Timbersled vs CR tunnel - which is best?

[Trentikles]

I would like to hear from anyone who has some miles on an aftermarket tunnel.Timbersled has a straight taper tunnel that claims to shave 19 pounds, but how does it compare to the CR racing/VanAmburg style kickup style tunnel. Just wondering how they compare weightwise?
Also how do they perform in the deep snow?The kickup style seems like it would allow the track to sink into the snow and bite the base that is hiding 2-3feet below the surface.What about carving or sidehilling?
I would love to hear any input from guys with experiance riding with these setups,Thanks.

 

[sledskiing]

no experience yet but i went with the timbersled tunnel. If you want the "Trick" look go with CR or VE. If you want a clean look go with Fabrcraft or Timbersled.

Out of all the Tunnel makers i beleive Timbersled is really the only one who claims weight savings. Most of the tunnels use U coolers. Timbersled uses all the stock cooling and beleives the U coolers end up adding weight when all is said and done.

I am by no means a mechanic or fabricator and am having little problems installing the Timbersled tunnel. From pictures I've seen it looks like the CR tunnel maybe the easiest to install.

 

[M5-]

What kind of problems? How does that tunnel with the flat top mate up with the plate containing the 3 holes for the exhaust on the bulkhead and how is it reinforced on the inside compared to the stocker (where the front arm of the skid bolts in). Any chance of some pics of the inside at the bulkhead?


M5

 

[sledskiing]

Timbersled provides a new plate (gussett) that sandwiches the tunnel to the bulkhead. The plate has some holes drilled into it to make things easier but the tunnel comes blank.

The part the mates with the exhaust cover just slides right in there. It is not indented.. if that makes sense.

Each tunnel is hand made meaning no 2 are the same. The footwells do not match perfectly to the tunnel but i got mine to fit very nicely. The tunnel also narrows from front to back so small modifications need to be made to the suspension crossshaft and my turbo support. My turbo is VERY close to the stock cooler. It may be OK but I am shortening the stock cooler.

The hardest part I am having is figuring out where the front skid hole should be located. Allan and Bud have been a TON of great help and the only thing that has slowed me down was getting material (ie rivets and bolts) and not having the ability to speak with Allan and Bud late night when i am in the garage. Also the GF doesn't like it when i come home from work and head straight to the garage till midnight..haha

Again I really am no mechanic and this is the biggest sled project i have ever undertaken and so far it's gone amazingly painless.

Some pics just follow the link in my sig to sledmods.com. If you need specific pics let me know.

 

[M5-]

The reason I'm asking is I'm just in the process of building my own Nytro tunnel. I ordered all the material today. On the Timbersled tunnel from the pics to me it looks like the radius of the bend in the middle of the tunnel side is of a different radius than the stock tunnel. I was wondering how that was going to mate up with the bulkhead? I built a new die for my sheet metal break to be able to do the large radius bend just like a stocker. I assume those inner backing plates for the Timbersled are made of aluminum?

M5

 

[sledskiing]

Yes aluminum.

Are you talking about the 45 degree bends at the top sides of the tunnel? That part will have a 1/4 inch gap when it matches up to the bulkhead. I put a spacer in there and used a 1/4 inch bolt (i think) to secure it rather than rivets.

These pics are not where the tunnel finally ended up just a mock up to get the idea

 

[khk]

I would go with the CR or VA for the money they fit allot better and are strong. The timber sled is one of the cleanest looking tunnel out there but if you don't have them install it you could run into some problems with the fit of it. I have a timber sled tunnel and I really like the looks of it but not a fan of the rolled edge of the running boards it seems to be a little week and I like the traction on the CR and VA tunnel a little better. Don't get me wrong the crew at Timber sled are good people and make good products this is just my 2 cents just make Sher you know what your getting in to with the tunnel you buy.

 

[M5-]

Thanks those are exactly the pics I was looking for. Now I get what they've done. Like I said up top I now have the die for making the bend to fit the bulkhead exactly on mine but I was wondering how other companies/guys were doing it.

Thx M5

 

[Trentikles]

Thanks for the input,and the pictures were great. I like the idea of the CR tunnel being predrilled for installation.It seems from the way everyone is talking thet the fit is a little easier with the CR as well.A few years ago we put a Mountain Performance kick up tunnel on a SX and although it turned out well, the fit to the original chasis needed to be tweaked to fit.
My mind is made up with the CR, but now the question of color comes up.All the photos that I see on the snowest threads seem to be black or polished tunnels.
Could I see some pictures of different colors, or annodized finishes? Has anyone done the red annodized finish on a 40th anniversary?
Let's see what you got!

 

[khk]

that would be something I would like to see to. Over the years I have had allot of things powder coated there is pro's and con's. it adds weight to the tunnel and some colorers seem to be more durable than others but they look sharp and the snow wont stick to them so the weight you add with the powder coat you save with the snow not building up in and on the tunnel. I do not know about the anodized stuff it looks sweet but I would think the snow will still stick to it

 

[sledskiing]

I was trying to stay away from black but after seeing people use other colors i don't think i'd like it after a while. They look good but just a little much for my likings.

 

[smokie]

Alpine Motorsport CR tunnel red powdercoat with outer side brackets

 

[khk]

wow I like the looks of that

 

[up-high]

I don't know about the Nytro, but on my Apex, the CR tunnel was 20# lighter than the stocker. Did I mention that it fit like a glove?!!

 

[sledskiing]

not quite complete but making progress. I love the look of the timbersled tunnel

 

[Biodude]

Hey Trent, forget about changing the tunnel out on that thing. It's too much machine for you already. I was at the Grass Drags today and I saw the perfect machine for you that I think you could handle: The Polaris 120.....

 

[Trentikles]

Laugh now, but at Christmas I'll be riding while you are sitting in a maternity ward. You should have done some calculating before your last date.(Hmmm, 9 months from now, what could I be doing?)Maybe you should have got yourself that little Polaris.

 

[Biodude]

I think I will still be able to make the Snowies tho'! We'll see if the doctor will let us go out to Yellowstone in December. Tractorman won't make the Snowies for the same reason, and he usually comes in pretty handy when I ride, so that's a bummer!