Track tension

Mudgunner

Mudgunner

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Joined
Dec 17, 2018
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29
Location
Gagetown New Brunswick
What are you guys running for track tension? The book specs seem to be pretty tight. I have a Venture 700 with 136” track. I’d rather run the track loose but not too loose causing ratcheting
 

Never had luck playing in snow with a track that isn't real tight. Always ends up racheting. So I suggest you run your track on the tight side
 
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I've always set track tension out riding. It gets the most load on it when in fairly deep powder, especially when you're riding a groomed trail and then shoot a bank to go up it. Imagine hitting a powder bank with the intention of gassing it hard and trying to lift the skis. I set the tension so that it may once in a while ratchet just once or twice when I do the above.
I once had a new tunnel put on at the dealer. They set the track tension per the book. My first ride it felt like it was as tight as a guitar string compared to what I was used to. If I remember right I was able to loosen it up two full turns on each side before it would ratchet once in a while in the above situation.
To start I set it fairly tight and then back off a half a turn on each side until it is where I want it. Don't start loose and go tighter, it can take quite a bit off the drivers if it really ratchets hard for a few seconds when on the gas hard (watched my cousin do this when he went to anti-ratchet drivers...he started so loose that he had to buy another set after he spun it hard).
Maybe I'm weird, but I want every single tiny bit of free HP I can get lol.
 
mod-it said:
I've always set track tension out riding. It gets the most load on it when in fairly deep powder, especially when you're riding a groomed trail and then shoot a bank to go up it. Imagine hitting a powder bank with the intention of gassing it hard and trying to lift the skis. I set the tension so that it may once in a while ratchet just once or twice when I do the above.
I once had a new tunnel put on at the dealer. They set the track tension per the book. My first ride it felt like it was as tight as a guitar string compared to what I was used to. If I remember right I was able to loosen it up two full turns on each side before it would ratchet once in a while in the above situation.
To start I set it fairly tight and then back off a half a turn on each side until it is where I want it. Don't start loose and go tighter, it can take quite a bit off the drivers if it really ratchets hard for a few seconds when on the gas hard (watched my cousin do this when he went to anti-ratchet drivers...he started so loose that he had to buy another set after he spun it hard).
Maybe I'm weird, but I want every single tiny bit of free HP I can get lol.
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All great info! Thanks for sharing.


But I don't understand why you shouldn't start loose and tighten up till the track stops racheting?

Your cousin probably went way too loose.... Or maybe got some sub quality drivers?

Overall some occasional racheting rarely ever cause much if any damages on the stock sprockets
 
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Vincent said:
All great info! Thanks for sharing.


But I don't understand why you shouldn't start loose and tighten up till the track stops racheting?

Your cousin probably went way too loose.... Or maybe got some sub quality drivers?

Overall some occasional racheting rarely ever cause much if any damages on the stock sprockets
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I say to start with it a bit tight due to the following experience.
I don't remember what brand my cousin bought for anti-ratched drivers, but will say he never had any issues with the 2nd set. I mainly think he just went way overboard on how loose he thought he could run the track with anti-ratchets. Instead of starting a bit on the tight side, he started with them very loose and it never ratcheted riding the main trail into some of our play areas. He got on it hard several times on the trail with no issues. The first area we headed to has a trail on the way into it that has a few spots that you can shoot up a fairly steep powder bank, imagine a short 50-75 yard "hillclimb". When he hammered it WOT and hit the deep powder the track ballooned out and it ended up spinning the drivers HARD. The track stopped instantly due to the load of the deep powder and the drivers just free wheeled over the track windows. There were little curly cues of driver material all over the snow. He let off as soon as it did it, but at WOT it made a lot of revolutions before he could let off and stop it. We were able to tighten the track up a bunch and he rode it the rest of the day, but avoided any WOT powder riding. When he got it home and inspected it, he decided that so much material had ground off the drivers that he was basically back to stock drivers and so replaced them.
Since I set my tension by basically hitting deep powder and hammering it to WOT, I decided I would start on the tight side rather than have the above happen to me.
 
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