Track interchange

swedefire · Post by **swedefire** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:32 am

I just bought a very nice -83 Sprint

The track has seen better days and i wonder if i can use a track from a Trailfire...
I have a new kimpex replacement track for the trail/sport with cleats but it looks very wide.....

Pics will come....

Also, was tachometer an option on the Sprints?
Was there an electric start kit for them to?

Thanks!
/Magnus

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:23 am

Hi Magnus,

Assuming the Sprints are all the same from Sweden to the States, only the 79-80 Trailfire/Sportfire tracks are a correct fit. The 81-84 Trail and 81 Sport are 1/2" wider, and hit the tunnel. Also, all 78-82 Spit and of course 82-84 Sprint and Snowfire tracks fits too.

I have never seen a Kimpex cleated track for the Direct Drive sleds, other than the conversion to a Polaris type rubber track that has diffent drive lug centers (lugs on the center belt, not the outer belts like Deere used), and different slide rail centers (wider).

I am pretty sure a Trail/Sportfire tack will work in a Sprint, have to check though.

I hope all is well in Sweden!
-Joe

JDXspec · Post by **JDXspec** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:50 am

One correction the joes post. I believe the sprint track is 116" while the trail/sport were 121".

swedefire · Post by **swedefire** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 11:19 am

Thanks!

All is well in Sweden.... looks like it going to be a long winter, where i ride theres already rideable snow...

How about the tachometer, was it an option?
I noticed a precut hole behind the decal....

Dont know about your brochures in the states but in my Swedish brochures the hp rate on the
Sprint is 37,5 hp
Liquifire 68 hp
Trailfire 440 40,3 hp
Trailfire 340 30 hp
Sportfire 46 hp

Is there any differences?

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 2:58 pm

Magnus,

I am pretty sure the tach was a dealer installed option, so you should be able to use one on yours. Check to see if the proper plugs are in the dash wiring harness like they are on a Trail and Sport.

Magnus, your HP charts look about right, but in 84 SnoGoer called the Sportfire 42 hp. The HP numbers here are hard to find for the 80's Deeres at any rate.

Congrats on having snow already. Buffalo NY got 2 feet a few weeks ago. I live an hour away and got a dusting. Rats.

JDX: Sorry, but all the "New Breed of Deere" sleds had about a 116" track. All the Spits, Sprints, Snows, Trail and Sports had the same length cleated track, all with a 2" drive lug pitch.

I hope this helps,
-Joe Rainville

B)

boaski · Post by **boaski** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:10 pm

I was thinking the Spitfire tracks were a little narrower (maybe the tunnel was a little narrower) and a little shorter. When the track went bad on my '80 Spit I was going to swap in a '80 Liquifire track and suspension. I remember at the time thinking I'd have to make a tunnel extension, would be a Spitfire EXT. At one time Denns Kirk offered a Spitfire conversion using a track from a Polaris direct drive sled. You had to change the drivers and relocate the idler wheels if I remember right.

I just looked at FAQ. Should've checked there before I made a redundant post.

JDXspec · Post by **JDXspec** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:54 pm

Learn something new everyday I guess.

blitzblack · Post by **blitzblack** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 1:33 am

If I'm reading this post right the cleated tracks from say 1981 on are all interchangealbe. I got my sportfire out today and made it about 50' before I ripped out one side of the track.I have another spitfire track and I was wondering if I could take the 2 of them and make 1 good one,or won't this work.

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:11 pm

Hey Guys,

Blitz, check out the track interchange post I put about JD tracks. In short, all the 78-82 Spit, 82-84 Snow and Sprint, 79-80 Trail and 80 Sportfire tracks interchange with each other. These 15" tracks will also fit the 81 Sport and 81-84 Trailfire.

HOWEVER, the 81-84 Trail and 81 Sportfire originally had a 1/2" wider cleated track that only fits those two chaincase sleds with there wider tunnels. These 81-84 tracks do backfit all 79-84 Trail and 80 to 81 Sports.

BUT: The 80-84 Liquifire rubber track that was also used on 82-84 Sports can be used to convert the earlier cleated track 80-81 Sports and all 79-84 Trails with a drive sprocket or drive axle ass'y swap.

I hope this helps!
-Joe Rainville
"Tech-Ed"

PS: JDX-Spec, no sweat, I learn something new about Deere sleds everytime I buy one! Lots of subtle differences from year to year. For example, only the 78 Liquifire 440 used a HEX drive shaft on the 2.52" drive lug pitch. All other Liquifire and Cyclones from 76-78 had a round drive shaft. Only figured it out when I bought two them, as I didn't believe the first one was original...go figure...

harleysportster · Post by **harleysportster** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:36 pm

PS: JDX-Spec, no sweat, I learn something new about Deere sleds everytime I buy one! Lots of subtle differences from year to year. For example, only the 78 Liquifire 440 used a HEX drive shaft on the 2.52" drive lug pitch. All other Liquifire and Cyclones from 76-78 had a round drive shaft. Only figured it out when I bought two them, as I didn't believe the first one was original...go figure...

Joe,
I brought this up last year, my 76 liquifire had the track replaced sometime before I got it and the original driveshaft(round) had been changed out to a hex drive. Someone had mentioned that the round shaft had been discontinued and replaced with the hex, maybe because of drive sproket failure?

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 12:18 pm

Hey Harley,

I "think" it was an update due to failures with the round shaft itself, I heard some of the broke in the middle, near the center idler. Funny, but the "updated" Hex shaft didn't use a center idler and left the center of the 2/3's cleated track unsupported.

Again, I do not have proof of why they made the change, but both the Dator and the 78 CC had a hex shaft with tripple sprockets.

I need to check with my computer Data base: Rainville Integrated Carbon Hybrid, or as we know him: RICH! Hey TTTL, and news on the 78 440 LF recieving a hex drive shaft?

Later Liquidator,
-Joe Rainville

harleysportster · Post by **harleysportster** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 2:21 pm

I "think" it was an update due to failures with the round shaft itself, I heard some of the broke in the middle, near the center idler. Funny, but the "updated" Hex shaft didn't use a center idler and left the center of the 2/3's cleated track unsupported. Joe,

Your right, I forgot to mention about the abscence of the center idler. When I first asked about this last year, I was worried about the track being unsupported in the middle, but it seems ok.