Stud installation question

[JohnWI]

OK, got my box o' studs, backers, drill "bit" and template. Let the wrenching begin!

Just where is the best place to be drilling into the track? From under the track? From the back?

Do most of you find that you need to use an allen wrench to hold the stud from spinning or do the inside "ridges" do a good enough job?

Anybody with Fast Trac backers know about how tight to torque them?

 

[MrSled]

I run in the middle. Drill from the top side or out side and install with a 1/8" sleel bar on the inside to hold the studs. Run them in until flush. I do them all by feel with a small 3/8 impact.

 

[SlowPoke]

Drill from the back-just have to rig up something to hold the snowflap up. Watch that you don't hit any wheels. Use a hex wrench to hold the studs and tighten until flush. I used a cordless impact driver, sped the process up but just watch that you don't over tighten with plactic backers.

 

[Shivesy]

I took a small pair of vise grips and attached it to the bottom of the flap. Then I tied a string to the vise grip and tied them off to the rear grab bar.

I put a 2X4 under the rear of the tunnel and jacked up the sled enough to raise the whole track off the ground a couple of inches. It helps if your track tension is a little loose so it is easier to rotate the track.

I installed my studs from the rear of the track above the rear axle wheels. I put my plastic paper type template on the track and marked all the holes out with a (white-out) pen while rotating the track by hand before I drilled the first hole. Once the holes are marked out I put the template on top of the track and used the Woody's drill bit and drilled through the template holes into the track.

I had to hold the stud from underneath because I used the tall nuts with the nylon insert. On the Woody's studs they require 16lbs.(?) of torque. I also chose the double & single aluminum backers pattern.

One thing I would suggest is that you give your studs time to sit and retorque them again before the season starts because the rubber track will compress and your nut will not be torqued at 16lbs. It doesn't hurt to do this from time to time.

Hopes this helps: Ronnie

 

[maxdlx]

Shivesy
How tall off studs, and how much shank sticks out past the nylon. I just got started on mine and I think the nuts are too tall. I have 1.4 studs and big nuts with the nyloc. Thanks Maxdlx

 

[stoutner]

Also,

I suggest marking the whole track first, then drilling the whole track at once. The drill bit works much better when it stays hot.

 

[p0wd3rp1l0t]

when we studded our tracks we just flipped the sled on its side and u could do prolly bout 2.5 feet at one time...worked pretty nice

 

[Shaf]

If you tie it to a hook in the celing make sure it will not crush your skull if it comes undone , prior accident.