Author Topic: Do it yourself sled wear bars? (Read 7306 times)

10point · « **on:** Dec 17, 2018, 02:48 PM »

I recently bought a sled and just learned about sled wear bars. Can anyone help me with how to add some wear bars? Sounds like I can get some material from a hardware store? How exactly do the attach the bars?

lefty2053 · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 02:52 PM »

I'm interested in this but never thought I could get material from a hardware store. What is it you are going to get?

eyeflyer · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 02:53 PM »

Puck board works well it comes in a 4x8 sheet but check at your local arena they may have some smaller pieces you can have/buy.

Noon · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 02:55 PM »

my suggestion is to get some skis from a thrift store. unless you plan to use it a lot on gravel/asphalt in which case i dont know if the skis will have more friction than wear bars. If you dont have to travel on roads a lot with the sled, I just bought a pair of skis for my sled that cost me 8$ at a thrift store.

10point · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 02:55 PM »

Quote from: lefty2053 on Dec 17, 2018, 02:52 PM

I'm interested in this but never thought I could get material from a hardware store. What is it you are going to get?

I'm open to suggestions but I read on somewhere about using plastic trim board when I did a google search.

lefty2053 · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 02:56 PM »

Quote from: eyeflyer on Dec 17, 2018, 02:53 PM

Puck board works well it comes in a 4x8 sheet but check at your local arena they may have some smaller pieces you can have/buy.

Local Arena?

tswoboda · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 02:56 PM »

Snowmobile slides.

10point · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 02:58 PM »

FYI, I don't live in a place where there is much snow skiing. We also don't have any arenas. Live in north central Indiana. Don't even get to ice fish much. I did use to haul my buck out this year though. My wife is from Canada though so maybe I could get some skis up there. Going up next week.

lefty2053 · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 02:59 PM »

Slides are expensive Local arena as in Skating rink?

sploke · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 03:08 PM »

I looked at ordering some UHMW plastic strips to mount wear bars on the bottom of my jet sled. I checked a few places - USPlastics, McMaster, a few other places that came up in search results. All in all it was going to cost at least 55-60 bucks to get five 1.5" strips for the sled bottom. A new sled is only about 50 bucks, so all in all I decided it wasn't worth the time messing with it. I knocked a hole in the bottom of the sled hiking in and out of a local place here last year - about a mile hike in over rocky trails, and unfortunately most of the way, there was no snow on the trail. I filled in the deep scratches and repaired the hole with fiberglass resin and mat. I figure I can make a whole bunch of repairs on that sled before it will need to be replaced, for a lot less than the plastic wear bars would cost.

Bottom line, unless you can get them for super cheap or free (like someplace that processes it and has scraps they'll give away), it probably doesn't make much sense from a cost perspective.

mboss13 · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 03:34 PM »

This works real well for my snowdog sled.....had to rip it up into 1" pieces and use a torch to bend them, then drill them on. $20 fix. New snodog sled is about $200.

Am thinking of adding them to my sierra eskimo sled too.

https://www.menards.com/main/doors-windows-millwork/moulding/vinyl-trim/royal-reg-building-products-1-x-8-white-pvc-trim-board/5669483/p-1467147805095-c-9561.htm?tid=-3520622896684988779&ipos=6

Edit:
Might have gone with this one for $26 for the true 1" thickness
AvailableContentDescri ption=true" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/siding/trim-boards/royal-reg-building-products-1-1-4-x-10-white-pvc-trim-board/1429266/p-1510903718991.htm?isQubitRecommendations AvailableContentDescri ption=true

Fontona19 · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 03:59 PM »

Quote from: sploke on Dec 17, 2018, 03:08 PM

I looked at ordering some UHMW plastic strips to mount wear bars on the bottom of my jet sled. I checked a few places - USPlastics, McMaster, a few other places that came up in search results. All in all it was going to cost at least 55-60 bucks to get five 1.5" strips for the sled bottom. A new sled is only about 50 bucks, so all in all I decided it wasn't worth the time messing with it. I knocked a hole in the bottom of the sled hiking in and out of a local place here last year - about a mile hike in over rocky trails, and unfortunately most of the way, there was no snow on the trail. I filled in the deep scratches and repaired the hole with fiberglass resin and mat. I figure I can make a whole bunch of repairs on that sled before it will need to be replaced, for a lot less than the plastic wear bars would cost.

Bottom line, unless you can get them for super cheap or free (like someplace that processes it and has scraps they'll give away), it probably doesn't make much sense from a cost perspective.

This is the route I have gone on every Shanty I own. The other material that the companies are selling you is soft plastic that wears away in no time. Uhmw is much more robust and will last for years of pulling a shanty on the pavement. Companies use this product as bushings in multi million-dollar machines amongst other things. You will not be disappointed or you could replace the $30 kits all the time.

Alex Delarge · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 05:38 PM »

You could probably get by with using a type of plastic trim board sold at Home depot or lowe's. I used some leftover garage door trim one time, it didn't last long but I had about 1,000 lbs on the sled. A lot of us up here use foils from the paper factory. It is a high density plastic that they dispose of for little $$'s. Used snowmobile slides work great as someone mentioned. You could ask for some at motorsport shops, they may help you out. On my jet sled magnum I just broke down and bought the shappell runner kit. As far as installation, do a search and if you're somewhat innovative you'll figure it out.

bowmandan · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 05:45 PM »

Go to a road construction company. They line dump truck beds with the same material. See if they have any scraps you can run thru your table saw to the appropriate widths

sweth · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 05:46 PM »

If you have a snowmobile dealer in the area you can score used slides that they take off of snowmobiles to replace. If your patient you will get some still in pretty good shape as some guys change em out before a big trip even though they aren't wore that bad some they take off will be junk but plenty of good material gets pitched. This is how I have done some of my sleds.

Gunflint · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 17, 2018, 05:48 PM »

I made some with 1/4 thick strips of UHMW. Works great.

jethro · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 07:39 AM »

Quote from: Alex Delarge on Dec 17, 2018, 05:38 PM

You could probably get by with using a type of plastic trim board sold at Home depot or lowe's. I used some leftover garage door trim one time, it didn't last long but I had about 1,000 lbs on the sled. A lot of us up here use foils from the paper factory. It is a high density plastic that they dispose of for little $$'s. Used snowmobile slides work great as someone mentioned. You could ask for some at motorsport shops, they may help you out. On my jet sled magnum I just broke down and bought the shappell runner kit. As far as installation, do a search and if you're somewhat innovative you'll figure it out.

DON'T DO IT!!! Learn from my mistake! The PVC trim boards from Home Depot will last you about 500 feet over icy terrain before falling apart. The stuff isn't expensive but my time is money and it's a good few hour job to countersink the holes and bolt all the runners to the sled after heating up the front with a heat gun to allow the trim to bend to the front of the sled. Man was I upset when I saw those runners all broken up after one short pull with the snowmobile. The PVC trim board is too brittle and not strong enough.

Gunflint · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 07:43 AM »

Quote from: doctorgee on Dec 18, 2018, 07:39 AM

DON'T DO IT!!! Learn from my mistake! The PVC trim boards from Home Depot will last you about 500 feet over icy terrain before falling apart. The stuff isn't expensive but my time is money and it's a good few hour job to countersink the holes and bolt all the runners to the sled after heating up the front with a heat gun to allow the trim to bend to the front of the sled. Man was I upset when I saw those runners all broken up after one short pull with the snowmobile. The PVC trim board is too brittle and not strong enough.

Very good to know! The UHMW is about the toughest stuff that exists, but not as easy to find.

sploke · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 07:50 AM »

Quote from: Gunflint on Dec 18, 2018, 07:43 AM

Very good to know! The UHMW is about the toughest stuff that exists, but not as easy to find.

It's plenty easy to find...just not at a price that necessarily makes sense.

Iceassin · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 07:54 AM »

Smitty Sled

The Dad Fisherman · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 07:59 AM »

I'd bet you could use plastic cutting board to make some for a jet sled. Grab a large cuttin board from BJ's/COSTCO/Sam's Club and rip 1" thick strips to attach to your sled. Just make sure you butt them against each other on a bias _____\\______ when you overlap pieces.

North · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 08:01 AM »

Quote from: Iceassin on Dec 18, 2018, 07:54 AM

Smitty Sled

x2... Smitty Sled is the way to go. Pretty easy to build and they pull like a dream, and easy to replace the skis on the cheap.

Gunflint · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 08:03 AM »

Quote from: North on Dec 18, 2018, 08:01 AM

x2... Smitty Sled is the way to go. Pretty easy to build and they pull like a dream, and easy to replace the skis on the cheap.

But rotten if you sometimes pull the sled with a snomobile, snowdog, or ATV.

I do both, a manual trudge... and the snowdog. There are often exposed rocks and sharp boulders on the trails and portages. Tough on a Smitty.

Iceassin · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 08:11 AM »

Quote from: Gunflint on Dec 18, 2018, 08:03 AM

But rotten if you sometimes pull the sled with a snomobile, snowdog, or ATV.

I do both, a manual trudge... and the snowdog. There are often exposed rocks and sharp boulders on the trails and portages. Tough on a Smitty.

Make a tow bar...my buddy did for his quad. As for the rough terrain, throw the Smitty in the sled until you get past it.

rdhammah · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 08:16 AM »

I got uhmw strips from Garland Plastics in Maine. They come in 10' strips. I had them cut to 5' for easier handling and shipping. cost of shipping was cheap. for like $40, I did my jet sled, jet sled Jr and Glide Lite. (couple years ago). Contact them. they may have some remanufactured stuff that is just as good (that's what I used)

Gunflint · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 08:22 AM »

Quote from: Iceassin on Dec 18, 2018, 08:11 AM

Make a tow bar...my buddy did for his quad. As for the rough terrain, throw the Smitty in the sled until you get past it.

This is my small Blazer Stealth and the sled is too small to transport the Smitty and my stuff. I have the tow bar and detach it for the trudge. My case is probably unusual and the Smitty is a great solution for most people. Thanks

Michigan Mafia · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 09:42 AM »

I work for a plastic distributor and can get UHMW cut to any size and thickness.

The cheapest option would be to cut strips to size without holes.

I could have the pieces drilled and counterbored on a CNC router if there is a big enough demand. However I would just need to narrow down a couple standard strip sizes and determine a hole size and hole location.

sploke · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 10:37 AM »

Quote from: Michigan Mafia on Dec 18, 2018, 09:42 AM

I work for a plastic distributor and can get UHMW cut to any size and thickness.

The cheapest option would be to cut strips to size without holes.

I could have the pieces drilled and counterbored on a CNC router if there is a big enough demand. However I would just need to narrow down a couple standard strip sizes and determine a hole size and hole location.

I know for a standard jet sled, I'm looking at five strips, 1" wide by 48" long. I think 1/4" thickness would be plenty. Drilling my own holes isn't a problem, but I would think a hole about 1" in from each end plus one or two equally spaced in the middle would be plenty.

kasilofchrisn · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 04:03 PM »

I just bought the ones the manufacturer made for my sleds.
Cost wasn't bad and I have over 5 years using the first set including towing behind my snowmobile without issues or needing to replace any.
Very easy to install.
Also helps with tracking at speed behind the snowmobile.

Light liner · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 18, 2018, 05:52 PM »

Truck plastic drop in bed liner, 1,000,001uses.

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Author Topic: Do it yourself sled wear bars? (Read 7306 times)