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Anybody lathe 1/8" of drivers to make more room for a 3"

niner

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Like the title says, looking at either the X3 or X3.2 and was curious if anybody has lathes 1/8" of the diameter of the 7 tooth driver to gain a little extra room? Did this on my M1000 and worked very good.
 
Other than by doing so you are forcing a certain amount of slippage between the track and driver as it tries to grab the next drive lugs. It works but is not right. Most of Avid's drivers are designed the same way, That is why I will not use them. I don't care for lost motion, wasted energy, and accelerating the wear on both parts.

Do what you want though. Just tossing out my opinion, because you asked.
 
You will change the center to center distance if you machine the O.D of the driver. I would not even think of doing that, but to each his own.
 
I have never done this to increase clearance but I always did it on my race sleds to "true" all the drivers. This was on 9t 2.52 drivers and I would say I usually took off 1/16-1/8" to make them all run true. Never caused any binding, and always made the sled roll freer. Eric
 
It does not bind because the track drive lugs are further apart than the drivers drive lugs. If you do the math; (assuming 3" pitch, and 7 tooth driver) circumference should be = to 21" which is a diameter of 6.6845", if you shave that 1/8" it becomes 6.5595" which is now a circumference of 20.6073". So the driveshaft is slipping 0.3927" per revolution. which will wear out both your track and the driver faster as well as pissing away HP and efficiency. FWIW
 
It does not bind because the track drive lugs are further apart than the drivers drive lugs. If you do the math; (assuming 3" pitch, and 7 tooth driver) circumference should be = to 21" which is a diameter of 6.6845", if you shave that 1/8" it becomes 6.5595" which is now a circumference of 20.6073". So the driveshaft is slipping 0.3927" per revolution. which will wear out both your track and the driver faster as well as pissing away HP and efficiency. FWIW

That comes out to a 1.87% change. do you think there is 2% clearance built into the driver system? Or do you think the track and drivers are built with no tolerance allowed? Eric
 
Cats drivers,(actual measurements)
7 tooth 21" circumference = 3" pitch
8 tooth 22.9" circumference = 2.86" pitch
If the distance of tooth centers can change from 3" to 2.86" with out a problem then i think 1/8" off the 7" drivers will be fine. I think that will result in 2.94" pitch

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk
 
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That comes out to a 1.87% change. do you think there is 2% clearance built into the driver system? Or do you think the track and drivers are built with no tolerance allowed? Eric

I'm sure there is an allowable manufacturing tolerance but I do not know what that is would be.


Updated my incorrect math, forgot to convert feet to inches.
With my previous example the driver is turning 57.5 extra turns per mile. If you are good with that? Who am to care.

I have my drivers custom CNC'd for me to match the track pitch exactly because what is readily available is not up to my standards. FWIW There is no slippage on any of my sleds, all my driver drive lugs are engaged with all of the track drive lugs as it wraps around. Most stock and aftermarket drivers are so far out of pitch that only one drive lug is actually engaged at a time. That is why most ratchet like a FM regardless of track tension. I also will not run a 7 tooth nor and 8 tooth driver because there are too few contact points for my liking even if they were manufactured the correct pitch.

So I had no choice but have them custom made. I also will not run an extrovert. But to each their own.


Someone will likely have a six tooth out soon for those that are inclined to go with the monster lug height and stupid short Center to Center distance on the Jack to Drive shaft. FWIW
 
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Cats drivers,(actual measurements)
7 tooth 21" circumference = 3" pitch
8 tooth 22.9" circumference = 2.86" pitch
If the distance of tooth centers can change from 3" to 2.86" with out a problem then i think 1/8" off the 7" drivers will be fine. I think that will result in 2.94" pitch

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk

So your saying it's good enough for a Cat at least?

I did not say it would not work, rather that it would not be my first choice to add that much forced slip to my drive train. Kinda like driving your car with flat tires IMO, your handicapping yourself on purpose. If Cat is truly running their 3" pitch tracks on 2.86" pitch drivers you are losing 1 1/8" of forward motion per driver revolution! That all adds up. 129.2 extra revolutions per mile.
 
Your drivers maybe perfect but how do you know your track is perfect?
 
Your drivers maybe perfect but how do you know your track is perfect?

They better be close or they should give it up and get out of the business. All the track molds are CNC'd for accuracy.


Anyway I've said my peace, run whatever you want.
 
U don't lose any forward motion. U r over thinking the numbers. Kinda like Polaris calls their 154 track a 155, same pitch and same amount of paddles as Doo.
Every revolution of a 7 tooth driver moves the track 7 paddles, 10 revolutions is 70 paddles, 100 revolutions is 700 paddles and so forth. Unless of coarse, the track jumps the tooth on the driver.

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk
 
Loudhandle did you build your own drop and roll for 9 tooth drivers??
 
Loudhandle did you build your own drop and roll for 9 tooth drivers??

Yep, 9" Center to Center, with custom C3 Sprockets to get the correct ratio. Also a completely Unique clutching setup because the nobody else is running 9 tooth drivers and as a result nothing else works.

Summ8rmk,

If that's how you want to look at it fine, but your still slipping, a lot. Otherwise sooner or later it would line up Driver drive lug to track drive lug and jump a drive lug. It has no choice but to slip, you're forcing it to. And as a result you are loosing motion.
 
You guys and and all your fancy math!!! I know my drivers go round and round... Which in turn makes my track go round which makes me sometimes end up upside down! Hey that rhymed!!! If this thread goes another page it may take me till January to figure it all out!!!!!
 
bending track

The pitch may be 3.00 when the track is laying flat, but when it wraps around the drivers the drive lugs get closer together. Fiberglass rods stay mostly at 3.00" but drive lugs get closer and lug tips get further apart.

Also if you have a '155' 3" model actual track length is 156. If track requires 1" of axle movement over time to tighten track (2" track stretch),
156+2=158"/52 pitches= 3.038" actual pitch.

I've measured the cat 3" drivers and my Polaris 2.86 stock drivers and I think a 2.86" track would work on the stock cat drivers. Never tried though.
 
Other than by doing so you are forcing a certain amount of slippage between the track and driver as it tries to grab the next drive lugs. It works but is not right. Most of Avid's drivers are designed the same way, That is why I will not use them. I don't care for lost motion, wasted energy, and accelerating the wear on both parts.

Are there any other choices than Avids for some applications. My 12 it looks like my only choice is Avids. Unless I spend a pile of money.
 
Are those 2.86? Does it matter the track has not out side lug to grab. Those are sawweeeet!!!

Edit: just read more info. Those are Dans and 8 tooth.
 
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LoudHandle. Now that you have cnc drive wheels that eliminate slippage are you able to run your track looser instead of singing tight like Polaris recommends? I never have liked the idea of tight tracks. Seems like it would add a lot of rolling resistance and loss of performance.
 
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