AmSnow.com is now SnoWest.com
To solve the problem they put in wide hyfax, knowing full well that they had to come up with a better track system rather then the noisy cleats. Dick developed the idea of using links of steel with a detachable chain and combining them with a rubber and fabric mesh concoction to create a continuous rubber track. When vulcanized, the track was very durable.
Dick’s track was the first patented snowmobile track in the United States. He made the first track mold pattern out of fiberglass. When the hot rubber was poured into the mold it distorted the looks, but worked well enough for a prototype track. After that the company made its molds out of steel.
Trail-A-Sled also tried using a steering wheel from a boat attached to cables and pulleys, but the cable clamps wouldn’t hold. The firm also tried fiberglass skis, but the edges would break. Another experiment consisted of using a spring over the spindle to increase travel up front, but it didn’t give the sled enough ski pressure. Additionally, they were having problems with the spindle housings being pounded out of round and had to use bushings to keep the spindles true.
This was before computers and fancy software programs. The trio’s research and development program consisted of riding their latest creation every weekend.
But you can see that they were on the right track, as many of these ideas are used on today’s sleds, but with more modern materials. Ultimately Trail-A-Sled was sold to Fuqua Industries in 1969, and with it the Scorpion name, which later was sold to Arctic Cat.