Getting into running the Raptor on ice and need info on setup. The Cheng shin ice race tires Iv'e got will only accept 1/2 inch Kold Kutter screws. On my bike we'd run a liner and run 1 inch screws through the tire and into the liner and of course the tube would be used. The dealer said to run the 5/8's screws through the tire and just keep putting air in as its loss. Just wondering if any one out there has any experience with this. Thanks

 

You can run the 1/2 screws fine in most standard tires, as long as they are brand new. (They have a lot of 'meat' on them.)

If you are worrying about them staying in the tire, then try this:

Blow the tire up to 30 psi and install the studs. Then let the air back down to 5psi. This will tighten the screws up in the rubber pretty well. I didn't have more than 2-5 screws leave the tires in 3 years.

But make sure you winterproof your machine first.

1. Good battery. Nothing worse.
2. Oil lube all your cables. Don't forget the choke cable. Use Oil. Don't bother with Antifreeze or other gunk, just oil.
3. Make sure you defrost your machine as well. Put it in a heated garage and thoroughly dry it out. (You don't have to heat the garage all the time, just for a day or two to thaw it out totally.

I have ran a Scrambler, 400EX, LT250R, and now a Raptor in the winter on the ice. The Raptor is the best one yet. I beat the banshees in the snow because the wheelspin strips all the snow off the ice, and bares it into a sheet of glass. The raptor, just gets the power to the ground...

Good luck,

RM

 

run the screws all the way through and then put "slime" in the tires. any decent shop sells it. follow the instructions or it will not work. have fun. it's a blast

 

660Bigdaddy
This is exactly what I thought would work. I've never used Slime, but was told it works good. I'm sure the Raptor will toss 1/2" screws like they weren't even there. I'd pull 5/8's screws out of my 500 Rotax tires so I'm sure this setup will work better. Thanks

 

660BigDaddy,

Doesn't slime unbalance the tires? Have you used it in the winter? I would expect it wouldn't flow as easy as if it was warm.

Sonic,

If you want to run the 5/8 then go ahead. I have always run the 1/2 and then ran the tires in the summer. I usually will buy brand new tires right before winter, stud them, pull the studs out during the summer, put some back in for the next winter, pull them out again, and buy new ones for the following winter.

2 years on a set of tires, is about it. Studding them doesn't affect their performance but I would be afraid that if you put 200-300 studs in per tire and you puncture each time, there is a greater chance that the slime won't cover everything. Will you pull them out for the summer, or just run them for winter?

What 500 Rotax are you referring to?

 

rennyn,
The tires you're refering to, are they rear Cheng Shin's 20/11/9's ? These tires have small solid *****, flat profile, and will be studded on new rims, stored in the summer and used only for ice racing. I'm not sure if these tires are designed for screws, but the choices are limited. Dunlop makes a ice tire but I've never seen nothing but a picture and you can only guess how much those cost.
I just know that putting in 1/2 inch srews will be a waist of time and money. Once screws get pulled out of their hole, that **** gets torn and won't hold a screw. Just tring to do a little homework before we get started.
The Rotax is a 1982 Can-Am Sonic 500. It is setup for TT racing with susp. mods and 19" rims. This was the first year for the Rotax engine that powers the pro dirttrackers when they run on TT's and shorttracks. Production started as 500, went to 560, and now to 600cc's. It's my all around play bike, from TT bike, to awesome ice machine, to just plain pissing off the neighbors. Thanks for asking.

 

No,

I actually have used the stock tires which come on each machine. I agree that when they come out you will have to find a new spot on the **** to put them back in.

You are a serious racer running that TT machine. You have more experience than I there. Let me know how the 5/8 goes.....

RM