G4 approach angle

xmrider

Active member
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Messages
44
Reaction score
72
Location
Alberta
Any body out there try too drop and roll a new g4 and put a 8 or 9 tooth 3" pitch driver on to try and cut down the nasty steep approach angle they come with. I See they only make a 6 tooth 3.5" for the newer tracks which is about the same size as the 7 tooth 3". Would defiantly help with getting up on top. Not to sure if a different skid would help at all. Any thoughts?
 

Teth-Air

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
3,733
Reaction score
7,909
Location
Calgary/Nelson
I really don't know why BRP continues with the steep approach. It dose sound like it would be an easy fix for them. I have seen the older sleds have the skids pulled back and a longer track added. This reduced the angle. Just risk throwing more weight on the skis by doing this.
 

CUSO

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
4,767
Reaction score
5,495
Location
Edmonton
I really doubt that a 3"pitch driver would work on a 3.5" pitch track..
Trust me, I am sure doo experimented with low attack angles.. with a 3" lug you won't lose flotation, the low attack angle is old school technology. I myself think you would get better flotation with a sharper angle, because you push on the snow more agressively downwards..


Any body out there try too drop and roll a new g4 and put a 8 or 9 tooth 3" pitch driver on to try and cut down the nasty steep approach angle they come with. I See they only make a 6 tooth 3.5" for the newer tracks which is about the same size as the 7 tooth 3". Would defiantly help with getting up on top. Not to sure if a different skid would help at all. Any thoughts?
 

Caper11

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
9,483
Reaction score
18,413
Location
Edson,Alberta
I think your overthinking it, Not necessary and to do a drop and roll would be a waste of money on these new sleds. Track technology has improved huge with the deeper lug, bigger pitch, and lighter weight.

Im pretty confident that a stock summit would out perform a full mod skud in 4ft of powder.
 

xmrider

Active member
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Messages
44
Reaction score
72
Location
Alberta
I realize a 3" pitch would not work on a 3.5 track. Was seeing if someone switched back to a 3" pitch track so you could run a bigger driver. The new set up on g4 definitely works good. But when you look at the new mountain cat that has a bigger drivers and a lower approach angle that definitely improved that sled and chassis.
I have first hand experience that the cat does get out of the hole better in deep powder. That is comparing a 162 3" and a 165 3".
 

Caper11

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
9,483
Reaction score
18,413
Location
Edson,Alberta
I realize a 3" pitch would not work on a 3.5 track. Was seeing if someone switched back to a 3" pitch track so you could run a bigger driver. The new set up on g4 definitely works good. But when you look at the new mountain cat that has a bigger drivers and a lower approach angle that definitely improved that sled and chassis.
I have first hand experience that the cat does get out of the hole better in deep powder. That is comparing a 162 3" and a 165 3".

Its becoming a popular mod to go back to a T3 track cause of the durability issues with the 3” 3.5” pitch.
 

kanedog

Active VIP Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Messages
3,141
Reaction score
8,615
Location
Kanedog 2015-2019, thanks for the good times S&M!
I really doubt that a 3"pitch driver would work on a 3.5" pitch track..
Trust me, I am sure doo experimented with low attack angles.. with a 3" lug you won't lose flotation, the low attack angle is old school technology. I myself think you would get better flotation with a sharper angle, because you push on the snow more agressively downwards..

If low approach angle is old technology, is a high approach angle new technology? Maybe it's a product improvement?
 

Teth-Air

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
3,733
Reaction score
7,909
Location
Calgary/Nelson
If low approach angle is old technology, is a high approach angle new technology? Maybe it's a product improvement?

I don't think so, I believe Doo just thought throwing a big track at the problem would fix everything.
 

Teth-Air

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
3,733
Reaction score
7,909
Location
Calgary/Nelson
We need the Freak to sort this out for us.

Come on Ken, you have been around long enough to know the answers. All my experience and knowing others that build chassis says the more gentle the attack angle the better. Please enlighten us with your knowledge.

I sold a bunch of Tom's Powder Wedges for the XP's that filled the space at the front of the rails. Many, many happy customers vowed they worked. They may have worked more by stopping the tracks from bending backwards into the void space rather than changing attack angles. 6 guys in Saskatchewan even lake raced back and forth after moving them from sled to sled and they all said they picked up top speed too. Now we have 2 things to consider, attack angle and secondly if the track is buckling into the void or not. Remember on power the track is pushed into the front of the rails and if any slack, it would buckle right there. Imagine riding into a big pillow of snow and a gentle angle and the track would climb but a steep angle and a cupped shape of the track encountering the snow would be like hitting a wall.
 
Last edited:

snopro

Active VIP Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2009
Messages
101,123
Reaction score
89,277
Location
Milo,Alberta
Come on Ken, you have been around long enough to know the answers. All my experience and knowing others that build chassis says the more gentle the attack angle the better. Please enlighten us with your knowledge.

I sold a bunch of Tom's Powder Wedges for the XP's that filled the space at the front of the rails. Many, many happy customers vowed they worked. They may have worked more by stopping the tracks from bending backwards into the void space rather than changing attack angles. 6 guys in Saskatchewan even lake raced back and forth after moving them from sled to sled and they all said they picked up top speed too. Now we have 2 things to consider, attack angle and secondly if the track is buckling into the void or not. Remember on power the track is pushed into the front of the rails and if any slack, it would buckle right there. Imagine riding into a big pillow of snow and a gentle angle and the track would climb but a steep angle and a cupped shape of the track encountering the snow would be like hitting a wall.

I think you may have missed the sarcasm in my post Chris. Yes as we all know a gentle attack angle will help the sled climb better as the sled will "plane" up onto the snow better. I think what BRP's thinking on the aggressive attack angle we see on the G4's is to keep the ski's lighter and up for guys like you that go hide in the trees and hit everything you can. Lol
 

Caper11

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
9,483
Reaction score
18,413
Location
Edson,Alberta
I think you may have missed the sarcasm in my post Chris. Yes as we all know a gentle attack angle will help the sled climb better as the sled will "plane" up onto the snow better. I think what BRP's thinking on the aggressive attack angle we see on the G4's is to keep the ski's lighter and up for guys like you that go hide in the trees and hit everything you can. Lol

It even mentions letting the limiter strap out abit for deep snow in the owners manual.
 

kanedog

Active VIP Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Messages
3,141
Reaction score
8,615
Location
Kanedog 2015-2019, thanks for the good times S&M!
I think you may have missed the sarcasm in my post Chris. Yes as we all know a gentle attack angle will help the sled climb better as the sled will "plane" up onto the snow better. I think what BRP's thinking on the aggressive attack angle we see on the G4's is to keep the ski's lighter and up for guys like you that go hide in the trees and hit everything you can. Lol

If Doos thinking was to keep the skis in the air then they hit a grand slam home run on that!hahahaha
 

Teth-Air

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
3,733
Reaction score
7,909
Location
Calgary/Nelson
They have straight rails now! Lol

Might have been a better idea to work on the attack angle. Personally I like the idea of a tipped up rail in the rear. Keeps the sled feeling like a shorter version amd backs up so much better. I expect the flat rail will improve traction slightly.
 

snochuk

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2006
Messages
6,138
Reaction score
19,815
Location
Edmonton
I thought the steep attack angle was better for cutting in when starting a side hill.
Also better to turn out with when going down hill of which the G4 does well.
But that was the extent of the advantages.
Down side of coarse was the trenching on takeoff, just general trench all the time.
A balancing tradeoff???
Still climbs really well just trenches a bit.
 
Last edited:

CUSO

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
4,767
Reaction score
5,495
Location
Edmonton
and what problem is that?
The sled handles well has good power and flat out works. Low approach angles have their own problems. probably outweigh the problems of a higher attack angle..

I don't think so, I believe Doo just thought throwing a big track at the problem would fix everything.
 
Top Bottom