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

[LoudHandle]

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.

A loose track is counter productive, as has been discussed in many threads on here for years. Loose only turns easier in the shop. Under power it is a detriment. FWIW

 

[summ8rmk]

^ I agree

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[Reg2view]

Pro skid requires track deflection set to spec. Loose track alters skid geometry. You get more deflection in front of the skid right below the drivers, since the track is looser and the skid is more compressed. These tracks are much more flexible now and roll around drivers easier, but then they also deflect below the drivers much easier when loose. Once upon a time there were some great pics of this on the snow. Run it to spec.

 

[hontri]

Pro skid requires track deflection set to spec. Loose track alters skid geometry. You get more deflection in front of the skid right below the drivers, since the track is looser and the skid is more compressed. These tracks are much more flexible now and roll around drivers easier, but then they also deflect below the drivers much easier when loose. Once upon a time there were some great pics of this on the snow. Run it to spec.

Great, thanks for the explanation!

 

[boondocker97]

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.

Exactly. Unless you have measured the inner radius of your track bent around the theoretical driver size you want to run, having custom pitch drivers made is a waste of time. Then to maintain that level of performance you would have to have 2 or three different sets made over the life of the track. And who knows at what point each track manufacturer is measuring their pitch? If the track belt is 1/4" thick and one is measuring at the inside surface and one is measuring the center of the belt, using 8T 3.00 pitch the driver circumference would need to be 24" vs 23.21" or in diameters 7.64" vs 7.39". On top of that, I guarantee that every time you get on/off the gas and especially tap the brake that the track slips on the driver a little. Unless your drive nubs on the driver are wide enough that they completely fill the space between the nubs on the track.