Drilling holes in your sliders...anyone?

[Modman]

OK here is one that I've wondered if anyone has tried:
there was the theory a few years back that if you countersunk some holes into the bottom of the sliders, that the holes would trap snow and this snow would then turn into ice due to friction, and this in turn would provide better wear and lubrication for your sliders?

I hear about these theories all the time - This isn't a trick question - just want to see if anyone has done this? How did it work if you did?

 

[maierch]

I have heard this theory as well and am wondering if anyone has tried it.

I can't imagine that it would work that well as I think the ice/ snow would melt out quickly on the trail so you may be covered for 10% of your trail ride??

 

[teeroy]

I think I can remember some sliders being sold years ago that had a squiggly line routed into them the entire length of the plastic where it contacts the clips, about 1/8 inch deep. I'll bet it has been 10 or 15 years since I heard of the drilling holes thing, mebbe it's making a comeback?

 

[moyiesledhead]

I don't think it's so much to trap water as it is to let the heat have somewhere to go. Sort of like slotted brake rotors.

 

[Summiteer]

heard both good and bad about this, some say it works great, others got small rocks and stuff catching the holes and taking chunks out of the sliders or damaging track and clips....All third hand info though, don't know anyone that's tried it. Won't all the slider fluid leak out if you drill holes?

 

[ferniesnow]

heard both good and bad about this, some say it works great, others got small rocks and stuff catching the holes and taking chunks out of the sliders or damaging track and clips....All third hand info though, don't know anyone that's tried it. Won't all the slider fluid leak out if you drill holes?

Oh ya' the slider fluid....they say that is more expensive than ever with the dollar up so high.....

 

[GasCan]

I've been through 3 sets of sliders in the last while and was told from an old racer that his trick was to take a table saw and rip a 1/4" strip length ways down the slider. This allows snow to pack inside the slider without trapping rocks or anything. It's supposed to work great but I have not tried it.

 

[retiredpop]

Haven't heard much about this since before scratchers became available. I don't think they worked that well because if there was enough snow to fill the holes there was enough snow to lubricate the sliders so it was kind of a useless exercise.

 

[maxwell]

but i think the snow would pack inside and ONLY once the track clips started to rise in temperature the snow would start to melt and lubricate the sliders. maybe only for a short time. but enough to save your sliders on a low snow section of the trail or lake

 

[Al "ley Cat"]

I heard a story when i was back in high school that a guy was on LSD and drilled a hole in his skull with a 1/4 in. drill because he thought there was to much pressure in his brain.It mite work for the sliders.!!

 

[raceu4it]

i did that years ago cross country racing (70-80's), just put on some electrical tape on a 3/16 bit with 3/8" depth to it and drill away. and if you knew u were running lot of dirt or ice, heat treat the sliders on the rails before installing. my old 2cents.

 

[mxz sledhead]

A freind did it to his yamaha phazer which are hard on the sliders seem to help alot trap fair bit ice and hold it there

 

[CUSO]

Port your chaincase, then connect a tube to your sliders, then the oil will lube your sliders.
When your sliders are worn right out, you will know that it is time to top up your chaincase fluid too.

 

[oler1234]

OK here is one that I've wondered if anyone has tried:
there was the theory a few years back that if you countersunk some holes into the bottom of the sliders, that the holes would trap snow and this snow would then turn into ice due to friction, and this in turn would provide better wear and lubrication for your sliders?

I hear about these theories all the time - This isn't a trick question - just want to see if anyone has done this? How did it work if you did?

Modman I have done this and continue to do this. I had a 98 Polaris for 11 years with the origional sliders, no boggy wheels on it. I can say from that statement it does work IMO. Your theory is correct, not sure if it turns to ice or not but it did reduce wear. A word of caution thou, u must keep the holes filled with snow/ice or they will wear faster(less surface area). Normall did 3 rows on a diagonal pattern. Drill bit was 1/8 in the middle and smaller for the outsides, depth was 3/4 deep of the slider(notall the way threw). Really haven't experimented with diffrent sizes or anything

 

[imdoo'n]

don't really see enough benefit, to pull existing sliders off to drill holes, may see some benefit when new sliders are being put on. they can attract dirt, which can lead to wear. huge increase no, slight benefit maybe. if you are installing new sliders anyway give it a try as there is not a lot of extra work.
in case of cats i'm not sure, sometimes more benefit by tightening the loose nut behind the handle bars. for the new daddy.

 

[Ancient Sledder]

I'm not sure if it would work. I ride in Northern BC. When I stop and look at my skid, it is full of snow. I would like to figure out how to keep the snow out to get rid of at least 10 pounds of weight.

 

[maxwell]

now that i think about it. alot of tracks have clips that already have holes in them. im assuming for this purpose? whether or not it makes a differance i dont know. most of the xp sleds i deal with that have factory clipped tracks with holes seem to still be on the origional pairs of slidders.

 

[maxwell]

A clip for use on a track of a snowmobile of the type having a suspension system equipped with one or more elongated slide runners, the track consisting of an endless body having an outer face with transverse ground engaging profiles spaced longitudinally thereof and inner surface adapted to receive, on portions of the lower run thereof, a slide runner of the suspension system. The clip has an inner wall and a pair of side walls engaging the body of the track. The inner wall includes a flat face receiving a slide runner thereon during use of the snowmobile. The flat face displays a series of holes whereby snow or ice over which the snowmobile travels, when lodged in these holes during use, provides lubrication for the sliding contact of the slide runner on a clip and cooling of the clip body from heat generated by the frictional contact of the slide runner on the clip. Furthermore, the presence of these holes reduces the weight of the track so that this mass reduction allows higher rotational speed and less damage to reinforcing rods embedded in the track.

 

[Carbon]

I no Homer said speed holes where goog for the hood of the Car

 

[ttpowersports]

had a customer do it when he changed out his sliders...he swears by it. must have more time and patience than me though...... i have heard of it before from others and it seems to work, but if a could slider is 20 bucks and its gotta take like hour a piece..... is it really worth it or is it just an excuse to get out in to the garage to have a shot with your buddies.......hmmmmmmmmmmmm