Who Bought 2018 Apex?.... The Last Apex...

[RobX-1]

Should have read further down this thread there is a 1.375, option 3 and I think the best one

After thinking it over, I too still like idea of studding down the center for those icy corners and lake runs that sometimes can be bare ice; at least in spots. We ride a lot in the U.P. and usually stay in Curtis at Pine Bluff. When the Big Manistique is frozen, we will ride from the cabins to the trail via the lake and I fear I will miss not being able to have studs on the 1.75 Back Country. After Comak mentioned the Ice Attak track with the 1.375 lugs, I think I will go that route to swap out the 1.75 as well as hit Travis up on a good used Apex drive axle with 8 tooth drivers.

 

[Sasquatch]

After thinking it over, I too still like idea of studding down the center for those icy corners and lake runs that sometimes can be bare ice; at least in spots. We ride a lot in the U.P. and usually stay in Curtis at Pine Bluff. When the Big Manistique is frozen, we will ride from the cabins to the trail via the lake and I fear I will miss not being able to have studs on the 1.75 Back Country. After Comak mentioned the Ice Attak track with the 1.375 lugs, I think I will go that route to swap out the 1.75 as well as hit Travis up on a good used Apex drive axle with 8 tooth drivers.

There is a 1.6 ice cobra as well if you want the taller lug and ice studs that would be nice!

 

[RobX-1]

There is a 1.6 ice cobra as well if you want the taller lug and ice studs that would be nice!

I was just reading up on someone's post about putting that track on his XTX but his was the 1.25" track model so had to remove tunnel/heat exchanger protectors. With that Cobra I would have the benefits of a taller lug AND the benefit of studs and also wouldn't have to swap out drive axle and would leave 7 tooth in it. Of course I would prolly also want to add DuPont sliders and oversized idler wheels on the 1.6 that I don't know I would necessarily need to do with 1.325 as I still run stock sliders on LT-X.

Good think I don't have decide right at this moment as I feel I'm all over the board when reading my prior posts but one good thing about buying a track now is that some places have them on sale

 

[whitedust1]

Same gearing as my 11 with the 1.25. The smaller driver will give some reduction in the final drive. There is nothing wrong with the 1.75, I just find no need for it. My Bulk allows me ample traction on trail and I find the 144 even with the 1.25 floats and performs well off trail. Because I spend so much time on trail as apposed to off I want a bit more traction on ice. I loved the 192 stud up the middle on my Warrior and missed them a bit more then usual this winter with an abundance of ice on the trails. Riding my Warrior on the Lake in the last few weeks on basicly bare ice I was once again wanting some kind of ice performance. Two years in a row we have lost a member of our group with a stud through a heat ex-changer, it was always in the back of my mind when I rode with studs that it could happen.

So that leaves the 1.22 Ice ripper or the 1.6 ice cobra. 1.22 a bit better in low snow conditions the 1.6 a bit better off trail or looser snow conditions! To be honest its a hard decision! The 1.22 could be geared up a tooth the 1.6 would be fine as is.

Should have read further down this thread there is a 1.375, option 3 and I think the best one

I'm running an IceRipper 144 on my 2012 Apex XTX and don't miss studs at all. In 10K miles I never had any traction hook up or stopping problems on lake or trail in WI & UP with the ice ripper. It has a few threads hanging at edges but has 10k miles on it. My studded 136 ripsaw looked like new at 10K miles but I was always worried I would throw a stud on a grade and do damage but I don't even think about it with the ice ripper.....the peace of mind is worth it alone not to mention the good traction performance.

 

[trailhed1]

I just had to have the Last Model Year for the Apex. Put my order in 2018 Apex XTX.

I too am struggling with the track being a 1.75. I am fairly confident I will just have it swapped out when it arrives. My dealer will credit me for the 1.75 as its brand new he will sell it to someone else. If i need to change drivers and gearing so be it.
I've run an Ice Ripper for 50,000KM. 40K KM on one sled. Track lasted all 40,000km with never an issue. I will not run studs again.
Iceripper is just fine.

 

[RobX-1]

I ended up finding an OEM 146" x 1.25" Ripsaw II track and either will have dealer swap it out or do it myself. Am thinking of purchasing the complete axle assembly rather than just change drivers so that if I ever wanted to switch back I could without having to remove/replace drivers. As for studs, I have had good success with Stud Boys' Super Lite Pro Series backers and Power Point studs. I used to use aluminium backers and have lost a few studs with fortunately no damage to exchangers but have yet to have one of these pull through. The plastic paddles have held up much better than I thought they would and also have them on my Apex which has 14,0000 mi on it. They are a pain in the arse to install but I believe are well worth it; trick is to soak the backers in hot water so the stud has an easier time self-tapping itself. With the studding pattern I used and the profile of the Ripsaw track lug pattern, the combination of double and single backers complimented the dead zones (sections with fewer lugs) of the track. I was going to consider a pre-studded track but one of my ridding buddies did not like his 1.25" Ice Ripper. He rides a Ski Doo Renegade Ace 900 and said he did not believe they hold on icy corners like traditional studs. Said the first time he got on it on an ice road, the #*$&@ end tired to pass the front. He thought if it was more than a 90 hp sled, he would do it over again and add studs. Since Yamaha is the only one using that track and lug length, you can't find it on those sites that sell tracks. My concern with the 1.75 was being able to ride it here back in Ohio when/if we get a decent winter where the local lake freezes over. I knew I would probably be ok riding the U.P. but we also ride the lower too so wanted this Apex to be a sled I could ride anywhere since it will become my primary sled with the '08 being the backup/son's sled to ride. If I do decide to sell the track, I'm sure it won't be hard come this riding season which will help offset the cost to make this switch.

 

[DSimps10]

for anyone that has been concerned about the Backcountry 1.75 in Michigan have no worries, i put 2400 miles on this season mostly out of gaylord area and never turned on the overheat light. this was all with Excel wheels on my Nytro and only about 400 miles in the UP but 300 of those were during the first big thaw.