Porting A Powerclaw Track

[brian_moreau7]

Just wondering if anyone has been Porting thier PowerClaw Tracks? Good Idea? Bad Idea?> Just looking for some input on this.

I Ported my 153" Challenger Extreme last Season and liked the results,

Got A new Powerclaw this Week

 

[89sandman]

I plan on porting mine as soon as i get a few miles on it. want the initial stretch to happen first. don't know if it really matters, but couldn't hurt and just one less thing i have to do now! the less rotating mass and weight loss along with less snow in the skid are great...

 

[skidooboy]

ported mine that i put on the nytro last season. worked well evacuated snow like it is supposed to. going to be hard to port with the 4 wheels inside on the new rear axle set up. might have to go to a 2 wheel set up to avoid the vibrations. just make a template to drill the holes in a series so the holes dont run in the wheel area. ski

 

[Frostbite]

Here's how I ported mine. I did a very mild porting job.

http://snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=141946

I didn't want the porting holes to disturb the snow that was just packed down by the track directly in front of the paddles. So, I drilled the holes behind the paddles while placing the holes to ensure the the wheels on the rear axle do not travel over the porting holes.

 

[nickracer9]

I had to run my track alot tighter after I ported mine. I'd leave it alone.

 

[Frostbite]

Nickracer9, what you say is true.

On some of my past sleds I have drilled 5 holes across each row of the track and yup, they do need to be run tighter.

Look on the bright side. Just maybe that extra tightness you add to the track just might add one more paddle on the snow because you are stretching your 153" track to a 154" track or your 162" to 163"

So far, I have had zero issues with very aggressively ported tracks. With this sled, I decided to approach porting a bit more conservatively.

 

[likkerpig]

Curious why they need to be run tighter? Any reason?

 

[vdo1948]

X2 ^^^^

 

[Frostbite]

You really don't need to run the track much tighter but, it does S T R E T C H so you do have to tighten your adjusters a little bit to adjust for the stretch. The track stretches more with more porting holes.

 

[Desperado]

I think porting your track is a double edged sord, yes it helps in keeping the track clear of snow and yes you may loose a pound, but I also think you loose deep snow performace in track surface area which to me is more important anyway. I've went the porting route on other sleds and everthing being equal I would NOT do it again. On the last sled I ported I had to run the track bango tight and I still got a ratchet once in a while. In my opinion don't do it to the PC track, it is a great track as is IMHO.

 

[Frostbite]

Desparado, you make excellent points.

Yes the Powerclaw does work very well non ported and I can't honestly tell you it works any better ported. That's why my porting approach was very minimal this time around.

I never ported a track until I saw an OEM put one out from the factory with porting. I figured they surely must have done some testing that substantiated the value of track porting?

I do have to wonder if 10 years from now, if the stock tracks (like Skidoo's Summit line) will still be ported.

 

[sledtahoe]

ported

Run with guys that have ported tracks.Do not see and real gains other than less spin weight.It seems to flop around more being single ply anyway.Track works great stock. I think it is overrated JMO

 

[Johnmaster]

I ported the 141 powerclaw I put on my 09 CF SP, The difference in rorating resistance was unbelievable, I put a 2 wheel kit on and ran a pair of 1-5/8" holes just inside where the wheels ride. I doubt my loose snow performance was improved. I think you would need a real good hit to free up any mounded snow from the skid by the end of the day. I would bet the horsepower lost in the track was reduced though, that thing spun easy when I was done with it. If I rode in champagne powder all day long, I probably wouldnt bother. Had to cinch it up kind of tight had a bit of ratcheting in the beginning.

 

[kpeters]

I ported my challenger on my old sled and it worked out to about 3lbs of rotating mass. Its a noticable gain and you do get a bit more snow in the skid to help keep the highfax cool. Cutting a few holes in the track does not reduce floatation in any way, for proof of that look at snow shoes. The only thing that I worry about porting a powerclaw is the durability because its a single ply. Frostbite, how many miles do you have on yours since you ported it?

 

[Desperado]

Cutting a few holes in the track does not reduce floatation in any way, for proof of that look at snow shoes. QUOTE]

In setup snow you are correct but in bottomless light powder I disagree. I also own 3 sets of snowshoes, two old style rawhide shoes and one set of new style non rawhide with no holes and I can tell you working my way through the trees where the powder is deep I prefer the new style vs old.

 

[turboless terry]

I think the only gain you get is less rotating mass. 2 or 3 pounds at the most. Any time you can lessen that is a plus. I have my doubts about noticing the difference. I think it just takes long enough to do it that most people want to justify it by thinking it does. A good running sled is not about one big thing it is about a lot of little things. So hey go for it!

 

[Frostbite]

Kpeters, I only have about 300 miles in my ported Powerclaw but, it shows no signs of deterioration so far.

The thing I noticed most after porting was, after porting when I parked my sled on slight downhill grade, the sled would now roll away. Before I ported the track there was no way it would even move on its own. So, the rolling resistance is certainly reduced (at least it was in my case).

Also, the following may sound like B.S. but, I read a rather lengthy study on this topic on the Totallyamaha site a few years back. The new super tall tracks don't leave much room in front of the tunnel as the track makes the turn around the drivers. It may not be much but, the holes in the track actually function as a sort of pressure relief valve for air pressures built up between the track and front of the tunnel. This supposedly helps the track move a bit more freely?

 

[duc848]

The paddles are where the resistance is in the tunnel. Thats why the drop and roll was so popular back in the day. In my opinion if track porting was so great all new tracks would have it done on the production line at Camoplast. I just doent see the advantage out weighing the longevity of the track. Pull all the wheels but the rear inside 2, run scratchers, and run the track on the looser side.

 

[BEARTOOTHBLACKCAT]

hope to the snow gods u never have to cross any water if u port it

 

[likkerpig]

The thing I noticed most after porting was, after porting when I parked my sled on slight downhill grade, the sled would now roll away. Before I ported the track there was no way it would even move on its own. So, the rolling resistance is certainly reduced (at least it was in my case).

I noticed the same thing when I did my A20. Weighed all the little plugs and it was ~2-2.25lbs of rubber. Without the porting, I couldn't rotate the track with 2 fingers, WITH the porting I could turn it with 2 fingers very easily.