Track replacement - stock or no?

[Tim Bersled]

I’ve got a ‘17 with a 154 - 3” track and I’ll be needing to replace it soon. It’s got around 1200 miles and a number of the lugs are cracked at the base and a few chunks missing from the lugs. I’ve read a few posts about aftermarket replacements and haven’t seen anything to convince me of a great product out there. Is stock the way to go? Have there been any improvements to the stock tracks or are they still built the same as the ‘17?

 

[Technician no.1]

I have the very same question but I have a 2018 summit 165" 3". Seems the only track that works well is the stock track. Heard the Camso Conquer 280 is what some have used and they trench. I had good luck with my stock track till lugs started disappearing.

 

[jcjc1]

part of the problem with 3" lugs on stock tracks is riders going too fast in ice/hardpack conditions. they heat up at the base and the manual specifically warns against this.

 

[wwracer]

I stopped riding over 45mph on hardpack, and stopped losing paddles... go figure

 

[Tim Bersled]

I’m aware of the problems with speed but unfortunately I bought it used. The track looked to be in good shape until I started noticing the cracks at the base. I’m just curious if there’s a aftermarket product out there that’s better than stock or if the newer tracks are any better built than the ‘17s. Not saying that my track wouldn’t have lasted longer if it wasn’t abused or that it’s a poor product to begin with. I don’t know what the history is exactly.

 

[DUKHTR3]

I went stock after I put a trail marker post thru mine and broke a fiberglass rod. Check jaycox power sports for a price. They gave me a smoking deal and shipped it to me.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

 

[skank]

I tried a composit track last year. No bueno! Went back to stock after 3 rides on it ?

 

[engine_man1714]

I have the camso 280 and i would have gone stock if i had to do it again. Not overly unhappy but the performance is not the same.

 

[Devilmanak]

What conditions/snow are you guys riding in? I have always thought that the Doo tracks were trenchers after riding with my bud with a 2.6 Poo track. His sled always smokes mine in the deep. And when it trenches in, I have literally seen him pin it and wiggle and get himself out. If I did that with my Doos I would be having Chinese food for lunch.

 

[simnil]

After wrecking two stock 2.75" tracks in two seasons, (actually have had to change as many tracks as belts...), I got hold of a SP 2.86 drive shaft and put a challenger extreme on. Hoping for better durability from that!
Both stock tracks has ripped from the edge, not had lugs come loose.

 

[Tim Bersled]

I found this thread last night where Norona and Big John said the 19 track was improved over the 17/18 track. Has anyone noticed an improvement with the 19 track?

Difference between 2018 and 2019 ?

Looking to buy a used 165 3" over the summer and I was wondering what was different from the 18 to the 19 I know that the secondary clutch is different anything else? Thanks Brad

www.snowest.com

 

[imjustdave]

I found this thread last night where Norona and Big John said the 19 track was improved over the 17/18 track. Has anyone noticed an improvement with the 19 track?

Difference between 2018 and 2019 ?

Looking to buy a used 165 3" over the summer and I was wondering what was different from the 18 to the 19 I know that the secondary clutch is different anything else? Thanks Brad

www.snowest.com

Yeah that thread seemed lacking of info to me. If you're looking for new I suspect the dealer will set you up just fine, in terms of pricing call around.

Tracks I assume are similar to tires, they are always trying to find a happy medium of performance, price, quality.

I feel a bigger Q is do you need the 3" still for the riding you do?

 

[Tim Bersled]

Yeah, I think I’ll stick with the 3” track. I’m no speed demon on the trail so I think it’ll hold up fine. Trail riding is only as necessary to reach the pow, which isn’t much.

 

[simnil]

I have a theory I developed when I started wrecking 3,5" pitch tracks.

In the early days of rubber tracks the tracks were made out of foot long-ish pieces "glued" together to get the correct length. Around the year 2000, give or take a few years, Camoplast started making one piece tracks with continuous "canvas". This was an expensive way of doing it because the molds were big and expensive but the tracks became much more durable since there were no weak joints.
Jump forwards a few years and the OEMs start to invent unique track pitches and lug patterns almost for every model and the production of continuous tracks becomes too expensive... and they start gluing together tracks made from foot long pieces again to make them cheaper... and the tracks start to break like in the old days again, only worse due to higher hp and lower quality, but more environmentally friendly, rubber.

 

[MKULTRA]

part of the problem with 3" lugs on stock tracks is riders going too fast in ice/hardpack conditions. they heat up at the base and the manual specifically warns against this.

I ripped an almost brand new 2.5 track on the trail. learned my lesson.

edit: on a poo but it's pretty much the same

 

[Answ3r]

I have a theory I developed when I started wrecking 3,5" pitch tracks.

In the early days of rubber tracks the tracks were made out of foot long-ish pieces "glued" together to get the correct length. Around the year 2000, give or take a few years, Camoplast started making one piece tracks with continuous "canvas". This was an expensive way of doing it because the molds were big and expensive but the tracks became much more durable since there were no weak joints.
Jump forwards a few years and the OEMs start to invent unique track pitches and lug patterns almost for every model and the production of continuous tracks becomes too expensive... and they start gluing together tracks made from foot long pieces again to make them cheaper... and the tracks start to break like in the old days again, only worse due to higher hp and lower quality, but more environmentally friendly, rubber.

For OEM, part price is way more important than tooling cost. I'd bet a pretty penny that all Ski-Doo / Polaris / Cat tracks are made on circular molds as flat molds require more labor thus making the track more expensive.

 

[simnil]

For OEM, part price is way more important than tooling cost. I'd bet a pretty penny that all Ski-Doo / Polaris / Cat tracks are made on circular molds as flat molds require more labor thus making the track more expensive.

A circular mold is probably in the "man-years", (plural, and most likely more than two), price range. How many do you need to supply for example Doo's range of sleds, Lenths, lug hights, patterns, Pitches etc. Add to that probably duplicates of most also since you need a spare and perhaps extra capacity.
Until some form of evidence of the opposite shows up, I'm sticking with my theory

 

[Wapow]

I was a victim of paddle failures last season. Buying a track in-season was pricey! And i didn't want to do the swap myself (having done it before, it sucks), so even more money out the door. My new speed limit on the groomer is 40 MPH. There was talk on the forum that the new 2.75 Poo track may work. May not be cheaper though, and no clue whether it will hold up better. Look forward to hearing reviews from those who give it a shot.

 

[sledhed]

Camso Extreme tracks all the way... if they make one in the pitch / length you need. I have always run them at any speed I wanted to (with scratchers down of course), not on ice but hardpack trails on my way to the fun, and zero failures. When I heard Skidoo says to keep your speed down to 35 on trails even with scratchers down and that they would not warranty their tracks at all, I thought what a bunch of malarky...

 

[Ken65]

I found this thread last night where Norona and Big John said the 19 track was improved over the 17/18 track. Has anyone noticed an improvement with the 19 track?

Difference between 2018 and 2019 ?

Looking to buy a used 165 3" over the summer and I was wondering what was different from the 18 to the 19 I know that the secondary clutch is different anything else? Thanks Brad

www.snowest.com

No difference. Heard every excuse in the book from doo. From excessive speed to BCS (BLUE CLIP SYNDROME). My 19 175 started throwing lugs at 1300 miles, and my Expert has 4 lugs starting to come off at 1250 miles. No one more anal about not driving fast on hardpack and always using scratchers. The 19 looks like a total delamination between fabric and rubber and the 20 is breaking lugs off at the base. Doo is consistent though. Replaced a track on every year sled from 2015.