Question about scratchers...

[brianidaho]

I installed my scratchers yesterday according to the Holtz directions. I did as they say with the M7 skid, removed the idlers and cut the idler bracket to use as a spacer. Was hurrying and not thinking things through, really wish I'd left the idlers and added the scratchers behind them. Just wondering if anyone else runs them, especially w/o the idler wheels? I'm wondering how much Hyfax wear to expect.

Thanks.
Bri

 

[Rx1M5]

I run 2 wheels at the back of the skid and that is it no other wheels anywhere on the skid with scratchers mounted at the front half of the skid. I'm heading into my 3rd season on the same hyfax like over 2000 miles. The wear on the Cat hyfaxs is unreal. I haven't run boggies for years on any sled IMO they accelerate wear because they cause a wave affect directly in front and behind the wheel. You can really see that on a stock Yamaha skid when you pull off the old hyfax. With no wheels the wear is dead even and minimal but you HAVE TO use your scrathers religiously on the trail and keep your speed down till you get to the alpine. I know guys are going to pipe in and argue the point but fact is it works.

You'll be fine with your setup but you won't be sorry if you lose all the wheels and do like I said above.


Rx1M5

 

[SoCoRX1]

i have scratchers and the only wheels my skid has are the back ones. no other wheels and hyfax wear is good, snow permitting. Went a season with no wear then the last ride of the season was bad snow and need new hyfax

 

[powder muncher]

Scratchers work and also suck you will forget about them and bent the crap out of them at times if you are unlucky they will wreck your track. I have run with no wheels or scratchers for years.
As long as you are careful , keep the speed down and dip into snow it works just fine. Graphite sliders are a absolute must, stock Yamaha sliders totally suck but the Yamaha graphite ones work very well.
I will get a set of the flexible cable scratchers, they look like the ticket. But again scratchers will not work at speed and I doubt the cables will stay down at any more than 30 MPH That is where the Graphite sliders come in.
By the way I had better luck with them then with Hyperfax and they are a fraction of the cost.

 

[BlgsRX-1mtn]

I installed my scratchers yesterday according to the Holtz directions. I did as they say with the M7 skid, removed the idlers and cut the idler bracket to use as a spacer. Was hurrying and not thinking things through, really wish I'd left the idlers and added the scratchers behind them. Just wondering if anyone else runs them, especially w/o the idler wheels? I'm wondering how much Hyfax wear to expect.

Thanks.
Bri

I run the stock (with home made FRA mod) skid extended to a 162" with Holz scratchers. I took allt the wheels out and have seen longer life from my hyfax along with a even wear the entire length of the rails.

Here's my sled with the scratchers installed.

Jim

 

[Frostbite]

This is an interesting topic.

I have run my skids in the past without wheels without problems when using hiperfax. Then I cheaped out and bought the Yamaha Hi- Performance graphite impregnated hifax for one tenth of the cost of the hiperfax and they worked great.

Now I have the 141" M7 skid under my 162" Yamaha. I changed my hifax last season just because I bought the skid used and could see no wear lines on the Arctic cat hifax. So, I had no idea how mcuh wear was left on the hifax so I just changed them to have a good starting point. When I pulled them off I noticed there was plenty of wear left on them. I don't know what this means because the skid could have had very little wear when I got it.

Enough of that. I tried to install the scratchers as far forward on the skid as possible so the snow being kicked up has the best chance of actually hitting the under foot heat exchangers. My thinking was the further back they were installed the less time the snow had to kick up in the air and hit the heat exchangers.

I read in the latest snowtech about using ski scratchers in conjunction with rail scratchers to help enure good cooling. I think I will give it a try this year since I now have a 2 1/2" tall track. I still use water water in my anti freeze and burp my cooling system to ensure there are no air bubbles to ensure optimum cooling.

http://www.hartmaninc.com/scratchers.html

http://www.startinglineproducts.com/cat ... ductID=610

Here's a picture of where my rail scratchers are mounted.

Perhaps I should pull my front idlers off as well?

Frosty

 

[brianidaho]

Thanks for all the input you guys. Sounds like I'll be fine, and a couple pounds lighter to boot. Dang, I can't wait for snow!!!