ice scratcher blues

[1M800]

I have an interesting story about SlideKicks:

I also bought my first sled with reverse. So I bought my Slidekicks. I would call there performance Ok. They work...but not as well as the old style spring scratchers that I was used to running. So after a couple hundred miles the metal cracks at the base that bolts on the rail. So I email the company and they ship me out a new set no questions asked. I receive the new set and look at them through the clear package to find out they are cracked in the same place as mine...new in the package!!! So I email the company and they sent me out another new set! While I was waiting for the 1st new set to come I clamped them together with a vise grips and tack welded the crack. So I still have the original set on my sled and 2 new packages in my garage. So in summary: warranty and customer service is great...product...not so great. Before I leave for Wyoming next week I am going to replace them because, like someone else, I left them up for the summer and I can't even get them to touch the ground! I will run them while I can get them replaced for free, but I wouldn't spend my money on them again.

 

[Coxy]

Another vote for traditional scratchers. I decided to try the "new version" sidekicks. They dont apply enough downpressure when you need it most. They come off the rails when in the up position through out the day, and end up on the track. And after being in the up position for a while, they will barely touch the ground. I wasted the 90? dollars canuck on them, then had to buy another set of real scratchers after that. Oh, and the first time i backed up on the sidekicks, the plastic coating on the cable split. Just an overall dissapointment. If you wanna pay shipping i will send you them for free... lol.

 

[SaberKitty]

Another nay after buying two sets for my M8s.

Holz are back on the sleds.

 

[snowmanx]

Traditional here, don't have reverse but pulled my sled off backwards with them down several times and only ever broke once. Had them down and forget them regularly and never had any break.

Work the best when you need them, when trails are frozen, doesn't look like the others would work very well, IMO.

 

[Summitseeker]

I run the traditional style....mine are the "over the top" brand that summitseeker on this forum sells. Would definetly recommend. They've been on my sled for 3 years now, no problems....works great. I pretty much leave them down whenever I'm on anything resembling a trail. I also take jumps and sidehill off the side of the trail as often as possible, go through deep powder, whatever....no big deal. I've never backed up over them because I don't parallel park my sled very often....I have no idea how people spend so much time in reverse on a mountain sled. Never had the slidekicks....can't comment there.

Thanks for the good word on my scratchers Jaynelson!! I have had guys tell me that they have gone over 3000 KM with my scratchers so they do work. I actually offer a three month warranty on them too (even if you do back up on them). Also (depending on your style of rails) if you mount the front on top of the rail the scratcher will rotate backwards if you back up.

 

[Hawgman]

We've had both.Cant beat traditional good quality scratchers[some are beefier than others]. That being said, got the slidekicks on my new sled 500 miles no probs. takes more attention to keep em straight and tight. if they take a dump, probably go back old school.

 

[bam530]

I've used both and currently run the slidekicks. Yes I do believe the traditional work better on early morning hard stuff but I have never overheated with the slidekicks. Make sure you use lock tight with them and to store with them in the down position.

 

[ace59]

i've had both, traditional work much better. if you keep backing up with them down & breaking them, try this bracket i whipped up. allows them to rotate forward without fear.

 

[Echohunter]

Heres your answer from someone who has used them. NO, they do not work....and I am not happy with the customer service you get from the manufacture. I would recomend using the "old" traditional style. They work much better.

Many folks on here who say they do work..and well! . .myself included. . 3 pairs for me on 3 different sleds . .. . ..not sure what happened with yours .. .generally those who say they didn't work didn't have them installed correctly with the right angle set to give the pressure needed to create the spray .. . .these are not something you just bolt'em on and go.. ..they need to be installed with the thought of creating tension on the cable so it's doing it's job and scratching on the snow/ice .. the steeper the angle they're installed at the more scratch action is gonna take place . . . ..the last instructions I saw do not do a good job of describing this . . .oh.. and use loctite!!


. ..my opinion . ..not a better product out there for scratchers . . .buy'em . .install'em correctly. .. put'em down. .. .forget'em!!!!!! .. .

 

[Spaarky]

Anyone have the instructions? I cant seem to find mine. Installed Kicks on my wife sled, cause I was afraid she was going to mangle then in reverse.

I put them on today... and was not overly impressed.. they worked OK. Unless I did something wrong, i am going to buy another traditional set.

 

[AMSOILR]

Great idea

i've had both, traditional work much better. if you keep backing up with them down & breaking them, try this bracket i whipped up. allows them to rotate forward without fear.

Great idea. I'm going to do mine like that.

 

[savagecanuck]

YOU HAVE 3rd option .You can put a bolt with a lock nut on it on the inside back of your skis and adjust the depth of the bolt to kick up enough snow.|If you want it quick release you can drill a hole thru the bolt and secure it with a removable lock pin

 

[Insaneboltrounder/sjohns]

i've had both, traditional work much better. if you keep backing up with them down & breaking them, try this bracket i whipped up. allows them to rotate forward without fear.

Now thats a great idea !!

I bought a set of s ks . Super nice folks who try hard btw. I have a xp and maybe its the 16 wide track but if i simulated the sk popping off the rais vs my grabbing it and pulling if off the rais it always landed on the track. You can imagine the damage that would occur. Something else i didnt like was when in the up postion they still stick out a lot and will get hit by trees etc , which will cause they to drop into the down position , right onto my track. I have the holtz ones , have backed up and bent the snot outta them. Thought they were gonna be garbage. Bent em back and the are still working great.

 

[snocattin]

I broke my last farmer spring scratcher last weekend so I ordered some Sidekicks. I'm pretty happy with them but only have one ride so far.
I think you should unload them when not riding (storage between rides) to prevent them from losing their spring force.
The carbide style were backordered so I got the standard ones and my friendly shop owner brazed on sawblade carbides from the local sawmill.
These things throw showers of frozen snow. I have Snow Eliminators and you can see the spray very clearly. I haven't been on glare ice and probably never will, we just don't see too much of that here.
Reliability is the only unknown for me at this point.

The pictures were taken as soon as we got back to the parking lot, sleds side by side.

http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=172325&page=4

see post # 160

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

LG

 

[captain x]

TRADITIONAL ONLY ! ! !

RUINED A SET OF RAILS WITH THE SLIDE KICKERS......THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH PRESSURE TO WORK AS GOOD AS THE TRADITIONAL STYLE........THE TRADITIONAL STYLE COST LESS......REPLACEMENT SPRINGS COST LESS AND THEY WORK 100 TIMES BETTER

 

[mikesbike2003]

I will not own another sled w/out them.. I see a HUGE difference when running them. Keeps the temps way down.. I have plenty of down pressure with mine..As long as they are installed correctly, torqued to spec and loctite used I dont see why there would be any problems.. Only issue I do have is they dont like staying up on the rail when not needed, but thats not big deal since its not necessary ti flip them up anyway. The nice thing is you can jump on and off the trail at any point and ride all day with never having to worry about flipping them up. I would highly recommend these!!

Mine were coming off the rails quite a bit when in the deep powder. Like you said it makes no difference. I did relocate mine so when they are up they go into the slots in the rails. Works good. I will never run the old style scratchers. These new ones are by far the best.

RIDE SAFE

 

[dakotalloyd]

ice scratchers

I have the same sled you have. I put a set on and I've had good luck with them so far. I had to adjust them a bit to make sure there was enough down pressure to keep them in the snow. I've ridden in the hills a lot this year and you know the now hasn't been great, but I"ve had no overheating problems with them. I like the fact that I can leave them down when in reverse. I always forget. When it's on the trailer, I leave them down so they don't develop a "memory" and stay in the up position. Hope this helps

 

[eastsideRMK]

SideKick scratcher's

I have been running sidekick's for two seasons. No issues with overheating on my 900 RMK. Plenty of down pressure and also stay up when they are on my rails. I would never go back to the regular scratcher's.

 

[skidooboy]

for those having issues backing up, make a velcro wristband "if you will", and place it over the reverse button when you put the scratchers down. makes you think twice before hitting the button to back up. it's that little, "hey, your scratchers are down" reminder for you.

i have summit seeker scratchers on my sled and slide kicks on the wifes. i am noticing the coating on the cable scratchers is wearing off. and yes they will take "a set" and not put enough downward pressure, even when installed correctly... in rock solid set up groomed trail conditions. this is where the traditional wired scratcher shines alot better than the cable.

you have to ask what is more important to you. and choose the correct componant for your application. ski

 

[xcrash911]

Thanks for the good word on my scratchers Jaynelson!! I have had guys tell me that they have gone over 3000 KM with my scratchers so they do work. I actually offer a three month warranty on them too (even if you do back up on them). Also (depending on your style of rails) if you mount the front on top of the rail the scratcher will rotate backwards if you back up.

I run Summitseekers scratchers and can vouch that if you mount the front on top of the rail it will give them a chance to rotate backward and not bend, I have done this many times. GREAT product!