{"id":5078,"date":"2013-12-30T11:18:37","date_gmt":"2013-12-30T17:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.denniskirk.com\/?p=5078"},"modified":"2022-08-31T13:34:08","modified_gmt":"2022-08-31T18:34:08","slug":"the-ultimate-snowmobile-traction-buying-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.denniskirk.com\/blog\/2013\/12\/30\/the-ultimate-snowmobile-traction-buying-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Snowmobile Traction Buying Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Having proper snowmobile traction doesn\u2019t only make for a better riding experience, but a safer one as well.  For many riders, the traction of their sled is one of the last things that they consider before hitting the snow.  The snowmobile track and carbides are on the ground and aren\u2019t visible without lifting the skis or closely inspecting the track.  While most of the time, the track and wear bars will be fine, there are times when they should or need to be replaced.  In this guide, we will look at when you should replace your snowmobile traction and also what style of products that will be right for your style of riding.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Snowmobile Tracks<\/strong><\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Your sled\u2019s track is more than just the thing that makes you go.  It plays a major role in your traction while you are cornering and stopping as well as helping you hook up on the snow.  Having a worn out or underperforming track will not only hinder your snowmobile\u2019s performance, but it could lead to costly and dangerous outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When to Replace Your Snowmobile Track<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old and worn tracks<\/em>– When you are inspecting your track, there are certain things that you should look for to determine if it needs to be replaced.  A worn out track can eventually lead to it blowing out while you are riding.  If you are lucky, it will not do any damage and it will happen at low speeds.  If you are not so lucky, blowing out a track can damage your heat exchangers under the tunnel, damage your tunnel and can lead to an accident, like a rollover or going through a corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Cords showing- A snowmobile track is just like a tire.  They are built with cords and if any are exposed, it usually mean that it is time to replace your track.  The cords will eventually continue to pull out further and separate from the rubber causing it to weaken the strength and durability of the track as a whole.<\/li>
  2. Weather checked & Dry Rotted- Proper care can prevent most weather checking and dry rotting.  These things occur when the rubber compounds that make up the snowmobile track begin to break down due to over exposure to the sun and elements.  You can tell when this happening if you start to see fine cracks and lines in the rubber.  Those will eventually grow over time and can lead to tears and chunks falling off of the track.  If the cracks are small, your track is still usable, but you should try to limit the amount you let your track spin.  Once they start to grow deeper, your track should be replaced or you will run the risk of it blowing out.<\/li>
  3. Missing Lugs- There are different reasons to have missing lugs.  Some examples are excessively spinning your track, over using a paddle track on hard pack, dry rot and weather checking.  Whatever the cause of the missing track lugs, you should closely inspect the track.  If only a few are missing on the track and they ripped off cleanly, your track should be fine.  If they were ripped off due to dry rot\/weather checking or have pulled cords up, your track should be replaced.<\/li>
  4. Missing Track Clips\/Drive Ports Damaged- Track clips can be replaced if you are missing just a few, but over use without the clips can lead to your track sliding off.  The drive sprocket can end up wearing away the rubber of the track around the ports.  This can not only lead to less power transferred from the sprocket to the track, but can over time lead to further degeneration of the track.  This usually is not an urgent matter in which you should replace your track, but prolonged negligence can lead to that point.<\/li>
  5. Upgrading\/Change of Style- Upgrading your track can greatly improve the performance of your snowmobile.  The advancements in snowmobile tracks keep progressing and by fitting the right track pattern to your sled and riding style, you can get your sled to perform better.  With these advancements, there are also tracks that meet the different needs of the multiple styles of riding.  By matching the right lug pattern and track length to your style of riding, you will have a much better experience.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Snowmobile Track Styles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • Aggressive Trail\/Hard Pack<\/em>– This style of track is for the rider who spends most of the time riding on groomed snowmobile trails, ungroomed trails that are compacted from other riders and bare or lightly covered ice.  Because the terrain that you will be riding on is harder, the lugs do not need to be as long.  The general trail lug ranges from .75\u201d to 1.352\u201d in length.  The lug pattern is more staggered with a tapered design for more bite on corners.  Trail tracks are usually short tracks.<\/b><\/li>
    • Cross–<\/b>Country-<\/em> For riders who like to take their sled through many different conditions, a cross-country track is the right choice.  These tracks will help you excel in the ditches, on less-used trails or boondocking in the backcountry.  Cross-country tracks are a blend between trail and mountain tracks.  The lug length can be up to 1.75\u201d and are still in a more staggered pattern.  Some lug styles are in the paddle form like mountain style to get the most bite in soft, deep snow.  Cross-country track lengths are in the middle ground with the most popular at 136\u201d to get the best of both worlds.<\/b><\/li>
    • Mountain-<\/em> <\/b>When the bulk of your riding is in deep powder and on steep slopes, you will need a mountain style snowmobile track to get the best performance.  The lugs on the mountain tracks are very long averaging from 2-3\u201d in length.  Mountain tracks are made to be lighter to help the snowmobile stay afloat in deep snow.  These tracks range in length all the way up to 174\u201d for extreme conditions.<\/b><\/li>
    • Other-<\/em> There are other tracks to fit specific needs.  Some come pre-studded for performance on ice.  There are also tracks that are designed specifically for touring long distances.  These tracks feature a straighter lug pattern to get the ultimate drive forward with the least amount of vibration.<\/b><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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