This machine has a cleated track, its an odd one because its an all the way
across cleat on a '79. Most cleated tracks were 2/3 alternating by then. The
2/3 tracks are much more stable and less likely to ice skate if you fish tail
on ice.
Cleated tracks suck, they're heavy, rotten on ice and in powder they dig too
much so if you don't keep on the power you sink like a stone. The early Ski-Doo
rubber tracks are much lighter but only used a 1/4" lug so they don't do much
in powder but are much better (though still poor) than a cleated track on ice.
By about '73 Ski-Doo had gone to a 3/4" rubber lug track that was vastly
superior to cleated tracks. Polaris and Arctic Cat hung on to cleats through
about 1980 or '81 before they gave them up. All the cool kids with the muscle
sleds convert from cleated to rubber tracks. Cleated tracks are pretty much
banned in racing because the cleats become projectiles if the track throws
one...
-Curt
From: Randy Bennell <rbenn...@bennell.ca>
To: Curt Raymond <curtlud...@yahoo.com>; Mercedes Discussion List
<mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2015 6:19 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Curt, Got the Schneemobiles ready?
On 02/02/2015 4:25 PM, Curt Raymond via Mercedes wrote:
> Just got in from clearing the driveway (mostly, I only did enough to get to
> work tomorrow, the rest can wait until the snow quits falling) and measured 8
> 1/2" but being that its powder that could be drifted one way or the other.
> I'd guess its low but thats just a guess.
> Got my '79 Polaris Cobra 340cc out (the other two that run are on the
> trailer) and promptly got stuck. Vintage sleds are difficult in deep snow
> because of limited suspension travel. You bottom out on the footboards and
> the track spins. I learned how to deal with it today though, power Power
> POWER! Get on the throttle and give 'er hell. When it starts to slow down
> rock side to side to pack the snow under the footboards and gain traction.
> Worked sweet, I bombed all over the yard. Took the Go-Pro with me, should
> have something neat on it. At one point I had the Go-Pro clipped to the left
> side footboard (I've got the clip on mount) and made a sharp left turn, the
> camera dipped under the snow like it was a boat in a big swell. Hope that
> came out...
> -Curt
>
>
So, does that mean that you have the sort of flat rubber track on the
Polaris? Pretty much like the track on the old Skidoo?
There were also cleated tracks available. I don't think they lasted as
long but they sure had traction. One could pretty much go anywhere with
those. Arctic Cat had the cleated tracks too back then.
We had a friend who had a Polaris twin - free air style with the engine
jugs sticking up through a hole in the cowling and it had the cleated
track. I remember him going up a steep hill in deep fresh powder and not
even slowing down. My machine had the flatter rubber track and I would
get stuck just about anywhere. I could not climb the hill even if I
followed in his track.
RB
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