Pull idler wheels?

[MPS]

I still have the 4 idler wheels on my 04 VE. I keep looking at them and wonder if I should yank them off. I don't want to lose any track speed of course...will this help or hurt my track speed if I take them off? I know it is extra weight. I don't have any special billet wheels or anything.

 

[ttyR2]

How much weight do you think you'll save by removing the idler wheels? Not enough to feel a difference, and you lose some support for the track that's useful in icy conditions. Leave 'em on unless you're a super-hotdogger that can feel very small weight changes in a sled (I sure can't).

 

[Wolfrun]

Leave them and put 2 more on would be your best bet.

 

[MPS]

haha....got ya....I guess I want them off most because it would look better....but if it is better for performance then they stay

 

[pwrdbyspuds]

I do not have any idlers on my escape. Doesn't seem to be a problem. Other sleds in my group still have them and hyfax wear doesn't seem to be any different. I do have a fully clipped camoplast

 

[MPS]

I do not have any idlers on my escape. Doesn't seem to be a problem. Other sleds in my group still have them and hyfax wear doesn't seem to be any different. I do have a fully clipped camoplast

thanks....I am going to a Camoplast soon, so maybe I will consider it then. gonna get me 2.5 inch lugs....my VanEmburg tunnel will allow for that. Haven't decided on the length yet. It is 151 right now.

 

[pwrdbyspuds]

I have the challenger (2" or so) in a 159 length. The 2.5 shouldn't be a problem as long as you can clear it in the tunnel. I want to go to a 2.5. Ice scratchers to keep it cool

 

[H20SKE]

I have a 162x2.5 track and took off just the front set of idlers for 2 years--bad part--I would eat 2 sets of hifax a season--went and put them back on--My hifax is not showing any wear this season--and the last 4 weeks have sucked for conditions up here.

On my other sled I ran no idlers--but also went to hyperfax and had no wear issues.

So if I was going to take off my idlers agian--I would put on Hyperfax--a must IMHO--I feel that my track speed even went up with the hyperfax.


H20SKE...

 

[Ollie]

Depends, if you run all powder it's no problem.
If you run trails or hardpack snow, leave em on unless you hate your hyfax.
Ice scratchers help, but they are not the end all problem solver.

 

[m_beeson]

people say they can side-hill, and lay it down a lot better without their idlers. I just have them because I don't want to prematurely burn through Hyfaxes.

I think that if the snow is such that you can lay it over, then you can with or without your bogies.

 

[MPS]

thanks H2OSKE! pwrdbyspuds....do you have hyperfax? interesting m_beeson about the side-hilling and laying it down.

Ollie, my brotha....you ask if I ride trails or hardpack snow! LOL Look at my name again. I HATE hardpack!

 

[H20SKE]

all hate hardpack--but sometimes you have to ride some to get where we want to go.

You can get hyperfax from SLP. Spendy but worth it IMHO.
Do the break in steps for the hyperfax if you get them--otherwise you are wasting your money.

I have never heard of idlers gone making it easier to side hill--a inner two wheel kit--yes.

H20SKE...

 

[MPS]

all hate hardpack--but sometimes you have to ride some to get where we want to go.

You can get hyperfax from SLP. Spendy but worth it IMHO.
Do the break in steps for the hyperfax if you get them--otherwise you are wasting your money.

I have never heard of idlers gone making it easier to side hill--a inner two wheel kit--yes.

H20SKE...

thanks for the tips and that definitely makes sense about the inner 2 wheel kit.

 

[pwrdbyspuds]

I honestly do not exactly remember what we put on. A bunch of us ordered it together, but I know we ordered from SLP so it must have been Hyperfax (I didn't put the order in). That was 2 years ago now. I do remember when my dad and I changed it on our sleds (he was on a escape with the stock track and idlers) that under his sled's idlers what we took off wasn't worn but as soon as the track was past the idlers, it was worn down just as much as my sled with out idlers. It looked like whoops and it didn't last any longer than mine without idlers. I'll try to figure out what we ordered tomorrow.

 

[Sledbrain2]

I did remove all the idlers on my AC. I put a Zig Zag groove 1/8 to 1/4 in. deep done the middle of the hyfax. Snow will pack in and turn to ice. I did put the idlers back on right at the bend because they where wearing faster than the rest of hyfax. Need a rotor zip router and a 1/8 bit. Also a Zig Zag will allow the rocks and gravel to work there way out. I found out the hard way not to use a drill hole for the same purpose. The other thing about the hyfax is to temper them with some heat when new. I propane torch works well or heat gun.

 

[pwrdbyspuds]

^^^ That sounds like it might be a good way to go. Have to keep it in mind next time.

MPS- I'm pretty sure I'm running hyperfax