So the '13 track is stiffer, does trimming the 11-12's look better now?

[FCR112]

The 13's have a stiffer track with the lugs a little thicker at the ends by my non-scientific observation. Does this help justify trimming the track on the 11's and 12's?
Please share your experience, what do you think?

 

[rotax]

Whats the best way to trim the lugs/fingers?
What tool?

 

[FCR112]

I swear I am going to trim it Still just can't quite pull the trigger.

Without a doubt this one:

 

[xc6rider]

That tool for sure! Piece of cake!

 

[mtnsledder]

I have done this on our last two Dragons and our two current 2011 Pros. It makes the track hook up so much better in heavier snow and I noticed no difference in powder snow.

I trim just about 90% of the tips leaving a small indentation between tips.

The Sears Handicut tool is absolutely perfect for this job. It's as if they designed this tool for this job, leaves a nice clean cut.

 

[RMK-King]

That craftsman tool works great,its the perfect length to cut the whole lug tip at once. I changed the blades out several times to keep it cutting easy,they get dull fairly fast.

 

[capnkirk]

http://youtu.be/IeCpl8Dh7FI

saw this vid... just the first part would apply to your application.

 

[volcano buster]

Curious why they were trimming an AC track.

I used the Handi-Cut on my '10 and just took enough rubber to keep the tips connected.

 

[capnkirk]

Curious why they were trimming an AC track.

I used the Handi-Cut on my '10 and just took enough rubber to keep the tips connected.

couldn't tell ya. i just thought the process may be beneficial...

 

[rotax]

That craftsman tool works great,its the perfect length to cut the whole lug tip at once. I changed the blades out several times to keep it cutting easy,they get dull fairly fast.

did you sharpen the blades? or just purchase a bunch of extras?
haven't priced the tool, but seems that it could get pricey if you need a few set of blades to go with it.

but ty all for the quick feedback on tool to use..

my 11 pro sucked [traction wise] ... along with every other pro in my group Saturday, which included two 13's. it was really like driving on ICE..the lugs only broke thru 1/2" or so, if even that much in some spots. the assaults (with stock assault tracks) were ripping it up tho, skilies all over the palce, where the non-Assualts just spun and crashed..sometimes, quite literally.

i'm still concerned about deep pow effects.. the track does seem to work very well for me in the pow.

 

[mtnsledder]

The Handicut tool comes with extra blades. I was able to do a 163" track with one blade.

A little Armor all or oil on the lugs makes it easier to cut.

Trimming the lugs helps them punch thru firmer snow with no loss of powder traction that I have noticed. The amount you remove from the lugs is pretty small but it sure keeps the lugs from folding over so much.

 

[newtrout]

You can just trim the outside lugs, too. Keeps the centers soft for lift, and the outers give you bite. Still noticed a huge difference over uncut stock in firmer conditions. You will not notice a difference in pow. I've done several side by side comparisons with just the outers cut.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[dawgwood1978]

To cut or not....

Has anybody been able to figure out if the track speed goes up at all when the tips are cut off? I was told that it has some pronounced effect on wind resistance in the tunnel or some such thing and that it would help the overall track speed? Just wonderin

 

[RMK-King]

did you sharpen the blades? or just purchase a bunch of extras?
haven't priced the tool, but seems that it could get pricey if you need a few set of blades to go with it.

It comes with extra blades,I did not use them all.

 

[FCR112]

Just did it, changed the blade 1/2 way through... Not sure I needed to but it cut like butter. Ride Report Tomorrow.

 

[Cascade Addiction]

Has anybody been able to figure out if the track speed goes up at all when the tips are cut off? I was told that it has some pronounced effect on wind resistance in the tunnel or some such thing and that it would help the overall track speed? Just wonderin

Noticed a couple miles an hour increase in track speed....not from wind resistance but from more room to move snow through bulkhead, less resistance from more track clearance, and as others have stated a lot better hook up in firmer snow, no loss of performance in powder and I felt I had better braking and downhill steep descents control, just my opinion.

 

[Vfrtrader]

Speaking of track trimming, what ever happened to F-Bomb?

 

[Dazzler]

Whats the best way to trim the lugs/fingers?
What tool?

I used my angle grinder with a metal grinding disc to trim my track.... a little messy but worked well. One downfall that I did notice from trimming the tips of paddles is that if you hit any ice, or any creek crossing that have iced up banks your pretty much screwed!!!

 

[polarisIQmn]

i did mine with the Handi-Cut. I think Craftsman designed that tool with the F-Bomb track mod in mind, it worked awesome. I did it with 1 blade on a 155". From the sounds of it there really isn't any downfall to doing it, gained track speed, better performance in heavy snow, no downfall in powder, better braking going downhill? Whats not to love?!

Chad

 

[Sxrlar]

I did it to my 2012 last Feb, with only 65 miles on it. I used the Craftsman tool also.