What's the best powder track for 144" 800 RMK???

[Sundance Kid]

I'm looking at swapping engines in a 2008-10 RMK 144 chassis and looking for the best powder track option.
I'll be pulling the 600 and installing an SLP 800 BB 160 HP single pipe Perf package piece. I think the stock 144"/2" could use a little help with the 40 HP increase.

Looked at Tracks USA site and the 146"/2.5" Challenger Extreme caught my eye as a possibility. Don't know anything about this track. Also noticed on here that Camoplast has a new powder track that's supposed to be better than the Extreme but it doesn't have the center port for Polaris drivers.
Also noticed that the Challenger Extreme comes in a 150"/2.5". Can a 150" be installed on a 144" skid with bigger rear idler wheels and offset axle? The Mountain Machine freedom axle kit has caught my eye as a possibility.
What about the tunnel length? Don't really want to add rail or tunnel extensions.

Please chime in with what you've used and how you like it.

 

[907to406]

Can't help you much with the tracks, but from my experience if your going to be lengthening your track much more than a few inches you'll want to extend the tunnel and get rails. Back when I was in AK I extended a 121 to a 136 without a tunnel extension and whenever stuck it was a real pain. Also if your doing any jumping on big hits the track can come up and catch the tunnel resulting in some damage, and or take out your cooler.
Also my roomate took his cat to a 174 and had Van Amburg build his tunnel extension for him, it looked like it would fit (proper length) then the first time he bottomed out the track ate the back of his tunnel, which was a bummer after all the powdercoating.

So over all I would say if your going to extended it more than a few inches get a tunnel extension and a pair of IceAge Rails.

 

[Sundance Kid]

I was checking out the Ice Age Rail web site last week and noticed a choice between rear tip up and straight.
l would choose straight because that what the new sleds are using from the factory.
Does anyone have any input on rail design for this upgrade???

 

[907to406]

From what I understand polaris was using a tip up type rail for a better/smoother trail ride but then determined that straight rails were better over all for strength and puts more track on the ground.

 

[sled_guy]

144x2.4 Series IV Polaris track is the best powder track in that length in my opinion.

Note, I ran that track with a 660 and found that 144 was a bit short and ended up at the 151x2.4 instead.

sled_guy

 

[ccpowder]

I agree with Sled_Guy, the series IV works great!! I have run a lot of different tracks, and I currently run a Series IV 159" on my Cat. It is a great powder track, and in my opinion, the best all around track available!!

 

[Sundance Kid]

144x2.4 Series IV Polaris track is the best powder track in that length in my opinion.

sled_guy

144 x 2.4 Series IV???
Looking at the specs for the 144 series IV they just show 2" lug and that is already on the sled. This has been a very good track for my riding area and style.

I found a 144 x 2.4 but it is series 5.1. Is this what your referring to???

 

[sled_guy]

I do not know if you can even buy that track anymore. Call Carl's Cycle at 208-853-5533 and ask their parts guys if you can get the 2.4x144 track like was available in 2005/2006. Make sure they understand you want the 144 not the 146. The 144 is a 2.52 pitch track. The series 5.1 is the newer 2.86 pitch and not as good as the older, tighter pattern tracks.

It was an optional track in 05/06.

sled_guy

 

[Sundance Kid]

Would I have to change drivers to use this track?
I'm not sure what my 2008 is other than stock.

 

[sled_guy]

If its a true 144 then no, it will have 2.52 drivers. If its really a 146 or a 155 then the drivers are 2.86.

sled_guy

 

[F-Bomb]

I have ran that exact track that sled guy is talking about on an shift 07 iq raw with a Carl's complete 660 kit....we netted 440lbs sled that should be very similar in performance to what you are doing. Trimmed it down a bit and screwed it up and it is flat out awesome. THAT IS THE TRACK YOU WANT

 

[Minten]

I was looking for a similar track. Anyone know where to get one?

 

[MORSNO]

I was looking for a similar track. Anyone know where to get one?

TracksUSA, the link is at the top of the page.

 

[Sundance Kid]

Well if you trimmed down a 2.4" wouldn't the 2" that I already have be the track to go with?
I've been very impressed with the stock 144 x 2 and stock 600 engine.
All I really want to do is give the sled a little more HP/track speed and I've got that sitting on the bench collecting dust.
At the very minimum I should at least start with this track instead of spending $$$ chasing my tail and draining my wallet when I might already have the best track!!!!
Hmmm, any feedback on this idea!!!

I have ran that exact track that sled guy is talking about on an shift 07 iq raw with a Carl's complete 660 kit....we netted 440lbs sled that should be very similar in performance to what you are doing. Trimmed it down a bit and screwed it up and it is flat out awesome. THAT IS THE TRACK YOU WANT

 

[Sundance Kid]

All Tracks USA lists for Series IV tracks is the 159
Found the Polaris part # for the 144 x 2.4 - 2875611, haven't checked price and availability though!!!

 

[F-Bomb]

Nope two entirely different results plus the trimmed track is well over 2". I have a 2x144 stocker as well and the issue is that in it's stock form the throw is too light at the tips....it acts almost identical to a 155 800 with a stock 5.1. Sit and spin until the sleds forward inertia balances with the total lack of traction/grab and then you finally get going. There isn't enough tip mass in stock form to get a good screw set either. They have a fraction of the bite of a 2.4 trimmed to 2.1 and with screws. You have almost twice as wide of mass at the tips of a trimmed track then you do with the stocker 2 x 144. You'll notice a huge performance difference anytime there is any traction available at all.

I've tested several different varieties of these tracks and trust me on this one....either CE trimmed or the rare Polaris 2.4 trimmed and screwed is the superior all around performance track for the application that you are pursuing and with the chassis you are installing it in. Now get this...the next best bet was a finger track! Yes even in deep and moderately dry snow for the 144 with a setup in the 150hp range. Now the only thing I didn't do on the finger for this app was to trim out rows of complete fingers to load the track more. The finger wants to evacuate the snow so aggressively that you sometimes get trenching and have a challenge getting forward bite. Taking out rows was magic in the old days of getting super good bite and traction but still having excellent deep snow performance on a mtn sled.

 

[Sundance Kid]

Local shop says it's still available for $693 MSRP
How/who can trim a track down like you describe?
What about the screws and pattern?
I haven't heard someone say finger track in years!!!
I had one on a hillcross sled once, shouldn't have taken all the screws out.
Shredded about like one of the Polaris hard competition tracks they made 8-10 yrs ago.

 

[sled_guy]

Uh, just so you know, going from the 2 to 2.4 will cause you to lose track speed. But it won't matter, you'll still go higher on the hill.

You trim them yourself.

Rob has played with this stuff a lot. I will say that I ran a trimmed 2.4 on both a 660 and 910 in Utah's fluffy powder and it didn't perform as well as the non trimmed one in the bottomless fluff.

I would try your 2" first, but experience tells me that you'll want more.

sled_guy

 

[KAWGRN]

Uh, just so you know, going from the 2 to 2.4 will cause you to lose track speed. But it won't matter, you'll still go higher on the hill.

You trim them yourself.

Rob has played with this stuff a lot. I will say that I ran a trimmed 2.4 on both a 660 and 910 in Utah's fluffy powder and it didn't perform as well as the non trimmed one in the bottomless fluff.

I would try your 2" first, but experience tells me that you'll want more.

sled_guy

I have asked about that several times and I got the same responce,,,,dont question just doo it,,I ride alot of colorado dry fluffy powder and NOW Im not trimming it, thaks for your honesty!

 

[F-Bomb]

So are you building this 144 800 improved IQ RAW for big mountain high mark/hill climbing in sugar dry deep powder or are you riding this around in a myriad of conditions both terrain and snow?

yes finger track....you might be very very surprised and in a lot of conditions and circumstances it's an absolute standout...(depends on the day and the setup)

trimming is super easy wd40 each lug and slice off the nubbed sections...I try to cut it so the nubs all stay connected..that seems to be about perfect for length and giving you enough thickness to inset your #6 1" square headed screws into the lugs....you'll see a fingered thicker part at the belt that tapers to the tip...two on the narrow lugs and three on the wider. ..inset your screws so they drive into those fingered spots

KAWGRN the cost and profit margin for my advice on tracks is exactly ZERO. To me your posts smack like I'm trying to sell the concept! Why would anybody care whether or not you are going to trim your track? How does that apply to this guys questions or this particular thread? Why do you follow around on these track modifying threads and make comments that seem disparaging? Here is my advice to you...don't trim your PRO track. Maybe someday you'll be riding with someone who has and you can compare and see for yourself what you think is better. If not then you won't know and it WON'T MATTER . (we'll all live happily ever after)