First off tunnel protectors for the ripsaw have to be tall. The reason?? Well the ripsaw doesn't have solid lugs, it has soft teeth. When those soft teeth hit tunnel protectors they get smashed. So therefore we need a much taller protector with this sled than we needed with a sled with normal lugs that the protectors couldn't smash as much. The teeth in the ripsaw are about 3/8" tall. After that it's solid rubber. That means if we are running 1.325 studs with say just under 3/8" penetration we can still have studs hitting the tunnel with CAT 3/4" protectors. That's why guys with 1.450 studs are still getting contact. IMO you have to have 1" tall protectors even with the 1.325 studs.
Then there's the cat exchanger protector. It's too short IMO. I don't have a good solution for this. The center of the track besides having those very soft teeth that will smash also only has those teeth every 3rd lug. That makes it even easier to smash them and gouge up that rear exchanger. I'm just hoping the fact that mines a sno pro and I don't piss pound my stuff that I'll be safe. May need a taller set of rubber bottoming bumpers on my slide rails just to be safe?? There is NOT much clearance at all when bottomed.
So for protectors I have 3. The cat one that goes in the slot and one 1" tall protector over each row of windows.
So for studding I'm doint the outside belts. I HATE my firecat with only the inner belt. Once again I don't piss pound my stuff and spin on assfault and rocks so I don't tear / bend studs...ever. As long as we stay on the inner 1.25" of the belt we CANNOT hit the corner exchangers. There is one catch. We need to modify the little aluminum protector that goes over the rubber hose toward the rear exchanger. I'm just cutting mine and flipping them upside down. That way they still cover the hose 100%.
I'll take pictures when I get done, but this should work great. Good hooking up sled...no shredded tunnel...and hopefully no coolant punctures
