[gtowntpr]

I posted on a different thread a few days ago, but no one seems to be posting there now.

I'm new on this site, but I have come to accept that my 10 year old sled (1997 EXT 600) will still be my new sled for a few more years. I need to make the suspension as good as the motor. I bought it a year old, and thanks to children spread out over several years, it just turned 2,000 miles this winter so it has plenty of life left.

Is the Sno-Tek 44" kit up to par with the AGLT? The 1997 EXT is called AWS 4.5 on some sites because the upper A-Arm mount is two tabs. The ZRT is an actual "A" frame with a full tube for the upper bolt mounting to the bulkhead, while the EXT Triple is more like an upside down "V".

The BLT kit through FAST is pretty expensive, and the posts indicate that it is inferior to this modification. Either way, this upgrade is enough work and expense that I want it right the first time, not wishing I had jumped in the pool right away instead of only wading up to the knees.

I have a friend with a 1996 ZRT 600 and he is also eager to see how my mod goes so he can do the same surgery to his front end. He already has a newer coupled TSL skidframe and the front end can't keep up with the rear anymore.

I'd also be interested in opinions on a newer TSL skid compared to an M-10. Either one is probably going to be used to keep the price reasonable, but I am more interested in a smooth ride than snocross like performance. I also have two teenage daughters who also ride it, and at 125 pounds, they don't need the performance of an all out race suspension.

Thanks!

 

[A G]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gtowntpr @ Feb 1 2007, 07:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I posted on a different thread a few days ago, but no one seems to be posting there now.

I'm new on this site, but I have come to accept that my 10 year old sled (1997 EXT 600) will still be my new sled for a few more years. I need to make the suspension as good as the motor. I bought it a year old, and thanks to children spread out over several years, it just turned 2,000 miles this winter so it has plenty of life left.

Is the Sno-Tek 44" kit up to par with the AGLT? The 1997 EXT is called AWS 4.5 on some sites because the upper A-Arm mount is two tabs. The ZRT is an actual "A" frame with a full tube for the upper bolt mounting to the bulkhead, while the EXT Triple is more like an upside down "V".

The BLT kit through FAST is pretty expensive, and the posts indicate that it is inferior to this modification. Either way, this upgrade is enough work and expense that I want it right the first time, not wishing I had jumped in the pool right away instead of only wading up to the knees.

I have a friend with a 1996 ZRT 600 and he is also eager to see how my mod goes so he can do the same surgery to his front end. He already has a newer coupled TSL skidframe and the front end can't keep up with the rear anymore.

I'd also be interested in opinions on a newer TSL skid compared to an M-10. Either one is probably going to be used to keep the price reasonable, but I am more interested in a smooth ride than snocross like performance. I also have two teenage daughters who also ride it, and at 125 pounds, they don't need the performance of an all out race suspension.

Thanks![/b]

If you consider $$$ per inch ratio, this mod is way ahead of the aftermarket kits. It's wider and has more travel than any of the aftermarket stuff for far less money.

Here's another hidden bonus... If you have a mis-hap and bend an arm, you can get used arms just about anywhere because for the most part it's all Cat OEM stuff. If you go on a snowmobiling vacation and bend an arm, you can save the vacation because chances are good there's a Cat dealer with parts on the shelf. Will the aftermarket kit parts be that easy / quick to get? I have my doubts.

I whacked a rock on the left side, sharp edge of the rock caught the ski & stopped the sled in its tracks. It was hidden under some fluffy snow just inches next to the trail, I didn't even see it. I was on vacation at the time, I got on the phone and on the 3rd day I had it swapped and the vacation wasn't aborted. I'm not sure it would be that quick trying to get aftermarket parts in an 'emergency'

If you bend an arm or need to replace worn parts, you may run into a situation where the aftermarket company no longer makes the parts you need and doesn't have any in stock... Or even worse, out of business!

Member pnmmr found out he couldn't even get the BLT kit for the AWS4 chassis anymore, but he could get the kit for the AWS5 chassis. Problem for him was that his sled was an AWS4.

I bought the front end off a crashed sled with just over 1100 miles on it. The front end was perfect, it cost me $150 Canadian dollars to do the mod.

ArcticChat member Crofty called me last week and told me he bought brand new arms from a Cat dealer at roughly $70 each. So even if you buy brand new OEM parts, it's going to be a bargain compared to the kit options. Yes, there's some more stuff... Tie-rods, outer heim joints, cut the spindle, possibly have to get the longer springs in the parts list, buying the longer sway bar stock or having it made. etc. None of these things cost an arm and a leg so the price stays low.

13" travel & 46" stance... It is the most stable sled you can put your kids on. I've ridden some of the latest and greatest new sleds in the recent years, and the mod has caused me to abandone 'downgrading' to a new sled. Yes, IMO this is better than the AWS5, 6, and maybe even the AWS7. But to be fair I will admit I haven't ridden the latest from Cat yet. But I will very soon... We'll see how it compares.

 

[gtowntpr]

OK, you've convinced me on the first part - which option to use. Is this a weekend project, or one to save for the offseason? My littlest one is still only 4, so the mileage is probably low for one more year. Next year I have a new co-pilot!

Obviously I need to collect the parts first, and I see the list on other posts. I bought my sled at 6 months old as a crash rebuild. The first owner can around a corner and glanced off another sled, he opted for a new one rather than waiting for repairs. I tore it down all the way to putting a new bulkhead on, so I'm not scared about getting in too deep. Just want to have an idea of time off the trail.

On a different subject, one of my swaybar connectors cracked this year - same side that was hit 10 years ago. I went to order a new one, $35 for the cast metal. I opted for the $18 plastic one used on the Crossfire. It looks close in size, but if the dimension isn't exact, I'll order a second plastic one.

 

[Greg_H]

I would think that once you had all the parts gathered and the spindles cut, you could do it in a weekend. This mod, as well as adding an ETT skid to my sled now has me not even considering a new sled right now. In fact I would love to find a '94 or '95 ZR 700 to do the same mods to, I think that would be an awsome trail sled then.

 

[crofty]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoman820 @ Feb 1 2007, 06:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Rough estimate, what is the cost to do this mod? Worst case senario.[/b]

AG is right I'd go with all cat parts here's what I spent
-I got the two upper arms for around $90
-the two lower from my dealer $160
-the steering tubes for $10
-the two shocks I got from rerunparts on e-bay (thanks Craig) for $120
-and the swaybar lengthened for $10
I got 10%off my stuff from the sled shed in Parish NY and they gave me $80 for my old shocks
so $390 - the $80 =$310
and all should be done hopefully by either tonight or tomorrow !!

 

[A G]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (crofty @ Feb 2 2007, 08:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoman820 @ Feb 1 2007, 06:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rough estimate, what is the cost to do this mod? Worst case senario.[/b]

AG is right I'd go with all cat parts here's what I spent
-I got the two upper arms for around $90
-the two lower from my dealer $160
-the steering tubes for $10
-the two shocks I got from rerunparts on e-bay (thanks Craig) for $120
-and the swaybar lengthened for $10
I got 10%off my stuff from the sled shed in Parish NY and they gave me $80 for my old shocks
so $390 - the $80 =$310
and all should be done hopefully by either tonight or tomorrow !!
[/b][/quote]

Yeah... It's definitely the way to go, the aftermarket kits are out to lunch in the price and future parts availability departments.

I think it was '99, the first time I saw the BLT kit for the AWS4... It was over $3000 Canadian when shipping, tarrifs & taxes, and then topped off with the exchange rate were factored in.

The dollars to inches of travel & width ratio is way off when compared to doing it with stock Cat parts.

Doing it with Cat parts makes the most sense when all aspects are considered.