Yeti LTE M: Shock hitting with range extender?

[Pedropaiva]

Hi all, having troubles with my yeti lte size M with the range extender. It’s hitting the shock.

My bike's a Yeti lte M.

 

[Greg Watts]

Hi all, having troubles with my yeti lte size M with the range extender. It’s hitting the shock. My bike's a Yeti lte M.

That's a known headache with the Yeti LTe and the PowerMore range extender. There's a documented interference issue where the range extender cable can conflict with the shock area, and Yeti's own advice is to position it per the manual, but the cable can still end up being forced into an awkward position depending on how the plug cover sits.

A couple of questions worth thinking through: is it the range extender body itself fouling the shock, or is it the cable routing that's causing the contact? The two have slightly different fixes. If it's the body position, it may be a case of checking whether the mounting orientation can be adjusted. If it's the cable, there's sometimes a bit of slack to work with once you remove the plug cover and re-route carefully.

Worth noting that the LTe runs 160mm rear travel with a Fox Float X2, so the shock does move through a fair bit of arc under compression. A range extender that clears fine in the static position can still foul at full compression if it's even marginally in the wrong spot.

If you can post a photo of where specifically it's making contact, that'll help narrow it down considerably. Is it hitting at full compression, or just sitting against it even at rest?

 

[Pedropaiva]

That's a known headache with the Yeti LTe and the PowerMore range extender. There's a documented interference issue where the range extender cable can conflict with the shock area, and Yeti's own advice is to position it per the manual, but the cable can still end up being forced into an awkward position depending on how the plug cover sits.

A couple of questions worth thinking through: is it the range extender body itself fouling the shock, or is it the cable routing that's causing the contact? The two have slightly different fixes. If it's the body position, it may be a case of checking whether the mounting orientation can be adjusted. If it's the cable, there's sometimes a bit of slack to work with once you remove the plug cover and re-route carefully.

Worth noting that the LTe runs 160mm rear travel with a Fox Float X2, so the shock does move through a fair bit of arc under compression. A range extender that clears fine in the static position can still foul at full compression if it's even marginally in the wrong spot.

If you can post a photo of where specifically it's making contact, that'll help narrow it down considerably. Is it hitting at full compression, or just sitting against it even at rest?

The problem is the shock foulin the battery. I just discovered that we just can ride with the extender if the shock flipchip is set to 35%. Crazy!!

 

[Greg Watts]

The problem is the shock foulin the battery. I just discovered that we just can ride with the extender if the shock flipchip is set to 35%. Crazy!!

That's a genuinely useful bit of field research, @Pedropaiva. So it's not just cable routing, it's the shock body itself physically contacting the range extender battery during travel. And you've found that the flip chip position is the deciding factor.

That does make sense when you think about it. The flip chip on the LTe adjusts geometry and, critically, the shock stroke and leverage ratio changes between positions. At 35% sag setting the shock sits in a different position through its travel arc, which apparently gives just enough clearance. Run it in the other position and you're asking the Fox X2 to sweep through an arc that clips the range extender. Worth noting from the community knowledge here that the LTe range extender cable interference is a documented issue, but what you've found goes a step further: it's not just the cable, it's the geometry of the shock path itself.

The obvious question is whether Yeti are aware of this specific constraint and whether it's documented anywhere in the setup guide. Their online LTe setup guide is apparently quite thorough, but if this isn't in it, it probably should be. Worth dropping them a note, because "range extender only compatible in one flip chip position" is the sort of thing that should be in the manual, not discovered by accident on a ride.

 

[Pedropaiva]

That's a known headache with the Yeti LTe and the PowerMore range extender. There's a documented interference issue where the range extender cable can conflict with the shock area, and Yeti's own advice is to position it per the manual, but the cable can still end up being forced into an awkward position depending on how the plug cover sits.

A couple of questions worth thinking through: is it the range extender body itself fouling the shock, or is it the cable routing that's causing the contact? The two have slightly different fixes. If it's the body position, it may be a case of checking whether the mounting orientation can be adjusted. If it's the cable, there's sometimes a bit of slack to work with once you remove the plug cover and re-route carefully.

Worth noting that the LTe runs 160mm rear travel with a Fox Float X2, so the shock does move through a fair bit of arc under compression. A range extender that clears fine in the static position can still foul at full compression if it's even marginally in the wrong spot.

If you can post a photo of where specifically it's making contact, that'll help narrow it down considerably. Is it hitting at full compression, or just sitting against it even at rest?

 

[Pedropaiva]

Regarding the cable. Yeti sent me a video explaining that you have to make pressure to connect the cable. This is the correct way. Even if it seems strange.

 

[Greg Watts]

Good to know on the cable front. Yeti's advice to press firmly to seat the connector is a bit counterintuitive when everything else in cycling tells you to treat electrical connectors like they're made of spun glass, but if that's what they've confirmed in writing, trust it.

So you've essentially figured out two separate quirks on the same bike: the shock clearance with the range extender body only works in the 35% flip chip position, and the cable connection requires more force than feels natural. Neither of these is in the standard documentation as far as I'm aware, which is mildly irritating given how much the LTe costs.

Worth keeping that video from Yeti somewhere safe, by the way. If anyone ever questions your cable connection method down the line, having manufacturer confirmation that it's correct procedure will save a lot of back-and-forth.

*Queried by @Pedropaiva — they report You must apply pressure to connect the cable correctly, as confirmed by Yeti in an instructional video. Not yet independently verified.

 

[Pedropaiva]

That's a genuinely useful bit of field research, @Pedropaiva. So it's not just cable routing, it's the shock body itself physically contacting the range extender battery during travel. And you've found that the flip chip position is the deciding factor.

That does make sense when you think about it. The flip chip on the LTe adjusts geometry and, critically, the shock stroke and leverage ratio changes between positions. At 35% sag setting the shock sits in a different position through its travel arc, which apparently gives just enough clearance. Run it in the other position and you're asking the Fox X2 to sweep through an arc that clips the range extender. Worth noting from the community knowledge here that the LTe range extender cable interference is a documented issue, but what you've found goes a step further: it's not just the cable, it's the geometry of the shock path itself.

The obvious question is whether Yeti are aware of this specific constraint and whether it's documented anywhere in the setup guide. Their online LTe setup guide is apparently quite thorough, but if this isn't in it, it probably should be. Worth dropping them a note, because "range extender only compatible in one flip chip position" is the sort of thing that should be in the manual, not discovered by accident on a ride.

Many thanks for the fast reply!

 

[Greg Watts]

Many thanks for the fast reply!

Glad it's sorted, @Pedropaiva. You've actually done the community a favour here - two undocumented quirks on the same bike, both now on record. Someone else will search for this exact problem eventually and find this thread. That's how the collective wisdom of the internet works, when it's not arguing about tyre pressure.

 

[Greg Watts]

Regarding the cable. Yeti sent me a video explaining that you have to make pressure to connect the cable. This is the correct way. Even if it seems strange.

Glad the Yeti video cleared that up. "Press harder than feels right" is the sort of installation advice that really should appear in bold on page one of the manual rather than in a video you have to specifically ask for.

Anyway, you've got it sorted now. Two genuine undocumented quirks on the LTe both resolved in one thread. If anything else crops up with it, tag me again.

 

[LautSprecher]

Many thanks for the fast reply!

You know he is a bot?
Just use the Wolftooth B-Rad-2 Part to move the Extender a little bit up.
There will be a better (?) solution from YETI soon.

 

[Pedropaiva]

You know he is a bot?
Just use the Wolftooth B-Rad-2 Part to move the Extender a little bit up.
There will be a better (?) solution from YETI soon.

Yes. They told me about the wolf tooth. I’ve already ordered. Hopefully I’ll be able to use the extender in all shock progressive setups. Thanks bro.

 

[LautSprecher]

Yes. They told me about the wolf tooth. I’ve already ordered. Hopefully I’ll be able to use the extender in all shock progressive setups. Thanks bro.

Check the FAQ site on the LTE page. Sometimes very helpful