Anyone not studding their Apex?

[Rob ER]

Over the years I studded all my sleds with the problems of a heat exchanger getting hit or tearing the track. This happen not too often but it did happen. I have 144 stud boys sitting in the garage with 3 sets of longer runners stored up. Now I think Ill try the sled w/o studs.

 

[Attak]

My buddy who rides a 600 SDI Gade decided not to stud and that sled was awesome on or off trail. He rode it for a year and a half like that. One day he popped off the trail onto an icy road and his back end passed his front end faster than you can say "studs please". 108 up the middle for him the next day. I won't go without.

 

[2BLUE4U]

Is 108 the 96 equivilant for a 136" track?

 

[y_guy]

I am trying mine without studs. I studded my viper and my SXr, but those tracks sucked and needed studs just to get any grip.

 

[xcsp]

No studs, for now

I am going to try the sled w/o studs but have a feeling that may not last too long as my last 3 sleds had them more for control than anything.

I run a 60 mile long twisty river frequently and this is my main concern for control.

Will 96 studs in the middle be enough, or do I go straight with 144 if I choose to stud?

 

[Spyderman]

After riding in the UP last weekend with no studs, I decided studs were in order. I think 96 gold diggers will help in the extra icy conditions. Its no fun pulling the sled off an icy road or gas station Also the extra braking is added insurance...

Studs are in the mail!

 

[1bad442]

I'm going without for now. I do mostly trail riding and my '05 RX-1 did pretty well without them last year on the lakle.

 

[Starry Knight]

I have to wait a while to stud mine. I figure I'll stud after I get a trip on it, and do the 500 mile oil change at the same time.

In the past, I used the pattern (for 144) that had most of the studs in the middle, and a few on the sides of the track. Seems like most people go with "up the middle" pattern. What is the difference or reasons for using one over the other?

 

[Yamadog]

3 sleds in a row were studded with 196 including outside edges. All 3 tore the outside of the tracks and wiped out the front heat exchangers. In one weekend on my RX-1 I lost a total of 8 studs all on the outside edges. There was only about 1300 miles on the track at the time and it had at least four areas of 6" of track on the edges I had to cut off because it was completely torn free except at the leading edge. Everyone I ride with have all gone to the center studding only. the amount of power these sleds are making and the grip you get on fast turns is more than the track can handle.

 

[Attak]

Is 108 the 96 equivilant for a 136" track?

Yup

 

[KubotaOne]

I'm not studding. I'm happy as is.

 

[Swiss Sledder]

I am going without studs this season for the first time in a while. Both of my RX-1's have 96 studs down the center. I haven't had any problems with the studs, just thought I would try the Attak without studs.

 

[Ted Jannetty]

I won't be studding, I have been riding Studless with 1 1/4" tracks since 2001 and I love it, traction is awesome, Braking is awesome, track runs smooth and quiet, not worried about traveling down dirt roads in the warmer months of winter.

I don't care about the lake, I have other sled for that.

 

[favarcat]

I'm not. Haven't studded since 2000.

 

[Tork]

We had a thread on it a while back. Some were extremely for it, some were no way in favor of it.
To sum it up, if you ride where there is a lot of ice, yes greatly helps with safety. If you ride where there is a lot of fresh snow (northern UP for example) it is not that big of a deal to go unstudded