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ST4 upper track support wheel replacement

Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
With all the UHMW plastic things being made, I am wondering is the upper support wheel could be replaced with a pair of runners. Unlike the lower there is no movement, just support. An ice scraper could be incorporated if desired. If the runners were a foot or so long, and the width between guides, it would provide better support.

While I normally don't like reinventing the wheel, advances in materials may provide improvements. Even tight, the belt tends to wander on mine, and this would limit that to an extent.

So would the runners (appropriately shaped, smoothed) increase wear on the belting? Since they would be at the edges, they would not be bearing on the same area as the lower wheels.

Thoughts? Ideas?
 

redsqwrl

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
My first thought is, I like it.

then after about 30 seconds, I remembered needing to get out of a tucker to step 8 times 2x ea pontoon / carrier to break the metal grouser to Plastic runner on ea track when I could not move away freely..... I parked warm, during a snow event. the snow melted and froze the cold gousers to the plastic. it wasn't big deal just wheels replaced that style off guide in medford.......

Granted you/we have fenders the swedes put on, but residual snow will still melt and freezze there.....

$.02
 

JimVT

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
You'll need something to guide the track. At higher speeds that track bounces alot.
Most of the ice is stuck on the center of the drive sprockets. The rubber centers was designed to flex and keep ice off and doesn't work well.
Jim
 

Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
Uh, Don, you ever price that big a block of UHMW?

I'm really wanting something to limit lateral movement. The original square profile tires might have done it, but my current ones allow it to wander too much. This might be peculiar to the 3 band.
 
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