Just finished installing a new 1.25" Predator on my Viper alone, and it wasn't too bad, thanks for all the kind souls on this board for their recommendations, hints, etc. I also changed the four shaft/axle bearings.
So, the new track hits the welded on protectors on my front exchanger by about 2 mm. I can spin the track by hand without too much effort ( secondary off ).
The research I have done here at TY it seems like the major opinion is to just run it and let rubber wear off.
Agree/disagree ?
thx
Steve
So, the new track hits the welded on protectors on my front exchanger by about 2 mm. I can spin the track by hand without too much effort ( secondary off ).
The research I have done here at TY it seems like the major opinion is to just run it and let rubber wear off.
Agree/disagree ?
thx
Steve
winterfunguy
New member
either that or take a pair of end nips and trim the track...this is easier done to a ripsaw than a challenger though...ripsaw has fingers instead of paddles. I think in your case let it wear and deal with the annoying vibs your gonna have for a while.
I was thinking of doing sort of what you suggested, just grind down the paddles with my hand held grinder with a wide wheel on it. Gonna smell up my shopwinterfunguy said:either that or take a pair of end nips and trim the track...this is easier done to a ripsaw than a challenger though...ripsaw has fingers instead of paddles. I think in your case let it wear and deal with the annoying vibs your gonna have for a while.
thx
john7459
New member
Are you sure they are welded? I did my track last year it managed and it was rubbing but so little that i figured the track would just deform a little.... well it turned out that it was enough to loosen the rivots that hold the one protector in place. Thus the faster the track was spinning the more it sounded like a machine gun. I ended up having to remove the one protector as the banging was so loud It was driving me crazy......
Yep they are welded, just thinking I'm going to grind down the paddles that hit a bit with my hand held grinder.john7459 said:Are you sure they are welded? I did my track last year it managed and it was rubbing but so little that i figured the track would just deform a little.... well it turned out that it was enough to loosen the rivots that hold the one protector in place. Thus the faster the track was spinning the more it sounded like a machine gun. I ended up having to remove the one protector as the banging was so loud It was driving me crazy......
thx
winterfunguy
New member
love tools!!! SRX's are riveted and Vipers are welded...the prorectors are not the same
snomofo
VIP Lifetime Member
SinNH said:Just finished installing a new 1.25" Predator on my Viper alone, and it wasn't too bad, thanks for all the kind souls on this board for their recommendations, hints, etc. I also changed the four shaft/axle bearings.
So, the new track hits the welded on protectors on my front exchanger by about 2 mm. I can spin the track by hand without too much effort ( secondary off ).
The research I have done here at TY it seems like the major opinion is to just run it and let rubber wear off.
Agree/disagree ?
thx
Steve
I'd vote for cutting the paddle down. Probably not an issue but I wasn't comfortable letting the paddles wear down on my SRX.
super1c
Super Moderator
snomofo said:I'd vote for cutting the paddle down. Probably not an issue but I wasn't comfortable letting the paddles wear down on my SRX.
Plus letting them rub increases the chance of ripping whole lug off. CCC
Mills
VIP Member
Use a 4' di-grinder and a disk made for masonary to shape the peak of the lugs where they are hitting the protectors. I have an SX chassis that has the protectores riveted in and and experianced the same thing experiance with my 1.25" Predator as the other memeber where the rivets were worked loose. They got so loose one of the protectors was litteraly ripped out. I have since replaced the protector and put a 1/4" strip of HDPE on it to make it more slippery and to space the track back an additional 1/4" from the heat exchanger. I had to use the di-grinder to shape my lugs with this setup.
Mills
Mills
thx Mills, good info, I would have used a die-grinder if I had one, probably would have made a ton of less smoke than the disc grinder I used today, but it's done, hack, hack,hack, spit,,,,,,,,Mills said:Use a 4' di-grinder and a disk made for masonary to shape the peak of the lugs where they are hitting the protectors. I have an SX chassis that has the protectores riveted in and and experianced the same thing experiance with my 1.25" Predator as the other memeber where the rivets were worked loose. They got so loose one of the protectors was litteraly ripped out. I have since replaced the protector and put a 1/4" strip of HDPE on it to make it more slippery and to space the track back an additional 1/4" from the heat exchanger. I had to use the di-grinder to shape my lugs with this setup.
Mills
Steve
winterfunguy
New member
lol..rubber smoke sucks! Im thinking of trying to make a pair of protectors for my SRX out of aluminum stock and a Hyfax for the exact same reasoning of slipperyness.
Skidooslayer687
Member
I would definately cut them down, I thought I could get away with letting my hacksaw just wear in on the protectors and eventually get the lugs wore down... I was wrong, ended up pulling the rivets out of the heat exchanger protector and I ended up pulling the track and drive axle to get at the top rivets.... save yourself some time and cut them, I just used a pair of end cutters, did the trick and will hopefully save myself that much pointless work again! lol
snomofo
VIP Lifetime Member
Skidooslayer687 said:I would definately cut them down, I thought I could get away with letting my hacksaw just wear in on the protectors and eventually get the lugs wore down... I was wrong, ended up pulling the rivets out of the heat exchanger protector and I ended up pulling the track and drive axle to get at the top rivets.... save yourself some time and cut them, I just used a pair of end cutters, did the trick and will hopefully save myself that much pointless work again! lol
Hmm, seems my lack of comfort was warranted. I was more concerned with the heat to the track generated from the friction and didn't give much thought about the protector being beat loose.
Blind squirrel...