Is 153" enough track ?? (2007 Arctic Cat M1000)

[crazzybiker]

Hey guys and gals,

I am acquiring a sled next weekend for the winter season. I am looking at a 2007 Arctic Cat M1000, with a track length of 153".
I am wondering if this will be enough track to ride/climb mountains or handle powder. I do plan on having it more of a freestyle sled at the same time to hit jumps and learn tricks on. I haven't looked at any upgrades for it yet.

 

[Summiteer]

The shorter track you learn on, the better you will learn to ride.

 

[crazzybiker]

Thanks for the advice ! I was thinking the same way considering this will be my first sled.

 

[Summiteer]

Thanks for the advice ! I was thinking the same way considering this will be my first sled.

Rode 136 and 144 in the mountains for years. 153 is long enough

 

[crazzybiker]

How did the shorter track handle the powder ?

 

[Trashy]

In 97 the 136x1.5 was the chit!!! Then upgraded to a 136x2 and that was even better in Vale. After that was a 144, 151, 159 and now a 155. Never owned a 1000cc, 583 - 800 has always been good.

 

[Luke The Drifter]

I went from 136" sleds to a narrow 128 and then up to two 153" M sleds. They get around just fine.

 

[crazzybiker]

Does anyone have any tips for looking over used sleds, what I should focus my attention on the most.

 

[Bnorth]

On that one check the bottom of the steering post to make sure the bulkhead isn't cracking.

 

[crazzybiker]

On that one check the bottom of the steering post to make sure the bulkhead isn't cracking.

Thanks for the heads up ! I have read about that one on the forums.

 

[moyiesledhead]

Check the motor mounts. They have a habit of breaking. The M1000 is a great sled. You'll love it!

 

[crazzybiker]

Check the motor mounts. They have a habit of breaking. The M1000 is a great sled. You'll love it!

Thanks for the advice !

 

[drew562]

If it were me I would get my hands on the 2.6 powderclaw track. It's a great track and works in all conditions. In a 153 it should be available used.

 

[nathan#19]

It should work great! I had an M7 163 and it needed more power to spin the track for carving in setup snow.
Now I run a M8 153 and the power to traction works much better,. I know others will have a differerent opinion of what works best ,but all I can say is my 153 can go anyplace I have wanted.

 

[Modman]

if its your first sled - a 1000 is probably more than you want, unless you are a bigger dude. Don't get stuck on buying a big sled the first winter out, you'll just get stuck more. If you are a bigger guy and going to be freestyling it, then I would suggest a shock upgrade to Raptors or something with a longer stroke and get them properly valved for your weight. Anything in a 153" track length will be fine. Best money you can spend is to go to Princess Auto/Napa/Canadian Tire and get yourself a little inspection camera, most places offer them for under $100 now. I bought a 5mm one for $70, goes down cylinders, up y-pipes, under crankcases, into reed valves, etc. Super easy to see what condition things are in where your eyes simply can't get.

Check for:
Front bulkhead at the steering post (as mentioned)
Motor Mounts (as mentioned)
Pull plug and look in Diamond Drive, make sure no pieces of bearing etc
If it is a Sno Pro and has Fox Floats - Check shocks for pressure etc
Lower a-arm bushings (against the bulkhead - back side) tend to crack/split, check these for slop
Depending on year, check the crank, the 08's and older had some issues with the crank breaking just behind the clutch

 

[Pistonbroke]

if its your first sled - a 1000 is probably more than you want, unless you are a bigger dude. Don't get stuck on buying a big sled the first winter out, you'll just get stuck more. If you are a bigger guy and going to be freestyling it, then I would suggest a shock upgrade to Raptors or something with a longer stroke and get them properly valved for your weight. Anything in a 153" track length will be fine. Best money you can spend is to go to Princess Auto/Napa/Canadian Tire and get yourself a little inspection camera, most places offer them for under $100 now. I bought a 5mm one for $70, goes down cylinders, up y-pipes, under crankcases, into reed valves, etc. Super easy to see what condition things are in where your eyes simply can't get.

Check for:
Front bulkhead at the steering post (as mentioned)
Motor Mounts (as mentioned)
Pull plug and look in Diamond Drive, make sure no pieces of bearing etc
If it is a Sno Pro and has Fox Floats - Check shocks for pressure etc
Lower a-arm bushings (against the bulkhead - back side) tend to crack/split, check these for slop
Depending on year, check the crank, the 08's and older had some issues with the crank breaking just behind the clutch

Great post modman - spot on.

I'll add to check every single wire, wire loom, organizer, and spark plug wires / coils for chaffing/rubbing. That year M1000 shook the living chit out of itself.

See if it got all the updates along the way! Cat had quite a number that year - research them before jumping in. A couple big ones were the 4-post primary cracking and blowing up, some heat shielding, ECU reflashes, DD, maybe more I can't remember.

I would look at a different track. That year had the Challenger in a very soft duro rubber. The big torque of the 1000 turns that track into a conveyor belt of floppy mudflaps in a hurry IMO.


08's had a lot of fixes...maybe check one of them out?

good luck dude

 

[sled_wrangler]

If it has fox zero pros on the front have a look between the spring and a arm if one side is just about rubbing the a arm walk away ... I had this and it was about a grand in braces and supports in the bulk head ... one side I could fit my finger in between the other I couldn't even get my pinky between

 

[Summiteer]

Or you could buy my '12 Pro RMK. It has a 163 though....

 

[fnDan]

I started with 136, 144, 151 and now a 163. In deep powder it's amazing how much slower you can go with the longer track. The 136 and 144 was all newbie phase and I couldn't do anything that well (just riding it and not learning).
The 151 required more throttle to keep my momentum up. The 163 is awesome to me and would only go smaller if I knew I wasn't riding anything deep. I will say it's more about the rider though. We had a friend that had to bring out his old 02 Summit with a 144 track and he went where we did. He was on the throttle a lot and needed gas to get back to the truck.

Tip it on it's side and look at the skid and bulk head. Check the skid for oblonged holes. It's a good indicator of how hard it's been ridden. Lots of people suggest doing a compression test.
Watch for patch jobs on the inside of the tunnel. I usually walk away if it looks like it's been sitting outside all year. I stay away from modded sleds cause there are some that can mod well and a lot that can't.
Do some research an dfind out if it's easy to disconnect the speedo. Certain sleds are ridiculously easy to do this and appear to have low kms. Easy to see wear and tear on a sled that's supposed to only have a few hundred kms.
Some people are not good at wiring and it's easy to see.

 

[moyiesledhead]

If it were me I would get my hands on the 2.6 powderclaw track. It's a great track and works in all conditions. In a 153 it should be available used.

Or turn the stock camo around. It works wayyyyy better backwards!