Track alignment tension tool

[Doug 4,169]

Here's a track alignment/tension tool been using for a while.

https://www.isatnh.com/#/

 

[jdels 153]

Interesting.  What is your assessment?

[Doug 4,169]

2 hours ago, jdels said:

Interesting.  What is your assessment?

I like it.  Use to hang a weight off the track to adjust them.  Start the sled to spin the track and make a final adjustment. 

With this I've haven't had to adjust the track after setting it with the tool.  I normally run my tracks a little loose and it's easy to gauge how tight or loose with the index lines on the tool.

[jdels 153]

I think I'll give one a try.  I run loose as well, and sometimes a bit to loose.  

[ICG 147]

Is it just too simplistic  to do it by eye????  that's what I've seen  my local  Arctic Cat do for ever....

[Doug 4,169]

1 hour ago, ICG said:

Is it just too simplistic  to do it by eye????  that's what I've seen  my local  Arctic Cat do for ever....

For me I run my track loose almost to the point of ratcheting.  I've had to adjust my track on rides on occasion.  Using this tool with a more precise way of measuring I have not had to adjust my track during a ride.  I also work on sled on the side and don't have the luxury to test ride them so it works out well for that.  If you look at an Arctic Cat service manual Arctic Cat also has a tool to check track tension.

[jdels 153]

4 hours ago, Doug said:

For me I run my track loose almost to the point of ratcheting.  I've had to adjust my track on rides on occasion.  Using this tool with a more precise way of measuring I have not had to adjust my track during a ride.  I also work on sled on the side and don't have the luxury to test ride them so it works out well for that.  If you look at an Arctic Cat service manual Arctic Cat also has a tool to check track tension.

Same here.  Been doing it by feel for years but sometimes you miss.  Plus I maintain 4 machines so this could be a nice time saver.

[krom 817]

most manus give you a force and location to pull, and a distance it should be from the rail.  New guys get a fish scale, and tape measure.

After a couple hundred a year, you can eyeball it lol

I always run it on the stand for left right alignment, and make sure the center rear idlers are running centered in the rows of internal lugs.

Edited July 10 by krom

[mnstang 1,625]

It's internet lore that running a super loose track is fast.

[Doug 4,169]

1 hour ago, mnstang said:

It's internet lore that running a super loose track is fast.

It's a balance.

A track that is to tight will loose top end.  A track that is to loose to where you loose top end will also ratchet on acceleration and braking.  Find the point where the track ratchets and tighten it up alittle from there.

[Art Vandelay 105]

I might try this too. For some reason it's hard to get it running right in the middle and it sounds like this will make it easy.

[mnstang 1,625]

On 7/10/2023 at 8:21 PM, Doug said:

It's a balance.

A track that is to tight will loose top end.  A track that is to loose to where you loose top end will also ratchet on acceleration and braking.  Find the point where the track ratchets and tighten it up alittle from there.

Even if it's not ratcheting, if it's close to ratcheting and the track nubs are moving half way up the driver nubs, that's a lot of friction which is wasted energy.  If the track is flopping from excess play, that's wasted energy also.

[Doug 4,169]

3 hours ago, mnstang said:

Even if it's not ratcheting, if it's close to ratcheting and the track nubs are moving half way up the driver nubs, that's a lot of friction which is wasted energy.  If the track is flopping from excess play, that's wasted energy also.

Different ways of looking at it.  It's also shifting to a higher gear technically.

I'll go with what has worked for me over the years and with testing.

[Not greg b 1,332]

On 7/15/2023 at 4:21 PM, mnstang said:

Even if it's not ratcheting, if it's close to ratcheting and the track nubs are moving half way up the driver nubs, that's a lot of friction which is wasted energy.  If the track is flopping from excess play, that's wasted energy also.

They also balloon causing a ton of drag if too loose. Erik woog has a good presentation about track tension on you tube. I do have the woody’s tool but have never used it 

[mnstang 1,625]

On 7/15/2023 at 7:37 PM, Doug said:

Different ways of looking at it.  It's also shifting to a higher gear technically.

I'll go with what has worked for me over the years and with testing.

Explain what you mean about shifting to a higher gear.  

[Doug 4,169]

11 minutes ago, mnstang said:

Explain what you mean about shifting to a higher gear.  

Engaging the drives at lower smaller dia compared to mid or higher larger dia.  Same as the primary clutch and belt on a smaller scale.

In testing with a tight track always had a slower top speed.  Loosen the track until you start seeing the speed fall off which was normally when you had ratcheting under braking and sometimes during your hole shot. You'll normally get ratcheting during braking before your hole shot.  Tighten the track at that point 1/2 to a full turn when you feel the track ratcheting.

[mnstang 1,625]

27 minutes ago, Doug said:

Engaging the drives at lower smaller dia compared to mid or higher larger dia.  Same as the primary clutch and belt on a smaller scale.

In testing with a tight track always had a slower top speed.  Loosen the track until you start seeing the speed fall off which was normally when you had ratcheting under braking and sometimes during your hole shot. You'll normally get ratcheting during braking before your hole shot.  Tighten the track at that point 1/2 to a full turn when you feel the track ratcheting.

No idea what you're talking about with the gearing thing. But a tight or loose track doesn't change that at all.

And like I said earlier I don't subscribe to the loose track thing.