If you’re after aftermarket snowmobile parts from Straightline Performance, then this article is the perfect place to start. We’ve put together a list of tips that will help you stay safe and maximise your performance on icy roads.
Why do you need them?
Ice scratchers are one of the most important aftermarket snowmobile parts you can get for your ride. They prevent ice from sticking around and slowing down your ride, resulting in improved performance.
You should be looking to get a few different types of ice scratchers, depending on where you plan on riding and what type of conditions you’re likely to face. Straight-line Performance has great tips for tackling everything from hardpack to powder snow or anything in between.
A few of our more popular scratchers include the 185-103 Tips, which are perfect for hardpack or icy conditions, as well as the Hyper Wiper Tips that are great at keeping your ride looking good and eliminating build up. These come in a variety of sizes to ensure optimum performance regardless of whether you’re riding on fresh powder or hard-packed trails.
How to find the right ice scratcher for your ride
When looking for the right tip for your snowmobile, you’ll first want to consider where and how you plan to ride. If you plan on spending most of your time out in fresh powder, then Hyper Wiper Tips might be a better option than Straightline Performance 185-103 Tips.
Regardless of whether these will work for you, there are many aftermarket snowmobile parts to help increase performance and keep ice off your ride.
What you should know before buying a new performance ice scratcher
When you’re looking at buying performance tips, there are some things that you’ll want to consider first. For example, if you plan to use your scratcher for trail grooming or maintenance work, we recommend doing some testing to find the best way to do it.
However, most people will simply lay their scratcher flat on the ground and go at it with their ride, but this can cause issues down the line if you’re not careful. You’ll want to make sure that your 185-103 Tips are working in conjunction with your sled’s slide plates or skis to ensure optimum performance for both pieces of equipment.
How to install it in less than 10 minutes!
Once you’ve got your 185-103 Tips, installing them shouldn’t take more than ten minutes. Just make sure that you have all the right tools (more on this later) before getting started and follow these steps to ensure a smooth installation process.
First, grab your Straightline Performance 185-103 Tips and mark their positions on the ground where they will be installed. Once you’ve got them in the right spot, grab your ride and use the setup as a guide for where the tips will need to go.
Once they’re laid out properly, simply take one of your 185 -103 Tips and push it into place using an air chisel or drill with a bit that is similar in size to the 185 -103 Tip. If you do not have an air chisel or drill, a regular hammer will work fine as long as you use the proper sized bit.
You should be able to get these installed in less than ten minutes with ease! Easy installation is one of the many reasons why this aftermarket part is so popular.
How to take care of your new part
Using your 185-103 Tips is one thing, but taking proper care of them is just as important. If you want to keep them in tip-top shape for a long time, then it’s recommended that you clean and dry the part after each use, followed by lubricating the moving parts with WD 40 or similar products.
While this might not seem like the most glamorous part of owning a new scratcher, it’ll make sure that your 185-103 Tips are ready to go whenever you need them.
How to save some money!
While it might seem like buying a new scratcher isn’t the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make, nobody wants to buy these little beauties every other season. Luckily, there are some ways for you to save money when purchasing your next trip.
For example, if you plan to use our 185-103 Tips for trail grooming work, buying a set of full-sized plows might be the cheapest option. These are designed to be used with multiple parts at once and can take some serious abuse without breaking down or wearing out as other smaller scratchers would.
These aren’t always necessary for a day-to-day rider, but if you’re looking for something that can handle the harshest trails, then it’s definitely worth considering.
Another way of saving money is to buy your 185 -103 Tips used or refurbished. While this might seem like a risky move to some, there are plenty of people who will sell their old scratchers after only one season with no problems at all.
How to get the most out of your performance ice scratcher
There are a number of ways that you can get more out of your 185 -103 Tips than what they’re meant for. One such example is using them as an impromptu plow when it’s snowing heavily or if there have been heavy winds, which will cause big drifts in the snow.
You’ll want to make sure that your plow isn’t too sharp; otherwise, you could damage roads or other parts of your property that might be near where you’re riding. A good way to tell if it’s a safe angle is by using an actual set of plow blades as a reference.
Of course, these are just two of many ways that you can get more out of your 185-103 Tips, so feel free to experiment with different methods if the situation calls for it.
There you have it, a few ideas on how to get the most out of your 185 -103 Tips. They might seem like simple parts at first glance, but they can actually be used for much more than their official purpose!
While these tricks aren’t guaranteed to work in all cases and should only be done by someone who knows what they’re doing, it’s a good way to have some fun during the winter months and make sure that you get your money’s worth from this part.
