136" Track & conversion Kit Recommendations?

[Buckeye]

One of the off season projects I am hoping to do, is to upgrade to a 136" track. My question is what do you recommend? 9834, 9836 or what? I intend to use no slip drivers so I need a fully windowed and clipped track. Who offers the best extension kit? :roll:

 

[LazyBastard]

9836 is the exact same pattern and lug type as 9834, but is softer. Softer means shorter lifespan and possible folding (causing slippage) on hardpack. 9834 is highly recommended. I have experience using 9833 (same but 121), and I can tell you that unless you're climbing big mountains, then it probably isn't even necessary to stretch it out. The 9818/9833/9819/9834 track style is A1.

 

[Buckeye]

Track length

The reason I am considering the 136 is for traction since I will be adding a Turbo before the winter. I figure the longer footprint will help. Definitely won't be riding in the Mountains.

 

[LazyBastard]

Yeah, maybe for turbo, but note this: For turbo, you DEFINITELY want the 9834 and NOT the 9836. That turbo will bend those lugs and ultimately rip them all off if you get the extra soft track.

 

[Buckeye]

9834

I was thinking the 9834 too. If I don't go the 136 route I will go the 9833. Now would you use extensions or all new rails?

 

[LazyBastard]

I've honestly never considered it. I like it nice and short. I would imagine that completely new rails and changing the center and rear mount points would give you a smoother ride and ultimately a more durable skid.

 

[Snomad]

Nice to see the forum is back. Like the song says, "you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone..."
I put up a thread shortly before the forum went down on this subject. I talked to MPI today on the differences between their stage 1,2, and 3 kits for going 136" on a shorty RX-1. Stage 1 is just extensions and tunnel ext.
Stage two same thing and also moves the suspension back. This lowers the attack angle of the front of the track; better for deep snow but will put more weight on the front end. For the deep it's great but maybe not for the trails. Hopefully with some adjustment to the front limiters and center shock preload it will be OK for us flatlanders.
Stage 3, now you've got full length rails and sliders, stock attack angle. Like a warrior without the shock upgrade.
I am leaning toward the stage 2 because it basically mimics the warrior and a mountain machine and I believe will improve rideability with the stock shocks in it. It's also less money. My only worry is the reduced attack angle. It would be great it if it didn't shift any weight onto the front end. That reduced attack angle will also help prevent ratcheting if you want to stay with a closed track. The 9834 looks like the only good choice in camoplast for extroverts. I wish they had a fully clipped 9858. Anyone out there have a stage 2 kit last season? Tell us about it.

 

[LazyBastard]

9858?? Ugh YUCK! Thats like the stock track except for an extra .25".

 

[Buckeye]

Attack angle

I'm not sure the reduced attack angle is a bad thing. If you look at some of the other manufacturers they don't have as steep an angle as the Rx does. I'm wondering if that steep angle doesn't contribute to the top speed loss experienced when transitioning from bare ice to snow. Also, to the poor performance on water. Just a thought. :roll:

 

[LazyBastard]

I thought that the RX already had a pretty gentle attack angle. Like my Exciter (87).. When they changed Exciter into a turing sled instead of a racing sled (90+), they steepened the attack angle (made it VERY steep) and lost some speed.

 

[Snomad]

Buckeye, you're dead on. The steeper the attack angle the greater the speed loss upon hitting drifts or deeper snow. The shallower attack angle will make the RX-1 trench less in deeper snow. I think that would be great for the RX but I don't want to add any more ski weight doing it.

L.B., if you take a close look at the 9858 you'll see that this track is much different than the stock finger track. Even though it is classed as a finger track it really is a combo of a finger track and a full block. There is much more of a full block to this track than a 9833 has. In a 1.25 inch version this track I think will be better because of its flexibility for slider wear when you are on hard packed trails or low snow conditions. That is one drawback to the 1.25's is that there is less contact with snow in those conditions. I know of a friend who switched to the 121" version of the 9858 (9854 I think) and says the hook-up is night and day over the stock track. Only thing is, he now has ratcheting where he didn't before even with the track tension very tight. That is why I would want a fully clipped one.

 

[LazyBastard]

Maybe a little bit better than the stock, but there is very little contact at the extremities. 9833 has a LOT more rubber on the ground, *expecially* in hardpack because the paddles are straight not ridged.

Also... take a look at the challenger tracks. The paddles are every *second* opening and are staggered. This gives it more penetration and allows each paddle to bite more deeply, rather than suffering after the previous paddle removed the snow.

When you are on hardpack, what you want more than anything is penetration. 9858 won't sink in. You should take a look at the trail after a 9833 goes through. The trail gets ripped up even if an old man was driving because the track penetrates and lifts.

 

[Snomad]

OK, you talked me into the 9834. It was the only good fully clipped one anyway.
I talked to MPI again today on a couple of things regarding the stage 2 kit. This is the one reduces the attack angle. All the suspension mounting points are moved back on the tunnel to do this, not just the rear and center ones as on the stage 3 kit. The extensions are also shorter due to this than they are on the stage 1 kit. The control rods and scissor still mount to the moved-back rail. This is the kit I am going to go with with extroverts. This should kill four birds with one stone: trenching, ratcheting, traction, and improved ride quality. I think I will drop to a 23 top gear as well to round it out. It's too bad that someone with that exact kit hasn't let us know how it worked.

 

[Buckeye]

136 kit

This is the one I have been considering too. I like the idea of the reduced approach angle. And I agree the 9834 is the best track for the job.

 

[POWERHAULIC]

I agree with that also if you want a 1.250". I am installing a 9838 1" same track just shorter paddle. I want to have more stud penetration, I will be using 1.375 studs. LB hates to hear the word studs.