174 track tension/sag?

[Octanee]

Hey guys, Having issues trying to figure out a good tension for the track. seems like with long tracks they appear loose when they are not necessarily loose. Anybody have any ideas or suggestions? how much sag you have off mid way along the rails? etc etc Thanks

 

[up-high]

Extros, extended rails or Ice AGE?

 

[YAMA S]

It depends on which suspension you have also... My EZ-Ryde is 1/2 inch of sag with 22lbs of weight hanging from the bottom middle of the track. That setup is usually TOO tight for most other systems.

 

[Octanee]

sorry. Ice age 174 rails with timbersled skid, and 8" wheels, if matters? lol 7 tooth drivers

 

[mountainhorse]

You'll want to run NO "free-hang" type of sag. Loose tracks do not work better ... they work worse... and the 174 will magnify that.

I suggest 1/2" - 5/8" measured from the hyfax to the track clip with 12 lbs of weight about 20" fwd of the rear axle... And re check it regularly until the track no longer stretches .

Loose tracks increase running friction....much diff than hanging a sled from a lift and pulling the track around by hand... MUCH diff.

Loose tracks also allow the track belt to wrinkle and the paddles to "lay down" under load and give lesser results.

Loose tracks allow the track to "balloon" out and rub on the tunnel.

Loose tracks cause the Extro teeth of the combo driver to drive the majority of the time rather than only part of the time... Less efficient than when the introvert part of the combo driver is driving smoothly off the rubber drive nubs inside the track.

Confirmed with Camoplast engineers, Suspension designers and OEM mfgs.


my 2 cents.
.

 

[Cpt.Ron]

Correct

You'll want to run NO "free-hang" type of sag. Loose tracks do not work better ... they work worse... and the 174 will magnify that.

I suggest 1/2" - 5/8" measured from the hyfax to the track clip with 12 lbs of weight about 20" fwd of the rear axle... And re check it regularly until the track no longer stretches .

Loose tracks increase running friction....much diff than hanging a sled from a lift and pulling the track around by hand... MUCH diff.

Loose tracks also allow the track belt to wrinkle and the paddles to "lay down" under load and give lesser results.

Loose tracks allow the track to "balloon" out and rub on the tunnel.

Loose tracks cause the Extro teeth of the combo driver to drive the majority of the time rather than only part of the time... Less efficient than when the introvert part of the combo driver is driving smoothly off the rubber drive nubs inside the track.

Confirmed with Camoplast engineers, Suspension designers and OEM mfgs.


my 2 cents.
.

Mountain Horse has that pretty much summed up, ..I will add one more bit of info. Your track will shed fewer track clips when run tight, versus loose.

 

[up-high]

"Your track will shed fewer clips when run tight versus loose" True dat! Found it out the hard way.

 

[Octanee]

good info. so when i pick up the back end. i place ~10 pounds of weight on the track and check the sag? i know currently its a new track and it feels fairly tight but when i pick it up with no weight its got a solid 1/2 or more of sag. but it will stretch out some as i get using it and it "breaks in"

But makes alot of sense what you have said about the tension and paddles and such. Ive never dealt with such a "serious" setup as this so I want to make sure everything is set right