Track breaking tool
- Thread starter dooboy
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A
Adrenaline Revolution
Well-known member
I will "Borrow" a few posts I put on another site...
They're mine so it's ok!
I "Broke" or "Flexed" my track last weekend with the tool from Between The Lines Designs and here's my analysis...
Prior to "Breaking the track I got on the sled, sitting in the middle of the enclosed trailer (My portable shop) and rocked the '11 side to side with feet on both sides, then both on one side, then in wrong foot forward position and all the while gauging to the best of my ability just how much jerking I had to do to get the ski up and to the point where it would be balancing if I was moving/steering.
Then I drilled the left side.
My only knock on the tool is that it is NOT angled steep enough to sever the fiberglass rod or even put a good knick into it.
I hope that makes sense because it's important...
I first drilled 3 locations/lugs using the guide on the tool and following the instructions.
Hell, I even used a drill stop to avoid the possibility of drilling through the track.
I then grabbed the tool and pulled with all my might without hearing even the faintest of sounds coming from the fiberglass rods.
I felt like I was going to friggin RIP chunks of the track out...
I quit drilling at that point and called them at BTLD..
It was Sat and they weren't open... Dammit!
I took a good look at the tool and how it lines up with the track and where the fiberglass rods would be inside the track and realized there was hardly a chance the drill would actually touch the rod but I also figured that all I had to do was hit enough of the rod to get the tool to snap the rod completely.
I started drilling freehand while aligning the drill by sight from the edge.
I used electrical tape on the bit to gauge how deep I needed to go but honestly you can feel the difference very easily so you know when to let off the trigger.
Then I grabbed the tool again and used it to EASILY snap each rod like a pencil.
It took a little force, especially on the rods where a paddle was but NOTHING like it took when I was trying to use the tool as a drill guide like on the first 3 lugs.
SO... I finished the Left side and set the sled back on it's track, stood on it and did the same unscientific rocking tests!
I could roll it over to the left with feet on either side of the sled as easily as it did with both feet on one side alone before the drilling.
I could roll it with the "Wrong foot forward" technique without having to jerk at all and it was smooth.
MAJOR difference from the right side.
I finished drilling the Right side in less than an hour, I'm experienced now!
I'll seal every drill hole with "Shoe Goo" just to silence the critics who feel that water will get into the track and delaminate it sometime down the road.
I didn't realize BRP would use water based glue in the track building process but wuddoIknow?
They're mine so it's ok!
I "Broke" or "Flexed" my track last weekend with the tool from Between The Lines Designs and here's my analysis...
Prior to "Breaking the track I got on the sled, sitting in the middle of the enclosed trailer (My portable shop) and rocked the '11 side to side with feet on both sides, then both on one side, then in wrong foot forward position and all the while gauging to the best of my ability just how much jerking I had to do to get the ski up and to the point where it would be balancing if I was moving/steering.
Then I drilled the left side.
My only knock on the tool is that it is NOT angled steep enough to sever the fiberglass rod or even put a good knick into it.
I hope that makes sense because it's important...
I first drilled 3 locations/lugs using the guide on the tool and following the instructions.
Hell, I even used a drill stop to avoid the possibility of drilling through the track.
I then grabbed the tool and pulled with all my might without hearing even the faintest of sounds coming from the fiberglass rods.
I felt like I was going to friggin RIP chunks of the track out...
I quit drilling at that point and called them at BTLD..
It was Sat and they weren't open... Dammit!
I took a good look at the tool and how it lines up with the track and where the fiberglass rods would be inside the track and realized there was hardly a chance the drill would actually touch the rod but I also figured that all I had to do was hit enough of the rod to get the tool to snap the rod completely.
I started drilling freehand while aligning the drill by sight from the edge.
I used electrical tape on the bit to gauge how deep I needed to go but honestly you can feel the difference very easily so you know when to let off the trigger.
Then I grabbed the tool again and used it to EASILY snap each rod like a pencil.
It took a little force, especially on the rods where a paddle was but NOTHING like it took when I was trying to use the tool as a drill guide like on the first 3 lugs.
SO... I finished the Left side and set the sled back on it's track, stood on it and did the same unscientific rocking tests!
I could roll it over to the left with feet on either side of the sled as easily as it did with both feet on one side alone before the drilling.
I could roll it with the "Wrong foot forward" technique without having to jerk at all and it was smooth.
MAJOR difference from the right side.
I finished drilling the Right side in less than an hour, I'm experienced now!
I'll seal every drill hole with "Shoe Goo" just to silence the critics who feel that water will get into the track and delaminate it sometime down the road.
I didn't realize BRP would use water based glue in the track building process but wuddoIknow?
A
Adrenaline Revolution
Well-known member
I knew I should have taken pictures while I was doing it!
Edit, Pictures added!
I was asked (On another site) if doing this mod would garf up the rails...
It would, or could scratch the rails if I didn't take a few precautions.
First, I used a piece of wood paneling between the drill motor and the rails so the chuck wouldn't garf it all up.
The chuck hit the paneling and scarred it up pretty good, I could have used thin metal plate instead of the paneling but the 3/16" thick wood did just fine.
The other opportunity to scratch things up, including the Hyfax was during the snapping with the tool but I found that if I stuffed a piece of 1/2" x 4" hardwood, (I had some scraps laying around so I used Oak!) between the Hyfax and the track and then pulled the tool away from the Hyfax so that the ends of the tool were right inline with where I wanted the break to happen or right at the hole I drilled then the wood held the metal clips on the track down and away from the Hyfax otherwise you are fighting the clip or lug as it wants to get driven into the Hyfax as you're pulling up on the tool, breaking the rod.
Also, If you are doing this with your sled leaning over on one side with the track suspended so you can rotate it around while working, I would suggest cramming another piece of wood (I got a lot of wood!) against the track on the opposite side of the track that you are working on as you snap the rods.
Otherwise you are dealing with the whole width of the track trying to flex as you lift with the tool.
I laid a piece of 4" X 12" X 12" on the floor of my trailer and held it against the track with my foot as I pulled up on the tool.
It just helps make the whole track more stable while you crank on it.
You'll probably understand this part better when you start breaking the rods yourself.
Overall, it's an easy job, a little time consuming and a lot of working bent over but fairly easy!
I've had a couple requests to sell the tool, at this time I'm hanging on to it until after I have a chance to get some testing done on the snow before I use it on my wife's sled and in Washington that won't be for another month or more
.
Of course a lot of my riding buddies are waiting to find out if it makes a big difference too!
If it does, I'm sure a lot of folks will want to borrow it!
I feel like a Guinea pig right now!
I already have the inboard three wheel kit on the sled and no outer bogeys left,
But I detailed that in another thread
Edit, Pictures added!
I was asked (On another site) if doing this mod would garf up the rails...
It would, or could scratch the rails if I didn't take a few precautions.
First, I used a piece of wood paneling between the drill motor and the rails so the chuck wouldn't garf it all up.
The chuck hit the paneling and scarred it up pretty good, I could have used thin metal plate instead of the paneling but the 3/16" thick wood did just fine.
The other opportunity to scratch things up, including the Hyfax was during the snapping with the tool but I found that if I stuffed a piece of 1/2" x 4" hardwood, (I had some scraps laying around so I used Oak!) between the Hyfax and the track and then pulled the tool away from the Hyfax so that the ends of the tool were right inline with where I wanted the break to happen or right at the hole I drilled then the wood held the metal clips on the track down and away from the Hyfax otherwise you are fighting the clip or lug as it wants to get driven into the Hyfax as you're pulling up on the tool, breaking the rod.
Also, If you are doing this with your sled leaning over on one side with the track suspended so you can rotate it around while working, I would suggest cramming another piece of wood (I got a lot of wood!) against the track on the opposite side of the track that you are working on as you snap the rods.
Otherwise you are dealing with the whole width of the track trying to flex as you lift with the tool.
I laid a piece of 4" X 12" X 12" on the floor of my trailer and held it against the track with my foot as I pulled up on the tool.
It just helps make the whole track more stable while you crank on it.
You'll probably understand this part better when you start breaking the rods yourself.
Overall, it's an easy job, a little time consuming and a lot of working bent over but fairly easy!
I've had a couple requests to sell the tool, at this time I'm hanging on to it until after I have a chance to get some testing done on the snow before I use it on my wife's sled and in Washington that won't be for another month or more
Of course a lot of my riding buddies are waiting to find out if it makes a big difference too!
If it does, I'm sure a lot of folks will want to borrow it!
I feel like a Guinea pig right now!
I already have the inboard three wheel kit on the sled and no outer bogeys left,
But I detailed that in another thread
A
Adrenaline Revolution
Well-known member
Rode all day and found some freshies too!
I can honestly say with zero hesitation...
My sled ROCKS now!
I LOVE it... And I wasn't too happy with it last year.
I was pulling off carves with ease and sidehilling in both fresh AND set up snow easily.
Breaking the track was just part of it I'm sure but I think a good portion of it.
I also added the '13 spindles and DS2 skis but I could feel the balance point being a much larger area than it was last year.
Two emphatic thumbs up.
My son has a heavy 2001 Yammy 700 Mountain Max and he borrowed the tool and did his track just for chits and giggles, (he also removed his bogey wheels that were outside the rails) and even he was able to MUCH more easily than before, pull his heavy, wide assed sled over where as last year there was NO WAY!
Needless to say, he was all grins all day!
I can honestly say with zero hesitation...
My sled ROCKS now!
I LOVE it... And I wasn't too happy with it last year.
I was pulling off carves with ease and sidehilling in both fresh AND set up snow easily.
Breaking the track was just part of it I'm sure but I think a good portion of it.
I also added the '13 spindles and DS2 skis but I could feel the balance point being a much larger area than it was last year.
Two emphatic thumbs up.
My son has a heavy 2001 Yammy 700 Mountain Max and he borrowed the tool and did his track just for chits and giggles, (he also removed his bogey wheels that were outside the rails) and even he was able to MUCH more easily than before, pull his heavy, wide assed sled over where as last year there was NO WAY!
Needless to say, he was all grins all day!
AR and his wife came by with gear---result---1 broken track on my 12 800 163'.
Result on hill--
It works as good as the flex edge track. tool works real well if you use as AR says.
next--t-motion kit.
Result on hill--
It works as good as the flex edge track. tool works real well if you use as AR says.
next--t-motion kit.
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