Dear Motorhead:
I’d like some help understanding my Ski-Doo Enduro’s rear suspension. I weigh 220-lbs before gear and can’t seem to find a comfortable setting.
I am currently running the ski springs at 2, Center shock in position 2, torsion spring cam block at 3, transfer block in position 1 or 2, limiter strap tightened up one hole, air suspension set at 1 or 2.
My complaint is that I still need to stand up to absorb big dips in the trail when running at 50 to 60 mph, or else I bottom out. I also find my self having to hold my self off the seat to prevent being bucked off.
I really do not feel the suspension working in a compliant manner. If I go softer setting on the rear torsion spring, like position 1, my mud flap is almost touching the ground. The air spring seems to control rear ride height, should I set rear sag with sled running and air suspension set at 1 or 2 or should I be setting the rear sag with the sled off, this will greatly increase the amount of sag because the air spring won’t be assisting to hold the sled or the rider up.
Just an FYI the rear shock has a sport and performance hole position. It is set in the stock position, performance.
My goal is to find a plush ride. I do like to ride fast, and occasionally aggressive when the trails get whooped up. I have played with the suspension for hundreds of miles and can’t seem to dial in the comfort of the rear skid.
One Ski-Doo sales guy recommended stiffer rear torsion springs, but I know I don’t want a stiffer ride. I rode a friend’s Polaris Switchback Rush yesterday and I could actually feel the rear suspension working in a compliant manner. It was almost like slow motion, I could feel it comfortably compress and gently rebound the sled back.
I was actually forcing my self to stay seated and feel the comfort instead of standing up or squatting on my sled to let the sled do its thing before sitting back down to prevent bottoming out or getting bucked up after full compression.
On my sled I did suck in the limiter strap one hole for two reasons, better cornering but more importantly to make sure the skid was contacting the ground at the front and rear at the same time.
I read online that if the front or the rear of the skid is not parallel to the ground as you lower from a raised off the ground position then your suspension won’t be working at its full potential.
Sometimes I feel that the seat is too soft and Im actually bouncing on the seat foam. Any thoughts? Also, what is the proper way to set the sag with an air suspension if it too contributes to ride height?
Thanks for your help,
Michael
Michael!
Whew! You are in the classic position of over-adjusting your rear suspension. The fact you tweaked the limiter was just one clue you are in way over your head.
Whoever told you about the angle of the rail thing requires a limiter adjustment was just plain wrong. You have the very best snowmobile rear suspension under your butt and you are not abnormally heavy. So here’s my recommendation. Limiter strap adjustments are mysterious and have far reaching implications all the way down the rail – put it back to stock!
Put everything except the air suspension back to dead stock – including the front IFS shock preload settings the centre shock and the coupler block.
Think about what you did when you dialled in more snail cam preload on the front IFS and then pulled the limiter up! You did two contradictory things at once.
When you get everything back to stock take the sled for a spin – (probably next winter now!) Adjust nothing – zip, nada except the air spring until you get the ride you want in the terrain you ride most.
Setting one or two is not going to be enough air for your weight – you’re going to be at three or four for sure. Completely forget about static ride height – this is an air suspension which only uses the torsion springs minimally – get them back to stock as well!
The whole idea of the air suspension on the Enduro is max on-the-fly adjustability – not fiddle until you’re confused sno-X racer set-up.
If you want a sled you can mess around with suspension settings you would be much better off with an MX-ZX or XRS.
The Enduro’s air ride is the among the very best suspensions we’ve ever ridden – for general trail duty. If you’re trying to ditch bang and clear doubles it’s not the right suspension for that behaviour.
My advice for most suspension tweaks is to use oil (shock damping)- not steel (springs) to control your rear suspension. In the case of the air ride suspension on the r-Motion I would say use air – and nothing else.
Hope this helps!
Motorhead Mark
