Are 3.0" Pitch Tracks Much More Prone To Track Spearing?

[Frostbite]

I just got back from a couple days of boondocking on my RX-1 Mountain with an Arctic Cat M7 skid and my new for this season 162" Camo Extreme. The sled worked very well with some great boondocking and climbing but, as I was slowly creeping through a snowed over clearcut I felt my sled slow almost to a stop and then break free.

Shortly thereafter, I heard a strange slapping sound while climbing. I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at my new Camo Extreme track. I have the antistab wheel kit on the front of my rails but, on the left side of the track one track windows was torn out and a chunk of track the size of a coffee can lid was hanging. I had to cut out the chunk to minimize the possibility of further damage.

I rode for several more hours with the track and it's holding together so far. Now here come my questions.

1. This is my first 3.0" pitch track. I hadn't bought one in the past because I thought they looked much more prone to track spearing due to the huge track windows. I stuck with 2.52" pitch tracks until I just had to have a Camo Extreme. Have the rest of you seen more track spearing with 3.0" pitch tracks? Now I see why Skidoo when to 2.86".

2. Is there a viable repair for damage such as this? I see a couple places on line (Carrolltech, Precision track repair, Northern Tire, etc) that claim to perform a permanent vulcanized repair on snowmobile tracks. Have any of you seen these repair? How mcuh is the cost and how long do they typically last?

3. I also see that Devcon has a Flexane Putty Belt repair Kit available for the "Do it Yourselfer". I would imagaine it's cheaper but does it work and does it last?

I really don't want to raise my limited straps because the balance of the sled is about perfect now. I guess I could cut out a triangular shape out of the top of the sled rail tips and bend them up and have them welded to keep the tips of the rails further up out of harms way? I could also add some type of large bulb shaped ends to the rail tips that won't fit through the track windows?

I just know I can't afford to keep replacing $700 tracks. If the track could be repaired on the sled, that would be great. I live in Eastern Washington.

Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

Frosty

 

[Banshee AL]

It may not be a stab at all

Thats gotta suck big time

It's possable that you hooked a metal fence T post or someting like it.

Usually on a stab the track locks up and over the rail and stops dead.

And you said you had antistab wheels on

There was a post on here awhile back where some guy fixed his track with some kind of rubber glue that he got from a craft store for under $3.00 that seemed to hold up OK. Maybe some one could find the link to it for ya.

Good luck

 

[spring snow hero]

I don't know if they can help you, but since you are in eastern WA it's worth a try. Spo-mac has been vulcanizing conveyor belts for a long time. there are other companies that do it also, they were just the first I thought of. they split the belt and vulcanize it creating a near perfect patch. I believe they charge by the inch of belt, so it should not be too much $$. you might have to weld over the whole area and recut the window.....I dunno. good luck.

 

[GrizTrack]

I know a couple of guys that have been running the 3.0 for a season and a half and no issues with their's. We ride mostly Northern Idaho and Western Montana.

Brady

 

[4strokesnewbie]

What's next?

Frosty...It sounds like a good time for a 174!

 

[NoSecondChances]

I'm with Banshee AL, sounds like you caught it on something under the snow in the clearcut (tree, stump, deadhead, etc). All stabs that I have seen stopped the sled dead in its tracks and there was noticeable damage to the front of the rail. If it did stab through, there should be some good damage to the front of your rails or your anti-stab wheels, it would have taken a lot to stab through with those in place IMO. I'd guess it caught on something under the snow and ripped, especially if it is only on one side.

Sorry about the bad luck, whatever happened.

 

[Frostbite]

Thanks for the support guys. I will call the Spo-Mac place you mentioned if I can find a phone number.

I was out looking the sled over today and I can see a crinkle on the left black plastic rail tip. That's the only evidence I can see where there's any perceivable damage to the rail. I guess it could have been a branch on the side of the log I ran over but I'm just not sure. Go figure.

I was thinking if I can't get the track repaired professionally that I could try to use some of the Devcon Flexane Putty very liberally between the chunk I cut off and maybe use some spider wire fishing line to sew that darn piece back on to the track. I know it will never be as strong as it was new but it just might make the track salvagable.

Thanks again for the support guys.

Frosty