2.6" vs 3" lugs

bobback · Mar 3, 2019

What are pros and cons here?

Thinking of getting a new sled, I have a 2.6 should I avoid a 3? Look for a 3"?

Does it really matter or just splitting hairs here?

Riding is powder with average 10 ish miles trail ride in to the powder.

02sedona · Mar 3, 2019

Where do you live? Whats is your snow like most of the season? Heavy or light snow?

powwow · Mar 3, 2019

If you like the 2.6 then don't go 3". Trenches instead of popping up. Watch Burandts video. He hits it on the head. Buddy went 3" this year and hates it. He is going 2.6 next year. Wouldn't be surprised if he goes back to the 800 as well. Misses the snap. Weight is noticable as well.

bobback · Mar 3, 2019

I live in Western MT - I would say it's rare that the snow is heavy.

bobback · Mar 3, 2019

powwow said:
If you like the 2.6 then don't go 3". Trenches instead of popping up. Watch Burandts video. He hits it on the head. Buddy went 3" this year and hates it. He is going 2.6 next year. Wouldn't be surprised if he goes back to the 800 as well. Misses the snap. Weight is noticable as well.

Goes back to 800? Assuming he went with an 850?

Can you expand more on the snap and weight?

powwow · Mar 3, 2019

The 800 motor has a snappy bottom end. Quick response instant power. The 850 has a soft bottom end then hits hard with midrange power. Gets you stuck when you are down in the tight stuff and need short bursts of power. The midrange and top end are real nice on the 850. We switch sleds quite a bit to compare in different conditions. After a couple hours you start to notice the weight difference, especially when I hop back on my 800. The 3" seems to get real stuck compared to the 2.6 as well. 800 with quickdrive is more nimble and fun. The 850 is a bit better after the reflash, but still not close to the 800 bottom end. The 850 is really good in more open terrain where you are constant 1/4 throttle and up. The 3" did really well in the 3' of blower power, but we didn't get a good comparison as mine ran like crap. It's in the shop looking like it's getting a new top end.

adamg · Mar 3, 2019

To me the decision is more about, do you want a drive belt or drive chain?

bobback · Mar 3, 2019

powwow - what size of tracks on both?

powwow · Mar 3, 2019

163" on both.

2XM3 · Mar 3, 2019

We have both in our group, 2.6, 3", 163 and 174 and both 800, 800turbo, 850's we all switch off time to time, its really a toss up, get what you feel better on.

b-litt · Mar 3, 2019

I agree with Powwow on the track and 800 vs. 850 commparison. I have a stock 850 and a piped 800 both qd 2.6. I converted the 2.6 on my 850 quick drive to a 3.2 camso with extraverts. Didn't like it even in the deep. It felt heavy, sluggish, and rode lower in the snow. Once it starts trenching bad it's harder to come back up. I can stay on plane and ride pinned better with the 2.6. This is my experience on a stocker. The extra track speed of a booster could be different.

The only thing I liked it better for were maneuvers requiring ski lift (bow ties, hop-overs, re-entries, etc.) which are fun, but not what I typically want in the steep tech terrain. I have good shocks that I adjusted to help compensate for the trenching, but just never liked it.

turboless terry · Mar 3, 2019

I've never had the 2.6 but I'm not sure I'm a fan of the Polaris 3 inch. They do tend to auger a little bit. I do like the cat 3 inch.

kgra · Mar 4, 2019

I trimmed 1/4-5/16” off my 3”. No negative effects noticed in any type of snow, all good in my opinion. On setup snow it hooks like the 2.6 powderclaw track on my pro. In the powder steep and deep the skis stay down way better and sled goes way further up hills then it did with 3”. It doesn’t stand up near as easy in powered. It lift the skis way easier and doesn’t just spin/ wash out on dense and hard pack snow. I prefer the 3” trimmed over the 2.6 polaris track as well for our mostly heavy snow and on powder days the I can’t tell a diffrence over the 2.6 polaris. My comparisons are with turbos.

Wheel House Motorsports · Mar 5, 2019

IMO in the Snow your going to be riding in the factory 2.6 outdoes the 3in in everything but wetter spring snow.

The polaris 3" does not work that well in the drier snow we generally have in the bozeman and surrounding areas. Every 3" series 7 tracked sled I have rode seems to trench significantly worse around here. I rode one in some thicker BC snow and was really impressed, but thats the only time i've felt it was better then a 2.6.

I put a camso extreme 3" under my 2.6 Axys this season and can say without a doubt it outshines both the 2.6 and the 3in polaris tracks. Seat of the pants it feels like it has another 20hp. The sled just pulls SOO much harder then it did stock and keeps chugging vs spinning out and giving up. So in short, I would get a 2.6, and if you feel like upgrading doing the camo extreme is a nice upgrade on it as well.

diamonddave · Mar 6, 2019

Wheel House Motorsports said:
IMO in the Snow your going to be riding in the factory 2.6 outdoes the 3in in everything but wetter spring snow.

The polaris 3" does not work that well in the drier snow we generally have in the bozeman and surrounding areas. Every 3" series 7 tracked sled I have rode seems to trench significantly worse around here. I rode one in some thicker BC snow and was really impressed, but thats the only time i've felt it was better then a 2.6.

I put a camso extreme 3" under my 2.6 Axys this season and can say without a doubt it outshines both the 2.6 and the 3in polaris tracks. Seat of the pants it feels like it has another 20hp. The sled just pulls SOO much harder then it did stock and keeps chugging vs spinning out and giving up. So in short, I would get a 2.6, and if you feel like upgrading doing the camo extreme is a nice upgrade on it as well.

Agree 100%...the X3 is bad ass.

I will also add the 2.6 is a little easier to lightly spin the track in those conditions when you want the rear of the sled to come around quicker for a quick change in direction....whereas the 3" series 7 will trench down.

Not sure if I am explaining it correct? But I would go 2.6...and add avid driver's, ice age antistab, and an X3 when the 2.6 delaminates the paddles or the window's gouge up.

Go with a 155 sled and then add 163 rails with the X3 package....

TRS · Mar 8, 2019

The 550 likes the Polaris 3” in 163”.

IMG]

Sheetmetalfab · Mar 8, 2019

TRS said:
The 550 likes the Polaris 3” in 163”.

IMG]

Any tips for clutching a 550? ?

Working my way towards building a kids skinny sled.

TRS · Mar 8, 2019

Does it have a P2 secondary?

Sheetmetalfab · Mar 8, 2019

TRS said:
Does it have a P2 secondary?

Yep.

aksledjunkie · Mar 8, 2019

My thoughts mirror quite a few others above me.

I have the Conquer 280 on one track and the 2.6" on all others.
Things I like about the 280, it trenches more than the 2.6" making it much easier for some of the ballerina style moves.

Things I like about the 2.6", it doesn't trench as much, making it easier for literally every other part of the riding.

Every 3" I've every ridden was a chaincase and I could instantly feel the difference in throttle response. So it's not a fair comparison to say it's only the track that I didn't like.

I also prefer swapping drivers out to extro's giving you a much more consistent power to the ground plus you aren't scrubbing power by having your track banjo tight on the stock drivers.

I own multiple 800's (stock + turbo) and 850's (geared down + turbo) and there is definitely a seat of the pants difference in power. The 800 may never lead in a race(don't know haven't tried) but it sure feels snappier.

2.6" vs 3" lugs

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