What can we do about tracks?

[Liquifire 4/6]

It seems it's darn near impossible to find a decent used Spitfire/Trailfire/Sportfire/Snowfire/ Sprintfire track.

Yet, there seems to be huge interest in these old sleds and I'm sure we would all make more use of the ones we have if we weren't so worried about blowing the old track and not being able to replace it.

I'm wondering if there might be some way to convince Kimpex or Camoplast to whip up a batch? Obviously, they wouldn't be the slightest bit interested in producing only a handful of them. I wonder how many they'd need to build in order to make it worth their effort? And at what price?

Are there members who would commit to purchasing some tracks? And if so, are they serious enough to actually hand over some cash up front to a company willing to whip up a batch of tracks? I'm guessing that likely there are some individuals who might. I know that I'd commit to purchasing 3 or 4 of them provided the price is not out of this world.

Does anybody here think it might be worthwhile for members of this forum to work together and approach a reputable track manufacturer to make us some tracks?

Perhaps, the track suppliers are a bit leery about building cleated tracks due to liability concerns? If so, I'm sure they could make a single ply, 3/4" lug, all rubber track to fit these sleds and I don't think anybody would complain. Is this worth looking into? If you think it is, how would you suggest we go about it?

[dorkpunch]

My Dad sorta works for camoplast.... Been pestering him for years to see if he could get me a couple of custom tracks made. Its a pretty involved process though, and VERY spendy. They'd have to be selling thousands of them to even make money. I dont think its cost effective to repro a few tracks, unless someone could find all the old molds... Then it wouldnt be too bad. Some set up time and raw materials cost. Probably still wind up costing more than a brand new track for a brand new machine.

[SpitfireKing]

I can see how it doesn't make economical sense to make only a few tracks a year, but I wouldn't mind have a couple new spitty tracks laying around.

Pete save yourself some hassle and just sell me all those pesky short track Deere's

By the way I'm still looking for a good shape spitty hood if you have anything new in.

[Sprailfire340]

I believe Joe inquired on getting tracks made a few years ago. The mold was six figures...

[S_Kyle]

Shane, I will look the next time I am home but I think I can hook you up with a real nice 82 hood.

[cledussnow77]

Well they make a replacement for the 80+ Liquifires you would think that mold could be made to make the others That is just my half cent

[jdrob]

How about a rubber track conversion ?? I noticed an add on VS of a guy in the new england states that has a spitty forsale w/ a rubber track and el tigre engine it it ?? Gene I think is his name ! HMM a rubber track on a spitty ! I am not a CAt guy but there's gotta be a close match to what would work? Jag,lynx ??

[jdrob]

Oh and by the way ! something that costs 6 figures to make!The company doen't just decide one day that "hey were not using that mold anymore so let's junk it or melt it down" !!!! The mold is sitting in a warehouse somewhere covered in dust just like the other molds that Noone can find !!!

[Den]

Is there anything currently made that is even close (Length & Width)?
Width would have to be pretty much on, but length could be dealt with a little easier.
A different mould on the drive (for pitch & distance) would be much easier than a new track mould, right?


I've got 4 Sprints & a '79 Trail, so I'm always looking as well.
My extra track is in my climate controlled basement where it will stay untill needed
but I'm still looking for more daily.

-Dean

[JD_Sledder68]

I agree with the prospect of finding a track that has the correct width and then seeking someone to manufacture the appropriate drivers, etc. Injection molding a plastic driver shouldn't be too expensive compared to making a new track.

[That Girl Racing]

i work with both Camoplast and Carlisle (formerly Dayco). Dayco and Goodyear did the original belting for the cleated tracks. Can't speak for Goodyear but the Dayco tooling is long gone. Forget Camoplast. The whole cleated track thing is a liability thing. They are not allowed in any ISR sanctioned snowmobile event and Camo is a very cautious company. The rubber track conversion has been done many times. The original used the Polaris direct drive track and drivers. It did not sell well due to the cost. Dave Whal stills deals with cleated tracks and he may be the best to talk to about this. Bear in mind these tracks will not be cheap. I do remember that the rubber tracks on the Spits really slowed them down because of wrapping the rubber around the tiny sprockets.

[Liquifire84]

The Goodyear molds were in a warehouse in Hibbing MN last time I checked but due to liablitys they wouldnt be sold.

[jdrob]

The Goodyear molds were in a warehouse in Hibbing MN last time I checked but due to liablitys they wouldnt be sold.

Thank you LF84 for the heads Up ! Now to get that darn Mold

[cledussnow77]

I would sign a waiver just to be able to purchase a couple of those tracks .

[JoeRainville]

Hi Guys,

In years past I did some digging to see what could be done. I found that Rockwell made the belting for the 78-79 Trail and Spitfire tracks. However, they sold the division off or something. Made some, but very little headway trying to get a short run of belting done to make cleated tracks with a 2.0 pitch.

Spoke to Kimpex about the 80-84 LF track. They told me that once they were sold out, that would be it. Might be worth looking into footing the bill for a short run, but if you think pistons were expensive... So I inquired about a 2.0" pitch track for all DD sleds, Trails and early Sports. For an all rubber, and less efficent track, it would run about $300,000 for a new mold. Uh, nope.

So where do we stand? Here is what I can tell you for now:

NOS tracks are pretty dried up, but you can find them once in a while, and yes, I have horded a few.
Kimpex no longer produces the cleated 74-78 121" long track. Also discontinued the rubber 80-84 LF, 82-84 Sportfire track due to low sales.
Only new track available now is for the 100 series bogie sleds, and the bogie 295/s.

Chuck Moser figured out that the Cat 121" long, 16" wide track can adapt to the 74-78 slider sleds, (JDX, Liquifire, Cyclone) but it's not a perfect fit as the side rail centers are a bit off, and drive sprocket pitch is can be either 3.29" or 2.52". However, it's darn close and many guys are using it with good results. I think the original application was early to mid 80's Cat's, but I would have to check.

The easiest interchange for a Trailfire or 80/81 Sport is to use a Liquifire track and drive shaft. Deere built about 8,900 Liquifires in 1980, so they are out there. The options for the Direct Drive sleds (Spit, Sprint and Snowfires) is not so easy. Only Polaris ever had a 2.0 pitch track in production on their DD sleds, but all the center distances are different. While offered as a kit for Deeres, it has since been discontinued.

One project I started but did not yet finish was to make a set a small diameter 3.29" pitch sprockets to adapt a LF track to the DD sleds. Another option that surfaced actually came from a 1982 prototype Cat DD sled. Cat experimented with both 2.0 and 2.52" track pitches. I have access to a set of 2.52" sprockets, and there is a 116" long, 2.52" track still comercially available for now. Would require some investiment, but lifting a mold off those sprockets is a possability.

I have not looked into the Wahl option, but for the 28-35 hp DD sleds, a thin, easy bending cleated track would still be the ticket. Main problem is that guys don't want to shell out $500 to $600 bucks for a track, when that is near the value of the sled.

Please let me kwow what you guys think...

-Joe Rainville