HA!
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Differences Between Crossover and Mountain Sleds?
- Thread starter maximumpsi
- Start date
HA!
squarepants2
New member
I think if you have any concerns about off trail riding, you nee to look at John Dees journals. It seems he and his friends ride mostly off trail, since they all have long tracks. The adventure is what makes snowmobiling fun and just trail riding tends to get boring. I wwould rather hit a stump off trail than some idiot on your side in a corner. Safe Riding everyone !
Throttle, track length, ski-stance, suspension, skill, strength, and pop tarts all have to do with carving.
I think this site name needs to be changed to www.13yroldnowmobilers.com
I think if you have any concerns about off trail riding, you nee to look at John Dees journals. It seems he and his friends ride mostly off trail, since they all have long tracks. The adventure is what makes snowmobiling fun and just trail riding tends to get boring. I wwould rather hit a stump off trail than some idiot on your side in a corner. Safe Riding everyone !
X2
Back to the original posters question of what is different between Crossover and Mountain sleds. Crossover sleds probably have a front sway bar, coupled rear skid, wider ski stance, narrower skis, geared up for 100+ mph top speed, shorter track and shorter lugs. Mountain sleds are the opposite with no sway bar, uncoupled rear skid, narrower ski stance, wider skis, geared more for 85 or so, larger track, tall lugs.
To me the biggest difference is the lugs and where you just don't really want to run a mountain sled on trails much. More vibration, much much easier to kill hyfax even with scratchers, can have cooling issues, cannot go as fast because the gearing/track and if you do will probably wind up wrecking the track. My personal opinion is that the thing that makes the mountain sled the worst on a trail (big lug) is also the single most important part off trail. That is what makes the illusive "true crossover" sled so hard to define. Big lug track good off trail, bad on trail and vice versa. The 1.5 - 1.75" lugs sure help off trail over a 1.25" but they are much worse on the trail and already by 1.5" you better have scratchers or ride in perfect conditions on the time.
To me the biggest difference is the lugs and where you just don't really want to run a mountain sled on trails much. More vibration, much much easier to kill hyfax even with scratchers, can have cooling issues, cannot go as fast because the gearing/track and if you do will probably wind up wrecking the track. My personal opinion is that the thing that makes the mountain sled the worst on a trail (big lug) is also the single most important part off trail. That is what makes the illusive "true crossover" sled so hard to define. Big lug track good off trail, bad on trail and vice versa. The 1.5 - 1.75" lugs sure help off trail over a 1.25" but they are much worse on the trail and already by 1.5" you better have scratchers or ride in perfect conditions on the time.
Last edited:
Firecatguy
New member
is it legal to go off-trail in the UP?
Your are getting sucked into crossover marketing. Just buy a long track trail sled 1.25 track 4s or 2s & forget the the crossovers because you won't like crossover gearing or handling on trail. Plenty to pick from 128 thru 144.
this is verry true.my sled started as a xfire 7 then came some light porting, boondocker, pipe ect.then same yr cpc no snows for the running boards.next fall new gearing,clutching 2 in challenger, adjustable bars, pull sway bar.this yr more new lower, gears new 153 skid, new rear tunnel, new drop brackets, new drivers, new 153 maverick, clutching, new muff pot.long story short I started with a crossfire 7 now after more than I care to add up I have the M I should have bought in the first place.I bitch but I love pre season wrenching and anticipation and parts scrounging almost as much as riding so the M would have prob had a turbo buy now filled with titanium and other parts and pieces that are way over my skill level.oh dont forget insert above yr 2 some place skis knee pads frog skins skinz skid plate gas can
Last edited:
Firecatguy
New member
I like to add this....my last 3 sleds where the firecat chasi f5 f7 f6 loved everyone them was johnny rocket since the early 80s on the trails!!!I used the f6 alot off trail and it worked for me at the time.....now i run an M8 sp and that thing is great all around sled....need a little more body English when on the trails......
big_motor_guy
New member
Not at Carving or side hilling. 32 sq. inches is nothing. there are 144 of them in a sq. ft. A 15x144 is way better off trail than a 16x137. Its not a Doo or Poo thing.
just to point out what I thought was the obvious, measure again, the "footprint" or a 144 x 15 is larger than a 137 x 16. don't measure the entire track as it is not on the ground all at one time. if you measure the track width by the length of track that is actually in contact with the snow on a 137 vs a 144 you will see the 144 has more contact surface area than the 137. Skidoo has been telling everyone for years 137x16 = 144x15, guess what they are giving misleading information, I know what a suprise from the manufacturer. I ride REV 'gade and love it. I think a 144 x 2" track is cheating especially in the UP, that is JMO. personally I like the challange of a shorter track (136 in my case) with big lugs when I go out west and off trail. true MTN sleds can go anywhere without much worry of getting stuck, I know that is the excitement for some, that's what makes them boring to me. I like the challange of a shorter track and I actually thinks it helps with the manuverability in the trees
I think a 144 x 2" track is cheating especially in the UP, that is JMO.
That has everything to do with where you are and the conditions. Once you are not on level terrain the game can change quickly. More so out west (riding out there with the people I have ridden with, the only level ground was inside of the trailer), but can be important in the UP too. Unless you are in bottomless powder I don't think track length is anywhere near as important as lug height, but for any real climbing you need the lug height whether you are out west or in lots of places in the UP. In my opinion that is where "crossover" sleds still give up a ton to mountain sleds and also where people should be really honest with how much off trail riding they are going to do, because most people will ultimately be dissappointed running a 1.75+" track on the trail all of the time.
Firecatguy
New member
the one thing people are leaving out here and this is very very tru!!!!!
"ITS NOT THE SHIP......ITS THE SAILOR!!!!" I say 40%sled and 70%rider
"ITS NOT THE SHIP......ITS THE SAILOR!!!!" I say 40%sled and 70%rider
Firecatguy
New member
it is true it is not the ship .but if you were taking a guy out boondocking for the first time would you rather see him show up on a M8 153 or a xfire with a 1.25 yeah that's what I thought
tru...but i have seen where that dont help either....lol
I have to say riding off trail in the midwest may not be that dangerous if you are carefull but it can be quite costly. So far this year In 200 miles of riding mainly ditches and woods I have broke the windshield, bent a ski, bent the radius rod and flipped it on it roof. So if you have a supply of use parts for your sled and don't mind wrenching riding off trail can be great just as long as you don't tresspass were you ride !!!!!