Ice Scratcher Idea

Wolfrun · Feb 11, 2008

I have spent hundreds of dollars over the years on ice scratchers and none lasted over a month. A friend who is a mechanic at Teton Park Told me they used to put bolts through the back of the skis for the rangers so i tried it. I Have at least 5000 miles using this set up and never had a hifax get warm. They are 2 by 5/16 carriage bolts. No trouble in reverse and if you hit a rock or the edge of the trailer they break in the snap pin hole and you are out .30 cents or so. Just an idea that works for me.G]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii35/Wolfrun5150/P1010001-1.jpg[/IMG]

GADGETMONKEY · Feb 11, 2008

I Like Cheap!!

GREAT IDEA, what is the build up on the ski? is there a top and bottom plate?

Wolfrun · Feb 11, 2008

GADGETMONKEY said:
GREAT IDEA, what is the build up on the ski? is there a top and bottom plate?

Yes there is a top and bottom plate to keep from breaking the plastic ski. It also throws plenty of snow into the track. On an icy day the guys behind me can not see my sled for snow dust.

GADGETMONKEY · Feb 11, 2008

I know what I'm doing tonight. looks like I'm building a set of "WOLFRUNNER's"
one other quest is the carriage bolt threaded into the bottom plate or just slid in and pinned at the top

AkHockey10 · Feb 11, 2008

Im gonna give that a go!!

Wolfrun · Feb 11, 2008

GADGETMONKEY said:
I know what I'm doing tonight. looks like I'm building a set of "WOLFRUNNER's"
one other quest is the carriage bolt threaded into the bottom plate or just slid in and pinned at the top

I had tried welding a nut on the bottom plate long ago but it would not stay put with a nut on top and bottom so I drilled through it and ground most of it off. The two nuts on the bolt and the snap ring control it just right and it is easy to put on and take off.

GADGETMONKEY · Feb 11, 2008

I wonder how those multi hole pins that they sell at most hardware stores would work instead of carriage bolts

Wolfrun · Feb 11, 2008

GADGETMONKEY said:
I wonder how those multi hole pins that they sell at most hardware stores would work instead of carriage bolts

Gadget, I tried drilling a hole and pinning them both above and below the ski and they immediately broke off in the lower hole so i figured out to use the double nuts to adjust the height and pin the top and it works real well and is easy to change. The depth below the ski works out real well too. any deeper or shallower is not so good.

The Kidd · Feb 11, 2008

Great Idea

I think I have some re-bar at work I could to use to make something like that Thanks ..DO you think that will help the life of my track slids too ?

GADGETMONKEY · Feb 11, 2008

The Kidd said:
I think I have some re-bar at work I could to use to make something like that Thanks ..DO you think that will help the life of my track slids too ?

GREAT IDEA AND WHILE YOUR AT IT SHAPE THEM AS A HOOK AND YOU CAN USE THEM AS TIE DOWNS OR RAMP CATCHERS! DUH?

GADGETMONKEY · Feb 11, 2008

THANKS WOLFY, the R and D is done I'll stick to your design beats paying 50 bucks for a pair of glorified thatcher springs that I'll bend to hell on the first trip out.

Summitseeker · Feb 11, 2008

I wouldn't want to forget to unhook those before loading on the trailer or deck! Over the handle bars you will go! LOL

Naturally I have a baised opinion because I manufacture and sell rail mounted ice scratchers. LOL.. I am surprised to hear that none of the ones that wolfrun have purchased last more than a month. Are they mine? I have guys put 3 seasons on the ones that I sell with no problems.

Here is some feedback on mine!

· Summitseeker has some great ones--I put them down and usually run with them down all day. No reverse on my sled, though. They are still in great shape, and bought a pair for my new sled from him this summer.

· I have 2 pr of scratchers from SummitSeeker,will order one more for the new sled, his scratchers are by far the BEST on the market, and I see alot of different kinds each season.....Keep up the excellent work SS

· I only run mine on the trail but occasionally I forget to put them up before climbing or I'll hit a jump along side the trail. They've held up great, still look new after 1 year. These are summitseekers by the way.

· Don't need any because mine lasted all season!!!! Freakin' amazing. The other brand I had would last a 1/2 season. BTW I rode about 1500 miles last season and they were down probably 400 of that. VERY HAPPY CUSTOMER HERE!!!

Wolfrun · Feb 11, 2008

Summitseeker said:
I wouldn't want to forget to unhook those before loading on the trailer or deck! Over the handle bars you will go! LOL

Naturally I have a baised opinion because I manufacture and sell rail mounted ice scratchers. LOL.. I am surprised to hear that none of the ones that wolfrun have purchased last more than a month. Are they mine? I have guys put 3 seasons on the ones that I sell with no problems.

Here is some feedback on mine!

· Summitseeker has some great ones--I put them down and usually run with them down all day. No reverse on my sled, though. They are still in great shape, and bought a pair for my new sled from him this summer.

· I have 2 pr of scratchers from SummitSeeker,will order one more for the new sled, his scratchers are by far the BEST on the market, and I see alot of different kinds each season.....Keep up the excellent work SS

· I only run mine on the trail but occasionally I forget to put them up before climbing or I'll hit a jump along side the trail. They've held up great, still look new after 1 year. These are summitseekers by the way.

· Don't need any because mine lasted all season!!!! Freakin' amazing. The other brand I had would last a 1/2 season. BTW I rode about 1500 miles last season and they were down probably 400 of that. VERY HAPPY CUSTOMER HERE!!!

SummitSeeker, I certainly don't want to step on any ones toes and no I have never seen or known any of your scratchers and I am sure they are good. It has been since the winter of 04/05 since I bought any and I bought a lot of them that winter. I didn't have enough bogies on that sled and i was going through a set of hifax in 3 weeks and really, the scratchers I could buy then did not last more than a month, less if I backed up.I started running 8 bogies and my scratchers And I have one sled with more than 4000 miles on a hifax. I wish I could have found your product then. In Feburary 05 I could not buy a set of scratchers any where, Shade Tree ,JR Grahm, no dealers, nowhere.

switchback · Feb 11, 2008

What a great idea

johndeere8420 · Feb 11, 2008

I am just wondering how well they clear or catch when going over a fully exposed cattle guard?... It would seem to me they would bust off or you would force kiss the handel bars....?

Wolfrun · Feb 12, 2008

johndeere8420 said:
I am just wondering how well they clear or catch when going over a fully exposed cattle guard?... It would seem to me they would bust off or you would force kiss the handel bars....?

They are only a soft 5/16 bolt and they bend or break in the snap pin hole. I have knocked a few off, even on my trailer ramp while loading off the ground and never have felt anything at all. I went over the bars once, dropping into a tree hole at 35 mph or so. I don't EVER take any chances on going over the bars again.

EricW · Feb 12, 2008

Great looking idea, I am a believer in keeping it simple. If your sled was on a stand and you put a straight edge along the bottom of your carbide, would the bolt head be above or below the bottom of the carbide?

Do you feel its widening the carbide track or cutting its own even deeper. I have been playing with ski scratcher ideas for over a year now, the challenge I run into most os all the different skis out there. It seems that having reverse has changed the rear profile of many OEM skis while aftermarkets like Simmons and SLP keep a fairly flat profile.

You mentioned in your earlier post that any longer or shorter didn't work so good. What ski was that based on?

Just to be clear, is the nut welded to the bottom plate still threaded, or did you drill it smooth bore so the bolt actuall has some travel? Do the 2 nuts stacked on the bottom act as stiffeners, or do they jam somehow and are just loose for the photo.

I will be giving this a try. My Dragon 163" melts hyfax in less than 100 yards if I don't have the ski scratchers down. "Necessity is the Mother of Invention", I guess you might be the Father. lol. Great post, thanks. EW

whitefish · Feb 12, 2008

I would only assume that when they break off on a rock or log or what ever that you pick up the piece and throw it in your sled to take home. Just bustin' on ya. In all fairness, have tried a set-up like yours and the problem I had was when they did break, it was useless for the balance of the day. Have you tried the Slidekicks Reverse Compatible Scratchers yet?

diggerdown · Feb 12, 2008

I have'nt seen much use of the bolts though the skis since we started going to plastic skis. We used to run them alot after they came out with the slide suspention.

Wolfrun · Feb 12, 2008

I always figured to have the bolt head 1/2 to 3/4 above the floor with the carbide sitting flat on the floor. I really took a picture of the wrong sled. i did smooth drill through the nut I had put on that one. The two nu s do stiffen the bottom of the bolt but it also adjusts the depth it runs below the bottom plate. You might need three nuts . I always carry about 4 sets with me and it only takes a second to change them on the trail. I put the plates on both the top and bottom of the plastic skis so that the bolts would not damage the skis. We were out today on really frozen up trails. We had two RMKs with these rigs on with absolutely no trouble. You would not believe what a fog of snow dust they put up. We also had a Skidoo Rev and another RMK without scratchers along. They both filled their tracks with snow and dove off the trail every chance they could . They both had temp red lights on and their hifax were dragging them down after the first 8 miles. Their engines both were too hot to continue.
I really don't know anything about the new scratchers of today, I don't need to because what I have works for me very well. I am not trying to sell anything or anything like that. I am an old Excavating and Grading contractor and I like to solve problems and help other people with what I have learned. Thanks

Ice Scratcher Idea

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