TonyVT
Expert
Stock 03 track. Stud pulls out part way, like a flap, cuts through my front cooler, Polaris switchback pulls me in. OUCH
Are these tracks crap? I know no one likes how they hook up but are they inferior material? I have pulled out 3 studs in about 600 miles. 2 on the outside and one inside just beside the rail. If I take the outside studs out will I be safer? I have no cash this year left for a new one and I hate to not have studs. Now I have to pull out the whole suspension so my guy can weld it up for me. I do still have another 03 track unstudded and in great shape. I think my best plan would be to put that track back on for the rest of this season and go without studs..??
Opinions?
Next year.... RIPSAW!!!!!!
Are these tracks crap? I know no one likes how they hook up but are they inferior material? I have pulled out 3 studs in about 600 miles. 2 on the outside and one inside just beside the rail. If I take the outside studs out will I be safer? I have no cash this year left for a new one and I hate to not have studs. Now I have to pull out the whole suspension so my guy can weld it up for me. I do still have another 03 track unstudded and in great shape. I think my best plan would be to put that track back on for the rest of this season and go without studs..??
Opinions?
Next year.... RIPSAW!!!!!!
Silverbullet
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
I hate to ride without some studs ..........but the season IS drawing to a close so be carefull riding without the studs .....The ridesaw is a great replacment for the finger track 
TonyVT
Expert
studs
The thing is here in Vermont the snow ausome. The best conditions we had all years!! We may be riding 3 more weeks.. I hope. So I dont want to have my machine broken...Idle.....
I only got 50 miles today before this happened. It would have been close to 200, it was only 11:00....._*(&()^&%^%$&^))
The thing is here in Vermont the snow ausome. The best conditions we had all years!! We may be riding 3 more weeks.. I hope. So I dont want to have my machine broken...Idle.....
I only got 50 miles today before this happened. It would have been close to 200, it was only 11:00....._*(&()^&%^%$&^))
RX1 Yooper
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
My track did the same thing. Only on the outside. 1 1/4 Camo. Does this mean that Camo tracks are junk?
LooseCannon
Expert
There has always been mixed opinions on studding the outside of the track. I myself perfer to only stud the middle. 144 or less is plenty up the center for any kind of safety. I have seen alot of pull throughs in ALL makes of tracks. One of the several reasons for pull throughs is stud torque. When first putting the studs in I torque them to 12-14in lbs depending on the backer material.(ie) plastic, aluminum, steel After you get a 100 or so miles on them go back and retorque making sure they have all stayed tight. When the stud loosens is when your more prone for pull throughs. Also if you have the outside studded now you can remove them without any worries and still run the rest of the season. As you may know Camoplast makes some of their tracks now predrilled. Most being 144 up the center, however I have talked with Camoplast about not filling all the holes and they mentioned that would not be a problem. Point being you can remove the studs and still be ok to run. Good Luck and enjoy all the snow you have!
IGO4SNO
Newbie
i have ridden thousands of miles and never lost one stud.
Swiss Sledder
TY 4 Stroke God
Replace your 03 track with the Ripsaw track, then install 96 studs down the center. LOTS of people on here with this setup, including me, without any problems.
LooseCannon
Expert
If you are riding an 03 RX-1 I caution you about an 1.25 track (ie) Ripsaw with studs. Been there....... done that...... and tore S&%T up. That is if you are an aggressive rider that take bumps at high speeds etc. 04's to current was not a problem but on the 03's watch out. Alot of guys say they have had no problems but I would disagree. I have talked with Woody's tech department and they are the one who informed me that the exhaust on the 03's was not tucked as high as on the 04's and up. If you use a ripsaw and studs you will hit something. You may want to consider the Camoplast Six Pitch Design. 1" lug fully clipped predrilled 144 in the center. NICE track. Actually comes factory on the 05 Mach's.
marc w
Newbie
torn track
the same thing just happened to me . tore a stud half out and destroyed my front heat exchanger. rode from millinocket to kokadgo and stayed broke . the Northern Pride Lodge owner put my sled in his truck and drove us 80 miles round trip to see if we might get it fixxed.
any tips on replacing the heat exchanger ???
the same thing just happened to me . tore a stud half out and destroyed my front heat exchanger. rode from millinocket to kokadgo and stayed broke . the Northern Pride Lodge owner put my sled in his truck and drove us 80 miles round trip to see if we might get it fixxed.
any tips on replacing the heat exchanger ???
LooseCannon
Expert
Tig weld if possible. Faster, cheaper, and easier if damage is not to severe. Would recommend removing track to make repair.
TonyVT
Expert
LooseCannon said:
ITs at the welders now. Thats exactly what will be done. He tried to do it with the track on, but access is too tight. So I tore it all apart today and dropped it off. It is just a clean cut about 3/4 inch long.
SToneman.. I have not lost a stud I did my self either. But I bought this studded from a TYer and it looked good when installed. None tore out, but the studs did show some wear, Now I have many bent slightly and backer plates bent too. They are aluminum. As I looked closer today they do look like they are realy pulled into the track.... real tight. Maybe too tight cut into the track?...
Loosecanon. Thanks for the info I will look into it before making a final decision.
I guess I will put my original unstudded piece of crap 03 back on for the rest of this season and worry about it all summer....
Suisse.. Thats what I may do....
NOTE: I also found that my front shock on the skid is getting banged up on the bottom along with the shock mount. Whats up with that??
touched
Pro
04 warrior with 4200 miles on it,had a stud rip out and take out the front heat exchanger on thursday.I was about 10 miles from Milo Maine,had to be towed by a Polaris switchback also.I was the only yamaha in a polaris group yeah I took it hard. 
Sled-ed
Veteran
Same thing happened to my '03 at 500 km. Never put the old track back on, put on 1.25 " without studs and now I am kicking myself. I miss my studs and like one guy said about studding the 1.25", I am afraid of it ripping things up as I am an aggressive driver. Any other options for traction ??
Freak
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
touched said:04 warrior with 4200 miles on it,had a stud rip out and take out the front heat exchanger on thursday.I was about 10 miles from Milo Maine,had to be towed by a Polaris switchback also.I was the only yamaha in a polaris group yeah I took it hard.
this is why you need to carry lots of water.
TonyVT
Expert
track
Im thinking that as some suspect this stock camoplast track is crap. I have studded many tracks and not ripped any out. I do have to admit that I did ride with very low snow in Jan. and often did feel those hits of rocks, dirt ect. under foot. But I did try and not spin as much as possible in low snow... But my 600 tripple with stock Yamaha track never lost one... I have lost studs a little here and there in the past on many sleds but never had one tear in a "flap" and then be able to flop and reach so far out...
1. I do think the front cooler looks a little too close to the track...????
2. My studs are 1 3/8. Would a 1/4 less lenght be ok? ( I know it wont help with the partial tear out like I had that "flaps")
I dont know what is best but I do know I MUST HAVE STUDS>> Here in Vermont we offten have very hard packed icy snow and those darn springs that run all winter, on steep mountains and hill trails it can in some cases hard to get up or down safely without studs.
I actually got hung up with my son and wife a few years back in a steep little valley, I had studs both of theirs did not. It was only about a 100 foot dip in both directions but with a 90 deg turn at the very bottom and trees all around, no way to get a run on it, no way to get off trail an up we ended up getting their sled up as far as possible and then with a tow rope strung down the hill at the top to my machine we muscled each up to that rope and then pulled them up. Took us an hour!!! There was just no other way...
I have also been in situations where you are on a steep decline and there is 75 to 100' of glare ice running down a very steep hill, no fun either.
I MUST HAVE AT LEAST SOME STUDS.
But for the little riding left this year, maybe 2 or at the most 3 more weeks.... (great late riding for here) I will go back to stock crap track with NO studs.
\
PS> Welder got my cooler all welded up a-ok!
On my way to pick it up now. Put together tonight.
Im thinking that as some suspect this stock camoplast track is crap. I have studded many tracks and not ripped any out. I do have to admit that I did ride with very low snow in Jan. and often did feel those hits of rocks, dirt ect. under foot. But I did try and not spin as much as possible in low snow... But my 600 tripple with stock Yamaha track never lost one... I have lost studs a little here and there in the past on many sleds but never had one tear in a "flap" and then be able to flop and reach so far out...
1. I do think the front cooler looks a little too close to the track...????
2. My studs are 1 3/8. Would a 1/4 less lenght be ok? ( I know it wont help with the partial tear out like I had that "flaps")
I dont know what is best but I do know I MUST HAVE STUDS>> Here in Vermont we offten have very hard packed icy snow and those darn springs that run all winter, on steep mountains and hill trails it can in some cases hard to get up or down safely without studs.
I actually got hung up with my son and wife a few years back in a steep little valley, I had studs both of theirs did not. It was only about a 100 foot dip in both directions but with a 90 deg turn at the very bottom and trees all around, no way to get a run on it, no way to get off trail an up we ended up getting their sled up as far as possible and then with a tow rope strung down the hill at the top to my machine we muscled each up to that rope and then pulled them up. Took us an hour!!! There was just no other way...
I have also been in situations where you are on a steep decline and there is 75 to 100' of glare ice running down a very steep hill, no fun either.
I MUST HAVE AT LEAST SOME STUDS.
But for the little riding left this year, maybe 2 or at the most 3 more weeks.... (great late riding for here) I will go back to stock crap track with NO studs.
\
PS> Welder got my cooler all welded up a-ok!
On my way to pick it up now. Put together tonight.
