Studs vs. No studs!

M

Mike wagner

Member
So a buddy of mine just got a brand new sidewinder 141" with a 1.6" track and he wants to put 2 picks in the middle per lug. I been tryin to talk him outa it and tell him that he will be fine without them but he's a trial railer and insists that he needs them. He wants to "try" and get off trail sometimes once in awhile but he won't listen to me. I'm a skidoo guy! My Freeride with 1.75" does just fine when I'm on the trail with it "occasionally" when I go up to trail ride with them and I have no problem in any of the corners or any other problems where u "might" need picks. Any thoughts!?!
 
P

polaris62

New member
I have a renegade and ending up adding 96 studs up the middle. My reason for this was for a couple things first for blown out icy corners they're just enough to help grab and not let it slide through. Second I have been stuck on the ice humps at gas pumps a few times and while not a big deal definitely a pain in the butt.
 
O

old abe

Well-known member
We ride many, many miles. Our best enjoyment are the long trips. Gave up on picks and track traction prods many years ago. Extra $, trailer floors, garage floors, heat exchangers, and so forth. But to each his own. It does take some adjusting to go from picks to no picks.
 
S

sweeperguy

Active member
Tracker said:
yes I was a stud runner for many years....then I learnt somtin.....as the lug heights grew and the computers aligned the lug patterns for maximum effects of physical properties and the HP grew and the dual carbides came on.....now you wont like this but its true....the lug height ratio drive train thing changed exponentially to the bad side when adding stud weights to a rotating mass....whew.....and due to a military study of tracked vehicles....it turns out that without studs is better take off...better stopping....better turning....higher HP to the ground...less drive train waste and more torque.....I dumped STUDS FOREVER.....my last studded sled was a VMAX.....never looked back and couldn't be happier.....you can run roads....not scar the driveway or warehouse concrete.....no unexpected 360s when WOT on a iffy surface.....no more rolling it over.....no more missing a turn due to push....I could go on and on.....lose the studs....get a brandy new track like a 1.375 ripsaw or a 1.7 cobra....those lug patterns are the best all around and the durameter of the rubber is spot on between hard and soft....these one other trick to make it work even better without studs but not gonna give that out just yet as there a several turbo guy that want a piece of this action that they doubt....they run studs...last sled that dragged me was a 900 skidont...against my 700....I got em....so now I have an 800....they got bigger sleds....think they can do it again.....I got news for em soon....LOL.....I am under 7 seconds now....ha...on shaved ice....no studs.......bam
Click to expand...

POLARISDAN said:
yea..no..i need to go 90 to zero in like 8 feet..never gonna happen for me

i picked up my pro s last year before kip culd get it studded..rode 1 day..unreal the difference..i will never ride unstudded again..for me way to dangerous
Click to expand...

Found these posts about studs
 
C

Cat600

Member
First sled had studs, which was fine since I was new to the sport and learned from that. 2nd sled I never got around to studding, which with a little ride adaptation, didn't need them. Sure I would hit an ice patch or something somewhere, but adjust throttle to respond and it would act the same more or less.
 
W

whitedust

Well-known member
Personal choice ....you will stop better with traction products and get more hook up. I opt for prestudded tracks prolly never install studs again just buy an iceripper track best of both worlds and no worries of studs disloging. You have to ride differently without traction products and I'm not willing to do that.
 
G

G

Guest
The general rule of thumb used to be to never stud a track with a lug height of over 1.5. The studs should be 3/8 taller than the lug height for non racing applications. The studs get too long and tear outs and heat exchanger damage can happen much easier with longer studs. Usually it is the partial tear outs that wreck heat exchangers. The track rips on three sides but the stud stays atttached and centrifugal force makes the stud fly out a lot farther and that is what wipes out your heat exchanger. Personally I like studs for safety more than anything else. Sometimes a person comes in to a corner too hot or you meet up with some ice in a bad place. The ability to slow down and have a little more control is a good thing. I don't ride new stuff though. I think Tracker is probably correct in his assessment that the newer tracks on the newer sleds are pretty good without studs. Back to the original question - 2 studs down the middle on a 144 Sidewinder are not going to do squat. Too much power to hook up no matter what and too much weight to stop with such a meager stud pattern. Leave it alone.
 
O

old abe

Well-known member
Grub you are right on the longer length stud issue, 3/8 longer than lug depth. The longer the stud, the more bad things just waiting to happen. Going with a"Iceripper" track much, much better option. I have my eyes on them for that very reason, no torn tracks.
 
E

ezra

Well-known member
if he wants studs .its his sled his money his tracks his time . I quit using all together even on wife's stuff sleds
 
M

MZEMS2

New member
If the trails he rides are minimal snow, and get icy fast, then yeah maybe put some in for safety reasons, otherwise, if he rides in good conditions, leave it alone.
 
6

600_RMK_144

Well-known member
No studs on my previous sled 144" w/ 2" lugs. No issues what-so-ever other than twisty rivers and icy roads running from one trail to the next. Spent more time looking at tail end of sled running thru the corners (fish tailing) than I can count. Kind of fun actually, but gotta be smart, don't get crazy if oncoming traffic, etc. My .02 = No studs unless he spends a lot of time riding icy conditions (lakes/ rivers).
 
M

Modman440

New member
First sled had studs it was a built up zr580 previous owner studded it. Never bothered me. My crossfires both did not have them took a little time to get used to but really never bothered me. My M8 is not studded as well. My ex race sled was highly studded and they were to long in my opinion replaced with new non studded and love it. I've been not running studs for basically 10 out of the last 16 years eve rode and am very pleased. Maybe its how I ride idk. But I'm happy.
MOD
 
H

Hoosier

Well-known member
srt20 said:
the only stud on my sled is me......
Click to expand...

That there is funny.

- - - Updated - - -

Do studs do anything off trail? Seems like they would do next to nothing but might get dangerous when you are trying to get unstuck. Maybe not like you would get hurt from them but tearing up bibs if you bump into them when digging.
 
M

momoney2123

New member
Trail riding/drag racing studs are a must. Longer the better.

Anyone who can ride can ride without them, but studs are way safer for stopping and handling corners at higher rates of speed safely.

- - - Updated - - -

snobuilder said:
Has anyone used icemaster screw in carbides. Thinking about using them on a 1.6 cobra.
Click to expand...

If your going that route get a ice cobra/ice attack. Either don't hook like studs but from what I have seen from screw ins is they tear the track up and don't offer much traction. Buddy did them one year and never again.
 
H

HardwaterHoosier

Member
I like studs for stopping power. But I'm in the process of extending to a 137x1.75 track and thinking of putting automotive studs down the center like a presided track.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top