Paddle Tires in snow

[igmif]

Has anyone tried using paddles on packed snow? I ride alot of packed snowmobile trails, and I've been curious if they'd work well for the upcoming winter.

[Chino886]

Originally posted by igmif
Has anyone tried using paddles on packed snow? I ride alot of packed snowmobile trails, and I've been curious if they'd work well for the upcoming winter.

I don't think it will work very well, the paddles tires wear down very fast on hard surface. I would get ice studs for you tires if you plan to ride on snow or ice?

[NacsMXer]

You could run a set of GBC Paddle Master tires. They're tougher than the average sand tire and are designed for snow, mud, and sand.

http://www.gbctires.com/images/Paddle-Master.jpg

[R3Concepts]

Paddles in snow does NOT work.

[ny300exrider]

get maxxis 4 snows, pro wedges, or ams zippers. they are all 22in tires so there is a possibilty of them rubbing nerf bars if you have them. if you have nerfs, honestly the stock 400ex and 450r tires work pretty well in packed snow. im running stock tires this winter

[400exrider707]

I found that standard 20in holeshots actually worked well in the packed snowmobile trails, a LOT better than stock rubber.

[ny300exrider]

is that right? i didnt think holeshots would be good since they pack up with snow easily. im getting a set of 20in xcrs soon so maybe ill try em out

make some of these, be warned they are verry dangerous!

[Quad18star]

Paddles suck in snow . The snow gets packed into the paddle in no time at all .

Stock tires worked good on my YFZ for half of the first season I had them on . I then put in about 1500 ice screws and WOW ... big difference in handling . Just make sure you don't ride on any pavement or even the shoulder of the road , or you'll be replacing them halfway through the season . I've had to replace my studs after every winter . Thanks for reminding me I have to go out and buy some screws and stud up the tires . :D

[thomps6s]

I disagree heavily, GBC Paddle Masters with 1 or 2 studs in between the paddles works awesome.

http://www.uniquegrafix.com/images/images/skis6.jpg

Even without the skis, these things work MINT.

poast some info on thoes skis.

[Ridin' Jesse]

Originally posted by mittimj
poast some info on thoes skis.

Dude i agree...i wouldnt mind doing that!

Hows it work in the snow?

[watts16]

heres some info on the skis

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=198488

[yamaharaptor350]

My 22in sur tracs are great in the snow they hardly ever pack up with snow. There good up till like 8 inches of snow then i just get hung up cause of ground clearence

[400exstud]

I am not saying that this will happen but won't those studs pull out of the tires (on your paddle masters). I wonder this because with a high torque motor and few studs there is a lot of load on the few studs that there are. This isn't helped because on a round tire there is a small contact patch with the ground. Plus rubber ATV tires arn't composed of fibers like snowmobile tracks to reinforce them. I would think that more studs could be better but I am not in your shoes and could be totally wrong.

On my dad's 2001 ZRT 800 we had 168 studs and in 5 years we had 14 studs pull out. (On a snowmobile track about 40% of the studs are on the ground at a time)

[Live2Ride300]

I put a set of ITP sand star tires on my raptor, and it hooks up incredibly well. I was completely surprised in how well they worked. After putting 5-6 hours of hard riding on them, they show minimal wear. I'd reccomend finding the hardest compound paddle tire and trying it out.

[Crazy Diamond]

I have a set of Paddle Masters and used them on snowmobile packed trails. They went like it was dry ground. Hooked up really well. Fresh powder snow they weren't so good tho. They just dug right to the bottom before moving. Ice-no good. I have yet to try them in wet heavy snow but I think they will be good there. :D

[Crazy Diamond]

Bear Claws, Super Swamper TSL ATV, Realtor, Mud Shark and 4 Sno tires I have triied and they are all good in the snow.

[ThorRacing37]

deffently get the 4 snow tires my bro used them last year on his z400 it didnt rub anything and they really work and you still have the same power and speed as you do with dirt tires on dirt lol



also it make really big roost!!!!!

[2813308004]

second the itp sand stars. i just bought some and love how well they hook up. i had to ride on the roads a little to get from lakes to trails and didn't notice any wear after about 10 hours of riding

[thomps6s]

Originally posted by mittimj
poast some info on thoes skis.

This setup is the shiznit. My friend makes them on a CNC machine at his work. He can use whatever billet aluminum is left over for whatever he wants. Anyways over 15 inches of snow, some skis, some modified GBC paddle masters and it rips through the fresh powder like nothing. I couldn't believe it until i saw it myself. UNREAL

Unfortunately they are not for sale.

http://uniquegrafix.com/images/images/skis1.jpg
http://uniquegrafix.com/images/images/skis2.jpg
http://uniquegrafix.com/images/images/skis3.jpg
http://uniquegrafix.com/images/images/skis4.jpg
http://uniquegrafix.com/images/images/skis5.jpg
http://uniquegrafix.com/images/images/skis6.jpg
http://uniquegrafix.com/images/images/skis7.jpg

A strap or bungee from the front and back of the ski to the upper a-arms keeps it from spinning.
The straps were not on when I took the pics with my phone.
If you locked the front brakes there would be no movement up and down on the skis. You want them to move up and down a little bit in the snow.
We went riding on the fresh powder on the powerlines. I just had rambo tires on the 400ex and it was even going through 15 inches of snow pretty good without skis.

If you run Paddlemasters with One stud in between the split paddle you will be fine. 2 of my friends run this setup and they haven't lost air pressure or tore a stud out yet. The guy in this pic is running 2 studs in between the split paddle and he is having issues losing tire pressure.

Make sure you buy woody's studs and you want them to be as tall as the paddle or just a hair taller.
The reason you want woodys studs is because they have a lip with a rubber grommet that seals the stud to the tire. That way you don't lose pressure.

I hope this helps.

[R3Concepts]

Hate to fall on top of that cross..If he does, it wont be pretty.

[2813308004]

how thick of steel do u think i would need to use to make some of them because i have a welding class in school and it would be a good project

[2813308004]

i mad e a set of skis for my ex but i recently dislocated my shoulder so i can't ride for a while

[81 clark racing]

i run 20 in holeshot hds in the snow and they hook up exclent











81 racing 03 silver 400ex full procircuit t4, uni air filter, modified air box , stage 2 jet kit, renthal bars an grips, prm bumper an rear skid, dg aarm guards,hole shot hds on itp rims, wheel spacers, acerbris hand guards

[coolex]

Originally posted by 81 clark racing
i run 20 in holeshot hds in the snow and they hook up exclent











81 racing 03 silver 400ex full procircuit t4, uni air filter, modified air box , stage 2 jet kit, renthal bars an grips, prm bumper an rear skid, dg aarm guards,hole shot hds on itp rims, wheel spacers, acerbris hand guards





is all of those things at the bottom things u have on ur quad cuz if it is u should put it in ur sig

[EXevan91]

dude u should start sellign those billet mounts and skis thats awsome! how do u do against snowmobles ?

[HiperEX]

i wanna see that quad in action on snow

im going doun to the lake this weekend. Not on my quad, but on a yfz. I will probly come back with some sweet footage, nothing to cool, not my quad. But it should be interesting.

[coolex]

if you run sand tires in the snow you need the hardest paddles u can find

[KingpinsEx]

Thomps6s I am very curious at how well that thing runs with the sleds. Sure would save alot of money just converting your quad for the winter, opposed to buying a sled.... A raptor would be an excellent conversion quad for those riding conditions.

Also i rode my buddies YFZ alot last winter and his stock tires hooked up good on the packed trails, i was amazed. I was riding with sleds all day and didn't have much trouble keeping up, with the exceptions of fresh powder. The only place i had real problems were steep hills that i couldnt get a good run at, then it just spun...