Damaged track - bone head move - advice needed

[Powerguy]

Hello-
First post. I have a new to me 05 RX-1 and have been using my utility trailer as a sled trailer. Went for a ride yesterday and when I stopped by a friends he noticed that one stud was missing and the track was damaged. The utility trailer has metal grating for a ramp ( I have now added plywood).

Is this still safe to ride or do I need a new track? Advice appreciated.

 

[RSVECTORFREAK]

It's probably still safe to ride but I myself would be thinking about replacing it. If it starts to tear in between the lugs I would replace it because once my ripsaw starting tearing there it only got worse. The last thing I want is to lose a track doing triple digits but those rips don't look like they are compromising overall strength any.

 

[LazyBastard]

Are you certain that it was the trailer that caused it? Looks to me like the spikes would have grabbed in the grating, preventing any kind of tearing. That looks more like spinning-on-buried-obstruction damage to me.

About that track... should still be safe, but it might try coming apart gradually. IT CAN BE REPAIRED THOUGH!!!

Your profile doesn't show your location, but here's a couple of options:

http://www.carrolltech.com/snowmobile_track_repair.htm

http://www.trackrepair.ca/

 

[Powerguy]

Thanks LazyBastard and RSVectorFreak.

The dealer's opinion is that because there are chunks taken out of the side of the track and that there is wood showing that it is junk and needs to be replaced.

I thought it was the trailer but I did go slowly thru a bunch of farily deep water bars with what looked like gravel in the bottoms and did spin a little in them. it does make sense that if I did catch a corner that the damage would happen like that.

With the track being 5-6 years old does that, plus given the damage, justify replacing the track for safety and reliability?

 

[theCATman]

Personally.... I'd burn off the fibers with a propane torch, cauterize the rubber around them & ride it the rest of the season.

Save your money & replace the track in the off season.

 

[Powerguy]

Made the jump to buy the new track which will be here this week.

Any idea how long it takes the dealer to remove and replace a track on a 05 RX-1?

 

[RSVECTORFREAK]

Good call! Did you replace it with another Ripsaw? If not you might want to check the cobra track out! A little bigger lug and way better performance off trail than the ripsaw.

 

[spike337]

For what it's worth, i have heard that Loctite Black Max 380, ($35.00 a tube roughly) works very well on tracks. I ordered some just to put in my shop. Maybe ease a guys mind putting it on a questionable track?

 

[Powerguy]

Good call! Did you replace it with another Ripsaw? If not you might want to check the cobra track out! A little bigger lug and way better performance off trail than the ripsaw.

Went with a pre-studded Camoplast 1.25 Rip-Saw track with 144 studs from Al's Snomobile warehouse here in VT. I will have it here on Thursday and back on my sled on Friday if everything goes right, just in time for the weekend.

 

[woolyviper]

while i dont recommend it, i'd hit with a propane torch to keep it from unraveling - i've seen guys running worse.

 

[sgilbert]

thats what they all end up like, especially if you lone the sled out. I kind of like to continue runningt them as not worried about damaging it now and can always replace when its time

 

[halfast]

you didn't let a throttle happy friend of yours ride that sled the other day did you ??? Good call on the new track and I have a loaner for you for thursdays ride.... call me

 

[99SRX700]

Better safe than sorry. A new track may be expensive but not as expensive as having the damaged one let go at 100mph, and whip through the tunnel taking out your heat exchangers. Then your paying for a new track, heat exchangers, and god knows what other damage it could cause. Lets just say....been there done that. This is all assuming the loss of the track doesn't result in you crashing and therefore all kinds of other damage to the machine, or possibly yourself.

 

[Powerguy]

Thanks all. New track going on later today.

Any suggestions on what to do or not do so that this does not happen again?

Any thoughts on how many hour job this is (dealer) to replace the track ?

 

[LazyBastard]

Any suggestions on what to do or not do so that this does not happen again?

Don't spin the track!

Any thoughts on how many hour job this is (dealer) to replace the track ?

Should take about an hour.