slidekicks, anyone know how to keep these pos's from coming loose/falling off???

[m8sandman]

my buds bought these things thinking they would save some coin??? what a joke, the left one is constantly coming loose, even with a longer bolt and red locktite. another buds left one came off and its now somewhere out in the wilderness!!! maybe should have bought it a spot so it could be found!!!


so anyone got a fix??? i need a pair as i can't seem to get through a ride without bending the standard ones. don't know if its better to have bent standard ones or just one right side slidekick

 

[80arrow]

I use a lock washer and blue loctite and I've never lost one. (use them a lot here in MN) The only prob I've had was the piece that the cable goes in cracking and loosing the cable and end. Maybe buy another for the right side and use it on the left side.

 

[MORSNO]

I used blue Loctite and made sure everything was tight before it set up, never had a problem. Also, make sure they were installed correctly, some guys have had the ends swapped causing them not to work so well. I know it sounds simple, but I'll bet there are many installed incorrectly and having the same issue with them coming loose or not providing enough snow spray due to lack of downward pressure.

Here is a thread from '09 with pictures. Easy enough to make a mistake.
http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=159813&highlight=Slidekicks

 

[jsledder]

I've heard from a couple customers that this is a problem, they installed them so I don't know exactly how they did it but whatever they are doing they just can't keep them on.

I've been running them on 2 sleds now starting last season and haven't lost any. I use blue loctite, and the 2 lock washers (1 on each side of rail, normal lockwasher on the inside and the star lockwasher on the outside.)

 

[shmuckaluck]

Hey guys,
I have a shoe box full of those things because I find them on the trail all the time, I'm putting them on the kids sleds for around the property in the mountains. The ones that my friends use don't really work very well. almost all my friend use the spring steel type, they dig into the ground much better, just don't hit reverse when there down.

 

[M.M. 700]

Install as the instructions say.

A good thing about the slidekicks is when the tips get worn down, I cut a U-bolt in half and use that for my replacable tips.

 

[XFIRE800]

I gave up on them after going through 3 pairs. They kept cracking at the rail and the cable would fall out, and they were installed correctly.

 

[OrangeKowJumper]

Nordlock washers will solve that problem. .

 

[wanaber]

I talk to slidekicks after losing one off of my sled. I use blue locktite on my initial install also.

They told me I needed to make shure that the star lock nut digs into the rail and the end of the scrather, and tighten them till you think you are going to strip the threads out of the scrather. If I stripped it out they said they said they would replace it, that was how important the star washer is to the whole system.

Now the only problem I have is the crimp keeps splitting on them. But I would by them again.

 

[tactic]

3 of us running Slidekicks and no problems. Use star washers and blue loctite. Have never come loose and lots of spray. Have used spring type scratchers in the past and would not go back.

 

[happylilcuss]

Same here blue locktite and a regular washer on the inside and a star on the outside. 5 sleds and none have ever come loose and they work as advertised. I will continue to run them untill something better comes along.

 

[IdahoMike]

I'm running them on 2 sleds for the past 2 years and have never ever had 1 single problem with them coming loose or falling off or cracking. Not sure what some of you Brainiacs are doing with these things

 

[M.M. 700]

Here is what mine look like after 350 miles.

They are mounted on a 2009 AC M8 in the stock hole for ice scratchers behind the front idler wheels.

I contact Between the line designs. They told me that they are rubbing on the tunnel(ya the tunnel). And they are mounted in the wrong locaton, they should be mounted more rearward. So they do not rub on the tunnel.
Also they said there is nothing worrisome about the coating coming off.

Whatever happen to them(sure as hell ain't from the tunnel rubbing on them), they didn't last for chit.....but atleast they didn't fall off.

 

[MORSNO]

It's obvious that the coating was rubbed off, it didn't split or fall off on it's own. To me it looks like it was rubbing on the idler wheel when going in reverse...no big deal, they look fine to me why do you say they didn't last?

 

[SD Coyote]

I recently put slidekicks on my sled. I leave them down all the time, on trail or off. I think they are doing a heck of a job, and have not come loose yet. I put blue on them and torqued them to 32#s. They are not completely idiot proof. You should put them up before driving into the enclosed!!

 

[NWGooser]

Put a star washer on the outside of the rail and a split washer on the inside. I have been running them on two sleds, an 08 w/2,000 miles and an 09 w/300 miles. Haven't had any issues.
I agree they don't generate as much spray as a standard spring type but I am happy with them. We try to keep our time on the hard groomed trails to a minimum. That might have something to do with it.

 

[Rotax_Kid]

Had the same problem as the poster with the picture above. Cover is torn off, cable must have hit something but that can't be the manufacturers fault.

THe other side is somewhere in lala land. As with others, the crimp cracked and I've lost the cable. Tempted to try and fab my own set out of hydraulic components in one way or another with something a little beefier.

Work well when they are on the skid.

I've had 2 pairs of RSI scratchers and would not buy again. 50 miles total and I've managed to go through two sets where the tips have cracked off. Cracks shown are a brittle facture. Material doesn't appear to be too good. Both split on groomed trails with a couple feet of base and had little chance of hitting something solid.

 

[skibreeze]

Customer service was great, free replacement when they went from the clear cover to the black. Free replacement when the cable pulled out of the crimp. I just didn't like the preformance as well as the spring style.

 

[roughrider99]

will these generate any spray in frozen hardpack snow or do they jsut bounce around? was looking at gettin these cause i kept bending spring ones, but i think i'll maybe save my pennies and just drag my toes every once in awhile when going down the trails. it works awesome. i push my feet down and i get huge amounts of snow spray and saves me 50 bucks. and you can back up at any time

 

[NapaMatt]

I got them on!!

Work great on the new Pro..

I went with RED Locite!!

122- 125 all day!