinking about going with the setup that puts one ski on each side, as opposed to two skis together on one side. Thoughts on pros vs. cons of this setup?

[Dhelihiker]

Thinking about going with the setup that puts one ski on each side, as opposed to two skis together on one side. Thoughts on pros vs. cons of this setup?

1 pair is high and tight you dont even know they are there. Two pair, not so much. Although it totally depends on where you ride and more importantly if you are riding doubles all the time. I will never put 2 pair on my tunnel, its just to clunky and hammers your sled on woops

[Mannix]

Mannix and Shredhead, do you have the brackets attached to the D or DD rack? Have you heard any reviews of the system where the bracket just attaches directly to the tunnel so you don't need the rack? Just seems like a less expensive option.

Thinking about going with the setup that puts one ski on each side, as opposed to two skis together on one side. Thoughts on pros vs. cons of this setup?

Two on either side makes more sense to me; I've not had any issues putting two pairs on the sled. I have the Double D rack; crappy cellpic below. Sled is an 03 Skidoo Summit, originally a 144" track, now a 156" with a tunnel extension. The rack is bolted to the tunnel extension as far back as it'll go. We typically ski in groups of 4, occasionally 6. Two people on the sled, two pairs of skis per sled. Some days, we'll ride two/tow two to the top, everyone skis down, two jump on the second sled, go get the first sled, repeat. Depends on the day.

I've not used the bracket-to-tunnel option. I'd think it'd be fine, might look into it and do that for my 2nd sled. Putting two on the DD rack does not seem to stress the tunnel at all, probably because the load is distributed through the rack itself - the mounting surface area of the rack is pretty big.

I had 2 pairs of skis on that rack pretty much every weekend all last winter. No ill effects. If the "bracket-to-tunnel" system has a downside, it'd be that the mounting area would be a LOT smaller, but some carefully constructed chunks of aluminum (IE, squares of aluminum hacked to size to spread the load plus fender washers) would probably fix that.

The sled has been rolled with 2 pairs hanging off it, tails occasionally drag on snow when coming off something steep, shrug, it has been fine. There are some surface scratches on the tunnel (you can see the sticker on the tunnel is pretty beat up - that's from skis). The skis DO NOT MOVE independently of the tunnel once on, though - feet bashing into them might push them into the tunnel, but they don't move around.

I don't do much "slednecking" with it - occasionally goof around in powder, but 80+% of the time (and 95+% with skis on it) the sleds are used as transport devices. MOST of the trails we use are fairly smooth, and when they are all whooped out, we go slow - riding whoops fast with two people is tricky.

That said, the rack has gotten a lot of use. One ladder strap broke - you can see it in the picture - it is still long enough to get around the skis, so I've not replaced it. The bass-boat seat sits on the front bar of the DD rack, which is a little bent. People don't really sit ON the seat, it acts as more of a bridge (and CFR certainly did not intend for a bass boat seat to be bolted on there;).

Overall, I've been REALLY happy with the DD. It is bomber, holds skis tight, etc.


Iain

[Mannix]

sold. Bigger, longer and better things to come.

[GoNads]

Self shot edit from winter 2011

[Trackhead]

Not a sled, but picked up this Yamaha Grizzly with Tatou UTV tracks on it. As it is, it puts down 0.41 lbs/sq/inch of ground pressure on the snow. Pretty ridiculously light footprint. Oh, and it came with a fucking gun rack, bitchez!

Took it out tonight, floats really well, total tractor. Slow, but perfect for what I bought it for. Hut access hauling tons of shit. Pretty much can't get stuck, just put it in reverse and crawl out.