Banging head on wall trying to figure out the best stud pattern for 137 track

[fatchance]

Well I fell victim to poor trail conditions over the weekend or at least my single Pro Lite backers did. Out for the very first time after countless hours of maintenance over the past few months and even while taking it easy through the bad spots in the trails i still lost 2 middle single Pro Lites. None of the outside singles pulled and i know they made solid contact with the rocks and roots we were creeping through because there were some that had spun and it took allot of force to spin them back. Absolutely love how these things hook when on hard pack, but now i am second guessing using the singles on a replacement track since this track now has two extra windows! I could never get the sled to hook until going with studs on the outside so i have a dilemma. I removed the 192 1.57" megabites and reinstalled them with doubles and single Pro Lites. The pic show the first one that tore a square in the track the same size as the backer and the second stud left a perfect window the size of the backer. The track has 4500 miles on it almost all tuned. Now What?

 

[DooZ]

4500 miles on a tuned track that has been compromised = Time for a new track

 

[fatchance]

OH yeah, for sure. Just wondering how many guys have had issues with the single Pro Lite backers.

 

[cannondale27]

Maybe if SnoCross or a lake runner those plastic backers work but on trail I never made a ride without breaking one.

 

[jonlafon1]

Never used the pro lite. I would chalk this up to early season/no snow conditions.. Woodys gold diggers on all mine for years

 

[fatchance]

I had the exact same stud pattern(used the same holes) with the extra large snow stud backers and the Mega Bites for 3 plus seasons with only 2 bent studs. The traction was better with the Pro Lites and Shedding the weight was really nice. Would like to have studs on the outside and not just up the middle, but not sure it's an option with these. Was thinking adding 2 singles outside with a double in the middle every other bar and 2 doubles on the others. I think there's enough deflection outside for them not to pull, but i don't want to tempt fate on a new track after seeing how those took squares out of the track with them.

 

[Big_Phil]

I had the exact same stud pattern(used the same holes) with the extra large snow stud backers and the Mega Bites for 3 plus seasons with only 2 bent studs. The traction was better with the Pro Lites and Shedding the weight was really nice. Would like to have studs on the outside and not just up the middle, but not sure it's an option with these. Was thinking adding 2 singles outside with a double in the middle every other bar and 2 doubles on the others. I think there's enough deflection outside for them not to pull, but i don't want to tempt fate on a new track after seeing how those took squares out of the track with them.

I am not sure how many miles you are expecting out of a track on one of these sleds. 4500 is about right if you ride hard and ride in bad conditions. I change my tracks out every 5-7000kms. Usually every season. Everyone I know that tries to push the life on one of these tracks ends up with a pullthru mid season, often with a stud in a heat exchanger.

 

[fatchance]

I realize the track is long in the tooth and i have zero issues replacing it. Just wondering if i would be in the same boat had the track been brand new at the time.

 

[Motorhead]

Well I fell victim to poor trail conditions over the weekend or at least my single Pro Lite backers did. Out for the very first time after countless hours of maintenance over the past few months and even while taking it easy through the bad spots in the trails i still lost 2 middle single Pro Lites. None of the outside singles pulled and i know they made solid contact with the rocks and roots we were creeping through because there were some that had spun and it took allot of force to spin them back. Absolutely love how these things hook when on hard pack, but now i am second guessing using the singles on a replacement track since this track now has two extra windows! I could never get the sled to hook until going with studs on the outside so i have a dilemma. I removed the 192 1.57" megabites and reinstalled them with doubles and single Pro Lites. The pic show the first one that tore a square in the track the same size as the backer and the second stud left a perfect window the size of the backer. The track has 4500 miles on it almost all tuned. Now What?View attachment 159160
View attachment 159161

This season has been hard on tracks, studs, backers and ski runners!
This is not preseason anymore, just a season without a base and sharing trails with ATVs and not raking the rocks prior to turning them over to sleds, in some spots. Those round 3-6” rocks that abound on some trails this year will ruin your sled fast. Hoping for the 3 storms in a row that they are forecasting for Maine.

Right now, you have to know which trails to bypass or else!

 

[fatchance]

It's been a while since we've had a season like this in Maine for sure! I have a trip to Caribou planned for next week so it's going to be a midnight mechanic session on a track swap once all the goods arrive in the mail.

Decided I would go with 192 Mega bites 1.575" with all Pro Lite double backers up the middle and maybe add to the outside with singles after the fact if it's not satisfactory.

In the mean time I need to get this thing bled as this weekend's TAPP testing was hindered by overheating issues. I damn near wore out that 14 mm bleeder bolt from trying to bleed the system out on the trails.

 

[Motorhead]

It's been a while since we've had a season like this in Maine for sure! I have a trip to Caribou planned for next week so it's going to be a midnight mechanic session on a track swap once all the goods arrive in the mail.

Decided I would go with 192 Mega bites 1.575" with all Pro Lite double backers up the middle and maybe add to the outside with singles after the fact if it's not satisfactory.

In the mean time I need to get this thing bled as this weekend's TAPP testing was hindered by overheating issues. I damn near wore out that 14 mm bleeder bolt from trying to bleed the system out on the trails.

Mine was a bear to bleed. I rode it like that for many seasons and just kept bleeding and bleeding, even tested the anti freeze to make sure it wasn’t pure. Added water and water wetter and nothing worked. My sled even overheated on freshly groomed trails with inches of fluff on it, while my buddies RTX did not.
Two seasons ago I hung my sled up by the nose to bleed it. Did that 3-4 weekends in a row, did it cold, did it hot, and in between those weekly rides I would still have to add an ounce or two to put it up to the cold line on the reservoir.

It finally stopped taking antifreeze and what a difference, no more overheating. I went from 211 limp mode as a common occurrence, and 246 which shuts off the motor, to no more overheating!!!

Last weeks bad trails had us limping along at the Forks for miles because of the amount of round rocks on top of the trail, then we rode them down the side of the tar road to the store for gas. I watched my temp in amazement as it stayed at that 172 happy spot for most of that 15-20 minutes of having to do that. And in fact it would drop to 170 and back up to 172. Not sure how or why, but sure am happier with it now!

I also took off my 1.22” Camoplast Ice Attack XT, and replaced it with a stock 1.25” track, with Woodys 1.350 Gold Diggers with both double and single Woodys aluminum backers. I copied Rocker Dans 144 pattern.
So all last season and two rides this season with only having to replace 1 single backer so far!

No doubt that the studded track helped out with cooling also!