Home made alpha skid, first ride

High Country · Apr 24, 2018

summ8rmk said:
My concern is all the weight is on that small section of paddle, 7in between clips.
Heat buildup in the paddle like the Axys and cause failing paddles.
Polaris switched it up in 2019, clipping the paddles now instead of between paddles

hopefully R&D has done their homework....if not we have 4 years of warranty

sno*jet · Apr 24, 2018

madmax said:
Unfortunately I didn’t weigh the skid or track before I started. From a pure financial stand point I doubt the $3500ish it’ll cost for a alpha skid is worth the couple lbs lighter it might be over this set up. I will assume the 11lbs lighter cat claims for the alpha is half skid and half track weight loss. I’ll probably lose 3-4lbs in the track by cutting out the centers and extra lugs the 2.6 has. Probably lose another 3-4lbs in the skid. So I’d guess the homemade alpha 6-7lbs lighter than stock set up.

i was just thinking if they sold us just the monorail for like a G, the 3500 is an inflated price for track, drivers, skid. then do what youre doing to the track. might be worth it.
swap skids depending on conditions/terrain...

summ8rmk · Apr 24, 2018

sno*jet said:
i was just thinking if they sold us just the monorail for like a G, the 3500 is an inflated price for track, drivers, skid. then do what youre doing to the track. might be worth it.
swap skids depending on conditions/terrain...

Current track is not designed to support the load in the center. Look how soft it is and the new track has "fingers" under the rails to support the load

sno*jet · Apr 24, 2018

summ8rmk said:
Current track is not designed to support the load in the center. Look how soft it is and the new track has "fingers" under the rails to support the load

yes, racinstation pointed this out earlier too and i get it, but for budget playin around like madmax is doin, its an intriguing concept imo.
I actually think the biggest advantage of the new track is that the fingers on the outside egdes do not stagger down like the current claw. it looks full 3" right to the ends. that should help combat excessive rollover with the monorail a bit.

Old & slow · Apr 25, 2018

madmax said:
Unfortunately I didn’t weigh the skid or track before I started. From a pure financial stand point I doubt the $3500ish it’ll cost for a alpha skid is worth the couple lbs lighter it might be over this set up. I will assume the 11lbs lighter cat claims for the alpha is half skid and half track weight loss. I’ll probably lose 3-4lbs in the track by cutting out the centers and extra lugs the 2.6 has. Probably lose another 3-4lbs in the skid. So I’d guess the homemade alpha 6-7lbs lighter than stock set up.

I had read the Alpha track was 6.5 lbs and the skid was 5.5 lbs lighter. 12 lbs is a decent amount, but the big win is the track. 6.5 lbs of rotating mass is alot for this application. I really like your version of the Alpha that's some good thinking and nice work.

roni87 · Apr 25, 2018

What method did you use to make the center punches?

boondocker97 · Apr 25, 2018

High Country said:
hopefully R&D has done their homework....if not we have 4 years of warranty

Ask the Polaris guys how that warranty is working on their tracks :face-icon-small-dis

summ8rmk · Apr 25, 2018

If cat doesn't clip all the paddles, i will when my sled arrives. That is, if the clips are available.....

madmax · Apr 25, 2018

roni87 said:
What method did you use to make the center punches?

Measured out the square, marked with a sharpie. Then drilled out each of the four corners with a 3/8” drill bit. Then cut corner to corner with a razor knife. If I do it again, I’ll look into making a 2” square punch I can put in a press.
As far as durability goes, the only thing I’m really a little worried about is strength of the rods that go through the track from side to side. I believe they are fiberglass. I know cat in thier testing had sone break and made the center portion of the rod thicker and stronger on the alpha track. Time will tell. The primary rider of this sled will be my 13yo who weighs 110lbs, I doubt he will abuse enough to break anything.

High Country · Apr 25, 2018

Tyman212 said:
Could a guy run the clips facing outwards on the inside drive lugs? Or would that allow the track to spin off easier than center clips

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

summ8rmk said:
If cat doesn't clip all the paddles, i will when my sled arrives. That is, if the clips are available.....

hmmm......maybe every other clip faces outwards....every other clip goes inwards....making it fully clipped fully supported the best of both worlds

summ8rmk · Apr 25, 2018

May be a good idea?

Just some info:
2016/2017 3in powerclaw has the clips on the inside of the rail, 2018 the clips are on the outside of the rail.
Not sure why they changed?

High Country said:
hmmm......maybe every other clip faces outwards....every other clip goes inwards....making it fully clipped fully supported the best of both worlds

High Country · Apr 25, 2018

summ8rmk said:
May be a good idea?

Just some info:
2016/2017 3in powerclaw has the clips on the inside of the rail, 2018 the clips are on the outside of the rail.
Not sure why they changed?

good find....hmmm...interesting

DGZRT · Apr 27, 2018

madmax said:
I spaced the rails 1/4” apart between the slide rails. That’s about what the alpha is spaced. I first tried using the camsno light weight clips, but they were a little wide. Then I went to the wps clip that is not as wide

https://www.startinglineproducts.com/catalog.cfm?pageID=detail&catalogID=5&catID=36&productID=488
the SLP wear pads work great and last about 1500 miles in good snow . Could be a cheaper alternative and half the work .

d1100t · May 5, 2018

Alpha rear suspension

This is what the bottom of the Alpha rear suspension looks like.

1Mike900 · Jul 15, 2018

What is the distance between upper arm mounting points on the tunnel? Just looking at the rear scissor upper arm on the Alpha it looks longer and more parallel to the front arm, did they change the mounting points on the tunnel closer together or just move the rear scissor further back? I have a new idea on making the single rail skid without moving the rear shock to the side! Mike

summ8rmk · Jul 15, 2018

I just realized, there are no bolts holding the hyfax in place..... hmmm?

d1100t said:
This is what the bottom of the Alpha rear suspension looks like.

summ8rmk · Jul 15, 2018

1Mike900 said:
What is the distance between upper arm mounting points on the tunnel? Just looking at the rear scissor upper arm on the Alpha it looks longer and more parallel to the front arm, did they change the mounting points on the tunnel closer together or just move the rear scissor further back? I have a new idea on making the single rail skid without moving the rear shock to the side! Mike

The Alpha skid was sold as a direct replacement for previous model yrs. (Not sure if all yrs of the Proclimb chassis[2012?]).

2018 rear shock will work, front shock is the correct length however, the external chamber is clocked in a position where it will interfere with the monorail.

1Mike900 · Jul 15, 2018

I was just needing the measurements for the tunnel holes on a 17-18 model sled, so I can replicate the rear drop brackets since mine is different. Thanks

summ8rmk · Jul 15, 2018

1Mike900 said:
I was just needing the measurements for the tunnel holes on a 17-18 model sled, so I can replicate the rear drop brackets since mine is different. Thanks

18- 162 is 31 3/8" on center.

1Mike900 · Jul 22, 2018

Summ8rmk thank you very much, only an 1/8" from my present location.
Mike

Home made alpha skid, first ride

Well-known member

Well-known member

Most handsome

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Most handsome

Well-known member

Well-known member

Most handsome

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Most handsome

Most handsome

Well-known member

Most handsome

Well-known member

Similar threads