Removing Sway bar on Katie's sled.

[Highfly]

Have a question for you gals.
I'm thinking about removing Katie's sway bar on her sled. Looks like it will get destroyed when it comes off so its a one shot deal. My question is, let her ride and learn with it on. OR take it off now so she learns with it off.

 

[GYMBRAT]

Take it off then she's already ready and dont have to relearn the ride...imo

 

[Pistonbroke]

What does she ride? I find different results with different sleds on the sway bar issue. I would say try both ways and see what she likes best but if your gonna destroy it taking it out then that won't work.... lol
Sledpiggy not Pistonbroke... hahaha!

 

[Trax 2 Treadz]

I rode my Nytro with the sway bar for 3 years with the sway bar it was removed last year when the new front end went in. I can't tell you if it makes a difference or not because my sled went under a drastic transformation. What sled is she riding?

Jan

 

[DragonDiva]

All depends on the type of sled. I had it out of my Dragon only after the first 2 years of riding...it was easier to ride but became very dartie and unpredictable on groomed trails especially on corners. On my ProRMK, the sway bar is in and would NEVER take it out now. Learning how to ride with counter-steering and wrong-foot forward is the way to go and the sway bar does help with stability. If she is a new rider, I would leave it in for now and work on the other sled skills first which are fundamentals regardless of the sled. The best would be if you could do a quick connector (available for Skidoos) then she could unhook to play in deep snow carving but reconnect for riding the trails in and out safely.

 

[Highfly]

Thanks all. Shes riding a 2004 Polaris 600 RMK Vertical Edge.

 

[~Rowdy~]

Have a question for you gals.
I'm thinking about removing Katie's sway bar on her sled. Looks like it will get destroyed when it comes off so its a one shot deal. My question is, let her ride and learn with it on. OR take it off now so she learns with it off.

hack it out with a sawzall, then toss it

 

[Skadi]

hmmmm, if it were a Rev I would say HACK IT for sure... I'm not 100% on the older RMKs though. Pretty sure advice would be to take it out... but like everyone said it REALLY does depend on the sled!! Sway bar IN on my RMK and OUT on my Rev... Not sure what people are doing on the newer Doos.... I'll ask this question on our women's forum!

 

[TylerG]

Thanks all. Shes riding a 2004 Polaris 600 RMK Vertical Edge.

you guys have matching sleds don't you?

Why not take it out of one, leave it in on the other and see which one she prefers? you can always reinstall if necessary?

 

[the_real_wild1]

I went with what everyone said about cutting it out on my summit 700. I wish I had taken it out the proper way. I preferred the way it rode with it in. Sold it now so it doesn't matter. New sled has a quick link. I keep it hooked up most of the time.

 

[Highfly]

Thank for all of your input. I did some searching and actually found an old thread on S&M about this year of machine and the sway bar. Sounds like I can remove it if I take one side of the machine apart and loosen the other side. This is good news. I will take it off mine and see what it is like first. From the threads I found some say no noticeable difference on the trails but way better in the hills. Some say it will be darty so we will see. Only one way to find out.

Thanks again!!

 

[MOMMA]

Thank for all of your input. I did some searching and actually found an old thread on S&M about this year of machine and the sway bar. Sounds like I can remove it if I take one side of the machine apart and loosen the other side. This is good news. I will take it off mine and see what it is like first. From the threads I found some say no noticeable difference on the trails but way better in the hills. Some say it will be darty so we will see. Only one way to find out.

Thanks again!!

Rather than my opinion.. I'll let you hear what Jimmy had to say.. he has the exact sled.. and did it this year. Jimmy is our 15 year old shop guy. We sled with him often
I'm 140 it made it easier to pull over on flat pavement. that was it. It handled terrible on the trail I just about flipped it numerous times. And even in the deep snow it was very "floppy" and wouldn't hold an edge very nice. I wouldn't recommend taking it off

 

[Highfly]

He is 15 years old or your 15 year old shop tech.

Hmmm now I'm sitting on the fence. I still might try it since I can put it back on if I have to. I have to know what it is like.

Thank you!!

 

[Taminator]

I wasn't a fan of a sway bar on the Rev...at all. IMO the actual purpose of them hinders what you're trying to accomplish most times - for certain types of riding anyways.

 

[MOMMA]

He is 15 years old or your 15 year old shop tech.

Hmmm now I'm sitting on the fence. I still might try it since I can put it back on if I have to. I have to know what it is like.

Thank you!!

Jimmy is 15 years old. That's what he said too.. he's glad he tried it, but make sure you can put it back in if you don't like it

 

[Highfly]

I wasn't a fan of a sway bar on the Rev...at all. IMO the actual purpose of them hinders what you're trying to accomplish most times - for certain types of riding anyways.

Thats kind of what is crossing my mind as well but as some have said, works will with some sleds and not with others.

Jimmy is 15 years old. That's what he said too.. he's glad he tried it, but make sure you can put it back in if you don't like it

OK Sounds good. It's nice weather now so wont be so bad pulling it off. I'm putting money on it that it wont be so nice if/when it has to go back on which will suck LOL.

 

[Trashy]

I think you should leave it, and let her learn to ride with it on. I'm not sure if she would apprecaite knowing the difference at her age, but I have been wrong before.
IMO I think a sway bar is personal choice, either you like them or don't.
My 97 Summit and 04 HME I removed them, and loved it.
My 2000 RMK and 10 Dragon both had them on, but considering removing it this year on my 10

 

[Taminator]

Copy and paste...Mountain Tech-suspension

"Swaybars are nice to control ski push and tip when approaching a corner (to keep a snowmobile flat), but resist a driver wanting to roll off center when traversing across a mountainside. I have mixed opinions on this. Narrow stance snowmobiles are not much affected by sway bars, where as mountain snowmobiles with a wide stance and a swaybar can be dicey on a mountain. Ski-Doo, knowing riders want it both ways, offer a swaybar quick disconnect. Use it or lose it, it is your preference. Also, soft front suspension springs can cancel some of the woes a swaybar may cause when mountain smacking."

http://www.snowmobile.com/how-to/mountain-tech-snowmobile-suspensions-and-steering-posts-1486.html

Makes sense...a narrower sled would still have some tip-ability with a sway bar. But since the sway bars purpose is to keep the opposite ski 'grounded' or your sled level, it fights the riders need to tip and maneuver for sidehilling etc. The softer front springs might be a good plan for Katie if you keep the sway bar on.

 

[Highfly]

Copy and paste...Mountain Tech-suspension

"Swaybars are nice to control ski push and tip when approaching a corner (to keep a snowmobile flat), but resist a driver wanting to roll off center when traversing across a mountainside. I have mixed opinions on this. Narrow stance snowmobiles are not much affected by sway bars, where as mountain snowmobiles with a wide stance and a swaybar can be dicey on a mountain. Ski-Doo, knowing riders want it both ways, offer a swaybar quick disconnect. Use it or lose it, it is your preference. Also, soft front suspension springs can cancel some of the woes a swaybar may cause when mountain smacking."

Mountain Tech: Snowmobile Suspensions and Steering Posts

Makes sense...a narrower sled would still have some tip-ability with a sway bar. But since the sway bars purpose is to keep the opposite ski 'grounded' or your sled level, it fights the riders need to tip and maneuver for sidehilling etc. The softer front springs might be a good plan for Katie if you keep the sway bar on.

Thx for the info. I have softened the springs up adjustment wise for her to help her out. I'm interested in this quick disconnect. I'll bet I could fab something up on our machines. Maybe a next summer project.

 

[retiredpop]

My vote would be to take it out on a 2004. It will make a world of difference for someone her size when she's off trail. Turn up the spring tension on the front end if you do find it is diving a bit too much on the trails. It's a simple job to take it out without destroying anything.