"Best" Intake Grate for the FX1

[E350]

I have a stock 1995 FX1 and am interested in what you guys and gals think is the best intake grate for the FX1.

I only know about the oem stock, Pro-Tec and Blowsion intake grates for the FX1.

In a related thread there were votes for all three aftermarket ride plates for the FX1:

Jet Dynamics
Pro-Tec
Shredmaster

I bought one of the two remaining new old stock FX1 ride plates from Carl Brown at Pro-Tec. He said that once the last one is sold, that is it, they won't be making any more. Of course, Carl recommends the Pro-Tec intake grate. But Pro-Tec is sold out and won't be making any more of those either.

My previous experience on a slightly modded '93 550sx was that a top loader intake grate actually increased porpoising for me, so I went back to the stock three bar intake grate.

I am 206 lbs and 5' ~11"

Does a particular intake grate work better with a particular ride plate or vice a versa?

Any suggestions, experience, comments on which intake grate is "best" for the FX1 and for what conditions it is best would be appreciated.

 

[fx1mark]

I have an R&D and love it. It's not like you have a lot of grates available. I would think Jet dynamics would be a good grate but they aren't cheap.

 

[mikesx]

I have a stock 1995 FX1 and am interested in what you guys and gals think is the best intake grate for the FX1.

I only know about the oem stock, Pro-Tec and Blowsion intake grates for the FX1.

In a related thread there were votes for all three aftermarket ride plates for the FX1:

Jet Dynamics
Pro-Tec
Shredmaster

I bought one of the two remaining new old stock FX1 ride plates from Carl Brown at Pro-Tec. He said that once the last one is sold, that is it, they won't be making any more. Of course, Carl recommends the Pro-Tec intake grate. But Pro-Tec is sold out and won't be making any more of those either.

My previous experience on a slightly modded '93 550sx was that a top loader intake grate actually increased porpoising for me, so I went back to the stock three bar intake grate.

I am 206 lbs and 5' ~11"

Does a particular intake grate work better with a particular ride plate or vice a versa?

Any suggestions, experience, comments on which intake grate is "best" for the FX1 and for what conditions it is best would be appreciated.

For surf/ whitewater, the RD Aquavein. The only downside was if you also run creeks it is easy to jam up with weeds and grass( I rode some pretty narrow and shallow creeks). As a happy medium I actually used a modded Protec that had fins on the outside of the bars cut down. For just flat water or creeks, a two bar grate works fine, however cavitation in surf goes up.

 

[E350]

fx1mark thanks!

Mikesx thank you for explaining the function of different intake grate designs in different water conditions. That is the basic knowledge that I don't have and it is truly appreciated.

I can't even find an image of an R&D Aquavein on the internet.

Did I buy the Pro-Tec intake grate from you for $65 best offer with free shipping on ebay? fx1dave suggested that it would be good with the Pro-Tec ride plate I just bought.

So, is it correct that the intake grate and the ride plate are a system meant to work together? If so, what is the best ride plate for the R&D intake grate?

What is the best ride plate intake grate combo for the surf?

Would still appreciate anyone else's suggestions on intake grates for the FX1.

 

[mikesx]

fx1mark thanks!

Mikesx thank you for explaining the function of different intake grate designs in different water conditions. That is the basic knowledge that I don't have and it is truly appreciated.

I can't even find an image of an R&D Aquavein on the internet.

Did I buy the Pro-Tec intake grate from you for $65 best offer with free shipping on ebay? fx1dave suggested that it would be good with the Pro-Tec ride plate I just bought.

So, is it correct that the intake grate and the ride plate are a system meant to work together? If so, what is the best ride plate for the R&D intake grate?

What is the best ride plate intake grate combo for the surf?

Would still appreciate anyone else's suggestions on intake grates for the FX1.

Yes, and I will be shipping it tomorrow am. The guys in my group ,8-10, all Fx1’s, would run 1 of the Solas ss impellers, RD grate, and the DG Quadrafin ride plate. We all came to the same conclusion though, the Quadrafin was great for creeks/buoys/flat out riding, but for the most fun you can’t beat the stock ride plate. In the surf the stocker is nice and loose. For the grate,RD or JD,pretty much a toss up, but they always seemed to scoop everything you didn’t want, like fishing line and seaweed, and that stock pump doesn’t need much to affect it’s performance. That Protec you got coming at least will let you get your fingers in there to unclog/ unwrap whatever you pick up. The best mod for the FX hands down is a pump swap though.

 

[E350]

Thanks Mike! Is there a pump swap or something which does not require me to revise the fiberglass? I thought the pump swap would require widening the tunnel?

 

[mikesx]

fx1mark thanks!

Mikesx thank you for explaining the function of different intake grate designs in different water conditions. That is the basic knowledge that I don't have and it is truly appreciated.

I can't even find an image of an R&D Aquavein on the internet.

Did I buy the Pro-Tec intake grate from you for $65 best offer with free shipping on ebay? fx1dave suggested that it would be good with the Pro-Tec ride plate I just bought.

So, is it correct that the intake grate and the ride plate are a system meant to work together? If so, what is the best ride plate for the R&D intake grate?

What is the best ride plate intake grate combo for the surf?

Would still appreciate anyone else's suggestions on intake grates for the FX1.

RD Aquavein FX1

 

[mikesx]

Thanks Mike! Is there a pump swap or something which does not require me to revise the fiberglass? I thought the pump swap would require widening the tunnel?

Any worthwhile pump swap pretty much means opening up the tunnel somewhat, to take full advantage. Out of them all the Kawi 650/X2 is the least painful. Here's what you do under the ski:

Unfortunately, this is what you should do on top, though it does give you the chance to remove the 25 yr old soggy, wet foam:

 

[E350]

Mikesx et al.:

Your modification looks very clean and raises a couple of questions.

1. Is there a way to determine if my foam is soggy? (I guess,one way is to weigh it, dry weight should be 267 lbs.)

2. Assuming that I can weld aluminum, what do you think of this method of pump swap?

http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/fx1-144-bolt-in-pump-swap-pic.154517/

(I know that trim is a problem with this method, but quite frankly how effective/important is trim anyway? We have motorcycle handle type trim it on our 1988 X2 and to me it seems to do nothing whatsoever.)

 

[mikesx]

Mikesx et al.:

Your modification looks very clean and raises a couple of questions.

1. Is there a way to determine if my foam is soggy? (I guess,one way is to weigh it, dry weight should be 267 lbs.)

2. Assuming that I can weld aluminum, what do you think of this method of pump swap?

http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/fx1-144-bolt-in-pump-swap-pic.154517/

(I know that trim is a problem with this method, but quite frankly how effective/important is trim anyway? We have motorcycle handle type trim it on our 1988 X2 and to me it seems to do nothing whatsoever.)

Unless that thing just came out of the crate I'll bet you've got some h2o in there. The way the factory attaches the stock tray sides with rivets pretty much guarantees it. Every one we modded did. As far as the SJ pump, one guy in our group went that route and to be honest, didn't really perform any better than the 650 Kawi. Another one of the guys laid up a carbon bottom with a bigger tunnel, used a mag 144 and that boat picked up some very nasty handling traits. High speed ejection from pump jack, was pretty much what he figured out. Nothing wakes you up or pisses you off like getting tossed @55+ !

 

[mikesx]

Mikesx et al.:

Your modification looks very clean and raises a couple of questions.

1. Is there a way to determine if my foam is soggy? (I guess,one way is to weigh it, dry weight should be 267 lbs.)

2. Assuming that I can weld aluminum, what do you think of this method of pump swap?

http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/fx1-144-bolt-in-pump-swap-pic.154517/

(I know that trim is a problem with this method, but quite frankly how effective/important is trim anyway? We have motorcycle handle type trim it on our 1988 X2 and to me it seems to do nothing whatsoever.)

As far as trim we all used the X2 nozzle . You can put a lever or make adjustable, in the end I just ran mine full tilt.

 

[E350]

Yes our X2 has a motorcycle handlebar lever for trim. By full tilt you mean full tilt downward?

 

[mikesx]

Yes our X2 has a motorcycle handlebar lever for trim. By full tilt you mean full tilt downward?

Full up. Increasing the pump dia seems amplify the driveline angle in relation to the hull, driving the nose of the ski down. Started out with an adjustable set up and after first couple rides found that full up on trim kept the ski lively. Full down made it feel like it was plowing in turns. I ditched the adjustable set up and went with the fixed stainless bar in pic.