Track Ratcheting?

Hi everyone,

I just got my sled out for the first time this year, took a ride across the yard. I stopped, then i tried to go again and the track sounds like it's ratcheting+I could smell burned rubber. I checked the belt(not it), does it sound like my track is too loose? If so how do I go about tightening it? Thanks everyone, just new to the game!

Spark

you need a fishscale and a tape measure to check this when you first start out, eventually you just get a feel for it

1.5" deflection at 20lbs is the stock rating I think.

fish scale, grab a bar, pull down with 20 lbs of force, then measure how far off the slider you are.

that being said that might be wrong I haven't set one in the "proper" method in years, ro righten it you need to loosen the bolts on the rear axle shaft, (17 and 19mm) then get a 14mm deep and you reach thru the track windows for the adjusters, tighten the bolt tightens the track, loosening it loosens.

do a certain number of turns (generally I work in 1 turn increments) then do same number of turns on the other side.

after you've adjusted tension you can test alignment in a couple ways, you can just look in the window and make sure the slides are in about the same spot in both windows (awfull haphazard if you ask me)

or how I do it is sit behind the sled with it's ass end in the air, put a finger against the rear of a track lug, then roll the track back until your finger is caught between the drive wheel and the track lug, if they both hit at the same time, you're golden!

I just loosen my track until it ratchets, then tighten it until it doesnt ratchet anymore. My track is much looser than the 1.5" @ 20lbs, and i have no ratcheting. The looser you run your track, the less friction you will have in your skid (more power to the ground) and the less slider wear you will get. Thats just my 2 cents, and im sure there are many more opinions on this topic.

Try doing a search on it to find some other peoples methods of checking tension and adjusting it.

make sure you dont have a spot in the belt warn ..it will sounds like a loose track too....a ratchet track usually will only ratchet under hard accelleration.

Can I ask a simple question. I would like to know what is track racheting? What does it sound like, is it one of those things you would know if you herd it?

what it sounds like is when you stay on the throttle and get great hook , like in the grass, its sounds like the track is jumping over the cogs or it even sounds like the chain in the chain case is jumping the gear....

it's a pretty unique sound and kinda hard to describe, but you'll know when it happens forsure!

ya loosen then tighten back up is usually the best way to do it, it's similar to chaincase ratchet, only...... deeper.... from the plastic in the drivers on rubber, as opposed to the metal ratcheting in the chaincase.

and ya you should check belt for chunking

If you smell rubber I would take a harder look at your belt. It sounds like the belt is getting suck done into the secondary. Is there any rubber build up on the primary? It would'nt be a bad idear to check your track tension either.

just a thought

Is it possible that you have melted your hyfaxes and the track clips started to stick - so when you went to go again your track was stuck to the hyfaxes????

Also do as Mr sled said and check that belt - have seen a few people put flat spots on a belt and then search for the clunking noise.

random thoughts,
Tod

pick up the backend of your sled and if the track doesn't sag off the hyfax then you found your burning rubber smell. Your track will stick to your hyfax in dry conditions. Also what mrsled said but a belt will be more of thumping noise when you are moving, the faster you go the faster the thump.

really the sound is like someone taking a pipe and banging on the track bars or drive cogs...it unforgetable....