What to do to minimize/eliminate track howl?

[MikeWalters]

I was talking to a friend last night about spraying bedliner in the tunnel. Auto undercoating would be essentially the same I think?

I dont think that either option would give you the damping your looking for, just my opinion. Dynamat alternatives are pretty reasonable cost wise these days, and very clean and quick to apply.

 

[STAIN]

I tried some Dynamat on an 06 Apex with poor results. We put it under the seat and above the muffler.

 

[MikeWalters]

I tried some Dynamat on an 06 Apex with poor results. We put it under the seat and above the muffler.

OK, so do you mean not on the actual tunnel? Like directly under the seat, and on some of the shielding? Can't picture it in my brain.

 

[STAIN]

Directly on the tunnel under the seat and heat shield above the muffler. That howl is one reason for selling my 2012 Apex. I have heard it on Polaris turbo's also. My RX 1 did it but it was much better after the installation of the ZX-2 skid. I wonder if the angle of attack of the front of the track has anything to do with it? It seems much steeper than other sleds. Maybe a set of wheels at the rail bend? Sucking up the limiter all the way? Different, slippery, hyfax?
I have also wondered if it was the intake harmonics.
I have felt(heard) your pain man.......

 

[MikeWalters]

Good feeback. Poor results, did it help, at all?

 

[STAIN]

Not noticably

 

[4strokeluvr111]

My RX 1 did it but it was much better after the installation of the ZX-2 skid. I wonder if the angle of attack of the front of the track has anything to do with it? It seems much steeper than other sleds. Maybe a set of wheels at the rail bend?

I did not feel a significant difference when I went to the M10 on my 05 Vector. It was essentially the same when it had the ProActive skid in it. The rails on the Mono skid seem to bend up very quickly at the front. No need for wheels? Pioneer makes a Small Wheel kit for the front curve.

 

[DGZRT]

Sorry best I could do for pictures, one of the guy's on hear mentioned Limb savers on Bow's . The first picture is of Bowjax limb dampener, the second Pic is of a material I stock at work It's a 60 duro SBR rubber in 2" wide strips with rubber nub's on top. I'm thinking you could adhere some strips to the tunnel and it would act on the same principle as the Bowjax. Just throwing some ideas out.

I'm thinking we retrofit a "R" motion skid with a Cobra track !!

 

[4strokeluvr111]

I'm thinking we retrofit a "R" motion skid with a Cobra track !!

The one out of your bro's sled? GREAT IDEA! LOL!

There very well could be an M20 in this sled in a year or two!

 

[MikeWalters]

I'm thinking we retrofit a "R" motion skid with a Cobra track !!

Best idea so far!!

 

[MikeWalters]

Read this thread, close to the bottom of page 1. Looks like some sucess! And would not be expensive, or hard to do. http://www.hardcoresledder.com/forums/323-venture/76703-05-rs-venture-track-noise.html

 

[4strokeluvr111]

Read this thread, close to the bottom of page 1. Looks like some sucess! And would not be expensive, or hard to do. http://www.hardcoresledder.com/forums/323-venture/76703-05-rs-venture-track-noise.html

Do you mean this post:

OK, Here's an update on the track howl,
After extensive experimenting, I finally settled on a cure that took care of almost all of the deafening track howl: Polaris wheels (the older, smaller ones), 116 woody's signature flat topped 1.325" studs, placed in line w/ 4 inner wheels, w/ thin 1" washers placed under the heads to cause them to be raised approx. 1 mm above flush inside the track. I placed the studs in two rows, between every bar.
What I did was mimic Cat's patented " Quiet Track" by using studs to stiffen the inter-lug area and support the wheels, smoothing out the vibration & reducing the "rumblestrip" effect.
Cat's track uses molded in wedges for the same purpose.

Summary of experiments:

DEAFENINGLY LOUD- Stock plastic wheels, especially at speeds of 40-60mph. Earplugs don't help
because the frequency is too low & the sound basically travels right through the skull.

QUIETER- Replace all 6 wheels w/ rubber polaris wheels. Many have done this w/ good results.

QUIETER YET- Add studs as mentioned above. Note: without the added washers, the studs
will probably make the noise worse since they will countersink slightly, causing the wheels
to dive even deeper between the lugs.

QUIETEST- Remove all 6 wheels. I did this for approx. 300 miles & enjoyed the silence. Of course I
had to stay in the powder for the slides.

Also, I didn't see the need for tunnel protectors w/ this stud pattern since the exhaust pipe actually protrudes down about an inch, thus acting as a tunnel protector. I can't see how there could ever be any contact, barring a total track sepatation. I have several hundred miles on & so far so good.

Hope this helps save some hearing!

If you mean putting in studs, note that the poster says that it mimic's the AC Quiet Track....and this track didn't help my 05 Vector.

Remove all the wheels (and run scratchers 100% of the time)? That is doable but too risky

EDIT = all of the wheels are rubber

 

[MikeWalters]

I was referring to the rubber Polaris wheels mostly.

You could do his test, remove the wheels and just go for a quick rip to see if it changes. Cheap experiment!

 

[4strokeluvr111]

I was referring to the rubber Polaris wheels mostly.

You could do his test, remove the wheels and just go for a quick rip to see if it changes. Cheap experiment!

The sled he posted about......had the Yamaha plastic wheels. The stock Yamaha wheels have rubber now.

One could go to a smaller diameter wheel, or a larger diameter wheel.....like the Excell X-wheel.

 

[MikeWalters]

Oh I see, you already have rubber wheels. Are they different than the Polaris rubber I wonder? Jeesh there has to be a solution! I still think it has something to do with exhaust, the Attak I rode had a 136x1.5, and droned badly at a certain rpm.