To Scratch Or Not?

[bayfly]

Factory installed scratchers?

Yep, may be the wrong terminology, but the last two sleds I bought came with scratchers as standard equipment on the sled. They were identified as a standard component on the OEM fact sheet for the sleds. Quite likely the dealer did the actual installation, but from my perspective they were part of the factory build, not an add-on.

 

[old abe]

Yep, may be the wrong terminology, but the last two sleds I bought came with scratchers as standard equipment on the sled. They were identified as a standard component on the OEM fact sheet for the sleds. Quite likely the dealer did the actual installation, but from my perspective they were part of the factory build, not an add-on.

Curiousity has gotten the best of me on this? Just exactly what brand, make, and model sleds where these that were factory equipped with, or OEM fact sheet stating with ice/snow scratchers? Perhaps you can elaborate? I've have been snowmobiling in one way, or another for very many years but have never heard of, or known, of any make, or model snowmobile equipped as such? Just curious?

 

[indy_500]

Curiousity has gotten the best of me on this? Just exactly what brand, make, and model sleds where these that were factory equipped with, or OEM fact sheet stating with ice/snow scratchers? Perhaps you can elaborate? I've have been snowmobiling in one way, or another for very many years but have never heard of, or known, of any make, or model snowmobile equipped as such? Just curious?

Almost all mountain sleds come factory with scratchers. Not aware of any trail or crossover models though…

 

[bayfly]

Curiousity has gotten the best of me on this? Just exactly what brand, make, and model sleds where these that were factory equipped with, or OEM fact sheet stating with ice/snow scratchers? Perhaps you can elaborate? I've have been snowmobiling in one way, or another for very many years but have never heard of, or known, of any make, or model snowmobile equipped as such? Just curious?

I have purchased a 2021 and a 2022 Arctic Cat Riot X in the last 3 years. Both came with scratchers. Ice scratchers are listed as a standard accessory. You can look at the specifications at https://arcticcat.txtsv.com/snowmobile/crossover/riot-x#specs

 

[old abe]

Okay, thanks, as that makes sense. Those are "deep lug track" mountain, off trail sleds. With the depth of track lugs on these type sleds these days scratchers would be a must. The depth of the lugs on these type sleds have really increased on a steady rate, from past years.

 

[heckler56]

Haven't done the "shortcut" myself but familiar with the area, guessing it's here, where you run CR 510 instead of staying on trail 14 (west only to come back east again and cross the same road). Situated roughly halfway between Marquette and Big Bay.

Curious. Where is this 5 mile section? east end or west end?

I checked my gps “tracks” only to find they never transferred to the new computer. We were up there Friday and thought I could get some updated ones but after a 12” snowfall on Thursday we didn’t want to miss any of the trails.
CR510 is the single road that trail 14 crosses over in multiple areas as it heads to BB. As wiharley02 mentions you can cut out a large section continuing on the road. However when you get up north there are multiple crossovers in which you could jump a trail by either a right or left (depending on location) and avoid sections of twisties. You need to know where your at to do this as 14 might have you go right but ultimately we go left just a few hundred feet, then left again into the woods still on 14 (we did this once and the looks on some people waiting to cross was priceless).

I tried to upload some pics of an exploaded map (VVmapping and Polaris Ride) to give you an idea but it says my individual pics are too large. CR510 snakes all over and can be more miles if you choose to ride it out to just shy of BB. It was a road we played on in the 70’s with 4x4s.

 

[snobuilder]

Almost all mountain sleds come factory with scratchers. Not aware of any trail or crossover models though…

why?

 

[Skylar]

Scratchers are just not meant to keep the engine running cooler. They also keep the slides lubed, and prevent the track from heating up.

 

[indy_500]

Most mountain sleds do not have a bulkhead cooler, and also a usually have a minimal snow flap. Unless the snow on the trails is extremely loose, as little as 2 miles down a trail and the engine temp starts rising tremendously.