My question is in regards to a lift kit installation and suspension trouble. I have installed a 4.5" lift kit on my '96 ultra RMK 680, I readjusted the track tension and alignment, as the track was now 1.5" too long. After adjusting the track, I found that the springs were sitting on the stops with just the weight of the sled. I can pull up and the shock behaves as normal, but the angles have changed dramatically on the spring. Is there a way to rotate or adjust the bellcrank that supports the shock in order to pull the suspension off of the stop?

you should also relocate you front bolts down as far as you can and the angles will start to even themselves out. the whole suspension will work better

My question is in regards to a lift kit installation and suspension trouble. I have installed a 4.5" lift kit on my '96 ultra RMK 680, I readjusted the track tension and alignment, as the track was now 1.5" too long. After adjusting the track, I found that the springs were sitting on the stops with just the weight of the sled. I can pull up and the shock behaves as normal, but the angles have changed dramatically on the spring. Is there a way to rotate or adjust the bellcrank that supports the shock in order to pull the suspension off of the stop?[/b]




he is correct. if you lower the rear, you must lower the front. if i remember right, the rear has it's own set of lower holes. my old 96 ultra sp had the rear in the lower holes on that bracket, and the front was in the next lower holes in the front mounts. you must drill the holes out. the front steel bracket that is riveted to the tunnel has the holes in it, you just have to put them in the aluminum. only go down one hole though. that is what the tech manual from polaris says. i am a polaris mechanic so i can say this with certainty. your concern is a valid one. when you pull the suspension next time, first take out the rear bolts, then roll the machine on it's right side and swing the suspension out towards you. you will notice the track will loosen drastically. this is effectively what you did when you lowered the rear bolts, but not the fronts. any questions, just ask.

The problem with lowering rear only is that the weight of the sled is now being carried by the rear of the skid only. It normally is given a hand by the springs in the front of the skid. Without that help, the rear springs will be struggling to hold the back up by themselves.

Lowering the front is correct as both the above have mentioned. I wrote only to caution against lowering the front beyond what the pre drilled holes in the brackets wil allow. If dropped further than that, you will find yourself in a situation where the track is being stretched as the suspension collapses - making the suspension impossible to tune. Not to mention being hard on the track and suspension components.

I was able to drop the front about 2" it helped, but I would like to drop the front end about another 2 1/4" from where it is at right now. Does anyone know where I might find a drop kit for the front holes to just below the cooling fins under the foot-boards? I have been able to manufacture the aft holes and brackets but don't have the tooling for doing the front.

Lowering the mounting position will be the easy part. Getting the suspension to work right set up like that will be harder (impossible). It's not a question of machine work. It's a question of geometry. As mentioned above, you'll find that with the front mounted that low, as the suspension collapses, the new geometry will cause the suspension to stretch the track (with fairly predictable results).

Is that not what the suspension is for... to absorb without streching the track? If the front and back come down together (as an assembly), would that be exactly the same as if the track and suspension have been put all the way to the upper limit so the track is almost touching the tunnel. The way that I see how the track system works is basically rotatng the track around the drive, therefore there should be no damage to the track or its components. As far as I have been able to test the set-up so far is that I haven't got it stuck yet in up to 5' of powder "YET" where as before it would get stuck in 2'. The biggest problem with my current set-up is that I am having a hard time keeping the front end heavy enough to steer the sled on the hand pack and pavement, but as for making trails and cutting through the powder it by far out performs the way it was set-up prior.

Not doubting how it's going to handle in deep snow. My point was directed only at what's happening as the suspension collapses. The drive axle, leading edge of the rails, rear axle, and top idlers form a parallelogram. When you drop that front arm to far the short legs of the parallelogram are no longer the same length.......leading to what I was saying.

The problem with your steering is also likely related to this same issue. At rest, for max flotation/minimum weight per square inch, the weight of the sled should be evenly distributed across everything contacting the snow. The way you are set up now, all the weight is on the skid - very little, if any, on the skis. That's why it's working in the deep stuff so well? For any handling on hardpack, you'll need to come up with some kind of compromise setup that puts some weight back on the skis.....

You could kill 2 birds with one stone by raising the front arm......at least enough to get some steering?