Tunnel Clearance for Ice Screw?

[Freeride1]

I need to get my Series 5.1 to work in the hard bottem spring snow we have in the little bowl we sidehill in New Hampshire. I was spanking my buddies when we had the deep powder but now that it it rained and the top layer is soft but it is super firm almost icy in places underneath my 5.1 is letting me down. I did the .25 trim which was ok but it still washes out in steep sidehlls especially when going through old trenches that have hardened up and covered with a little snow.

I want to cut my outer paddles to 2" and put 2, 1.25 long shank screws with a .25" head in them so I can saw through this hard stuff we are riding.

My friends with the Comp track are having much better luck holding an edge.

Does anyone know if there is clearance in the tunnel for this? I really don't want to hurt my tunnel.

This is the spot I need help in. It is exclusively for sidehilling. We have trees right at the base of the hill.

 

[Skeld]

Not sure if it helps any but I have screws in the middle two rows of my Comp track which is 2.125" tall. They hit apparently if I bottom out in the very back but they just barely scratch the tunnel. Other than that I don't even know they are there other than when I am on an icy patch.

Unrelated to your question...how much trouble do your buddies have with hyfax here on their Comp tracks? It just seems to be awful compared to the 5.1 track. The stiffness holds the sled up away from the loose snow on top of a hard surface. I have to run scratchers down all the time. Not a big deal, just curious if others experience the same.

 

[Freeride1]

I haven't heard them complain about hyfax wear. I have to run scratchers anytime there is less than 3-4 inches of fresh snow. The track starts to smell like burning rubber.

 

[Skeld]

Yup. Probably your sliders is what you are smelling. I ride with another guy that has an RMK 600 with the 5.1 and his don't bother nearly as much as mine. He also has a third set of wheels though that I can't run with the Assault shock reservoir in the way.

Might have to be careful of the screws on the outside as I believe that is where the coolers are.

 

[Freeride1]

From Facebook:

Keith Curtis
Hey man, my advice would be to buy two 1" square pieces of thinwall aluminum tubing roughly 65" in length. Take your gas tank and seat off, run the tubing along the side of your cooler and rivet from the top down. It doesn't take long and it will save your sled. Hope this helps!

Keith Curtis
One more thing, if u run the tubing along the side of your cooler it will be directly above the windows of your track. That's where you want it.

Thanks Keith!

 

[Skeld]

That's cool of him to respond. Not sure exactly where he is referring to on the tunnel because I have never been able to look up inside there to see exactly where the coolers are. But I'm assuming he is thinking the 1" will be enough to keep the screws away from the tunnel.

 

[braapin]

Isn't there UHMW that the racers use for their tunnel?

 

[Freeride1]

There probably are some plastic strips for this but I am not sure. I got two 8 foot pieces of 1X1" aluminum at Home Depot for $20. They ended up just a little narrower than the windows because the rivets that hold the coolers kinda get in the way. This will keep the screws away from the coolers though. I am going to finish triming the track to 2" on the outside edge thane install the screws tonight. I hope this gives me a fighting chance on the firm bottem spring snow in the bowl. It was spinning out way to easy before.

 

[braapin]

Put some pics up after your done.