I see this subject has been brought up three times in the last month or so. I just pulled my skid out to check things over after my 430 mile trip up north, and to see what, if any, damage was done after riding a day and a half with the large rear axle nut missing. It doesn't LOOK like anything got hurt, but my track alignment somehow got WAY off and the track loosened up big time. The nut is there for a reason... keep an eye on it and check it often.
Anyway, after a very close inspection of the skid and track, I'm pretty sure what is most likely making the track noises people are hearing. If it's NOT the track clips hitting the front of the rails -- and I don't think that's it -- then what I think it is, is the inside of the track hitting against the "track slap guides" that are welded near the top of the front torque arm shafts. It looks like -- and we confirmed this -- that the track not only slaps on these things, but is most likely always riding on them, as if they were idler wheels!!! After only 600 miles on my std F7, those guides are already worn down about 1/16". On MOST sleds, when the track is being driven/pulled by the drive sprockets, I believe the track is usually taut and pulled up and away from the guides, but on the Fire Cats, it looks like the track rides right on these things. This would most certainly cause the track noise, especially any described howling, that people are hearing. Is this a bad thing... I dunno', but I'm for sure going to be keeping an eye on those guides, and the integrity of my outter track belts. -- Roy