Just got the Cat 108 stud kit and the template says that tunnel protector kit is needed. Can anyone that has studded tell me what is needed. Thanks for the help.

Jester

I just got my 108 stud kit and my dealer said that tunnel protectors are not needed.

I think some people here will disagree with that. A few people had their tunnels gouged up by studs....

It's not that much money& Cat says you need them.

I think you need more of a tunnel protecter than cat sells, all it saves is the rear exchanger, my tunnel got hit near the front. JT

Jester, I've done alot of research on this topic. You need part # 4639-338. It's a single strip that runs down the center of the tunnel. I think I might purchase 2 of them and place them over the windows.

The other thing I'm questioning is studding of the outside windows. It looks like there is plenty of clearance so that the corner heat exchangers shouldn't be an issue (if we keep the studs toward the rails), but the little coolant hose protectors in the back of the tunnel look suseptible if the sled bottoms hard.

There is a guy here that studded the outside windows, but he seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. He has pictures posted and everything...but no reply to PM's or anything.

I'll probably just end up settling for studding the center belt and be done with it.

I run 108 , 1.325 I think and you will need the tunnel kit. I only run the single down the center and since then , no more scratches. I have 2000 mile on it this year, and cant wait til more snow for next year.

CMSCAT50, I don't think putting the protecters in line with the windows would help much as they are desiged for the lug to hit the protector preventing the studs from hitting and gouging the tunnel. Put your protector down the center were it will acually work.

And F6FIRECATEFI, it is ture you don't need protectors but only on the Firecats as long as you don't put studs down the center but on the X-fire you do need a tunnel protector (even Cat rocommends it) so if I were you I'd get a new dealer that knows his/her stuff.

The protector kit from Cat wasn't out when I did mine. I used two one down each side riveted from the top, works fine.

....but there are lugs over the windows also...so same as putting them in the center....and you get better protection than one skinny little protector in the center....

I think i'll get some tunnel protectors. That's all i would need to do is blow up my new sled. THANKS for the info.

Definately need tunnel protector and then some. My sled has cats protector and it stops short, it should run all the way to the front to protect the aluminum and possibly even the gas tank if your track got way too loose. I plan on extending the tunnel protector as far forward as I can this summer/fall.