165 Replacement Track

[TreewellDweller]

Shut down for the pandemic?

Someone actually closed down trailheads?

The Great Wide Open - with facemasks and helmets wasn't enough safety?

We had just gotten back from our last trip of the season when they closed us down.
We still have a dead sled 150 klicks off the pavement in Ontario that we are hoping to fetch before snow flies, but not counting on it.
It's an old sled, and we have spares, but good grief!

Yep!!! The authorities thought that we might get to close to each other in the parking lots. They even convinced the US Forest Service to close parking areas on their ground and in doing so imposed $5k-$7k fines if caught violating the closure order.
This next season will hopefully be a lot better, I hope!

 

[TreewellDweller]

I need to possibly retract my statement and clarify. At the end of the season I was having difficulties maintaining rpm and, as time went on, even getting to maximum rpm. I was originally thinking it was the track and I started changing the clickers. Eventually, we were chasing our tail from clutch issues to fuel issues. Finally, it was diagnosed that the RAVE valves were not opening correctly or even completely. Finally got it into the shop for repairs and then the season was shut down for the pandemic. So, the track might work better than previously thought. I’ll know more when we get out this next season.
I should have commented earlier but I was so frustrated about the way the season ended. My apologies.

A bit of an update on the Conquer 280 Track. It will probably be for sale in the near future. The sled is now running great but the track is not living up to my expectations. Rode side by side with an identical sled and it was trenching terribly. Could not keep up with the other sled with it's stock 3" track and could not go the same places. We were in 2' of nice fun powder. Needless to say, I'm pretty disappointed. Looks like there might be a new alternative that is a full 3" paddle and 16" wide but have not heard much about it's performance. I believe it is called the Challenger 3LX. Anyone heard about it?

 

[-unsound]

A bit of an update on the Conquer 280 Track. It will probably be for sale in the near future. The sled is now running great but the track is not living up to my expectations. Rode side by side with an identical sled and it was trenching terribly. Could not keep up with the other sled with it's stock 3" track and could not go the same places. We were in 2' of nice fun powder. Needless to say, I'm pretty disappointed. Looks like there might be a new alternative that is a full 3" paddle and 16" wide but have not heard much about it's performance. I believe it is called the Challenger 3LX. Anyone heard about it?

That's disappointing to read about the conquer 280, I was literally just about to pull the trigger on one because my stock track is looking awful...missing 10+ paddles and losing more every ride.

 

[02sedona]

Might want to try the conquer 280 in the opposite direction. On the snow and mud forums people have been using it installed backwards with some success. I have not tried it this way. They mentioned it as like the old cat attack 20 track in that it worked better in softer snow backwards and then in harder snow it was fine in the standard direction

 

[damx]

Avoid the 280

 

[-unsound]

I ended up putting a camposit M770 on my 165. Rode a few days so far, varied snow conditions but mostly heavy fresh snow about 12-24 inches deep, with a well established base underneath.

No complaints so far, track runs smooth cruising down the trail. Seems to pop up on the snow very well and not trench or wash out in sidehills. Weighed on my scale it was about 56 lbs, stock was about 52lbs. Did notice that it wants to spin out more on hard packed hills. Hopefully it holds up well.

Full disclaimer: I also added a raptor ace kit to the skid at the same time, so not a full apples to apples comparison

One of the owners at a local sled performance part shop had a conquer 280 on his sled, said it was a trencher until he took it off and ran it backwards. He seemed pretty happy with it afterwards.

 

[AkSledHed]

Composit tracks are 2 ply and are holding up well here in Ak's backcountry. I put the Composit M67 3R 154 2.6 track on my 14 XM and it is so much better than the stock Doo track, seems to jump up on the snow really well I don't seem to get stuck nearly as much as I use too. Time will tell but so far I am loving this track..