whitehorse
Member
I put an Ice Attack track on this year and love it! Never been a fan of studs but I really do like this new track.
No studs hurts
- Thread starter jonesin
- Start date
groomerdriver
New member
Yep....I'm a dumbazz. Had studs on a couple of sleds but when one decided to go thru a cooler and left me hanging south of Tomahawk on a trip, that was the end of studs for me. I guess I'm just a dumbazz careful rider!
600_RMK_144
Active member
Hmmm. Guess I must be missing something. Just spent a w/e riding up in the UP and didn't have any problems at all. Yeah, there was a lot of snow, but still had to use iced over roads connecting many of the trails. 2" paddles on the RMK and never had any issues. Yeah, the tail end comes around if you lock up the brakes, but that was more fun than scary 
Never felt out of control or as if I couldn't stop if I needed too.
Never felt out of control or as if I couldn't stop if I needed too.
firefighter1
Member
I'm with you 600, never had studs on any of my sled and have never felt out of control. Over the last 10 years my sleds have had a 1 1/2, 2 and 1 3/4 lug tracks. Maybe that makes a difference I don't know. I guess I know how fast or slow to enter a corner without them, but I do agree longer sleds help a lot with the track washing out. I must be a dumbazz also, we should start a club. Hahaha
U should have replaced your track before it started to rot I have never thrown a stud thru anything but tracks do get worn out over time and studs can be a safety issue that's not dumbass ***
indy_500
Well-known member
I threw studs through the heat exchangers on 2 sleds (99 xc and xc sp 700s) within the same week. Both with around 4k and no dry rotting tracks. Rode for about 2 weeks with a studded sled will never do it again. Ruined 2 consecutive weekends, the 3rd straight weekend crank bearing went out on my 99 indy 500. What a good way to ruin a winter. My mile pounding trail riding days are over but in the past 5 years I put on 15000 miles 14500 of them without studs riding hard and never a problem. Drive your sled don't let it drive you.
Oh I drive alright! So hard I need the studs to stop on a dime when I want . So your a boonflocker docker now eh" I may get into that in a few years need a rmk tho the viper does love the deep stuff
T
Team Elkhorn
Guest
I rode my vintage sled last weekend with the icy trails. Now that there was an experience! That old Cat has gotta get some "claws" before I try that again. But with the rubber tracks, especially the newer ones, I've never felt the need to get picks. In fact my son recently tore up my garage floor with the picks that came on his sled. So he is no longer allowed anywhere near my garage floor, or driveway, or trailer.....
But with the rubber tracks, especially the newer ones, I've never felt the need to get picks. In fact my son recently tore up my garage floor with the picks that came on his sled. So he is no longer allowed anywhere near my garage floor, or driveway, or trailer.....i dont think im a dumbass but i do fit that description sometimes ..... lol
on my first sled 15 yrs ago i studded it and didnt know you needed stud protectors and went to the up and put all the studs through my tunnel and gas tank, looked like a lion attacked it with claws! spent an afternoon at beer belly bobs waiting for guys to ride to houghton and get the truck and trailer..... funny now
Ive thrown a quite a few studs on my old indy 500 but the heat exchangers are under the running boards so it wasnt an issue, thats why i was going to leave this track unstudded as the sled is so powerful and the exchanger is under the tunnel
i do ride a road bike and a rm250 on trails/tracks during the summer with my son, i have thought about the fact that if i had been wearing my chest protector maybe......
i understand the riding and understanding conditions.... but sometimes **** just happens
ive always been the lucky one, the old indy looks good after 13 years and no wrecks and dont get me wrong, when i go out im not going for a ride, i ride my sled! the ole indy was either pinned wide open or i was on the brakes, all my friends have bigger, newer sleds and i had to keep up
the bummer is that during the storm 3 weeks ago i was sick in bed with fever and chills and now our trails look nice and i cant ride again because of my chest
i just hope that i am better for the trip to the western up in early march, should be i hope.....
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when you measure your lugs for studs do you measure from the inside of the track to the end of lug?
makes sense as that would be the length of stud going through the track, mine measures about 1 3/8 from the inside of track to outside of lug so would i go with 1 1/2" studs?
on my first sled 15 yrs ago i studded it and didnt know you needed stud protectors and went to the up and put all the studs through my tunnel and gas tank, looked like a lion attacked it with claws! spent an afternoon at beer belly bobs waiting for guys to ride to houghton and get the truck and trailer..... funny now
Ive thrown a quite a few studs on my old indy 500 but the heat exchangers are under the running boards so it wasnt an issue, thats why i was going to leave this track unstudded as the sled is so powerful and the exchanger is under the tunnel
i do ride a road bike and a rm250 on trails/tracks during the summer with my son, i have thought about the fact that if i had been wearing my chest protector maybe......
i understand the riding and understanding conditions.... but sometimes **** just happens
ive always been the lucky one, the old indy looks good after 13 years and no wrecks and dont get me wrong, when i go out im not going for a ride, i ride my sled! the ole indy was either pinned wide open or i was on the brakes, all my friends have bigger, newer sleds and i had to keep up
the bummer is that during the storm 3 weeks ago i was sick in bed with fever and chills and now our trails look nice and i cant ride again because of my chest
i just hope that i am better for the trip to the western up in early march, should be i hope.....
- - - Updated - - -
when you measure your lugs for studs do you measure from the inside of the track to the end of lug?
makes sense as that would be the length of stud going through the track, mine measures about 1 3/8 from the inside of track to outside of lug so would i go with 1 1/2" studs?
groomerdriver
New member
No dry rot on that Ripsaw. Tossed a stud at 2000 miles then again at about 4000 miles. Losing studs on a good track "happens". I ride safe enough thank you. You just worry about keeping your sled from impacting another sled and the person (and little kid?) on it. Oh wait.....you can stop on a dime! Sorry!
Our 2000-era sleds all had studs, but their track designs were marginal comared to modern designs. All three of our current sleds have ripsaw tracks and the traction in almost all conditions is very good. I agree that glare ice is a problem but in 7 years of riding with our current sleds and 6000-8000 miles each we've had no issues. Yes, we do ride slower when snow conditons are marginal but frankly that's just common sense in my book.
When I did have studs it was easy to not realize it was icy and they you had to watch out for everyone else, who didn't have studs. If I was going to get studs I would likely try the ice ripper........
When I did have studs it was easy to not realize it was icy and they you had to watch out for everyone else, who didn't have studs. If I was going to get studs I would likely try the ice ripper........
Dam right I can no problem the kids are safe anything else you need to know
F
fusion
Guest
I've had every sled I've ever owned studded (since 1995) - until last year when I bought the new Vector. Then I bought a Rush this year, decided to go no studs.
Do I like the feel of studs in most conditions - yes. They help the most when you ride aggressively. But if you ride under control, take a different approach into the corners, you can ride just fine without.
I was very surprised how well the Rush handled over Christmas in those conditions. There was very little ice, and hooked up pretty well. The dealers told me the new tracks are a lot better than the old days and I didn't really believe them. But after ridding this last time out I was impressed. I always installed my own studs, track cutter, template, hand torqued them, loctite, it takes a lot of patience and time. But now I think I'm going without for now on as I like the idea of not having all that additional rotating weight in your tunnel. You don't have to worry about the track being too loose and taking out a heat exchanger, tunnel protection, and all of that. Studs are a major hassle, but if you keep things under control with the speed, you should be fine.
Do I like the feel of studs in most conditions - yes. They help the most when you ride aggressively. But if you ride under control, take a different approach into the corners, you can ride just fine without.
I was very surprised how well the Rush handled over Christmas in those conditions. There was very little ice, and hooked up pretty well. The dealers told me the new tracks are a lot better than the old days and I didn't really believe them. But after ridding this last time out I was impressed. I always installed my own studs, track cutter, template, hand torqued them, loctite, it takes a lot of patience and time. But now I think I'm going without for now on as I like the idea of not having all that additional rotating weight in your tunnel. You don't have to worry about the track being too loose and taking out a heat exchanger, tunnel protection, and all of that. Studs are a major hassle, but if you keep things under control with the speed, you should be fine.
snobuilder
Well-known member
I studded my first track in 10 years this year cuz it is a 1" hacksaw. on Thursday I was goin too fast into a turn, couldn't stop and hit and uprooted a sapling. ....now my shoulder hurts.....moral of the story....I effed up...end a story.
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Exactly. Everyone is so quick to blame something or someone else these days.
indy-500 DRIVE YOUR SLED DON`T LET IT DRIVE YOU....Well stated young man,those words will work on so many other posts...I think a lot of rental places could post that on their agreement sheets. P.S.You have come along way from earlier days , and I would ride with you anytime....MEATHEAD
ridindirty800
Active member
I had studs on 2 of my sleds, pro X 600 and MXZ 800. Now I have a 136" ski doo 1200 X WITHOUT STUDS and yesterday rode on some trails that where pure ice with 1" of powder on them and had no problem going around corners and stopping. You do not needs studs to be safe, just need to use your head when you drive. I will never own a sleds with studs again, no more garage floor chewed up, trailer, and never have to worry about a stud punching a hole in the heat exchanger. to each is ow i guess. I am safer driver now on the trails as I know I do not have studs under me.