Why are all carbide runners built the same?

[powersports88]

What's the point (pun intended) of all manufacturers inserting an upside down triangle (wedge) carbide in the host bar?

They get flatter and less effective with every mile of wear. Different manufacturers can make as many variations as they want, but at the end of the day, they all get duller as they wear. Your sled performs worse with every mile you put on it.

Sure, they last a long time, because the sharp wedge gets wider and flatter and duller as it wears. Then it just becomes a massive wear pad that can't cut into anything, but skids over any terrain with a slowed rate of wear.

If you say the brand you run stays sharp longer, it's because:

1) You were riding less harsh terrain than with the last set.
2) Manufacturers can add short wear pads at different points along the host bar, with higher or lower profiles which can increase or reduce penetration and spread the load out to reduce wear on the "when new" point.
3) Manufacturers can create a dual runner so the forces are less therefore wear time can be reduced, but you sacrifice penetration and pay a higher price
4) You can even add carbide wedges to the side, but you sacrifice penetration of the center point by spreading the load and pay a higher price.
5) The manufacturers can offer/claim a different hardness of carbide (rockwell) but that difference is going to be negligible.

Are any manufacturers offering something other than a wedge carbide? Come on, for the trail rider the round bar and wedge is technology from the '80s. Suspension technology has grown by leaps and bounds, so have skis. What about the one item that actually makes contact with the ground?

Other than the above, I haven't really given it much thought...really.

 

[takethebounce]

Well I know there are numerous variations of carbides and for the most part in the mountains carbides can last as much as numerous seasons if the snow is good or as little as a day if you are riding dirt and rock to the snow line.

Personally I prefer to run regular round steel rod and no carbides. Carbides catch rocks and in early season that usually results in something getting bent or broke where with round steel bar it glides over. I will run carbides as the season goes on and trails set up or turn to ice in spring. We have had a bead welded to the round bars as well to help keep them lasting a bit longer but for the price of that its just as easy to replace them.

 

[powersports88]

I think I covered most of the variations on the market in the above statement, as well as acknowledging that terrain can make a difference. SnoStuff and Kimpex used to offer runners for $4-$6 each and hard bars for around $20 a pair. They had the hard weld done for you. Not sure what's on the market now for non carbides.

 

[takethebounce]

Well then you should give it some more thought...

 

[ferniesnow]

Mild steel bars for this dude also. Carbides wreck the deck, the concrete in the shop, and God forbid if you miss the SuperGlides a gouge out the aluminum deck!

Even in the heart of the winter we are crossing creeks with rocks and running water. It is nasty when a carbide grabs a rock and you go over the bars into the water...................two sets of mild steel runners for a typical winter and all is good.

 

[meierjn]

There was a booth at the sled show last year selling a tool that you could use to sharpen you carbides. I don't remember the name but it may have been the thingy below:

BITEHARDER | The First Ever Carbide Runner and Stud Sharpening Tools

 

[JMCX]

I think I covered most of the variations on the market in the above statement, as well as acknowledging that terrain can make a difference. SnoStuff and Kimpex used to offer runners for $4-$6 each and hard bars for around $20 a pair. They had the hard weld done for you. Not sure what's on the market now for non carbides.

Here's your opportunity to invent a better mouse trap. Do you think we should be running around on a couple diamond knife blades? Like mentioned above the biggest problem with them for us mountain riders is the blunt step that can develop in front of the carbide.

 

[neilsleder]

I like steel best. I take them and weld a bead down them, then harden them. Slide nice over the garage floor and stuff. And one set will last forever


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[fnDan]

Round steel for me. I had an incident when I was crossing railroad tracks. The carbide wedged between the gap in the rail. What are those odds? Took some time to get it unstuck. No train dodge that day.


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[lilduke]

Carbides for this guy, spring gravel riding wrecks those chitty steal wear bArs
in A few hundred feet! Then the skis get ****ed. The carbides will last a few days
of gravel, thus saving my skies

 

[kawasakikx250]

I put on a new set of carbides last year because I do trail and off trail stuff. no mountain for me yet. Do like them. great traction on the hard pack trail. no prob crossing the road and stuff. Really hard on my super glides just where the skis set and get clamped down with my super clamp. One season and the carbides cut through my superglides

 

[meierjn]

I've heard the carbide skegs from this guy are great. I had ordered some of the hardened wear rods from him in the past and they held up great.

Bergstrom Skegs | Carbides, wear bars, trail grabbers, ski savers

 

[powersports88]

like i said in my original post: all carbides are upside down wedges which naturally get duller with every mile of wear. a few variations so they may last longer than another brand, but it usually sacrifices another trait.

 

[olymon]

There is a company out there that makes a wear rod with rectangular piece of carbide in it. As the rod wears around it you end up with a tall deep carbide chunk that is only about 1/8th" wide. Not razor sharp, but because it is such a slim profile it bites good.
Maybe search self sharpening carbide skegs. I can't remember the name of the manufacturer.

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