keeping Liquid cooled snowmobile cool on ice.

[bart]

I have them to primarily keep sliders lubricated.

[jjack]

Just keep your slides lubed. Your l/c sled will take care of the keeping cool part.

[makintracks]

ice scratchers will keep you sliders lubed and the ice chips will also rotate with your track and cool the sled radiators.

you can also put 5/16 th,  or 3/8 bolts in the back inside edge of your skis.  they will throw twice the snow/ice chips that any  rear skid scratcher will.  vey cheap,  although you will need to remove if going on/off trailer.  drill hole in bolt end,  and use a spring pin to install the bolt. 

will work well,  and red neck to boot.

[dmiller369]

i could have swore scratchers were to keep your slides lubricated when there isnt much snow. LC uses a radiator to keep your sled cool in warm weather.

fan cooled in obviously cooled by air while running. which is not good in warm weather but better when going a moderate speed.

either would need scratchers for glare ice. to keep your slides from burning up, and wearing out your suspension.


am i wrong?

No not your not. The only thing you are wrong about is the radiator. Liquid cooled sleds don't Have a radiator like a car. Its actually called a heat exchanger and.it.needs snow to come into contact to cool. They run either in the tunnel or under he foot rail.

I just don't think I will be able to cool the sled.enough with just scratchers. I will try the hillbilly method.

[Traxion]

They're not seen much anymore but SLP and a few other companies used to make ski mounted ice scratchers.  Your sled has the center tunnel heat exchanger but the main heat exchangers are under each running board.  Ski mounted scratchers made a huge difference for me with a similar sled, they sprayed ice chips perfectly onto the running board heat exchangers.  I would personally run both, that way you have cooling and slide lube.  Just make sure you pull them up before reversing or pulling the sled backwards!

[muskyon46]

Last year I got a little hot early in the season before we got enough snow on top, so I'm thinking of adding these to my 97 classic touring liquid cooled

http://betweenthelinesdesigns.com/?page_id=509

good thing is they will not interfere when in reverse, now going on & off the trailer I don't know  they look simple enough to remove for trailering or for when they are not needed

[Reel trouble]

As cheap as these are might be worth a try http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php?t=61579&highlight=

[Drifter_016]

These are what I'm using on my sled.

http://www.yamaha-motor.ca/pna/detail.php?sectionId=AC&groupId=3&subGroupId=29&categoryId=164&itemId=2253

[steamjockey]

I've been running Polaris LCs for years...the old ones from the mid to upper 1990s.  On the hottest days, on glare ice, I had to take handfuls of ice chips from the auger hole and pile it on top of the running boards and throw a few handfuls under the track...Then I started using bolts in the back of the skis..works good.... Also..on a lot of these sleds there is one heat exchanger just at the front of the track tunnel..most people forget or don't know that one is in there.  With scratchers of one type or another it will keep the track lubed up and the engine cool.  Here's one watch out... I had a Polaris Indy LC run hot in normal (cold) weather...found that the belt that runs the waterpump was a bit loose and once the engine warmed up it was more loose...to the point that it stopped driving the water pump...I tightened the belt and all was well!  Bottom line; if you have slides and not boggies, and, if you fish glare ice you need the scratchers... 

[Skipper]

My sled is an Indy 500 liquid.

Studs and scratchers fixed me right up. Without them, I overheated no matter how cold it was.

Fan cooled or not, you need the scratchers to prevent melted slides.

[H82LUZ]

OK, Let me give you some back ground here. I've been riding sleds for over 35 years and have 2 Revs. One with heavy mods and WITH scratchers on it. Clear ice at 60 with that 800 of mine on a 40 degree day and that thing will run 1/2 gauge all day long. This is how it works, and for the record I'm not a fan of the cable style. Sometime the tips will loosen up and you'll loose them so check them every so often. The guys on DOOtalk despise them. Anyhow, what happens is the scratchers are mounted far enough forward on the rails that the ice is kicked into the rails to lube the hyfax. With the snow and ice in the track, when the track come around the snow will be thrown out of the drive windows (also know as ports) hitting the heat exchangers hence cooling the engine coolant and cooling the engine. I personally do not run coolant in my 800. Nor a thermostat, but there are stock sleds that run the same scratchers the same way with zero issues. get the rod style scratchers from RSI. You can put bolts on the skis all you want, you're not going to get ice where it needs to go, in the track. If you have running board mounted heat exchangers I'd say that would probably work. Other than that, your just going to have spare bolts and holes.

Respectfully submitted
Pat

[Skipper]

I personally do not run coolant in my 800.

What do you use? I know how the cooling system works, but what do you use for liquid?

[H82LUZ]

What do you use? I know how the cooling system works, but what do you use for liquid?

Well, I shouldn't say any coolant, I run a minimal amount of RV/Marine antifreeze and Water wetter. There for if I blow a hose, do for some reason over heat, have an engine issue the whatever I'm on is not affected.

[Skipper]

Not to hyjack... but I guess this is still on subject...

I understand what water wetter does, and I use it myself. What is the advantage of using RV antifreeze over a standard mix of extended life, aluminum safe coolant?

[H82LUZ]

It's eco friendly. If you're running down the lake or up in the back country boondocking there's the RV antifreeze is biodegradable. The amount of Water Wetter in the system per the ratio is minimal. Hence, way less than loosing almost a gallon of coolant into the lake you love to fish or woods we hunt. I don't know, I guess its minute, but I figured it's just doing my little part. You would think for as many sleds that are out there on lakes and in the wilderness they would have SOME kind of alternative to ethylene glycol by now.

Pat

[makintracks]

OK, Let me give you some back ground here. I've been riding sleds for over 35 years and have 2 Revs. One with heavy mods and WITH scratchers on it. Clear ice at 60 with that 800 of mine on a 40 degree day and that thing will run 1/2 gauge all day long. This is how it works, and for the record I'm not a fan of the cable style. Sometime the tips will loosen up and you'll loose them so check them every so often. The guys on DOOtalk despise them. Anyhow, what happens is the scratchers are mounted far enough forward on the rails that the ice is kicked into the rails to lube the hyfax. With the snow and ice in the track, when the track come around the snow will be thrown out of the drive windows (also know as ports) hitting the heat exchangers hence cooling the engine coolant and cooling the engine. I personally do not run coolant in my 800. Nor a thermostat, but there are stock sleds that run the same scratchers the same way with zero issues. get the rod style scratchers from RSI. You can put bolts on the skis all you want, you're not going to get ice where it needs to go, in the track. If you have running board mounted heat exchangers I'd say that would probably work. Other than that, your just going to have spare bolts and holes.

Respectfully submitted
Pat

i would have to disagree with the bolt in the ski not getting snow in the track,  before you comment maybe try it out.  the bolt is far forward of the track the snow sprays out at a 30 to 45 degree angle filling the track with snow/ice chips,  and way more volume than any rail mounted system out there.  rail mounts are usually half way down the track and thus put alot less snow into your sled skid frame.  bolts do have there problems but not spraying snow n ice chips is not one of them.   in western canada access to mountain riding areas usually means many miles of travel on icey roads meaning little sled cooling.  comparing skid scratchers to ski bolts leaves no doubt the volumes of ice/ snow collected in sled tunnels.   ski bolts win hands down. 

[H82LUZ]

i would have to disagree with the bolt in the ski not getting snow in the track,  before you comment maybe try it out.  the bolt is far forward of the track the snow sprays out at a 30 to 45 degree angle filling the track with snow/ice chips,  and way more volume than any rail mounted system out there.  rail mounts are usually half way down the track and thus put alot less snow into your sled skid frame.  bolts do have there problems but not spraying snow n ice chips is not one of them.   in western canada access to mountain riding areas usually means many miles of travel on icey roads meaning little sled cooling.  comparing skid scratchers to ski bolts leaves no doubt the volumes of ice/ snow collected in sled tunnels.   ski bolts win hands down.

From my stand point, the bolt idea is a hard one to swallow.
A. most skis now are plastic and have too much flex.
B. If you're going to put the bolt in a plastic ski, the ski on a hard surface is up so high, the bolt would have to be so long that it would either break off or damage a 100 dollar ski.
C. If ice scratchers are installed correctly they are NOT mounted half way down the rails. They ARE mounted up at the front most idler wheels. Anyone installing them any different is doing it wrong.

I've seen skis after the bolt trick, to each there own, but I would be doing that to a $200 set of skis. If those bolts hook a root on the way to the ice, well to each their own. JMO.

[Drifter_016]

If you look at my post #14 you will see that the scratchers I have mount to the front suspension and nowhere near 1/2 way down the track.
Also it was mentioned that you have to be careful about having the tips/studs fall out.
Won't happen if you put a dab of Loctite on the threads before screwing them in.   

[H82LUZ]

If you look at my post #14 you will see that the scratchers I have mount to the front suspension and nowhere near 1/2 way down the track.
Also it was mentioned that you have to be careful about having the tips/studs fall out.
Won't happen if you put a dab of Loctite on the threads before screwing them in.   

Wooh there Sea-biskit! I saw where you had yours and you had yours up front that was fine. And not many people know enough to put Loctite on them before its to late. Over/up here the proven ones to work have always been the rod style. And I will reiterate JMO!!!!!!!!

[makintracks]

From my stand point, the bolt idea is a hard one to swallow.
A. most skis now are plastic and have too much flex.
B. If you're going to put the bolt in a plastic ski, the ski on a hard surface is up so high, the bolt would have to be so long that it would either break off or damage a 100 dollar ski.
C. If ice scratchers are installed correctly they are NOT mounted half way down the rails. They ARE mounted up at the front most idler wheels. Anyone installing them any different is doing it wrong.

I've seen skis after the bolt trick, to each there own, but I would be doing that to a $200 set of skis. If those bolts hook a root on the way to the ice, well to each their own. JMO.

yes you have to drill a hole in the rear of the ski,  some don't like doing it.  your choice. 
no matter how you mount your rail ski scratcher it will still be close to a foot or more  back of your mount point,  still only getting snow to the back half of your skid.  the ski mounted scratchers are mounted way ahead of your track thus snow gets into your track much sooner,  same as the bolt in the rear of the ski.    again it is a cheap alternative,  take it or leave it.  may not be for everyone,  but it gets real old destroying a set of rail mount scratchers every time you back up  at $50 to $60 a set. 
the pastc ski is bendable to a certain extent and will flex,  you will feel hitting rocks or stumps yes.  but mabe you shouldn't have your sled out in the rocks or stumps in the first place haha,  that is what quads are for!.
anyway i have run both bolts and scratchers,  scratchers are easier to put up and down etc,  but i have found they still will overheat the sled while the bolts  require a little more work on and off,  but no overheats.  in the western sledding areas you can leave the bolt in the skis all day but need to remove when you go to load. 
and i have been riding sleds since the early 70's,   again they are not for everyone.

[cobra_sleds]

No not your not. The only thing you are wrong about is the radiator. Liquid cooled sleds don't Have a radiator like a car. Its actually called a heat exchanger and.it.needs snow to come into contact to cool. They run either in the tunnel or under he foot rail.

I just don't think I will be able to cool the sled.enough with just scratchers. I will try the hillbilly method.

Actually, some sleds do have a radiator. My Yamaha VK Pro has a radiator and a heat exchanger, best of both worlds. There are a number of sleds with a radiator for cooling.

[tswoboda]

Actually, some sleds do have a radiator. My Yamaha VK Pro has a radiator and a heat exchanger, best of both worlds. There are a number of sleds with a radiator for cooling.

Is it a 4-stroke?

[cobra_sleds]

Is it a 4-stroke?

Yes it is. 120hp 1000cc triple.

[H82LUZ]

Is it a 4-stroke?

Back in the day, mid 80's, I remember Arctic Cat's El Tigre' had a radiator AND heat exchangers. The rad was right uder the windshield when the hood was closed. I often wondered why, aside from space constraints, they couldn't just run a radiator with a cooling fan on it like a street bike and do away with the heat exchangers. Probably would save some weight maybe. And with the cooling fan would allow you to run the sled in warm temps and not overheat. They do it with the same engines that were in the RX-1 Yamaha that were first introduced. Those were the R1 1000cc, 4 cyl. street bike engine. I think the one mentioned above is a 3 cyl.? Yes? Same displacement though.

[tswoboda]

Yes it is. 120hp 1000cc triple.

Those things are beasts!  Talked to a CO in Ontario last year who was on one, and it looked like a big smooth riding utility sled.

The reason I asked is because I'm not familiar with any newer 2-strokes with radiators.  Is it just some of the 4-stroke sleds that get radiators?

[H82LUZ]

same here. I haven't seen that many 4strokes that have rads, but Yamaha is the one that does stick out in my mind. I thought the Arctic cat T660 had one before the put turbo's on them.

[jiggenfrogs]

Scandick 800 four stroke has one.

[cobra_sleds]

I'm really happy with the VK Pro. Its not the best handling sled out there, but it's reliable as hell, pulls like a locomotive, and very comfortable and warm to ride. I haven't had this happen yet, but you don't want to get this thing stuck. I have a mount on the front of it for winch, just haven't bought one yet.

When I was going to buy a new utility sled in the fall of 2011, my requirements were 4 stroke, 20in wide track, 2 speed trans, have a radiator, and cruise with ease at 50mph while pulling my tow sled. The 2 sleds I narrowed it down to were Ski-doo's Expedition 1200 4-stroke with the 20in track and Yamaha's VK Pro. The only reason why I went with Yamaha is their 4-stroke's are second to none. Besides Ski-Doo's Expedition, I believe some of the Skandics have a radiator also on the WT and SWT with the 600 Ace 4-stroke engine and maybe on the 2-stroke 600 Etec. Arctic Cats Bearcat's do not have a radiator, but you can install one under the seat as an option on the Bearcat WT 4-stroke version. I did not like this since you loose valuable under seat storage. I leave a medical/emergency kit and extra warm cloths under the seat all the time.

I really don't know why the manufactures went away from radiators for quit sometime other than ease of layout under the hood and maybe cost. Its seems like they are starting to come back in popularity. I never understood why a manufacture would build a liquid cooled utility sled and not have a radiator on it. Kind of cuts into it as not being a true 'utility sled'.