# Snowdog thoughts **URL:** \ **Category:** Utah Fishing General\ **Created:** [January 3, 2021, 8:22pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472 "2021-01-03T20:22:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dubob](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/dubob/32/53733_2.png) [@dubob](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/dubob)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472/21 "2021-01-05T14:37:35Z")
I haven’t studded my track - YET!  Don’t really need it on snow and most of the ice has a little on it right now.  But I do plan to stud the track soon.  So for those who have already done so or have put it on your to-do list, what are you using for studs and where did you buy them?  Also, have you found any videos showing the installation of the studs on the track? ---
**Author:** ![6x7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/c77e96/32.png) [@6x7](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/6x7)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2021, 3:26pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472/22 "2021-01-05T15:26:48Z")
Kold Kutters.  Smallest size, and if you look at the track, there are round tread spots on each row.  Theses round parts are made for the installation of your chosen stud.  I didn’t put one in every round spot, but settled on a consistent pattern as I worked along the track.  It’s easy. ---
**Author:** ![r2u2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@r2u2](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/r2u2)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2021, 4:03am UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472/23 "2021-01-06T04:03:04Z")
> _‘dubob’ pid=‘1110244’ dateline=‘1609857455’ wrote:_ I haven’t studded my track - YET!  Don’t really need it on snow and most of the ice has a little on it right now.  But I do plan to stud the track soon.  So for those who have already done so or have put it on your to-do list, what are you using for studs and where did you buy them?  Also, have you found any videos showing the installation of the studs on the track? Bob, Amazon has a good assortment of KoldKutters. I bought a package of 250 and it was plenty. I placed them; three in a row then two, alternating. Easy to do, just use a cordless drill with appropriate socket. Avoid over tightening. To accomplish the task I secured my ramp to my work bench and drove the Dog up and rolled it on its side exposing the track. Don’t take too long either. rj ---
**Author:** ![BertDawg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BertDawg](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/BertDawg)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472/24 "2021-01-09T18:57:17Z")
I purchased the 5/8" kold kutters on ebay. They only had the 1/2" on Amazon. They were also a bit cheaper on eBay. ---
**Author:** ![BertDawg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BertDawg](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/BertDawg)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 9:04pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472/25 "2021-01-09T21:04:17Z")
I purchased this “gun rack” and it has worked well to hold my nils on a clam plate. I liked the offset and the u-bolt mount was alot more streamlined than the kolpin mounting plate. I haven’t tried mounting it on the snowdog. I mounted it on my “dog sled” the offset holds the auger out a little bit so access to the stuff in the sled is easier. All Rite Products Graspur Single… [Amazon.com: Graspur Single ATV Gun & Bow Rack - Model ATV1 : Automotive](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002MFJ20?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) ---
**Author:** ![dubob](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/dubob/32/53733_2.png) [@dubob](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/dubob)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472/26 "2021-01-10T15:50:06Z")
> _‘BertDawg’ pid=‘1110472’ dateline=‘1610218637’ wrote:_ I purchased the 5/8" kold kutters on ebay. They only had the 1/2" on Amazon. They were also a bit cheaper on eBay. Since the #8 doesn’t come in 5/8" and the #10 does, I would assume you have the #10 screws.  Watching the Kold Kutter video on installation in a snowmobile track, they recommend pre-drilling the holes with a 1/8" drill bit and coating all the crews with WD40 for easier installation.  Did you follow those recommendations for installation? Have you checked to see if any of the studs have backed out of the track since you installed them?  The #10 kutters also come in 3/4" & 7/8" lengths which would probably be even less likely to back out.  Just brainstorming here.   😉 * * * > _‘6x7’ pid=‘1110213’ dateline=‘1609805818’ wrote:_ I went to a powersports dealer (Young Powersports in Layton) and bought the same carbide runners that go on snowmobile skis.  Little pricey but once installed on each back corner of the sled, it was well worth it. There’s cheaper options, but these were much easier/quicker to install.  Huge improvement on the ice along with the studded track on the sled. Any chance of seeing a picture of the runners in place (installed)?  I’m having a hard time visualizing how/where they were installed.  Also, can you explain how they improved the performance?  Easier to steer on ice, tracks better on ice, ??? ---
**Author:** ![6x7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/c77e96/32.png) [@6x7](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/6x7)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2021, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472/27 "2021-01-10T16:38:18Z")
Yes, it tracks much better behind the dog.  I spend a lot of time on the Gorge.  With the glare ice you experience there, your sled fish tails.  With the runners on the back corners of the sled, it tracks perfectly.  I’ve never uploaded a pic on this site, but I will snap some pics and see what I can do. ---
**Author:** ![dubob](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/dubob/32/53733_2.png) [@dubob](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/dubob)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472/28 "2021-12-19T14:15:35Z")
> [@6x7](#): > > Yes, it tracks much better behind the dog. I spend a lot of time on the Gorge. With the glare ice you experience there, your sled fish tails. With the runners on the back corners of the sled, it tracks perfectly. I’ve never uploaded a pic on this site, but I will snap some pics and see what I can do. > > Still waiting for those pictures 6x7. 😃 > > Last summer, I ordered some ice studs for my Snowdog’s track. The company I bought the studs from is: [Kold Kutter Traction Products.](https://www.koldkutter.com/) The studs I bought are the [Kold Kutter AMA 8-18 X 1/2" pk250.](https://www.koldkutter.com/product-page/kold-kutter-ama-8-18-x-1-2-pk250) They were the size the Kold Kutter tech recommended for the track based on the paddle size used on it. While the Kold Kutter installation video recommended spraying the studs with WD-40 and pre-drilling the holes, I ended up not doing either. Since there were plenty of studs (250) in the pack, I installed one in each round post found in the actual paddles - 4 in one row, 3 in the next row, repeat. > > ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/2X/3/3e88c0ba3fe30a48a2052897c64cbb41f98e2918.png)]([KK012 8 250 mv2 — Postimages](https://postimg.cc/94ZPZq6p)) [![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/2X/c/cdb29a6a24577225ffcde7a0a18ba8db0e0379fb.png)](https://postimg.cc/NKykGnbZ)[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/2X/4/45526b4b1b36945bcb4915c75119f91913e47bd0.png)](https://postimg.cc/ygKmP8Bz) > > First step was to hoist the dog up on a table I use for cutting plywood sheets. I put 2 pieces of water pipe through the frame and put jack stands under the pipe ends. This isolated the track so I could turn it by hand using the belt pully under the machine cover. It also made it easy to sit and screw the studs into the track. Here’s what it looked like. > > ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/2X/f/fd89e9a672e0ff392fd94121a8e9fc7cadcab117.jpeg)]([IMG 20211212 140605 1 — Postimages](https://postimg.cc/Y4HLcDP6)) > > If you look closely at the picture below, you can see some of the studs and which round posts they are screwed into. I only put the studs in the round columns that were part of a paddle. > > ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/2X/1/1000fa3c5e07bec30c6d4df020a72c6f535e0df2.jpeg)]([IMG 20211212 140624 1 — Postimages](https://postimg.cc/nXVNdnFB)) [![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/2X/5/595cf142ec7b70090317070375d2eff0f3fc8d4b.jpeg)](https://postimg.cc/RqHRzys8) > > The whole job took me about 2 1/2 hours to complete. This should make the dog much more stable on bare ice and give me traction on boat launch ramps that are snow packed and slick and in slush. > > Come on ice. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dubob](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/dubob/32/53733_2.png) [@dubob](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/dubob)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2021, 8:22pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472/29 "2021-01-03T20:22:42Z")
I took possession of my Snowdog on Dec 19, 2020. I doctored up the enclosed trailer with some E-Track strips for tie downs and loaded all me gear up. First trip with the Dog is now history. I took it to Smith & Morehouse the Wednesday before New Years day. It pulled me (235), my Clam Nanook XL Thermal, and all my ice gear. The steering is a learning curve for sure - not nearly as easy as steering a quad or snowmobile. I had a chance to run some slush on the way out and back and did not get bogged down in it. Burley wasn’t so lucky with his machine on that day. The story is that he did get stopped but was able to maneuver out of it by getting it back on top of the snow and walking beside it for a short bit. I’ll have to remember that just in case. One of the things that became abundantly clear almost immediately was that the stand-in sled that you haul yourself in is very slick (slippery) when covered with snow dust. After thinking about this for a short bit, I decided that a rubber mat of some sort should be found and placed on the inside floor of that sled. I measured the bottom width and length inside the sled and came up with a 20" X 3’ dimension requirement. Lowes was my first stop and low and behold I found exactly what I was looking for in their flooring department on the door mat rack. It is an all rubber mat made for indoor/outdoor mat that is 2’ X 3’ size for $20. ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/3X/f/9/f98dea470c03444a049fbeda06ed4810e15e2171.jpeg)]([Mat 4 sled — Postimages](https://postimg.cc/dZtCc5tP)) Placed it in the sled and the long edge (3’) rolls up the sides a tad on both sides. Ill try it this way for a trip or two and see how much, if any, it moves during use. If it tends to move, I can always trim it to the exact width of 20". My military style micky mouse boots should hold without slipping on the rubber surface with all the little nubbins built into the surface intended to act like scrapers. My next mod will be some Kolpin single gun racks to hold the K-Drill auger. On order from Amazon; be here Tuesday. ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/3X/5/b/5b65b4ba7d909234da1d39b0415bd770bb9e7f85.png) Next trip should be to Hyrum next week Wednesday now that it has finally capped with enough ice to make machine travel safe. Reports are 5" ice and growing. [Previous page](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/snowdog-thoughts/456472.md?page=1)