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Major Arctic Cat Recall!

2K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  alleycat 
#1 ·
I was watching CNN before and I was suprized to see on the news ticker across the bottom that Arctic Cat along with the government is recalling 2003 Arctic Cat snowmobiles because they have defective skies and they could snap and cause the snowmobile to loose control and cause injury to the rider!

Thats all they said, no more specifics, just thought Id post it in case no one knew
 
#2 ·
Originally posted by SnORaCeRZR440@Dec 12 2003, 08:40 PM
I was watching CNN before and I was suprized to see on the news ticker across the bottom that Arctic Cat along with the government is recalling 2003 Arctic Cat snowmobiles because they have defective skies and they could snap and cause the snowmobile to loose control and cause injury to the rider!

Thats all they said, no more specifics, just thought Id post it in case no one knew
Thanks Snoracer, check out the Service Bulletins Forum for more info.
 
#4 ·
If I was Cat, or it was my choice, I would just use the red Powder Pros on the red sleds and give the Cat customers a nice little bonus by giving them a much better performing ski.

The OEM Cat skis are not made by Cat, they're actually PowerMadd skis.

In my opinion, Cat should just switch from the PowerMadd ski altoghether and swap their entire line-up to the Poweder Pros.

They'd be doing one better than the other brands by simply upgrading the ski.
 
#6 ·
Originally posted by firecatsrt@Dec 12 2003, 09:56 PM
only red. I changed my skis already anyways... got some C&A pro's on there now :)
Only red... I know. But I feel they should ditch the old PowerMadd ski because the design is dated and doesn't do their fine sled engineering justice.

In the end people like you and I end up cornered into spending more money on this cash strained sport just to get a ski with performance characteristics the sled would have been better matched with in the first place.

When I put the PowederPros on my sled, it was almost like a totally different sled.

I had to come to grips with not how good the PowderPros were, but how long I put up with the horrible PowerMadd ski.

Cat has pretty much the best handling sleds out there year after year. Why should the cost of not exaclty the best ski be paid for up front, and then more money thrown at it to get a great ski? The best handling sled should've come with it in the first place.

I'll bet their hands are tied by a supply contract with PowerMadd.
 
#7 ·
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
I'll bet their hands are tied by a supply contract with PowerMadd.[/b]
That may be, but the fact that they are replacing red with black implies that even their current supplier can't meet this new demand. Black is easier to make most likely.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
I had to come to grips with not how good the PowderPros were, but how long I put up with the horrible PowerMadd ski.[/b]
Most reports say the PowderPros are the new hot ticket...but, the Cat plastics skis are generally considered a very good ski...at least on the ZR's. Maybe the triple chassis' are a different story. I do know the Cat skis didn't match well with the 03 Firecat.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
But I feel they should ditch the old PowerMadd ski because the design is dated and doesn't do their fine sled engineering justice.[/b]
Probably why you see "Cats" name on Powder Pros in the accessory catalog...maybe next year??

Replacing the red with the black likely comes down to supply and economics. I guess they need to address safety issues first, but if I bought a sled with red skis...I want red replacements.
 
#8 ·
Originally posted by Team Arctic@Dec 12 2003, 10:20 PM
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE
I'll bet their hands are tied by a supply contract with PowerMadd.
That may be, but the fact that they are replacing red with black implies that even their current supplier can't meet this new demand. Black is easier to make most likely.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
I had to come to grips with not how good the PowderPros were, but how long I put up with the horrible PowerMadd ski.[/b]
Most reports say the PowderPros are the new hot ticket...but, the Cat plastics skis are generally considered a very good ski...at least on the ZR's. Maybe the triple chassis' are a different story. I do know the Cat skis didn't match well with the 03 Firecat.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
But I feel they should ditch the old PowerMadd ski because the design is dated and doesn't do their fine sled engineering justice.[/b]
Probably why you see "Cats" name on Powder Pros in the accessory catalog...maybe next year??

Replacing the red with the black likely comes down to supply and economics. I guess they need to address safety issues first, but if I bought a sled with red skis...I want red replacements. [/b][/quote]
Triples & twins use the exact same chassis between the ZRs and ZRT/TCats. The belly pans and hood might be designed for a little extra pipe room or just to look different. Otherwise identical chassis.

There are A-Arm differences between models though, but because the configuration of the arms they're basically the same and the physics of the geometry involved has the same properties, the Powder Pro should provide the same advantage regardless of the extra weight of the third cylinder.

It might even be very similar in the weight/handling difference between a full and empty tank. Same chassis, same arm configuration, you're going to get similar results.

The PowerMadd ski is a dated design, it has not evolved over time along with the Cat front ends. It's time for an update. Ditching the old ski is a great place to start.

If PowderPros work well on the triples which are heavy, and work well on the newer lighter F-Cats, it only stands to reason they'll be good on the ZRs too. ZR weight is somewhere in between the two examples old and new, so it's a safe bet. It's a logical assumption.
 
#9 ·
Magazines have always said that the stock ZR style skis were the best stock plastic skies out there untill the dual runner skis started to appear on MXZs.

The ZR style plastic skis have been out there since 95 when they were introduced on the ZR 440, I think that was the first production sled ever to have plastic skis, correct me if Im wrong.

The ones on my 97 perform great in just about any condition, they seem to shake alot if you look at them going down the trail but hardly any of it is transfered to the rider, which is nice. Deep powder they are not so nice, but then again we dont see too much of that, though we get our share. But for all around trail riding 90% of the time they are excellent for the conditions.
 
#10 ·
Originally posted by SnORaCeRZR440@Dec 12 2003, 10:36 PM
Magazines have always said that the stock ZR style skis were the best stock plastic skies out there untill the dual runner skis started to appear on MXZs. 

The ZR style plastic skis have been out there since 95 when they were introduced on the ZR 440, I think that was the first production sled ever to have plastic skis, correct me if Im wrong.

The ones on my 97 perform great in just about any condition, they seem to shake alot if you look at them going down the trail but hardly any of it is transfered to the rider, which is nice.  Deep powder they are not so nice, but then again we dont see too much of that, though we get our share.  But for all around trail riding 90% of the time they are excellent for the conditions.
Yes, the best stock ski. But not the best ski. I had them on my sled, came with them from the factory.

Clearly not the best ski, red or not. Other designs on Cat chassis have proven themselves on the race track. If the PowerMadd stock Cat ski was the best thing, they'd still be using them in racing too.

BTW... When your skis need replacement, and you go to a new C&A pro or PowderPro, you'll curse those skis and how long you put up with them. You think they're good now, but only because you have not had anything to compare them to on your sled.

You wait... When you need new skis, and you get better ones, you'll say to yourself I was right!
 
#12 ·
Ohh without a doubt Im sure that there are aftermarket skis much better then the stock Cat skis out there, they are a bit pricey though and my skis are still fine so Ill hold on that! chflagwv:

As for the parabolic mtn skis, I havent heard a single good report about them, Im suprised Cat hasnt canned them by now!
 
#14 ·
Originally posted by alleycat@Dec 13 2003, 11:51 PM
what do you gut's think about the c&a
sport advantage ski's?
i have a chance to get a set.
they are 3" shorter then the stock one's.
should i get them???????mark.
They're definatley better carvers on the trails than the stock ones. But if you ever ride anywhere the snow gets deep, you'll appreciate the superior flotation of the Powder Pros. Get them if you have a choice.

Both hook up to the hard-packed trails way better than the stock ones. They're almost equals.

The PowderPro is a little less 'darty' though, if you ever get a chance to look at the keel, you'll see the shape and know why.

Here's SLP's PowderPro page.

The keel is wide up front, narrows in the middle, and is wide at the rear again. The following link shows SLP's 'Straight-Line Tracking' ski. They're known for great dart control on hardpack. The PowderPro has the same keel.

The pic in the upper left corner shows what the PowderPro's keel looks like here.

I believe the C&A keels are the same width from front to rear much like Cat's OEM PowerMadd ski, don't have a pic though. You have to compensate with liberal toe-out just like the Cat ski.
 

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