We look for the IQ race chassis to come with an all-new laid down 440 mill and a host of trick, lightweight pieces.

The debut of the IQ as an Open Mod late last season was highly successful considering the sled was rumored to be using a conventional Liberty 800 based engine.

According to sources, the IQ chassis possesses substantial flexibility in its ability to carry both a lay down and conventional, upright powerplant. However, don’t look for the current 440 used in the Polaris Pro-X racer to reappear in the IQ limited build 440.

Look for a common side intake/exhaust mill using every power enhancing trick in the book including hot buttons, pipe sensors and electronically switched exhaust valves.

Under the IQ 440’s tunnel, we anticipate a full set of clicker Walker Evans shocks with remote reservoirs, aluminum skidframe components and rail doublers.
The new engine will dramatically centralize mass in the 440 and we would expect the handlepole to come fixed in the full front position without the Rider Select system.

Look for a deep lug (1.625 to 1.750) Camo-shredder out back using Polaris’ ultra fat, hollow front drive axle. The IQ’s constant camber wishbone IFS will most certainly be a good match for the rigors of snocross.

In discussions with Polaris personnel we’ve been told the stock IQ Fusion chassis can withstand snocross racing abuse without cracking or suspension failures. This should be one tough, lightweight racer.

Hard to believe this is the veteran racing chassis after only two seasons of use. However, this third version of the incredibly successful 440 REV will have significant updates.

Most noticeable will be the use of the all-new SC-4 skid in a version adapted for racing abuse. SC-4 was used last year on many X-Team Open Mods and, after some early teething, the skid was generally given the thumbs-up by factory riders.

Less transfer reactive in design and definitely biased to front arm bump absorption, the SC-4 relies on an accelerator cam on the front arm shock instead of front to rear coupling to handle impacts.

This change is directed at balancing the sled in the middle (complimenting the inherent centralized mass of the REV) and de-emphasizes the importance of the rear arm. Underhood improvements will include a move to 17 wide chains, beefed and webbed chain cases and possibly a move back to Ski-Doo’s own roller cam racing secondary.

Last year’s use of Team Industries secondary proved to be a calibration nightmare for tuners familiar with the triple roller Ski-Doo secondary. Look for a softer durometer rubber in the track and possibly even a slight backing up of lug height.

The 440 REV has become the benchmark in snocross competition and messing too much with a good thing would be a mistake. We look for reliability and out-of-the-box performance improvements to be at the top of the 440 REV’s strengths this season.

While not confirmed, it’s generally accepted AC will move its Sno-Pro racing package into a version of the M-Series platform debuted this season with a new belly, hood, bulkhead and 15 inch track and tunnel.

Look for the limited build 440 to bring rider forward ergos even more sharply into focus this year with the M-Series short hood and belly and the forward mounted handlepole used last year on the Firecat based Sno Pro 440 chassis.

With the move back to a 15 x 121 inch track, the new Sno Pro will appear more mainstream and less like a long track racer. Look for rear outside idlers to return to the skid.

We think the current Sno Pro engine and clutching package combined with the traction of a 15 inch track will give the 440 an immediate advantage out of the hole. We look for a beefier drive system – possibly a racing version of ACT planetary drive or at the very least a 17 link hyvo chain and deeper case – to handle the extra hook of the new track.