Track tension

sledhead_79 · Jan 27, 2019

How tight are you guys with 163 turbos tracks? PRO RMK. I stripped cogs on belt last year due to extremely loose track. 10 lbs on track and 3/8-7/16 gap. This year snapped belt with couple cogs showing some signs of wear. Right before belt snapped I felt a pretty good ratchet. Not sure if it was the two sharp/pointy stumps I revealed or if I need to tighten track a tad more.

Belts are getting expensive!

FYI “tight” doesn’t provide me much help!

Octanee · Jan 27, 2019

I ride a reg old pro, sled has the AVID drivers which drive through window and the nubs on the track. I run a 174x2.5 track, I don't run it too tight and never had it ratchet, I've just felt how much flex/sag I have from my top 2 wheels to the rear wheels on the suspension, It's not much help i'm sure but Its not super loose but yet not tight like a string, Could try and measure it later there to get a better number, but To me you kinda know when its too tight and at that, when its too loose. It's how I've done all my sleds, never had an issue yet, Overly tight can be tough on everything down there as well

sledhead_79 · Jan 27, 2019

Octanee said:
I ride a reg old pro, sled has the AVID drivers which drive through window and the nubs on the track. I run a 174x2.5 track, I don't run it too tight and never had it ratchet, I've just felt how much flex/sag I have from my top 2 wheels to the rear wheels on the suspension, It's not much help i'm sure but Its not super loose but yet not tight like a string, Could try and measure it later there to get a better number, but To me you kinda know when its too tight and at that, when its too loose. It's how I've done all my sleds, never had an issue yet, Overly tight can be tough on everything down there as well

Im also in an PRO. I bet you are looser due to Avids.

Snowman.PRO. · Jan 28, 2019

I always run it 5/8-3/4 inch. Thats the exact #s from the manual. I haven't had one issue with it in that spec range. Im on 7lbs axys 163

richracer1 · Jan 28, 2019

IMO the stock drivers are junk. I always R&R my drivers with Avids (not the center drive version) on my sleds. One of the guys in our group runs a Mtn Tek turbo on his 18 163. Thing was ratcheting frequently under load. Ditched the stock drivers, installed Avids and hasn't had it ratchet since.

I've had Avids on since day one, first season with a stage 3 kitted 800 with the 2.6 track and 2 seasons with a BMP 860 running a 3.2" track and never had it ratchet. This season I've boosted my spare 800 with a '19 BD Sidekick Switch and some BMP turbo parts and not had any problems.

These are the non-center drive Avid drivers I'm referring to. They will require you to trim the rails and run an snti-stab kit. I run a Kmod skid so no trimming was needed, stock skid has never seen a flake of snow. This drive shaft has the Avid 8T 2.86 drivers. When I switched to the 3.2, I bought a new steel drive shaft to install the 7T 3" pitch drivers.

Octanee · Jan 28, 2019

sledhead_79 said:
Im also in an PRO. I bet you are looser due to Avids.

You will want to find a set of the avid's, IIRC, the stock ones will wear down quickly from the power, and of course ratchet badly. They can only hold so well and work OK stock but when you add the power.... It just doesn't work, the track nubs flex and the drivers probably start to round off a bit. I'm unsure of why the factory doesn't just drive through the windows as they are already clipped and there....

richracer1 · Jan 28, 2019

sledhead_79 said:
Im also in an PRO. I bet you are looser due to Avids.

I have Avids and I'm very close to Poo track tension specs. The track needs to be close to those specs to function properly.

2XM3 · Jan 28, 2019

174 here, exact set to the manual, 10 psi, zero issues with stock drivers.

Sage Crusher · Jan 28, 2019

richracer1 said:
IMO the stock drivers are junk. I always R&R my drivers with Avids (not the center drive version) on my sleds. One of the guys in our group runs a Mtn Tek turbo on his 18 163. Thing was ratcheting frequently under load. Ditched the stock drivers, installed Avids and hasn't had it ratchet since.

I've had Avids on since day one, first season with a stage 3 kitted 800 with the 2.6 track and 2 seasons with a BMP 860 running a 3.2" track and never had it ratchet. This season I've boosted my spare 800 with a '19 BD Sidekick Switch and some BMP turbo parts and not had any problems.

These are the non-center drive Avid drivers I'm referring to. They will require you to trim the rails and run an snti-stab kit. I run a Kmod skid so no trimming was needed, stock skid has never seen a flake of snow. This drive shaft has the Avid 8T 2.86 drivers. When I switched to the 3.2, I bought a new steel drive shaft to install the 7T 3" pitch drivers.

Agree with all the comments from richracer1,
In addition take the stock clamp off the mag side and put it on the PTO side and run a happy face collar clamp on the mag side.. It's tougher than the OEM one. ( I have an extra one avaiable on the shelf)

Track Tension;
I always run, (even with the avids) 1/2" of sag now to get the best out of performance. Robbie @ avid told me to try it-and it works very well .This is with ZERO weight pushing down on the track just a free hang while supporting the rear of the sled on a stand.
I run a 162 Power Claw 3" on my K-Mod 163 skid and have ZERO issues with the Hex drive shaft under 10# boost,and have lots of adjustment for track tension.

richracer1 · Jan 29, 2019

Sage Crusher said:
Agree with all the comments from richracer1,
In addition take the stock clamp off the mag side and put it on the PTO side and run a happy face collar clamp on the mag side.. It's tougher than the OEM one. ( I have an extra one avaiable on the shelf)

Track Tension;
I always run, (even with the avids) 1/2" of sag now to get the best out of performance. Robbie @ avid told me to try it-and it works very well .This is with ZERO weight pushing down on the track just a free hang while supporting the rear of the sled on a stand.
I run a 162 Power Claw 3" on my K-Mod 163 skid and have ZERO issues with the Hex drive shaft under 10# boost,and have lots of adjustment for track tension.

View attachment 299627

At the time I did the Avid 8T 2.86 install (Sept 2015), the current Happy Face collar clamp they had (for the Pro-Ride chassis) didn't fit. Polaris changed the chassis plate the QD bearings are in. The HFPP collar at that time rubbed on that. We called Dave at HFPP and let him know the ID portion of the collar that sits on the outside of driveshaft hub needed to be about 1/4" larger to clear the Axys QD plate.

Sage Crusher · Jan 29, 2019

richracer1 said:
At the time I did the Avid 8T 2.86 install (Sept 2015), the current Happy Face collar clamp they had (for the Pro-Ride chassis) didn't fit. Polaris changed the chassis plate the QD bearings are in. The HFPP collar at that time rubbed on that. We called Dave at HFPP and let him know the ID portion of the collar that sits on the outside of driveshaft hub needed to be about 1/4" larger to clear the Axys QD plate.

Since sledhead_79 in in the older pro chassis he would be fine either way then.
Mine that I have, might have been after Dave's update then.( Didn't know about that)

All mine fit perfectly with zero rubbing on over a dozen installed in Axys chassis!

This with Avid 3.0 7T

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Track tension

sledhead_79

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Octanee

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Snowman.PRO.

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richracer1

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Octanee

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2XM3

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