What is everyone running for track tension with Avid drivers?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Track tension Avid drivers
- Thread starter TWARD700
- Start date
F
Just got a set of 7 tooth for the G4.. Is there any hints needed to make these bigger drivers fit
Run the track with FACTORY tension.... or you will loose track performance...
"Free-hang" and "Easier to pull the track on a stand or shop floor" are 'old school' Myth that Detracts from performance... not adding to it.
Yes, there is such thing as too tight... but Correct tension, for optimum paddle efficiency in the snow (don't confuse this this with rolling resistance) is pretty darn tight... and with these single ply tracks, you should be checking/adjusting your tension often for the first 6-8 rides and still every once in a while following.
A track that is looser than ideal will allow the paddles to lay down and you will Lose traction..... as well as Increase friction along the hyfax and on the drivers/idlers.
Loose tracks loose performance... don't let anyone tell you that because they can pull the track around on a lift easier with a loose track that this allows for more power to make it to the track... a sled on the stand and a sled on the snow are two different things.
Just my 2¢ (IMO)
.
"Free-hang" and "Easier to pull the track on a stand or shop floor" are 'old school' Myth that Detracts from performance... not adding to it.
Yes, there is such thing as too tight... but Correct tension, for optimum paddle efficiency in the snow (don't confuse this this with rolling resistance) is pretty darn tight... and with these single ply tracks, you should be checking/adjusting your tension often for the first 6-8 rides and still every once in a while following.
A track that is looser than ideal will allow the paddles to lay down and you will Lose traction..... as well as Increase friction along the hyfax and on the drivers/idlers.
Loose tracks loose performance... don't let anyone tell you that because they can pull the track around on a lift easier with a loose track that this allows for more power to make it to the track... a sled on the stand and a sled on the snow are two different things.
Just my 2¢ (IMO)
.
Last edited:
I did 7 tooth 3.0 pitch drivers fit with no problem
There the same size as the factory 6 tooth 3.5 pitch drivers
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
opcorn:
F
Took the G4 175 up a decent simple hill, then took up a buddy's 174 t3 to get a comparison.. To my surprise comming down hill was much quicker with the 175, so much quicker that it needed some run out where the older track I was able to stop on hill..
Only two things are different.. One is design of track and the other was the track tension.. Where the older t3 was much loser than the tight G4.
For myself and my teachings I will go loose over tight.. Till I'm proven wrong..
Only two things are different.. One is design of track and the other was the track tension.. Where the older t3 was much loser than the tight G4.
For myself and my teachings I will go loose over tight.. Till I'm proven wrong..
J
The G4 has a totally different body style. Just look how high the G4 sits out of the snow compared to the T3. That is your real reason why you were coming down the hill faster...
The motor being back farther causes some of it. The xm sinks the front end in softer snow.
F
Don’t think the difference in chassies was the difference there, but could be wrong..
Looking tonight at the g4 in the shop I see the plastic rail stops on rails have been gouged up a fair bit and that could only be if track enertia is getting that high above rail stop.. also see that the front antistab wheels don’t look in correct position, and I have 170 thou more ware on my sliders at front compared to any other spot on sliders.. track tension and small drivers must be playing a big role in this on the few 120 miles this sled has on it
Looking tonight at the g4 in the shop I see the plastic rail stops on rails have been gouged up a fair bit and that could only be if track enertia is getting that high above rail stop.. also see that the front antistab wheels don’t look in correct position, and I have 170 thou more ware on my sliders at front compared to any other spot on sliders.. track tension and small drivers must be playing a big role in this on the few 120 miles this sled has on it
Loose is for Losers!
Your track is too loose! That is the cause of your accelerated wear on rail caps and front hypax. With the track tensioned properly (regardless of brand) there is zero need for an anti stab as it is impossible for the track to get into a rail stabbing geometry. But run it loose if you want to, it only will cost you hypax, rail caps and tracks multiple times per year, as well as getting schooled by your friends who were smart enough to keep the track tensioned correctly. It is your choice.
Your track is too loose! That is the cause of your accelerated wear on rail caps and front hypax. With the track tensioned properly (regardless of brand) there is zero need for an anti stab as it is impossible for the track to get into a rail stabbing geometry. But run it loose if you want to, it only will cost you hypax, rail caps and tracks multiple times per year, as well as getting schooled by your friends who were smart enough to keep the track tensioned correctly. It is your choice.
F
Track pretty dam tight, with a 20 lb weight it drops a inch in middle, this damage could of been first day ride when I never adjusted the limiter strap, it was set from stock in a very loose position and this allows rails to be much lower and allow track to rub on stops
You answered your own question, fred
Additionally you just posted the answer to your own question.
The T3 is slower because the track is too loose.
The G4 is faster (even coasting) because the track is tighter.
For those who cut wood; look what the chain does as it stretches. All that wasted energy goes into making the chain dance, rather than just turning and cutting. If you think of the paddles like the cutting teeth on the chainsaw chain. To have the correct cutting geometry the chain has to be tensioned and straight. When it gets loose and starts doing the wave, the sharp point is missing the wood. Your paddles do the same thing on a loose track. Rather than coming straight down into the snow and grabbing / compressing the optimum amount, it gets shortchanged because the full paddle height is either oriented forward (smearing) or backward (shallow slice) depending on which side of the wave it is.
Hope that helps you visualize the fallacy that a loose track is faster, because that is completely false.
Additionally you just posted the answer to your own question.
The T3 is slower because the track is too loose.
The G4 is faster (even coasting) because the track is tighter.
For those who cut wood; look what the chain does as it stretches. All that wasted energy goes into making the chain dance, rather than just turning and cutting. If you think of the paddles like the cutting teeth on the chainsaw chain. To have the correct cutting geometry the chain has to be tensioned and straight. When it gets loose and starts doing the wave, the sharp point is missing the wood. Your paddles do the same thing on a loose track. Rather than coming straight down into the snow and grabbing / compressing the optimum amount, it gets shortchanged because the full paddle height is either oriented forward (smearing) or backward (shallow slice) depending on which side of the wave it is.
Hope that helps you visualize the fallacy that a loose track is faster, because that is completely false.
F
I run much looser track tensions on my turbos and no problems with going up or down, not sold on the tight G4 tension. And never had or seen the ware this G4 is showing in this few miles..
Redline is installing lots of turbos and Advid drivers on there G4s for ware reasons.. But thought ipthis would be less with stock hp.. Maybe not
Redline is installing lots of turbos and Advid drivers on there G4s for ware reasons.. But thought ipthis would be less with stock hp.. Maybe not
F
Did a little test to compare the amount of tension it takes to turn the 174 on advid drivers compared to the G4 on doo stock drivers..
With the fish scale the amount of force needed to turn secondary on both advid drivers and looser track was 40 to 50 percent less then G4.. It's noticeable less by hand so it looks possible..
The advid drivers on stock t3 tracks hang down close to 2.5 inches where the new G4 is less than a inch with a 20 lb weight hanging off it..
This could be why we seen the better braking from the older t3 track, over the tighter G4
With the fish scale the amount of force needed to turn secondary on both advid drivers and looser track was 40 to 50 percent less then G4.. It's noticeable less by hand so it looks possible..
The advid drivers on stock t3 tracks hang down close to 2.5 inches where the new G4 is less than a inch with a 20 lb weight hanging off it..
This could be why we seen the better braking from the older t3 track, over the tighter G4
J
That is for the 175?
I assume 20 pounds for the 165 as well? Anyone know how far the track should hang below the hyfax on a 165 with 20 pounds inside the track?
F
Yes correct..
J
20 pounds, and 1" between the track and the hyfax?
F
Little video of xm chaise with loose three inch 174 track, rolling resistance is much less than g4, with much tighter track.. this shows quick in snow as well.. looser the better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo0Jyn_kJtI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo0Jyn_kJtI
Another thing to factor in is the suspension being used. I recall the M-10 really tightens the track as it compresses. Used to run about 3" of free-hang on those and it was banjo tight when it squats.
I just run loose side of factory spec on the Doo skid, seems to work the best. Years ago I took the time to make passes at a hill with different tension and both too loose and too tight was robbing a couple MPH.
I just run loose side of factory spec on the Doo skid, seems to work the best. Years ago I took the time to make passes at a hill with different tension and both too loose and too tight was robbing a couple MPH.
F
I also find so much better braking comming down hills with the loose track, paddles allowed to flex more maybe and can cause more resistance than a tighty
Large drivers definitely play a big role as well were the sled video above is on a nine tooth driver and G4 is a 6 tooth 3.5 pitch
Large drivers definitely play a big role as well were the sled video above is on a nine tooth driver and G4 is a 6 tooth 3.5 pitch
Similar threads
