Do I need these idler wheels?

[skegpro]

Rode the alpha.

Got me thinking, do I really need these idler wheels?

I don't think my T3 had them.....

 

[Lund]

Personally i don't remove them on my sled's. I have removed them at times on other's and end up putting them back on. I do know guys that remove them early in the season and put them back on later in the season.

What you will find if you remove them that the hifax will develop a wave type wear pattern at the front of the hyfax. The other thing you will find is on long hard pack trail's, even with scratchers out they will want to stick to the track more often.
In the deep fresh snow they don't serve any purpose but is it realistic, i wish that was the case every time i went out.

 

[The Kickass One]

Nope!! That will save 1/2 pound and just require skid plastic to be replace accordingly as that is a wear point on the skid. I know cause I’ve done it on my XM.

 

[Nordeggab]

I put an extra set on XM and buddy took all his off. He never noticed the wear until it went thru his rails.

 

[FastFarmer]

I’d keep em on...

 

[Caper11]

Having them is a good thing IMO.

 

[snochuk]

Having them is a good thing IMO.

Yup.
Exactly what do you gain by taking them off.
Nothing in comparison to the headaches you will expose.

 

[Eldereldo]

What’s the point of removing them, doesn’t save a lot of weight, helps with wear on trails or low snow, Cats don’t exactly have a lot of drag in the skid so nothing saved there.

 

[FastFarmer]

Yup.
Exactly what do you gain by taking them off.
Nothing in comparison to the headaches you will expose.

Exactly

 

[FastFarmer]

Having them is a good thing IMO.

Yessir!

 

[skegpro]

Fine.

You talked me into it.
I'll keep them.

 

[bgraff1]

ive always removed them and never noticed any ill effects. didn't have them on the 3 different skids in my 2012, removed them from my 2018 and they didn't come on my 5k carbon skid either.

 

[E-Zmoke]

I have always removed them and I do find the sled is easier to get on edge on hard pack without them. I have never experienced any negative effects from removing them.

 

[skegpro]

I have always removed them and I do find the sled is easier to get on edge on hard pack without them. I have never experienced any negative effects from removing them.

That was exactly the answer, I was looking for.

Taking them off as we speak.

 

[neilsleder]

I have always taken the idlers out of my skids. 3500km on my Xmas and 4800km in my xp and never replaced sliders. And way less snow packed in the skid. Ran scratchers in the trail all the time