Building my first Smitty Sled

[Chris338378]

I use the quick ratchet straps and eye bolts...  these are the straps with the alligator style clip and not the actual ratchet.

That's the ones I'm going to get to use since the ratchet style would get to be a pain pretty fast.

[CowDawg]

That's the ones I'm going to get to use since the ratchet style would get to be a pain pretty fast.

Yeah... You only want to hold the sled in place on a Smitty while you drag it... your not cruising down I-81......!!!

[4x4Dad]

Ya never know ! There could be long steep hills leading down to some lakes . Hop on the back end of the skis and get rollin pretty good .  We may have to consider installing an EMERGENCY braking system ?





I should be taking care of the final touches of the sled today before painting . The 2x4 fit in the cutouts is a little too snug , but my Orbital Sanders rubber pad from the 1990's  decided to self destruct when I tried to use it . The new pad should be here today , so I'll hopefully get things finished up . The wheels install turned out pretty good . I'll try to get pictures posted up tonight .

[Chris338378]

Yeah... You only want to hold the sled in place on a Smitty while you drag it... your not cruising down I-81......!!!

True but there's some steeper hills so better on the tighter side especially if going through some brush like there is when you go through the woods to avoid the narrows at Prompton when you go from the launch side to the dam side.  The other option to get to the dam side there is heart attack hill which there's no way on God's green earth that I'd ever go up or down that hill. 

[4x4Dad]

Ok, so I finished the last touches to the axle shaft set up ( 1\2 by 3\8 by 1 1\2 steel spacers to go over 3\8 threads of eyebolt into 1\2 inch bore of wheel .) . Reinforced the front 2x4 with angle brackets to stop ( front to back ) twisting action .  ( Angles are only screwed to the 2x4 and will lift out with it ) .. Also installed caribeaner clips the the eyebolts to be able to disconnect the long rope when transporting the pieces .
My Jet Sled is only 22 inches wide , so I made the sled 3 feet wide to accommodate my  Eskimo Quickfish 5i . It's about 60lbs. so I wanted to keep the weight at a low center of gravity .
I haven't painted it yet because my daughter said she wanted to do it . I'll get the pleasure of masking everything I DON'T want painted ! 

[Chris338378]

Looks good there Pal. 

[4x4Dad]

Thanks Chris . Just got everything masked off . Hopefully my daughter is still interested in painting or I know what I'll be doing tomorrow evening . 

[lovethoseyes]

     I had 6 slider plates left from a pack I bought from Cabela's for the bunks of my boat trailer.  After installing them on my trailer my boat slid on the trailer with little to no effort.  I decided to try them on my sled.  They already came with countersunk holes for the stainless screws that came with them and were easy to install.  My sled now goes better than it ever did with skies.

[cajuntony]

hey lovethoseyes got any pics of dat setup like ta see dat

[prefect]

     I had 6 slider plates left from a pack I bought from Cabela's for the bunks of my boat trailer.  After installing them on my trailer my boat slid on the trailer with little to no effort.  I decided to try them on my sled.  They already came with countersunk holes for the stainless screws that came with them and were easy to install.  My sled now goes better than it ever did with skies.

I'd love to see pics of this too.

[CowDawg]

Lookin' good 4x4 

[4x4Dad]

Thanks CowDawg , my daughter just got it painted this evening . I had to get the second coat while she watched a movie , but I'm just happy she is interested in going ASAP .

[Chris338378]

I can't wait to see your daughter's paint job.  I was going to paint a fishing scene on my risers (snow, blue sky, a tree or two, and a tip up with the flag up) but I didn't have the patients to do that now so I just painted them blue.  Maybe I'll still do that over the summer but not sure at this point.

[4x4Dad]

    I never really thought about doing a scene . My daughter would love the idea ! Now , just to figure out what comical scene to capture ! 

[Chris338378]

I happen to know a guy who went out on the ice in a 8' john boat because the ice was thin and he was determined to get out again.  I'm not going to mention his name but I'm sure he knows I'm talking about him since he's a member here.   That'd be a funny scene to paint on a riser. 

[4x4Dad]

Yes it would !