Studding - Removal of Current Studs and Reaplcement Length

[mdkuni]

I have an 05 RX-1 and this is the first sled that I have owned with studs. The guy I purchased the sled from removed the longer studs he had in the track due to the fact that he bottomed out and did not want to do any more damage. He replaced the longer studs with 1" studs. There are 144 of them. The sled does not slide a whole lot on the ice. It does not hook up from a stop though. The track will not hook up untill about 30MPH or so.

If I add 1.325 Woddy's studs will the hookup be greatly increased? Especailly from a stop? And if I bottom out the sled just once, do I have to worry about extensive damage?

Second thing is will replacement be fairly easy? All I should need to do is remove the nuts yank out the old ones and tighten the new ones in?

 

[rx-1 blue reverse]

My buddy and I just removed some studs in his sled. We used a 3/8 ratchet w/ a 3/16 Allen head and a electric impact gun. The studs looked in worse shape than yours and the nuts came right off. We then hammered the studs out. No problem.

 

[WarriorBeads]

Definitely need air impact gun or ratchet to make the job an easy one...Studs don't look to be in bad shape, so you should be OK, BUT you may need a grinder with a cut-off disk if a couple of studs won't budge....As for the size, I've got 168, 1.375" Woodies Signature series studs in my '04 Warrior (136" track)....Never had a problem with tunnel damage from the studs....and have ZERO bent/broken with 2600 hard miles.

The only differences between the your sled and mine are are 121" track vs 136" (both 1.25" ripsaws if you're stock), and you've got the RA suspension. Don't think that in itself should create any issues. You're sled should have stock aluminum tunnel protectors as well.

My 168 studs are equivilant to 144 on a 121" track....Truth is, on hard pack from a stop the thing will ratchet the track, so hook up is 100%....On low snow conditions on the lake though, the thing still wiggles the back end and hookup is just OK....The longer studs will make a big difference though. Hope this helps.

 

[mdkuni]

I was surprised when I bottomed out this weekend as I never heard the track hitting anywhere, so that makes me think that I would be ok with the longer studs.

It looks like the consensus is that I should put the longer studs in, I just hope there is quite a difference if I am going to spend that kind of money!

 

[NY_Nytro]

Do the 1" studs even extend out farther than the lugs ? I wouldn't think they would on a 1.25" lug track and if thats the case then you are just spinning extra weight with no benefit. The studs need to extend past the lugs by about 1/4" to do any benefit.

1.325" are what you should be using and the stock tunnel protectors should do their job fine.

 

[mdkuni]

Actually the lugs do bend some so if I pin it on the ice and go back and look you can see that the studs have dug in some, just not that far.

 

[NY_Nytro]

Actually the lugs do bend some so if I pin it on the ice and go back and look you can see that the studs have dug in some, just not that far.

Yeah that may be true but studs should be effective without having to accelerate hard enough to flex the lugs.

Studs IMO are more about safety. When you hit an icy corner or icy hill your short studs will have no contact with the ice and make for a scary situation.

All stud manufactures say that the proper studs should be 1/4" to 3/8" longer than the track lugs.

 

[mdkuni]

It makes sense to me! I was just not sure on why the guy removed the longer ones. I can see where his longer studs hit the exhaust protectors. I just don't want to do damge to my sled.

I talked to a local sled shop and it sounds like the old ones are going to be a pain the butt to remove. I really hope not, because I do not want to pay $500 to have the old ones removed and new ones put in. I would rather do it myself. If they will not come out easy I think I will leave them in and next time around I will have longer ones installed.

 

[700SCOTT]

It makes sense to me! I was just not sure on why the guy removed the longer ones. I can see where his longer studs hit the exhaust protectors.

EXACTLY. i have i'm pretty sure 1.325, might be 1.375(lost too many brain cells over summer) and they hit my exhaust shield- not bad but there is marks in it. they work good though so i'm leaving them in there until i see further damage. p.s. you shouldn't have any troubles getting out the studs unless you have plastic nuts/backers all in one piece, been there done that when i had my new track put on.

 

[Yamadog]

The 1.325" studs hit the protectors on the exhaust pipe only from track ballooning not from bottoming out. Keeping your track tension set properly as the track stretches is the only thing you have to do.

Any nuts that wont twist off cut the nits with 4" grinder. did mine last year 244 had to cut everyone off because power had bent all the studs so badly, still only took 2 evenings to replace them all.

 

[WarriorBeads]

Sorry, mine are 1.325 not 1.375!!! My track became a little too loose a few times last year (it was ratcheting), and as Yamadog mentioned, the 'ballooning' was probably what put a few, light scratch marks in the exhaust protector. I agree, it probably wasn't the bottoming (OK, I'm fat ) that did it.

$500 installed is a little steap IMO. My dealer did my 168 installed for under $350 CDN. Good luck.

 

[mdkuni]

I will give it a shot then and try to remove them. What do you guys think I can expect time wise to remove the old ones and put new ones in(144).

How tight should they be? Until they are flush with the track?

Also are the Woody's signature series any good?

 

[700SCOTT]

i would think it shouldn't take more than 2-3 hrs with a impact if they come loose without cutting. i've always run'em till the back is flush with track and haven't had any issues (pull outs or tearing of boggies)

 

[NY_Nytro]

I will give it a shot then and try to remove them. What do you guys think I can expect time wise to remove the old ones and put new ones in(144).

How tight should they be? Until they are flush with the track?

Also are the Woody's signature series any good?

I used 1.325" Woodys Signatures in my Warrior. I have 2300 miles and they all held up great.

Do not over tighten studs. Most instructions have a torque value. An overtighten stud puts added stress on the track and is more likely to pull out.

 

[WarriorBeads]

Signatures in my warrior, 2600 miles, no broken or bent. Same for my dad with 3100 miles and my brother (who is MURDER on equipment) had only one broken tip with 3600 HARD miles.