[woodynh]

All good respones and information. I just want to add a couple more points because I have learned the hard way over the last few years and torn studs through tracks too many times.

1. If you are purely studding for trail use then use the shortest possible stud no more then 1/4" higher then the lug height. Two reasons for this. If you are trail riding you don't need that much penetration and if you get them too long they will bend and pull through the track. Also as I said the longer they are the more penetration into things like stumps in low snow conditions and when you throttle it the stud will hold and pull through the track.

2. With the deeper lug track of today like 1.25" the studs are longer and bend easier in the track and pull through the track. They now make nuts that extend taller in the track to prevent the bending of the rubber and more likely will bend the stud. Use the extended nuts for tracks with 1" and deeper lugs.

3. Already mentioned a couple times don't stud the outside belts and if you use a template do not use the very end holes near the outside of the middle of the track. They are most likely to pull through the track because there is little support on the track in that area.

4. Last don't over stud your track. As mentioned the new tracks have great traction compared to old tracks. Many people and companies will provide information saying more is better or you need this many for a certain horsepower. I usally only put in 96 studs on my trail sleds. I have never had a need for more for trail use.

I have run 10,000's of miles on under 1" tracks and never had a stud pull through. Then in the late 1990's and early 2000's I started using longer and more studs. Then I was not having a track last more then 2 or 3 years before it was junk from all the pull throughs. The last couple sleds I have done as mentioned above and have thousands of miles with no studs pulled through the track.