Best Studs? - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

doomsday · 01-01-2003, 06:21 PM

What IYHO is the best studs/lugs? Both company and size wise. Also, is there a set amount of studs you should use? Like for every foot of track should you use so mant studs/lugs or what?

strokez · 01-02-2003, 10:30 AM

I've always used woody's. Studs come in packs of 48, and there are many different patterns you can use to put in your track. Usually they recommend just for general trail riding that you use 96 or 144. But if you do a lot of lake riding, then you might want like 192 or more. My dads old 1992 Indy Trail 500 EFI had 192 studs and an intense rebuilt racing clutch....that thing could RIP across the lake

**Administrator** · 01-02-2003, 04:56 PM

I would highly recommend Woody's studs.

Probably your best bet for all around good studs would be the Woody's Gold Digger 5/16" (diameter) Studs.

I have 120 1" long on my Zr right now, they are great. They really don't wear much at all. They grip incredibly well and make a HUGE difference on icy corners and lakes. Get the 5/16 diameter since they are stronger than the smaller 7 mm studs. I absolutely love them... I recommend them to all riders looking for great trail studs.

* Remember, you are probably going to want at least 8" carbides if you put 120 or more studs on your sled.

**Administrator** · 01-02-2003, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by doomsday
What IYHO is the best studs/lugs? Both company and size wise. Also, is there a set amount of studs you should use? Like for every foot of track should you use so mant studs/lugs or what?

If you have a 121" track... and you are putting them on the Trail, I would recommend you use at least 96 studs, but no more than 120. Any more than 120... say 144 would get to be a lot of weight to move for your 55 horse motor.

You can usually find a good stud pattern at your dealer. I just used the pattern at http://www.woodystraction.com

Go to http://www.woodystraction.com ... there is lots of excellent stud information on the Woody's website.

strokez · 01-02-2003, 05:57 PM

also, if you plan on getting studs, check with your dealer if you have a stock track, because a friend of mine got studs put in his track last year and the backing plates he had put on were too small and studs strarted ripping out of his track

doomsday · 01-02-2003, 08:41 PM

How hard are they to put on? Im guessing you have to put a bunch of holes through your track.......my dad has studs on his and my moms but not on mine

strokez · 01-02-2003, 09:51 PM

its fairly simple.......you gotta take the suspension out to take the track out....and then you can get a hole puncher that is made for puttin in studs..i did it to my dads sled with him....and its not all that difficult if you know how to take the track in and out

indyxlt · 01-03-2003, 12:06 AM

You don't necessarily have to take the track off, although it would be easier. I did mine w/o taking off the track.

Took about 4 hours to put in 120 studs... but we had a 7mm hole punch instead of a 5/16 (dealer was out of them) so it was a job to push them through.

Studs are definately worth the boring hours of putting them in, once in they are sweet.

doomsday · 01-03-2003, 03:40 AM

So, Everyone agrees Woody's Gold Digger 5/16" Studs would be good for me? What do they cost, about?

strokez · 01-04-2003, 03:28 PM

im looking in my JR Graham book right now, and Woody's Gold Diggers Traction Masters Extreme Studs are $89.50 for 48 studs

Spudchucker · 01-04-2003, 07:06 PM

why so expensive?

FRNTFLP · 01-07-2003, 11:21 AM

I second the suggestion to follow the Woody's recommendations. Studs are a great thing if you put them in using one of the standard methods. If you do it wrong, they rip holes in your tunnel and heat exchangers. That being said, here's my two cents worth:

1. Get the number and size that Woodys recommends.
2. Buy a stud hole cutter (about 15 bucks)
3. Follow a recommended pattern for where to put them (ala Woodys website again).
4. Shop around for prices. I've never paid more than $270 for a full set of 144. Full retail is about $400.
5. After you put them in, check them regularily. Bent, broken studs OR backer plates can turn into problems. Either they throw out a piece of metal that will hit like a bullet, or they rip out a pice of the track. NO GOOD ! I check mine every 500 to 750 miles and replace any that are even in question. (Cheap insurance).
6. Keep you track tensioned according to manuf. recommendations. If the track is too loose, you're back to ripped tunnel and coolers.
7. Don't forget to put on proper carbides. (I like Woody's carbides too)

If I have a new track, I put in studs before it's in the sled. If the track is in the sled already, I take out the rear torque arm bolts and drop the rear of the suspension. Then hang the back of the sled about 4 feet in the air so I can get under it. Then all work is done on the track between the top of the rear torque arm and the rear axle. You'll have access to 4 or 5 "windows" at a time, then roll the track around to get to new spaces. (Taking off the drive belt will make it easier).

It normally takes me 3 1/2 to 4 hours to put in 144 (track still in sled as above), including clean up. If you haven't done them before, it might be a little bit longer.

If you've never had a studded sled before, ride it carefully to get the feel of it before going all out. The sled will handle very differently.

Others things to think about - Don't destroy your studs by spinning the track on a road crossing ! If you drive your sled into the garage, the studs will slide, just like on ice without studs, and you'll find you end up in a pile against the back wall of the garage. You remember that shiny new bumper you put on after a trip into the rhubarb last year, well now it has a bit more "character" to it.

Have fun.

**Administrator** · 01-08-2003, 11:30 AM

.... I was gonna say that,

No actually FrntFlp is a "expert" snowmobile mechanic / rider.

Shadow 804 · 01-18-2003, 11:29 PM

I Run 192 Studs And 9" Carbides On My XCR 600 . That's A Very Aggressive Traction SetUp , But I Don't Have To Worry When Things Get Icy . Check Out The Studboy Page Too , They Have Some Good Info There .

strokez · 01-20-2003, 04:42 PM

192 studs

My dad had 192 in his 92 500......you sure ran rip across the lake with that many

paintballaholic · 01-22-2003, 05:26 PM

I have 48 studs and 10 inch carbines running on my mxzx 440 lc. There awesome. Well I hope there are i havnt got to use them much...WE HAVE NO SNOW!!!

Blaine · 02-15-2003, 10:36 PM

I would leave the track on , if you have a shop to work in ill tell you how to make it verry easy.put your mashine in the back of your truck and leave the bacc of your sled sticking out past your tailgate a couple of feet.take a rope tie it to your bumper and tie over head if you can.lift the back up and tie it off.now you can just sit down in a chair and go to work no lieing on the floor or being on your knees.I say if your going to work on your sled you might as well be comfortable.dont laugh it works.

SDlawndawg · 02-18-2003, 02:49 PM

Blaine- That's a great idea. I'm not laughing. I hate crawling around on the floor to put studs in.