Last season, I discovered the iGrip studs
Without copying exactly what Mr Michel Garneau, technical news desk editor, wrote in the editorial section of the magazine Motoneige Québec in December 2016, here is a summary of this experienced snowmobiler’s comments.
“ On many occasions or incidents on trails, icy hills or turns, when sudden loss of track control makes the vehicle goes spiralling ”!
Or else, “ when crossing roads, the track being on icy surface, without any adherence ”!
On other occasions “ during a simple braking maneuver… on an icy surface that becomes a skidding maneuver, when only luck makes us avoid a collision ”!
Well, I can tell you that all these stressful situations are not part of my snowmobile rides anymore.
At the beginning of the 2016 season, I screwed in my track 196 ST11R iGrip studs.
My snowmobile track had covered 10 400 km
I invite you to watch closely the 3 following clips.
We filmed these videos in January 2016 in collaboration with our colleagues from Motoneiges.ca .
In collaboration with the Centre de formation en mécanique de véhicules lourds in Lévis, we set up an icy track similar to a skating rink.
On this icy surface, we ran many simulation tests such as skidding, accelerations, braking. Speed was limited to 50 km/h… as the track was very icy!
We used 3 snowmobiles for these tests.
A new snowmobile without any stud. This skidding test is seen on video #1.
On video #2, a snowmobile equipped with a used track and ST11R iGrip studs with carbide flat tip!
On video #3, another snowmobile with a used track and ST25R iGrip studs with carbide pointed tip!
Watch carefully the different performances :
- The video #1 snowmobile with standard track is incontrollable. The track skidding drags all the vehicle away and this, despite the carbide runners… that are brand new!
- The video #2 snowmobile (mine) with acceptable control. Despite the ST11R studs, the track keeps a good adherence, it affects the steering, skis being equipped with new Cobra carbide runners of 8 in./20 cm.
- On video #3, the used track is equipped with about 196 ST25R iGrip studs with carbide pointed tip! Much easier to keep control, skis are equipped with semi-aggressive SnowTracker new runners!
Control of these three snowmobiles is affected as the track is drifted, no matter the type of runners on skis!
I decided to remove the actual studs and to install the ST25R studs in the same holes!
I invite you to follow my test in the upcoming articles and videos. I will improve my safety, without bringing more weight to the track or without increasing my fuel consumption.
No need to add any protection for the air exchangers as long as the track tension recommended by the manufacturer is respected!
These studs are light, useful on ice.
Very efficient to improve safety on trail.
To be followed!
