Slider wear DuPont

[GR8BBQ]

Thanks, great pics and suggestion Big P... Let us know how they work and when you will start selling those backer blocks! Maybe a collab with Travis at BOP if you need help with bulk manufacturing/ distribution....

 

[74Nitro]

Uneven slider wear usually comes down to a couple things(aside from lack of snow conditions).
1) Balance of spring pressure settings from front of skid to rear of skid, including too much at the center spring which is often the culprit of wear at the front of rail.
2) Track too loose or tight, but more likely the former. I often see tracks set way too loose causing track whip. Don't see tracks too tight very often, and if you have a high power sled like a tuned turbo, the track needs to be tighter than stock specs.

As far as adding the small additional idlers, I used to do this many years ago on my own and other peoples sled, but abandoned it for the most part. Those little wheels only stand up for the most gentle riders. Aggressive riders will destroy those wheels in short order.

 

[Big Pussy]

A buddy of mine has them programmed in the Haas CNC mill. He can knock them out real quick. They are made out of 1 x1 " billet aluminum and mine are now clear anodized as well.

If there is a demand for these things, I will leave it up to him to fill the need. He has a 2nd generation fab shop. He owns a Viper and Side Winder and my son and I have 7000's. We have developed the fixes for all the Procross problems.

 

[Big Pussy]

As far as adding the small additional idlers, I used to do this many years ago on my own and other peoples sled, but abandoned it for the most part. Those little wheels only stand up for the most gentle riders. Aggressive riders will destroy those wheels in short order.

I am certainly not a hammer head rider. Not after 63 years on this earth. I rarely break things. You can try any track tension and that spot will not stop wearing.

 

[74Nitro]

It was a common wear spot on plenty of the all-Japan models. I rarely see it as a problem on the Viper or Winders. My findings are they tend to wear more near the very back.

 

[Northernshift]

I had the same problem on a Vector and I bought the "marginal snow wheel kit" from Yamaha which are small wheels, approx 3.5 inches in diameter that installed right at the tip up. It stopped the wear completely.

 

[Nytro77]

That’s a good idea to upgrade wheels.

 

[Big Pussy]

Hmmm. I don't think I have to upgrade anything. I have 5 axles in the center where all the weight is. Note that the Cat skids have wheels on each side of the shock rocker where Yams don't. This gives me the 5 axles and I didn't have to drill a single hole. I can still add another axle at the rear but there is no slider wear there. If the Wahl wheels don't last the season, I will try adding a pair of real OEM wheels at the curve but there won't be room for more than one axle. Probably on the inside. Got to be careful of the front arm tube and gusset. May have to notch the gusset.

There is only significant wear at the curve, just ahead of the front wheel. By the way, the original Cat wheels are 5.63 inches in diameter and the skid rolls on the floor with the sliders on and does not touch. It always rolls away on me when working on it. BTW, 6004 bearings are junk too so there is nothing new here. Gone are the days of the 6205 bearing that lasted a few years. I re-grease them all every summer.

 

[Nytro77]

That’s a good idea to up grade the wheels

 

[Big Pussy]

I don't know much about the diesels other than if its a Ram Eco Fix It Again Tony (Fiat) engine, get rid of it while it is still worth something. The ticking I here out there seems to be from 5.7 Hemis.

 

[GR8BBQ]

Yeah my Hemi ticks.

 

[ryan11007]

Had this issue with a new track backed all off. Coudent back off anymore. Took a while for track to stretch. So im gonna say make it loose.

 

[twyztid]

I installed a Schmidt Bros hyfax saver wheel kit on my Sidewinder for this exact reason. They were wearing at the bend. I have to run the track tight with the tune or it will ratchet at high speeds.