scratchers?

[toughguy]

Anyone use snow/ice scratchers? With the lack of snow I'd still like to use my sled on a big lake. Are they powerful enough scratch lake ice up into the track and radiator?

[Macgyver55]

Truthfully I've never had them and the old style ones were kind of a pain because if you back up they get bent. I've heard good things about a brand called Slidekicks that are supposed to be ok for backing up and they have replaceable tips if they get worn. No matter what kind you have, if you go too slow they wont throw ice chips far enough to get where it needs to be. Other than that they will definitely help when there is no snow!

[Lostbay]

Wondering what is the limit one should take a sled onto ice with little or no snow? I am new to owning 15 year old sled that I use only for fishing. I've been told it is the hifax that overheats??? Are we talking any use is potential for disaster or do you need to put on a few miles first?

[hydro]

Having run my sled on many occasions in conditions with little or no snow, I would say that if you take it slow you will not overheat the Hifax (those 100 MPH ice runs will melt them though). As far as cooling goes, again, take it easy and watch the temp light. You can go a long way before you overheat the sled, and if you use scratchers that distance increases.

As far as needing studs, unless you are pulling a heavy load or pushing the performance limits, an un-studded track will work just fine on bare ice. A little spinning at the start but otherwise it works OK. For fishing and pulling a portable you will have more than enough traction.

[MN Mike]

Ice Scratchers will do little if anything for cooling your engine or lubricating your hifax on bare ice. If you have a little bit of snow, they will help.

I've run scrathers on my last 3 sleds, the stiff wire ones will be the most aggressive but as others have said, they will bend if you backup and do not lock them in the skid frame, you can bend them about 3 times and then they break . The ones that you can backup with are noticeably less aggressive and I'm not sure I would put them on.

The last set I had were about $39 at Dennis Kirk.

Mike

[toughguy]

The $39 set was what I was looking at. I think I'll give them a try this year.

[Dock Boy]

I would not buy the RSI Ice scratchers I purchased 3 sets from First place parts last year. 2 of the 3 sets broke and not from backing up or going over land portages they broke driving the sleds on ice. I would never put these on again. First place sent me to RSI who then gave me a free set. I sent the new set back to First place and now I'm currently looking for a good set to put on my Bear Cat. They work great for late season ice fishing when the ice is soft.

[Scott M]

Any other recommendations? Second year of ownership on a 700 2up. Last year during late ice on LOTW I had overheating issues pulling the house and two guys because I was going too slow and wasn't throwing enough of the wet, heavy snow. Now I'm headed up around New Years and with current snow conditions I'm worried about a similar situation.

[huntercj]

I am running a set of dura flex scratchers on my new sled that seem to work good and you can back up with them down. As far as overheating some sleds overheat easily even with scratchers. I have been pulling my 6.5x12 fishouse on lake of the woods with no snow and have had zero issues with overheating.

[leech~~]

I am running a set of dura flex scratchers on my new sled that seem to work good and you can back up with them down. As far as overheating some sleds overheat easily even with scratchers. I have been pulling my 6.5x12 fishouse on lake of the woods with no snow and have had zero issues with overheating.

That is darn near a miracle with that big of house and no snow? Do you have studs and how do your hyfax look now?

[huntercj]

I am running a 2015 Polaris 600 widetrack pulling a alumalite fish no studs yet going to the dealer this morning for studs. The lake right now is very slick have not been doing any high speed runs just slow pulling highfax is showing no wear. This isn't my first snowmobile so I know what its like to have the hi fax stick.

[Dbl]

Another user of DuraFlex scratchers. Installed them last year along with a temp gauge. About 175F to 180F running on hard pack and dropping the scratchers brings it under 130F. Wear on the hifax is noticeably less. I am convinced! As the photos show you can easily just put them on the rails when you don't want them down, such as deep snow and going on and off the trailer. They sell carbide replacement tips so when they wear you just replace the tip not the scratcher.