Had a chance to play around this weekend and form some opinions on different products. Here they are:

1.) 28" Mudzillas: Awesome tire, but at 48# + the wheel,they are heavy! Also, they are not EVEN CLOSE to being balanced. On a static tire balancer (Harbor Freight $49.00) , One tire took 18 OUNCES ! YEP 1 POUND 2 OUNCES of lead! The minimum was 12 ounces to balance. I used the tape on weights and will use epoxy on the ends to secure them. MUCH BETTER! Wheels were ITP Aluminum.

2.) Dynatek CDI: An improvement, but not like nitrous as some seem to suggest. Side by side drag with another 650 netted about 1 length difference in 300 feet. BUT no limp mode! That in itself makes the unit worth the money. (Both with stock rawhides)

3.) 26" Mudlites: Not as agressive as Mudzillas, was not able to balance due to stock wheel design. Still very rough on hardpack. Out of balance for sure! When I come across a spare hub/spindle, I will be able to balance them better.

4.) EPI Clutch kit: Thumbs down. Huge red spring KILLED top end. Red drive spring's engagement is too high for decent technical riding like rocks. (Haven't tried the pink yet. ) Cam arms are not heavy enough in my opinion. I think its too high of secondary side pressure as well. The quality of secondary spring was less than impressive. You had to force it on. This will lead to coil bind, then failure eventually. I will be calling them today to discuss. Also the cam arms are slightly rusty.

5.) Cycle Country Front CV Boot covers: These will prevent quite a bit of damage being 12 gauge steel. Overall installation was easy with 2 clamps for each cover. They will REQUIRE TWEAKING to get full wheel turn and stop them from rubbing on the wheel cv joint. The front needed tweaking forward, and the rear needed to go forward as well.

6.) Handlebar placement: As we all know, this quad has "heavy" steering. There is an EASY fix. Remove the speedo pod, and loosen the handlebars. Rotate them forward (up). You WILL HAVE to cut pockets in the pod for the handlebars. If you screw them up, a new pod is less than $20.00 so don't be nervous. I used a rotary file (porting tool). You could do the same with a rat tail or half round file, just takes more time. WHAT A DIFFERENCE !!! For giggles, sit on the bike, take a fish scale and hand it off the handlebar and measure the amount of force it takes to turn it. Then rotate the handlebars (without Pod mod) and remeasure. I didn't to it that scientific, but my "seat of the pants calibrator" told me it was TONS easier. Only 1 problem. My daughter liked our Kodiak better because of the steering. She tried the V2 after I did the bars, and it looks like its going to be "fistacuffs" to see who drives what! LOL


Hope this helped...

Jeff

 

Called EPI yesterday. They said I needed (4) 56g weights instead of the (2)54 and (2) 56 for my combo. Yeah, the extra weight would help lower the engagement by 100 rpm or so, but I don't think its going to change the top end all that much. Not too thrilled with the responses (from customer service) I got either. They said the spring is OK being that tightly wound on the driven (Diameter). There is NO DOUBT that the spring is binding as its loading up. Then regarding the rusty weights, and wrong weights, I am supposed to have my dealer call his supplier. Nice. Who will THEY call? EPI. I smell a stroke job. Typical for the snowmobile industry. Thats where Glenn and Diane got their start. Sounds like I have to do my own R/D. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

Anyone try Dalton Industries kit? (I need the one for CDI/Bigger Tires)

This wouldn't be bad if the clutches were as easy as sleds to get to. But anyone who has done them know how much "fun" the can be.


I guess before I do any R/D for clutching, I better do the exhaust mod, airbox mod and jet change, so I have a consistant horsepower to work with. (Not clutching, then find more hP)

 

Update: Took out the clutch kit. Good thing, too!! The red spring was showing signs of coil bind (Where the paint is completely off where the coils contact each other. I also took the weights out of the primary. NO BUSHINGS !! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] This is absolutely uncalled for. Now the pivot pins needed polishing again, so the stocker bushings don't get taken out. JUNK! This will be going back to EPI.