I got to thinking about setups and all.. and it occured to me that perhaps some of you think of the front arm as just another spring, and 'don't want it too soft' because you 'like a firm ride'.
The front arm is basically a pivot point for the entire suspension, and if it is too firm, the entire suspension can be compromised, not just in ride quality but also performance. A too-stiff front arm will hurt deep snow performance as well as top end. There are only a few conditions when a stiff front arm is desirable. And I'm talking in general here, not just with the Firecat.
I also took a look at the AC performance manual that I received from Dan at the Outdoor Shop to see what it had to say about the front arm setting. I found what it had to say so interesting that I copied it and posted it here. Again, this is from the Cat performance manual under "Suspension Setup Basics", and it basically agrees with what I've said for years:
The front arm is basically a pivot point for the entire suspension, and if it is too firm, the entire suspension can be compromised, not just in ride quality but also performance. A too-stiff front arm will hurt deep snow performance as well as top end. There are only a few conditions when a stiff front arm is desirable. And I'm talking in general here, not just with the Firecat.
I also took a look at the AC performance manual that I received from Dan at the Outdoor Shop to see what it had to say about the front arm setting. I found what it had to say so interesting that I copied it and posted it here. Again, this is from the Cat performance manual under "Suspension Setup Basics", and it basically agrees with what I've said for years: