Powder Wedges and other "cheap" upgrades
- Thread starter NoBrakes!
- Start date
Bnorth
Active VIP Member
Heard they help a bit. Wish they were a bit cheaper as $100 for two bits of UHMW is a bit steep IMO and I would actually try them.
deaner
Active VIP Member
What I was thinking of trying is making or modifying an antistab kit to do the same thing. Then you would get the added benefit of less rolling resistance.
MK4TDI
Active VIP Member
Winter Brew
Active VIP Member
They definately dont hurt, theory is solid and I've had no issues with them.
FWIW...talked to a customer in the midwest and he said the lake race guys are using them to lessen the angle coming off the drivers and seeing a little more mph. Whether its fact I cant say, but interesting.
FWIW...talked to a customer in the midwest and he said the lake race guys are using them to lessen the angle coming off the drivers and seeing a little more mph. Whether its fact I cant say, but interesting.
bentwrench
Active member
Put them on my 13 163 last year and noticed a nice difference in deeper snow. Sled popped out of the snow much better
handyandy
Active VIP Member
I ordered some. The rail profile is pretty steep on the xm so I think they should help
cheebbacheebba
Active VIP Member
Where did you order them from? I might check them out. Thx
mur190
Active VIP Member
dbrock
Member
Does anyone know if the powder wedges will work for the 2015 t3 163 track?
Bnorth
Active VIP Member
I don't think the rail profile changed at all.
deaner
Active VIP Member
So just out in the garage looking at the sleds last night. I dont see the advantage of these things at all. From what I can see they are just going to take up a space that is sitting empty anyways. They dont push the track down or anything. I still think a set of wheels there mounted to push the track a bit farther down and decrease rolling resistance around the bend is the ticket.
Rotax_Kid
Active VIP Member
I used the Wedges last year. They were pretty noticeable in crusted snow. In this case it was probably pushing the track to the rails and almost doglegging it. I put the wedges on and machine definitely got up on the snow better. Same day, same conditions. I noticed compared to a few other XM's I ride with that my machine would climb out of the snow a bit better. They are a little noisy, but after the first ride or two, guy gets used to it. They are a decent value...I've done numerous other mods that have resulted in less for more money
Bnorth
Active VIP Member
Then hurry up and design it so I can steal the design for mine lol.
The theory is, when you get hard on the power the drivers will suck the track upwards, creating an inward curve on the track face between driver and rail. So the snow is hitting a steeper attack angle section of track (bottom of the inward curve). The wedges are supposed to keep that portion of the track straight.
deaner
Active VIP Member
If only I had that kind of ability! If I could make it out of wood we would be set.......unfortunately not much of a fabricator or machinist. Think I might phone BDX and see what they say.
Edit.....they werent interested. Probably too busy of time of year for anyone to be developing anything. Where can a guy source different sizes of wheels? Shouldnt be too hard to peice soemthing like this together.
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Rotax_Kid
Active VIP Member
Try Wahl Brothers....they have a lot of smaller diameter idlers they use for their ice and grass racing skids
oler1234
Active VIP Member
You guys ever hear of proper track tensioning....
might be be a free cure over some wedges.
might be be a free cure over some wedges.
hpjunkie
Active member
The wedges theory is sound. Allows you to run track looser, yet keep the approach angle intact due to varying snow conditions/load. Proper tensioning helps. On speed run/asphalt sleds, track tensions are in our world excessive! But result in higher top speeds due to the track not being able to balloon out the front. (I have asphalt slips to prove). Same idea, efficiency in intended application.
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