Help!

[Skeets]

Yesterday I discovered I have a little problem with my four year old Fish Trap 2.

I have a couple of small holes wore thru the sled base. It is also very thin in other places.

I have alot of miles on this thing, but it still works great.

Any one else have this problem?
How do I fix it?
Downhill skis?
Aluminimum or steel runners?
New sled?

Does any one have a old pair of ski's they want to get rid of?

Thanks,

Skeets

[Steve Foss]

Skeets:

I have a Trap II.

Getting a pair of skis will work just fine. Quite a few guys do that. You can also get Hyfax (spelling?) runners designed for tow sleds. I don't know where you can get the runners, but a friend of mine got a pair at the FM expo in the Cities not long ago.

Both can be bolted on after drilling countersink holes. If skis, I'd go with the old wooden ones or with cross-country skis.

I tried it with downhill skis, which are wider and heavier. The problem was, when I tried to drill countersunk holes so the bolt heads would be recessed, the drill bit tore up the layer of steel embedded in the body of the skis. So some of the layers of material in the skis loosened, and when it got towed behind a wheeler with some weight on the Trap, the base of the ski peeled off.

Mine wasn't worn through, I just did it to make it easier to tow in snow, which I usually have to do on foot. So now, since I've got those wide holes drilled (and temporarily patched) in the bottom of my Trap, I have to find an old pair of wide wooden skis, because cross-countries are too narrow for the holes I've already got. I paired the holes, drilling a set side-by-side toward the front of the trap for each ski and another set toward the back.

Old skis, both downhill and cross country, are easy to find at garage and estate sales (the ones I used only cost $3). Not many of those sales in winter. I've also seen skis at second-hand stores and goodwill stores.

Good luck.

[CNY Tim]

I wore out a fishtrap base in one season. USL sent me a replacement and before that thing hit the ice I installed kids downhill ski's on my trap pro and they work great. I picked them up from the Salvation Army for $5. I used two mushroom bolt heads for the tips about an inch down from the top of the ski to secure the tips and then I used the binding holes and put the plastic shim inside my trap with the mounting plate and went in to the existing holes that were pre-drilled when the bindings were put on the skis originally took me all of 30 min. to do.
I never regretted it. I spray my base occasionally with STP Son of a Gun to keep her extra sick and so i don't get ice built up on the skis. Good luck to you.

[CNY Tim]

I used two part epoxy on the cut ends of my ski's and it has not cracked or chipped. I cut them with a circular saw. You will get some sparks when you cut the metal edging but other than that it went right through it.

[HOGEYE]

I had the same problem. I used old army wooden skis. On the inside I put 1X4's green treated. I countersunk both the skis and the 1X4's. Now I just have to patch the holes. Holes are toward the back of the sled.

[The Chemist]

I had a pair of skis that I broke the boots for and they may still be around. I'll have to check w/ my folks if you want them otherwise we have a thrift store right by the house that I am going to tonight. I could check for you there. Let me know.

[Skeets]

Thanks for all your help guys!
I knew I could count on you.

I was able to find 2 pieces of aluminum, 1/8 inch thick, 3 1/2 inces wide, by 54 inches long.

I am planning to bend them to the contour of the sled, attach both ends with machine bolts and silicone the rest.
Hopefully this will work.
If it dosen't work, I will have to re-do it with the ski ideas.
A new sled is out of the question, USL wants $70 for a new one!

Thanks again guys...

Skeets

[Guest]

Just get the hyfax from one of your diehard snowmobiling buddies when they have to replace theirs twice this year from riding without snow. You will get two lengths almost four feet long and can mount those to the bottom after cutting them up into whatever lengths you want. Pretty much the same stuff as otter sells for the bottoms.

If you don't have access to used ones, ask a snowmobile dealer for their used ones, or go to fleet farm and get a pair of hyfax for $20.