144 to 159 track swap

[S pump]

Im considering a 144 to 159 track swap on my 15 SB Assault. Come midseason in Western Maine, I find myself out gunned by my buddies on 154,55,63s in the back woods. I'm old and fat so there's that but just getting going sometimes I get buried where my buds roll of without a spin. Has anyone tried the Tracksusa 159 kit, do I have to regear/clutch for 3000 ft, how does it perform. I figure by mid February, I can swap out the 144 and make tracks to the top. The 144 got it done but with more effort and sweat than the bigger tracks. Looking at the 9203 track, 159 x 2.125.
Any feedback is welcome.

 

[njk4o5]

I bought my 2011 SB assault with a tracks usa 159" kit installed. I hated it for maine riding. it took the fun factor out of the sled. no wheelies and it cornered terrible. I took it off and sold it all and went back to a 144 mid season. love the sled now. It definitely floated better in the deep stuff though with the 159 kit. I feel like in maine you can go most anywhere with a 144. Just need the rider mod

 

[S pump]

I bought my 2011 SB assault with a tracks usa 159" kit installed. I hated it for maine riding. it took the fun factor out of the sled. no wheelies and it cornered terrible. I took it off and sold it all and went back to a 144 mid season. love the sled now. It definitely floated better in the deep stuff though with the 159 kit. I feel like in maine you can go most anywhere with a 144. Just need the rider mod

Thanks for the input NJK, what kind of riding do you do. I find myself off trail from Mid Feb on and in bottomless (relatively) snow. Most of our riding is trees with little place to get momentum so the long trackers have the advantage. I figured for $800 or so I can have both a trail sled and long tracker for mid/late season. I can see a 159 as no fun burning up the trails but in the steep, a bast. Where do you usually ride out of? I'm in Jackman.

 

[njk4o5]

I ride around rangeley mostly. Ive been up to jackman and boundary bald mtn a few times its aboht the same riding. If you dont do much trails or ditch banging type of riding and mostly all just riding trees i could see the 159 being fun

 

[FC61]

I did the 144"to 151" Tracks USA kit on my '14 sba last season. Made a substantial difference in off trail/tree riding. I really did not notice much difference on trail other than it hooked better with the Challenger track versus the stock 2", since the kit maintains the tipped rail it didn't really add any push while on trail.

 

[MDEVO]

Im considering a 144 to 159 track swap on my 15 SB Assault. Come midseason in Western Maine, I find myself out gunned by my buddies on 154,55,63s in the back woods. I'm old and fat so there's that but just getting going sometimes I get buried where my buds roll of without a spin. Has anyone tried the Tracksusa 159 kit, do I have to regear/clutch for 3000 ft, how does it perform. I figure by mid February, I can swap out the 144 and make tracks to the top. The 144 got it done but with more effort and sweat than the bigger tracks. Looking at the 9203 track, 159 x 2.125.
Any feedback is welcome.

I helped a good friend do the Tracks USA swap (144-159) on his Assault last season. It was was pretty simple, but did re-gear the same as the 155's (20/42) I think....no clutching done and rode at 3000 with no issues. If you were to go any higher youd have to swap weights at a minimum.
It worked as well as the 155's for everything except sidehilling due to the wider front end. He also changed the running boards (which is a must) to Burandts, and also an RMK seat. Without those changes it would not perform as well in my opinion.
Agree the Assaults Fun factor is reduced, however you are using it for a different function......

Only issue I see is the tunnel extension with the 159 Kit. You would need to install it (temporary like) with bolts not rivets for swaping back to the 144. The 151 might work better for you since you want to go back and forth (144-151) as there is no tunnel extension with that kit.

Good Luck......