Check the ski runners.........

[ferniesnow]

Only 7 rides out of Sicamous and one out of Salmon Arm with 6 of the 7 Sicamous rides going up to Owls and this is the shape of the runners. We have had a lot of gravel riding this year and not a lot of days of riding. Valley bottom temps are warm and a challenge to keep snow on them. Time to check out the bottoms of your skis before you need new skis.

In the eastern Koots, I ran mild steel runners for years and never the problems that I have experienced in the last two years here in the Shuswap. Started using mild steel because of the damage to concrete, etc. So, with extensively using dollies here in Salmon Arm, I have gone back to carbides.

First picture is the worn out runners I changed out today and the second picture is a comparison to a year of running in the eastern Koots with mild steel runners.

 

[mur190]

Hey Doug, i refuse to run a carbide bar and got sick of changing the mild steel ones.
I have had great luck with the woodys hardwelds in the link below.
https://www.woodystraction.com/product/9500/

[FONT=&quot]ITEM NO.: HSD-9500-1 [/FONT]

Only 7 rides out of Sicamous and one out of Salmon Arm with 6 of the 7 Sicamous rides going up to Owls and this is the shape of the runners. We have had a lot of gravel riding this year and not a lot of days of riding. Valley bottom temps are warm and a challenge to keep snow on them. Time to check out the bottoms of your skis before you need new skis.

In the eastern Koots, I ran mild steel runners for years and never the problems that I have experienced in the last two years here in the Shuswap. Started using mild steel because of the damage to concrete, etc. So, with extensively using dollies here in Salmon Arm, I have gone back to carbides.

First picture is the worn out runners I changed out today and the second picture is a comparison to a year of running in the eastern Koots with mild steel runners.

View attachment 232406

View attachment 232407

 

[ferniesnow]

I needed a pair today for tomorrow's riding, so I got a pair of the square carbide. I'll see how it goes and keep those in mind. Thanks for the info.

 

[bobsledder]

I needed a pair today for tomorrow's riding, so I got a pair of the square carbide. I'll see how it goes and keep those in mind. Thanks for the info.

Trevor has those woody hardened one at Macs in Sicamous I tried the mild steel ones and 5 rides at owlhead and they looked like yours.

Check your suspension bolts too. After riding owlhead yesterday everything was shook up. Worst trail I have ever seen here.

 

[ferniesnow]

Trevor has those woody hardened one at Macs in Sicamous I tried the mild steel ones and 5 rides at owlhead and they looked like yours.

Check your suspension bolts too. After riding owlhead yesterday everything was shook up. Worst trail I have ever seen here.

Yes, yesterday was a pita. I know the weather isn't great for groomer operators but there has to be something they aren't doing right. In my 8 years of grooming, never had a trail like that after a day of riders. Their 75 riders/groom isn't cutting it. I think they need to groom everyday so it doesn't get out of control and they can keep up. There are now set-up temps so they have to do something different.

 

[bobsledder]

Yes, yesterday was a pita. I know the weather isn't great for groomer operators but there has to be something they aren't doing right. In my 8 years of grooming, never had a trail like that after a day of riders. Their 75 riders/groom isn't cutting it. I think they need to groom everyday so it doesn't get out of control and they can keep up. There are now set-up temps so they have to do something different.

The trail was that rough at 8:30 AM. There are other ways to access the area than the groomed trail if its going to be like that. Sled Sicamous reported it was groomed the night before but hard to believe. They also report parking at the 2k snowline but that isn't the case either.

 

[Sledderglen]

Maybe time to check the groomer drag and look at blade cutting depth. Some operators dont adjust or replace blades as often as they need to.

 

[kimrick]

Doug,

I too have gone back to running carbides and use ski dollies in garage. The duel wheel that hook in the ski loop. love them.

A pair of skis are not cheap and lower trails this year are terrible with the low snow.

First couple km in Revy has been terrible at Boulder also. Just love hearing the gravel and hitting rocks.....NOT. LOL.

I firmly beleive the carbides are way cheaper in the long run and if your set up right with the superglides there is no issue loading or unloading.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[ferniesnow]

Maybe time to check the groomer drag and look at blade cutting depth. Some operators dont adjust or replace blades as often as they need to.

Glen, in all due respect, when the trail is whooped, the drag nor a tiller alone isn't going to do it. The groomer operator has to cut the moguls down to size with the blade for the mogul masher to trim them up. The mogul masher can't do justice to 12-18" whoops. And, they have to be like a farmer and control their speed so that a proper job can be done. All farmers know the speed to operate at for optimum results whether combining, spraying, or seeding.

 

[ferniesnow]

Doug,

I too have gone back to running carbides and use ski dollies in garage. The duel wheel that hook in the ski loop. love them.

A pair of skis are not cheap and lower trails this year are terrible with the low snow.

First couple km in Revy has been terrible at Boulder also. Just love hearing the gravel and hitting rocks.....NOT. LOL.

I firmly beleive the carbides are way cheaper in the long run and if your set up right with the superglides there is no issue loading or unloading.

Just my 2 cents.

Yes, I have the garage/concrete driveway figured out so now I'm not really afraid to use carbides.

 

[rknight111]

Doug, your hard on things

 

[ferniesnow]

Doug, your hard on things

Some days but not many days

 

[tripster]

I used to weld a bead of hard surface for on my runners and was good for the season and redo every fall.

 

[oler1234]

made the switch over to a stainless steel runner, as well upped the size to 1/2" diameter from 3/8" diameter.... am not looking back at this point

 

[skegpro]

I needed a pair today for tomorrow's riding, so I got a pair of the square carbide. I'll see how it goes and keep those in mind. Thanks for the info.

Who makes the square ones?

 

[mur190]

Who makes the square ones?

Woodys

https://www.woodystraction.com/product/9500/

ITEM NO.: HSD-9500-1

 

[ferniesnow]

Who makes the square ones?

A Quebec outfit called Qualipieces. I got mine at H2O in Sicamous.

https://www.qualipieces.com/en-ca/

 

[bobsledder]

How much $$ for carbide at H2O I think ski doo was 120 bucks

 

[ferniesnow]

How much $$ for carbide at H2O I think ski doo was 120 bucks

I paid $180.00 for two pair (taxes included).

 

[bobsledder]

not bad