Helo by Ez-ryde?

[whitedust]

Anybody using the Helo by Ez-ryde on their sleds? What improvements did you gain?

I'm thinking of having the Helo installed on a 2012 Apex XTX with the CK rear suspension which is a kick your tail feathers skid in the stutters. I'm looking
to reduce rebound kick & looking at the best solution for 2012 Apex XTX but also interested to hear how other sleds benefited from the Helo as well.

 

[sweeperguy]

Anybody using the Helo by Ez-ryde on their sleds? What improvements did you gain?

I'm thinking of having the Helo installed on a 2012 Apex XTX with the CK rear suspension which is a kick your tail feathers skid in the stutters. I'm looking
to reduce rebound kick & looking at the best solution for 2012 Apex XTX but also interested to hear how other sleds benefited from the Helo as well.

http://www.johndee.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?48478-EZ-Ryde-coupling-product

 

[old abe]

Eh WD, I think you would make a great test mule???????????? No guts, no glory!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, a Cat friend of mine said Chad at M+M has dealt with these on Yami's.

 

[whitedust]

Eh WD, I think you would make a great test mule???????????? No guts, no glory!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, a Cat friend of mine said Chad at M+M has dealt with these on Yami's.

I don't have enough info yet & feeling exactly like a guinea pig on Apex XTX. I'm afraid Helo may complicate the ski pressure settings for my Aggressive Snow Trackers & that could be a very bad thing. Typical for me I get front end handling razor sharp & next greatest need is to address CK skid kick & go to another mod & need to know how they both play together? I'll keep at it looking for answers.

Thank you sweeperguy that link was helpful.

 

[slowsi00]

I don't have enough info yet & feeling exactly like a guinea pig on Apex XTX. I'm afraid Helo may complicate the ski pressure settings for my Aggressive Snow Trackers & that could be a very bad thing. Typical for me I get front end handling razor sharp & next greatest need is to address CK skid kick & go to another mod & need to know how they both play together? I'll keep at it looking for answers.

Thank you sweeperguy that link was helpful.

I am still waiting for a couple items before i have a mult-page write up about the unit in a 2013 apex xtx. I have over 1400 miles with the HELO

it does mess with your ski pressure. limiter strap must be adjusted.

 

[whitedust]

I am still waiting for a couple items before i have a mult-page write up about the unit in a 2013 apex xtx. I have over 1400 miles with the HELO

it does mess with your ski pressure. limiter strap must be adjusted.

I figured it would if transfer adjustments are removed from Apex XTX & they are removed is my understanding. STs are very sensitive to tranfer so I need to know what I would be getting into with both STs & Helo. Typically when I tightened limiter on my 2012 Apex XTX from stock position I introduced inside ski lift & I sure don't want to fight that as I have zero ski lift with STs with min transfer now. As old abe said I sure feel like a test mule at this point in the process.

 

[Tracker]

I figured it would if transfer adjustments are removed from Apex XTX & they are removed is my understanding. STs are very sensitive to tranfer so I need to know what I would be getting into with both STs & Helo. Typically when I tightened limiter on my 2012 Apex XTX from stock position I introduced inside ski lift & I sure don't want to fight that as I have zero ski lift with STs with min transfer now. As old abe said I sure feel like a test mule at this point in the process.

that lift is due to tightening the limiter upwards....let it out so track is flat....you'll be pleasantly surprised. no ski lift and tighter turning...and the HELO...that puts pressure on the front skis EXACTLY the same as lowering the limiter strap. so with the helo in putting pressure downward and the limiter loose putting pressure downward will be a win win. just because you tighten the limiter does not equate to more down force on front skis. its opposite of what you have been told all these years.

 

[whitedust]

that lift is due to tightening the limiter upwards....let it out so track is flat....you'll be pleasantly surprised. no ski lift and tighter turning...and the HELO...that puts pressure on the front skis EXACTLY the same as lowering the limiter strap. so with the helo in putting pressure downward and the limiter loose putting pressure downward will be a win win. just because you tighten the limiter does not equate to more down force on front skis. its opposite of what you have been told all these years.

Huh....loosen limiter to longest setting & you get more pressure on skis?

 

[old abe]

Not sure what I'm hearing here WD??????????????

 

[whitedust]

Not sure what I'm hearing here WD??????????????

Info from riders using Helo has been confined to 1 who seemed to be trying to cure shock compression bottoming & he was a BIG boy. I would think he might have been better off with harder springs and maybe a revalve on his shocks than spend big bucks on Helo.... But to each his own. My problem with CK skid is rebound kick & if I can tune that out I would be happy. I have no problem with transfer front to back or side to side which seems to be Helo niche from what I understand at this point about Helo performance. Now I'm talking to Hygear about a custom rebuild of my rear shocks and prolly will go that way unless I start to better understand the Helo capabilities but very tuff to get info on use on an Apex XTX.

 

[garageguy]

Maybe you should trade her in. Get one of them lighter two stroke sleds, the bumps can be part of the fun on a lighter more nimble sled.

 

[whitedust]

Maybe you should trade her in. Get one of them lighter two stroke sleds, the bumps can be part of the fun on a lighter more nimble sled.

Apex XTX with eps is right for me just need to get rear skid tuned to my liking very close to perfect sled now. I would be moding anything I own just what I do each year of ownership & I do keep my sleds for years. I could go another 3-4K miles easy & not touch rear skid but hey why not make it better for next season. Pat's is willing to work with my mods so makes it easy for me to do. 2018 prolly be a big year for Yamaha productline then I would wait for year 2 of new tech so I'm looking at at least 6K additional miles maybe more 2-3 years of ownership as well for my Apex XTX.

 

[old abe]

HyGear very, very good. We have used their bushing/spacers for the rear torsion springs on many sleds, and they work fantastic! Now using lighter spring cam settings, and much improved, smoother ride, by increasing suspension range. Makes the rear skid feel like it floats. Monster Performance also good with shock performance/set ups. Not sure if Fett bros. do Yami, but also worth checking into on suspension set ups. Good luck!!!!

 

[chad66]

I dont see the Helo fixing your "rebound" issues, maybe a little bit but not a total cure. The guys that we've put them on for have been very happy with the Helo, many say it eliminates the small stutter bumps and some off camber bumps. It also give more weight transfer on most sleds it's installed on. Remember it can be removed and installed on another model if you upgrade, will just need a new mount in most cases. So $500 isn't so bad. We've yet to have negative feedback from any customer who has tried them.

Chad@M&M

 

[Tracker]

Huh....loosen limiter to longest setting & you get more pressure on skis?

yes. you know the new arctic cat slide rail system with the U shape on the bar. Do you know what its purpose is? Its to LENGTHEN THE LIMITER on the fly and let the track SIT FLAT in the curves and bumps...

why tracker?

because when your track sits flat and not at a slight incline like a boat planning out....YOUR SLED TURNS ON A DIME AND YOU GET NO SKI LIFT....me and arctic cat say so...and I just try spreading the good word...albeit onto deaf ears a lot but that helps me dust a lot of sleds...I took 1 and 1/2 years of trials and tribulations on the suspension to figure this out and have never looked back....doing this also let me run STUDLESS with more traction than the studs provided...but the front skis need to be TIGHTENED way up to bring them inward and increase the downward force also...doing this is a different and harder down force than raising the limiters with medium shock settings and it aids in turning whereas raising it decreases turning and down force....due to the 3 points its hitting the ground on....2 skis and one area at the back by the wheels only hit when limiter raised....limiter lowered is 2 skis and the entire surface area of the track VS the rear end wheels...and you get more traction and torque to the ground....like I said...win win...but you gotta bite the bullet and do some minor adjustments....it aint like I say you have to do hours of work....this takes minimal time and can be reset back if you don't like it...but I will GAURANTEE you'll love it and leave it that way from now on if you try it...good luck

 

[whitedust]

yes. you know the new arctic cat slide rail system with the U shape on the bar. Do you know what its purpose is? Its to LENGTHEN THE LIMITER on the fly and let the track SIT FLAT in the curves and bumps...

why tracker?

because when your track sits flat and not at a slight incline like a boat planning out....YOUR SLED TURNS ON A DIME AND YOU GET NO SKI LIFT....me and arctic cat say so...and I just try spreading the good word...albeit onto deaf ears a lot but that helps me dust a lot of sleds...I took 1 and 1/2 years of trials and tribulations on the suspension to figure this out and have never looked back....doing this also let me run STUDLESS with more traction than the studs provided...but the front skis need to be TIGHTENED way up to bring them inward and increase the downward force also...doing this is a different and harder down force than raising the limiters with medium shock settings and it aids in turning whereas raising it decreases turning and down force....due to the 3 points its hitting the ground on....2 skis and one area at the back by the wheels only hit when limiter raised....limiter lowered is 2 skis and the entire surface area of the track VS the rear end wheels...and you get more traction and torque to the ground....like I said...win win...but you gotta bite the bullet and do some minor adjustments....it aint like I say you have to do hours of work....this takes minimal time and can be reset back if you don't like it...but I will GAURANTEE you'll love it and leave it that way from now on if you try it...good luck

Read this 3 times & still I have no idea what you are talking about. But thanks I guess for trying.

 

[whitedust]

I dont see the Helo fixing your "rebound" issues, maybe a little bit but not a total cure. The guys that we've put them on for have been very happy with the Helo, many say it eliminates the small stutter bumps and some off camber bumps. It also give more weight transfer on most sleds it's installed on. Remember it can be removed and installed on another model if you upgrade, will just need a new mount in most cases. So $500 isn't so bad. We've yet to have negative feedback from any customer who has tried them.

Chad@M&M

Thanks Chad....good answer & same conclusion I came to.... Looks like rear shocks revalve & rebuild with Hygear per brother Kip's suggestion unless you know a local custom shock rebuilder? Hygear in NY farther away than I would like but do good work.

 

[Tracker]

rebound issues can be due to the limiter being raised way up high and that shock in front under skid being set tight to keep pressure down....those 2 off set each other and the limiter restrains the shock which pushes back REAL HARD (harder than stock since you tightened limiters) and cause the sled to jump up or rebound more than usual

and whitedust....a savant usually has to read it 10x before they get it...you got 7 more....LOL....J/K

its called a box....think outside it for once....LOL

 

[Cirrus_Driver]

Maybe you should trade her in. Get one of them lighter two stroke sleds, the bumps can be part of the fun on a lighter more nimble sled.

I think this is the optimal solution. LOL - it was a relic to begin with and being a '12 makes it obsolete. When you start retro fitting that much to make it handle, give it up and buy something else. JK - (I think)

 

[whitedust]

rebound issues can be due to the limiter being raised way up high and that shock in front under skid being set tight to keep pressure down....those 2 off set each other and the limiter restrains the shock which pushes back REAL HARD (harder than stock since you tightened limiters) and cause the sled to jump up or rebound more than usual

and whitedust....a savant usually has to read it 10x before they get it...you got 7 more....LOL....J/K

its called a box....think outside it for once....LOL

Kick is a design flaw of the CK suspension mostly ..imo.. because Yamaha cheaped out with no rebound clicker adjustment. Many of the things you listed are no... nos with Aggressive Snow Trackers but no way for you to know that. I have to keep tow at zero, front transfer mim, center shock fairly hard, front shocks very soft just to accomodate STs. My front end handling is perfect now so next largest need is to address kick in my skid and nothing more I can do with skid adjustments tyo improve the kick. Right now I"m working with Hygear & Kip for a custom rebuild of my rear shocks. Both Hygear & Kip have been very helpful. I just need to boil it down decide what % of kick improvement is worth the investment. Even 50% kick reduction would be well worth it just have to see what Hygear recomendst hen go from there.