Rail Bracing

[sledheader]

I have a 163 axys and it was brought to my attention that "if you like to jump, you better brace those rails!"

Anybody brace their rails? The only kit that I see available are the two kits from iceage. Anybody use them on the axys?

Anybody bend their rails yet? I'm not an extreme cliff dropper but I like the occasional drop or good jumps. Do I need them?

 

[ullose272]

Also wondering

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[pappabruce]

Can't say if they are needed or not but I know Skinz has rail bracing for the axys as well for another option.

 

[SRXSRULE]

All you really need to do is add an extra cross shaft in the big section in the rear with no support between the rails. I do it on all my sleds since 06. Adding the extra shafts keep the rails from bowing out, and bending up in the rear. Eric

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I have a 163 axys and it was brought to my attention that "if you like to jump, you better brace those rails!"



Anybody brace their rails? The only kit that I see available are the two kits from iceage. Anybody use them on the axys?



Anybody bend their rails yet? I'm not an extreme cliff dropper but I like the occasional drop or good jumps. Do I need them?

I'm 220 and have bent 3 sets of pro rails. 1 stock 2 ice age.

I'm not a big jumper.

The problem area is between the front and rear arms.

A cross shaft right behind the bunpstops is an easy add.

(The pro assault had this)



I fit an ice age x brace under the front arm.

The swing of the rear track shock goes into the void where the x shape is.



Right behind the front arm the rails try to bow out and then they can bend up.

The only time i have seen the rails bend behind the rear track shock is if the stock cross shaft gets loose.

 

[sledheader]

How long have you had the x brace in there? Have you ever had any other bracing in there as mentioned above (just a cross bar)?

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

How long have you had the x brace in there? Have you ever had any other bracing in there as mentioned above (just a cross bar)?

Since new.
360 miles.

I had no cross bar.
The x brace I think works better for preventing spread.
Expensive though.
Found mine used.

 

[guidoxpress]

I really wanted the ice age hill climb brace on my 163 also but shipping to Alaska is crazy $$, like $80 on top of $175 retail (however I am a dealer for them and still stuck on the shipping rate) so I opt out "for now". I also am not a huge jumper but I'm a "manly 250lbs of adult" dry and always ran ice age rails..gonna play it out and see what happens lol.
The x brace is pretty trick tho but also the same price as the hill climb brace..

But the extra cross bar is a no brainier tho..minimum standard.


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[sledheader]

I really wanted the ice age hill climb brace on my 163 also but shipping to Alaska is crazy $$, like $80 on top of $175 retail (however I am a dealer for them and still stuck on the shipping rate) so I opt out "for now". I also am not a huge jumper but I'm a "manly 250lbs of adult" dry and always ran ice age rails..gonna play it out and see what happens lol.
The x brace is pretty trick tho but also the same price as the hill climb brace..

But the extra cross bar is a no brainier tho..minimum standard.


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I'm 200 lbs of twisted steel and sex appeal! Or so I tell the old lady.

God $200 is a hard pill to swallow, I know that but I guess it's better than bent rails

 

[sledheader]

Just bit the bullet on the x brace. 220 bucks with shipping for the black anodized brace. Maybe it'll save me bent rails and down time...

 

[mountainhorse]

I've had very good luck with extra cross shafts .... if you can keep the rails from bowing outward... thats 90% of the battle....the cross shafts collect the least amount of snow and weigh the least.

I generally add 2 extra cross shafts.

http://www.iceageperformance.com/li...shafts/snowmobile-slide-rail-cross-shaft.html


.

 

[meathooker]

so much of it is not "if you like to jump" but "how" you jump.

i have a buddy with no finesse and i've seen him bend multiple rails because his lands goofy.

 

[IceAge Performance]

I have a 163 axys and it was brought to my attention that "if you like to jump, you better brace those rails!"

Anybody brace their rails? The only kit that I see available are the two kits from iceage. Anybody use them on the axys?

Anybody bend their rails yet? I'm not an extreme cliff dropper but I like the occasional drop or good jumps. Do I need them?

A really smooth ride can get away with an insane amount of abuse. The AXYS Stock rails are realyl strong straight up and down but sideways hits they are very vulnerable to twisitng/rolling etc.

I'm 220 and have bent 3 sets of pro rails. 1 stock 2 ice age.

I'm not a big jumper.

The problem area is between the front and rear arms.

A cross shaft right behind the bunpstops is an easy add.

(The pro assault had this)



I fit an ice age x brace under the front arm.

The swing of the rear track shock goes into the void where the x shape is.



Right behind the front arm the rails try to bow out and then they can bend up.

The only time i have seen the rails bend behind the rear track shock is if the stock cross shaft gets loose.

Awesome use of the x-brace! That is right where they need them, they always buckle right out behind the FTA mount, as you know!

I really wanted the ice age hill climb brace on my 163 also but shipping to Alaska is crazy $$, like $80 on top of $175 retail (however I am a dealer for them and still stuck on the shipping rate) so I opt out "for now". I also am not a huge jumper but I'm a "manly 250lbs of adult" dry and always ran ice age rails..gonna play it out and see what happens lol.
The x brace is pretty trick tho but also the same price as the hill climb brace..

But the extra cross bar is a no brainier tho..minimum standard.


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Guido, give us a jingle, we can get those out postal for FAR cheaper then that, UPS is just killer for the longer packages to AK

so much of it is not "if you like to jump" but "how" you jump.

i have a buddy with no finesse and i've seen him bend multiple rails because his lands goofy.

^^ This is the truth! Pro riders can get away with some pretty big hits on stock stuff as they tend to be a lot smoother then some of us out on the snow



Moral of the story, if your doing much more then general light duty boondocking, some bracing is not a bad idea! Seems like if your pushing it a set of rails will get taco'd sooner then later. The hillclimb braces couple with a cross shaft or two would be a killer combo for the stock AXYS rails.

 

[sledheader]

A really smooth ride can get away with an insane amount of abuse. The AXYS Stock rails are realyl strong straight up and down but sideways hits they are very vulnerable to twisitng/rolling etc.



Awesome use of the x-brace! That is right where they need them, they always buckle right out behind the FTA mount, as you know!



Guido, give us a jingle, we can get those out postal for FAR cheaper then that, UPS is just killer for the longer packages to AK



^^ This is the truth! Pro riders can get away with some pretty big hits on stock stuff as they tend to be a lot smoother then some of us out on the snow



Moral of the story, if your doing much more then general light duty boondocking, some bracing is not a bad idea! Seems like if your pushing it a set of rails will get taco'd sooner then later. The hillclimb braces couple with a cross shaft or two would be a killer combo for the stock AXYS rails.

Which would you recommend, the x brace or just a couple of extra cross shafts like MH suggested?

 

[sledheader]

I've had very good luck with extra cross shafts .... if you can keep the rails from bowing outward... thats 90% of the battle....the cross shafts collect the least amount of snow and weigh the least.

I generally add 2 extra cross shafts.

http://www.iceageperformance.com/li...shafts/snowmobile-slide-rail-cross-shaft.html


.

Where is the best place to put them? From what Iceage said, right behind the front track arm for one..what about the other one?

 

[IceAge Performance]

There is not much meat left on the AXYS rail to work with in stock form!

You can run them in the lower wheel block holes, one which is right behind the front torque arm and the other which is less beneficial, but right in front of the rear scissor mount.

For most guys we think the Hillclimb braces will offer better overall strength gains then the x-brace for these rails.

 

[Indy_500]

I made my own cross shaft and drilled my rails out and added a cross shaft with 6 mm bolts so I didn't have to remove as much material. Ice age shafts are 8mm bolts and polaris stock cross shafts are 10mm bolts. I have an extra one for sale if anyone's interested, info and pictures here http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=403067