Can I remove my coupler blocks???
- Thread starter bryan t
- Start date
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G
Guest
Yes, you can remove your coupler blocks. You will save a lot of money on front carbides because your skis will hardly ever be on the snow. You will get excessive weight transfer all the time. The only time this may be useful would be if you were drag racing.. Otherwise you will have a hard to control sled. They are in there for a reason.
Ok....so why don't the 2010 crossfires have coupler blocks then??? It's basically the same rear suspension as mine except it's 5 inches longer.
I'm pretty sure people who bought 2010 crossfires will be trail riding them too.
ohiosledder
Active member
You might want to try posting this question on ArcticChat.com for some replies from guys that really know what they're talking about. But as was stated in the first reply, they're on there for a reason. I don't know what changes occurred between an '07 and '10, but if the sled came without them, then there's a reason for that, too. Unless you're going to be in the powder all the time, I agree, you'll have a heck of a time controlling it on trails.
G
G
Guest
It's basically the same suspension except it's 5 inches longer. There is your answer. Those 5 inches change all the geometry. Those 5 inches help push the front end down just as the blocks do on your shorty. They both end up behaving about the same on the trail. If you don't believe me take yours out and ride it around. Don't throw your blocks away. It is a simple and cheap experiment. I bet you will end up putting the blocks back in.
The new one couples at the top of the front arm. Go to the 2010 cat ad
http://www.arcticcat.com/snow/images/cornerstone/02_CornerstoneTechnology_BSRT.jpg
http://www.arcticcat.com/snow/images/cornerstone/02_CornerstoneTechnology_BSRT.jpg
xsledder
Active member
Bryan,
Yes, you can remove the coupling blocks and here are the reasons why. The front and back coupling blocks serve two different purposes. The front coupling blocks control the ride. The back coupling blocks control weight transfer.
When the front of the track’s suspension encounters a bump, it begins to compress. At some point during the compression, the front coupling blocks touches the rear scissor arms and begins to compress the rear of the track’s suspension. As the rear compresses it lowers the seat eliminating the bucking effect normal to non-coupled suspensions, giving you a better ride. Also, engineers found out that because you essentially have two springs working at the same time, the front spring and the rear springs, they could use springs with lower spring rates. The softer springs gave you a better ride over the shutter bumps. About a year after Ski-Doo released the REV chassis, they eliminated the front coupling blocks from their track suspensions. The reason they eliminated the front coupling blocks was the rider was not sitting over the back of the snowmobile where the bucking occurred; they were sitting towards the middle of the snowmobile where it teetered. The front coupling blocks had no effect on the ride to the snowmobiler in the new rider-forward designs.
The rear coupling blocks controls weight transfer. They keep the skis on the ground. Removing them gives you more track traction when accelerating while sacrificing control. You can also control weight transfer by increasing the spring load on the track’s rear springs, shortening the length of the limiter strap, or increasing the preload on the ski’s shocks.
If you remove the front coupling blocks you might have to increase your preload on the track’s front and rear springs or replace them with stiffer springs to refine the ride of the snowmobile. If you remove the rear coupling blocks you might have to increase the preload on the track's rear spring, shorten the limiter strap, or increase the preload to the ski’s shocks to refine the control of the snowmobile. The engineers designed all the components of the snowmobile’s ride and control with the coupling blocks in place, but as an engineer, it is sure fun to play around with it. My suggestion, with this new knowledge, remove the coupling blocks and play around with your sled, you might like it better without them.
Yes, you can remove the coupling blocks and here are the reasons why. The front and back coupling blocks serve two different purposes. The front coupling blocks control the ride. The back coupling blocks control weight transfer.
When the front of the track’s suspension encounters a bump, it begins to compress. At some point during the compression, the front coupling blocks touches the rear scissor arms and begins to compress the rear of the track’s suspension. As the rear compresses it lowers the seat eliminating the bucking effect normal to non-coupled suspensions, giving you a better ride. Also, engineers found out that because you essentially have two springs working at the same time, the front spring and the rear springs, they could use springs with lower spring rates. The softer springs gave you a better ride over the shutter bumps. About a year after Ski-Doo released the REV chassis, they eliminated the front coupling blocks from their track suspensions. The reason they eliminated the front coupling blocks was the rider was not sitting over the back of the snowmobile where the bucking occurred; they were sitting towards the middle of the snowmobile where it teetered. The front coupling blocks had no effect on the ride to the snowmobiler in the new rider-forward designs.
The rear coupling blocks controls weight transfer. They keep the skis on the ground. Removing them gives you more track traction when accelerating while sacrificing control. You can also control weight transfer by increasing the spring load on the track’s rear springs, shortening the length of the limiter strap, or increasing the preload on the ski’s shocks.
If you remove the front coupling blocks you might have to increase your preload on the track’s front and rear springs or replace them with stiffer springs to refine the ride of the snowmobile. If you remove the rear coupling blocks you might have to increase the preload on the track's rear spring, shorten the limiter strap, or increase the preload to the ski’s shocks to refine the control of the snowmobile. The engineers designed all the components of the snowmobile’s ride and control with the coupling blocks in place, but as an engineer, it is sure fun to play around with it. My suggestion, with this new knowledge, remove the coupling blocks and play around with your sled, you might like it better without them.
Like others have said, take them off and see if you like it. If you ride much off trail, I think you will like it. Control is different in the powder. You are more in control in the deep stuff when you can get the front up (without the couplers) and use body weight to turn the sled as skis are next to useless in deep powder snow. Control on the trail is keeping your skis planted to the trail on hard acceleration. (with the couplers) I would never have another sled with couplers, or a sway bar for that matter, but I do not ride aggressively on the trail, I wait for the deep stuff to get aggressive.
Thanks guys..I am gonna remove them and try it. I ride 50/50 on and off trail...and do not ride agressively on trail, as I do not have a studded track, and many of these northern wisconsin trails are very ice...I usually ride ditches or forest service roads...I rarely ride trails..if I do it's to relax and enjoy it...I am older and wiser..not into racing on trails.