Skat Traks?

[WoodTRD]

After going to LA dunes again this past weekend I REALLY have the itch to get some better paddles, most everyone else was running skat traks and it was easy to see a night and day difference between them and my heavy kenda sand geckos on ITP .190 wheels...they hooked up while I just dug. Still managed to pull a few lengths on a stock looking banshee and murdered another 400ex on the 1000ft strip, just was no match for a paddled renegade 1000 or hopped up ltr450, probably around 8 lengths on the same strip.

My paddles are definitely holding me back now, if I was to splurge on skat traks what would be recommended? My bike has tons of power the way it's set up, It'll pull the front end up in 5th pretty easy on dirt with stock gearing and 20" tires, and pull the heavy 21" geckos fine in the sand on stock gearing. Would it pull 20x10x10 8 paddle haulers good, or would 7 paddles be the way to go? Whatever I get will be on douglas .125 blue labels and I'll just be running my razr 1 fronts for a while, and maybe dropping down to a 14t front sprocket for sand drags.

[CJM]

I run in the sand and we mostly use razrs. Then again its a mix of harder and softer sand.

Im not a fan of skat traks-$$$ I have run ITP sandstars with good results, good turning is what I liked about them. Also not to heavy. Friend had gekos on his 450..they suck..way to heavy as you found out!.

Id run the sandstars I were you.

[JOHNDOE83]

When it comes to paddles skat traks are the best hands down, the blade design with the cup and the material they use makes it the best for what its made for.

The other tires like ams sand snakes and kenda geckos are really good tires but the material used isnt the same and doesnt work well for the sand the way the skat traks do.

You need 8 paddle if you get a 20in tire, if you get a 21in paddle tire try to get 10 paddle, it will be well worth the money and you will not regret it.

I used the 21in 8 paddle haulers for dirt drag racing, I could have used a 12 paddle but i could only afford the 8s at the time, I beat every banshee and every 450 that wasnt setup specifically for drag racing. If i had the 12 paddles I would have beat or been at the top of all the drag bikes there except for the extreme outlaw class.

Try the 10 paddles if you can, if not 8 paddle will be perfectly fine if you find the 20in tire. AMS sand snakes were on sale on www.rockymountainatv.com for $24.99 a piece. I think they only have 18s left tho and they are only 5 paddle.

[WoodTRD]

For the type of sand riding I do, mostly drag racing with a little playing around here and there I've pretty much decided skat traks are the only way to go. The geckos are somewhat tolerable for all around sand tires, but are pretty terrible for dragging due to their tendency to dig instead of launch, and weight. I have only been riding at the dunes a few times a year so new paddles are more of a want than a need...but if I'm upgrading I might as well get the best for the situation, and skat traks should hopefully last several years and be a great addition to whatever bikes I get down the road...I'm leaning heavily towards picking up a 250r in a year or two and letting my ex become the trail/gf/buddy bike. I'll either just keep the geckos till I wear them out (if that's even possible as hard/heavy as they are) or pick up skat traks and move the geckos to the raptor/sell em to take some of the bite out of the skat trak price tag.

Johndoe have you ran the skat traks in sand much? I'd think it would suck alot more power dragging in sand vs dirt, pretty much everything I've read has recommended 6-8 paddles in the dunes on a 400ex depending on how much motor work has been done. I'm not all that experienced with paddles but I thought a 10 paddle hauler would be a bit much for a ex to pull in the sand? The drags are long 1000' plus and I wouldn't want to drag my top end down too much. I'd say it's pretty soft where I ride, but I don't have much to compare to...I know after the strip was smoothed and packed by the tractor I could hang much better with the other bikes running haulers, that was actually the only time I had to watch out for the front coming up just from throttle...which led me to believe I would do MUCH better with a better set of paddles.

I'm looking at the 20x10x10 7 and 8 paddle haulers on rmatv right now, I should be able to get a set of either on Douglas blue labels in either a 8 or 9" wide wheel for around $330 with my 10% off coupon. Any other opinions? I know people spend that much and more on exhausts that I don't think add near the performance the haulers will...but that's still alot of coin for rear tires. Decisions decisions...

[finsteratv]

Id run an 8 paddle. With the work done to your ex you can spin me..I have sand stars on .190's and 8pdl hauler extremes on .125's..sand stars are good all around but with more power it's really nice the way a skat hooks up..especially if you're drag racing.

[finsteratv]

Originally posted by JOHNDOE83
When it comes to paddles skat traks are the best hands down, the blade design with the cup and the material they use makes it the best for what its made for.

The other tires like ams sand snakes and kenda geckos are really good tires but the material used isnt the same and doesnt work well for the sand the way the skat traks do.

You need 8 paddle if you get a 20in tire, if you get a 21in paddle tire try to get 10 paddle, it will be well worth the money and you will not regret it.

I used the 21in 8 paddle haulers for dirt drag racing, I could have used a 12 paddle but i could only afford the 8s at the time, I beat every banshee and every 450 that wasnt setup specifically for drag racing. If i had the 12 paddles I would have beat or been at the top of all the drag bikes there except for the extreme outlaw class.

Try the 10 paddles if you can, if not 8 paddle will be perfectly fine if you find the 20in tire. AMS sand snakes were on sale on www.rockymountainatv.com for $24.99 a piece. I think they only have 18s left tho and they are only 5 paddle. this

[WoodTRD]

Would a 8 or 9" wide rim be better for a 20x10 tire? I'm assuming the 9" would give a little better floatation, but the 8" would be slightly stronger since the offset would be closer to the center of the rim?

[CJM]

Ah so you only really wanna drag? Then Johns right in every respect. Id buy skat tracks.

[JOHNDOE83]

Originally posted by WoodTRD

Johndoe have you ran the skat traks in sand much? I'd think it would suck alot more power dragging in sand vs dirt, pretty much everything I've read has recommended 6-8 paddles in the dunes on a 400ex depending on how much motor work has been done. I'm not all that experienced with paddles but I thought a 10 paddle hauler would be a bit much for a ex to pull in the sand? The drags are long 1000' plus and I wouldn't want to drag my top end down too much. I'd say it's pretty soft where I ride, but I don't have much to compare to...I know after the strip was smoothed and packed by the tractor I could hang much better with the other bikes running haulers, that was actually the only time I had to watch out for the front coming up just from throttle...which led me to believe I would do MUCH better with a better set of paddles.



Well If you stay with the 15/38 gearing youll never float a 10 paddle tire and will have a hard time floating a 21in 8 paddle hauler.

I would drop the gearing to a 13t front if your gonna keep the 38t rear, I would sugest changing to 14/39 or 13/39 so youll be able to float a 21in 10 paddle if that becomes a future option. You "might" be able to use a 40t rear instead of changing the front to keep some topend speed?

The thing is at high gears like 4th and 5th the motor with sand lag wont let you fully rev out and spin the tire with power to float, the topend speed difference for the gearing change wont matter because being not fully reved out in 4th gear is slower then lower gearing toped out in 5th.

If your looking for a good deal on paddles check ebay and craigslist ALOT! I found a pair of new 4snows on ebay with rims and no reserve that I bought for $123 shipped. I also bought a set of 8 paddle haulers with rims for $80 on craigslist and I see that alot here in FL and we dont have dunes...lol. I resold the haulers for $150 a week later.

[WoodTRD]

I've been watching craigslist within about 3 hours of here to no luck, I've given up and decided to purchase new from RMATV now. I've pretty much narrowed it down to either a 21x12-8 8 paddle on a 8x8 rim or 20x10-10 8 paddle on a 10x9 rim...I just don't know if the 12" wide 8 paddles will hook TOO good on a 8" wide rim. From what I've read the 20x10 will be a better all around tire and spin up a little easier, while the 21x12 more of a drag tire and will hook harder out the hole.

They'll be used for drags about 60% of the time and just playing around in the dunes (actually a 360 acre sand pit) the rest of it. I know either will be WAY better than the geckos I have. I'm definitely dropping down to a 14 tooth front at the same time, and may even try a 13 tooth if it won't pull good enough with the 14. I just put a new set of sprockets and chain on it about 5-10 hours of riding ago so id rather keep the 38T rear.

I'll probably research more tonight and order them tomorrow, two good reads I've found are:
choosing paddle tires (http://www.trx450r.org/forum/101-wheels-tires/151723-choosing-paddle-tires.html)

http://www.ridingarizona.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-28265.html

[duneslider]

I honestly am beginning to wonder if a 7 paddle is the way to go on the 400ex. Haulers are tall and I am beginning to wonder if everything would be happier with 7 paddle haulers. I have been watching cl in my area hoping some would pop up so I could try them.

[WoodTRD]

Well...after LOTS of reading I ended up going with 20x10-8 8 paddle haulers on 8x8 Douglas .125 rims, hopefully I won't regret it. I went with the 20" height over the 21 because rmatv only had the 21 12" wide, which seemed like an awfully wide tire for the ex to pull on sand, and went with the 8" rim for the better strength, ride, grab on takeoff, and hopefully so the 20" tire will still balloon some at speed in drags.

There were some tradeoffs for every tire configuration I looked at but overall 20x10-8 8 paddle seemed like it would be the best suited for how I intend to use it. With the 10% off coupon from my last order which I found out DOESN'T apply to tires, my total came to $348. Lotta money for two tires on rims and a front sprocket, but hopefully I'll be happy. Should be here Tuesday, and get tested out on the sand next weekend.

[JOHNDOE83]

Nice!

Good luck, 20in 8 paddles were a good choice.

[duneslider]

I don't think you made a bad choice. I really would like to give a set of 7 paddles a shot. I have heard a few say they are the hot ticket on the 400ex but haven't been able to run them. I had the 12" wide paddles on my banshee, I think you made a good choice with the 10" wide. 12 would have been too much for you.

[WoodTRD]

I thought about trying the 7 paddle to make sure it wouldn't hook too hard to drop the hammer on takeoff in second without lugging, but I really wanted 8" rims and rmatv didn't offer the 7 paddle 20x10 on a 8" rim, and I don't think my bike will have trouble pulling the 8 paddles, it runs as well as most mild 450's. Everyone on raptor forums was recommending a 8 or 9 paddle for a pretty much stock bike, and my 400 pulls our stock raptor 700 pretty good until it runs out of gear on top end with 15/38... So with 14/38 it should pull them really well. I'll let everyone know how they do next weekend...I'm stoked

[JOHNDOE83]

Get pics and video :D

[WoodTRD]

I'll see what I can do...I have a few from last weekend but they aren't that great, maybe I can get them on here...

[WoodTRD]

As a disclaimer, there aren't too many helmets involved, if mods wish I'll take em back down and try to fix that next weekend, at least on my part. I always wear mine woods riding but everyone's kinda lax at the dunes.

Getting ready to go, that brute beat a piped 400ex by about two lengths in 1000', I was pulling about 10 on it though:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/WoodTRD/640782DE-A19C-4F82-827A-FBDCC90EA59E-7527-000005CD7DCA7B9B.jpg

Two really fast drag banshees, two yfz's and a renegade 1000 running in 4x4 with skat traks all the way around. That thing MOVES for a stock 600lb bike, but those shees were insane:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/WoodTRD/th_13E8EC89-453E-425A-AF0B-CC538AE79EFC-7527-000005CD5A7B2EA7.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/WoodTRD/?action=view&current=13E8EC89-453E-425A-AF0B-CC538AE79EFC-7527-000005CD5A7B2EA7.mp4)

Those same two banshees running a full drag 450, pretty sure it was a yfz but don't remember and can't tell from the video, I'm allll the way on the end and did it just to be funny haha.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/WoodTRD/th_28DAF8B0-6AAC-42D9-BCCF-39F3CE8D393F-7527-000005CD62F4CA7A.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/WoodTRD/?action=view&current=28DAF8B0-6AAC-42D9-BCCF-39F3CE8D393F-7527-000005CD62F4CA7A.mp4)

Renegade 1000, 3 mod LTR, maybe more, and me.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/WoodTRD/th_B5085979-37DF-4BEF-833E-DBC497D70C89-7527-000005CD71B17E21.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/WoodTRD/?action=view&current=B5085979-37DF-4BEF-833E-DBC497D70C89-7527-000005CD71B17E21.mp4)
You can see how slow I get out the hole with 40+ lbs of sand geckos on the rear. Hope to close that gap up some with the haulers and -1 sprocket. All in all a fun day, as you can see I don't mind losing haha. There weren't too many people there, the LTR and renegade 1000 ran closest to me, which wasn't really that close. Everyone else was either wayyy faster or slower.

[JOHNDOE83]

8 paddle skat tracks will deffinetly get you out the hole quicker, it will be cool to see and compare the 2 different tires on the same machine in video, try to get the skats filmed from the same spot!