Ok, here are the pics of the PVC I got at the local home depot or Lowes. I think it's called Garage Door Trim. It is 6.5 inches wide and just over 1/2 inch thick (tall) when laid on its back. This is recycled plastic and comes in 12 foot lengths. The cost per 12 feet is $13 each. So, I have 24 feet for $26. Beats the heck out of those other companies trying to sell us plastic for $200-$300 for a trailer. Heck they're only selling extruded plastic. Just because it's related to snowmobiling, they jack the price up. Well I hope everyone looks at these and tries them out. The mfgrs will see that we don't need their high priced stuff.

Sorry for the ramble... I think there are 5 grooves in the slides too. These things work great! I hope this helps.

and another

WOODY-YOU DA MAN.I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING CHEAP THAT I CAN PUT ON MY TRAILER DECK.LOWE'S IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM WORK.YOU'RE RIGHT-I'M NOT GIVING ANYONE $200 FOR SOME RECYCLED PLASTIC!! SWRules ;)

I used an old truck bedliner. I cut it into 2 10 foot long sheets by like a foot wide or something like that. It works awesome!!! I am sure a lot of junk yards or other shops have some junk ones laying around. I got mine free! They even have the grooves for the carbides to fall into. Works perfect!!!!

Good tips.

That plastic looks like it would work as well as my overpriced stuff.

FishHog

Sounds like a deal. I may have to try that this year. But do you think it would work with precession skiis? It looks like they would be wide enough. I guess the only way is to try it. Thanks for the idea. SWRules

Good job Woody!

Duketter, I also use bedliners. You can find them for free w/out looking too hard. Dealers or aftermarket shops always get a few in a shipment that are warped or cracked, and they throw them away. The only bad thing I've found w/these strips, is that after a couple years they tend to expand and create a roller coaster effect...not a big deal though since one bedliner provides enough material to do a couple trailers.

Right on Woody I,ve been looking for something like this, I like the bed liner idea too guess I,ll start looking aroud.
thanks, Todd

Great idea, its always burned my butt paying too much for guides.
I've got a name for your new product "econo guides", bet they would sell like hot cakes.
:D
Rick.

i think i like that better than the boxliner trick because it is long enough. i have a brand new boxliner given to me but it is 8 feet long and my trailer is 10 feet long so i was wondering how i am going to make it right without it looking like crap.

If you mitre the ends Paul, and butt the ends together, it shouldn't look bad.

Heck, I'd sell them online, but I bet the shipping would be outrageous. Not to mention, they're right around the corner from everyone.

I hope everyone enjoys this post.

You may have to cut them down or take a router to them for dual runners but it's a hellva lot cheaper then whta we've been being charged. Right onn man,great post and pics. Most people only use guids for one ski any ways also unless your trying to keep them off the deck completely.
Caleb

Paul, I butt the ends together and they're all screwed down real good...
cant' even tell it's not all one piece.

Caleb, I have the bedliner strips down for the outside skis, and a large strip of galvanized steel down the center of the trailer, since I'm never sure who's sled might be on my trailer w/mine. But I think I will replace it w/the bedliner strips this year...looks a lot better than the steel.

Fishie, does Home Depot carry the stuff in Canada?

Yeah, you guys should be able o find that stuff at any large home store. I've seen it and thought the same thing, but it is a little thick. You might want to take a grinder to the end to taper it.

I discussed this last year after I cut a truck bed liner into 8" strips and screwed it down. As for the length, Paul, I actually used a 6' bed liner and started it at the back of the trailer. I works better because when you have the most friction when pulling on is when the skis first hit the trailer and the track isn't up on it yet. Then when it is totally on, the skis sit on the wook and I like the friction because it helps hold the sled in place when it is strapped down and I am towing. Then when you pull it off, you tilt the bed and the sleds stay in place until you give it a little tug to overcome that first few feet, and it slides right off.

It works great. The grooves are deep engough for the carbides to not touch at all and the plastic on plastic slides like ice.

I just use a trailer with a wooden floor. No mess, no fuss. :D

I have a wooden bottom on my trailer too and it was a pain in the *ss getting it off. Now I just tilt the trailer back and wallaaaa, the sled comes right off and loading it is easier than ever too! The carbides always seemed to groove into the wood on my trailer and I needed two people to put it on the trailer if I didn't get a run and drive it on.

Also remember if you do use a bed liner or whatever, leave a couple inches hanging off the trailer. That way when you tilt the bed those are a little lower the the edge of the trailer and your skis hit that first and go right up. Does this make sense. I also had to cut a bedliner to make it fit my trailer and you can't even tell it is two pieces, maybe up close if you look but not from like 10 feet away.

It is awesome.....they work great and now it is a one man job! :D

Originally posted by duketter@Oct 23 2002, 03:33 PM
I have a wooden bottom on my trailer too and it was a pain in the *ss getting it off. Now I just tilt the trailer back and wallaaaa, the sled comes right off and loading it is easier than ever too!
Dan, I think you better start the French lessons :D I know what he means, but don't how to spell it correctly. :withstupid:

Duke, you're right about leaving some hang over. Actually, I have one foot hangin over that way the slides are flat on the ground making it easier to get the sled started on them, compared to starting them out on dirt, then immediately going up the ramp (tilted trailer bed). I'm sure the truck bed works fine too, this is just one piece and may be more useful when puting in a 4 place trailer. Enjoy!

I used what is called a repro liner. It's a sort of plastic used in dump trailer beds. Indestructable.

Ok, so just take out that useless bedliner that came with your pickup and cut it up. Should be good for a couple trailors.
Now that you dont have that moisture holding, slippery hunk of junk in the back of your truck you need to put a rubber mat down, this keeps everything in place and rolls up quickly for a quick clean out once and a while. Yes, the rubber mat cost more than the strips but dont you get tired of everything slaming into the back of the cab?

Originally posted by Mikadoo@Oct 23 2002, 04:06 PM
Ok, so just take out that useless bedliner that came with your pickup and cut it up. Should be good for a couple trailors.
Now that you dont have that moisture holding, slippery hunk of junk in the back of your truck you need to put a rubber mat down, this keeps everything in place and rolls up quickly for a quick clean out once and a while. Yes, the rubber mat cost more than the strips but dont you get tired of everything slaming into the back of the cab?
Does someone hate duraliners? :) :D :p

Originally posted by Jim85IROC@Oct 23 2002, 02:34 PM
I just use a trailer with a wooden floor. No mess, no fuss. :D
jim,
but it is so nice to tip the trailer and the sleds roll right off with no slugging when the plastic ski guides are on the trailer.

I hate them more, slippery pieces of .... well you know.

Why is that ZR?

that stuff looks good. I'm going to check Home depot this weekend. I had a bed liner cut up on my old 4-place, worked very well. this stuff looks a little more durable. thanks for the great idea. :p

hey rev it's voila these are some darn tootin good ideas man :D

Formulaman, thanks for the french lesson :D :withstupid:

The garage door boards do work I used them in my trailer last winter. They are not quite
as slipy as the bedliner, or the regular stuff but they held up well. You still need a rubber
mat for the track to rest on I use discarded conveyor belt.
I had posted using the garage door boards last year. I guess after so long cory deletes the
older posts. Thanks for bringing it up again. :)

Sorry Linda, I never visited this board last year, so newbies like myself didn't know you posted on this topic. Did you have photos as well?

Its all good.

No Problem :D as long as we get the message out. and no I did not post pics.
do not have a camera to do that.

well i took your advice and went to lowes yesterday--bought em-put em on and $80 latter and 2 hours of installation-it's a done deal.took pics(good at that)--will post latter(not good at that).what a slick deal!!no pun intended(?) ;)

The only problem is when you use bigger than 4" carbides as the host bar is wider on the 6" and up, causing the bars to drag in the grooves of that stuff, I know because I tried it 2 years ago. If you throw snow on them it helps and maybe after a while you'll widen the grooves out.. ???

I am posting these for Boss Hoss

Here is the other

so-what do you think gang??i thought i did pretty well for $80.again-my thanks to lady k for the posting of the pics. :inlove:

Looks great boss hoss. Would never know it was garage trim.haha So have you loaded/unloaded the sleds with it installed yet? How did it work for you?

not yet-i'll be getting out the big pantera next week and we'll give her a try.....................then the trailer goes to muskegon,mich to get a hard cover put on top. ;) SWRules

:D your pantera will load the same as my panther jumps right up on the trailer like a eager beagle
ready to go hunting (snow that is )
:p
Is that an 8' or 8'6' trailer? I did not put my boards all the way to the outside of the trailer, because of
the skis rubbing the side of the top.

Thanks for the advice gang, just bought a new trailer. You saved me lots of $$$. Slides cost me $84.00. Got a junk track from a local dealer (FREE) and plurged and bought Stainless steel mounting hardware ($28.00) Should last me a long time.
Thanks again!!

I also sanded down the edges with a belt sander..worked slick..

If you look at the swap meets you can find vendors with the slides cheep. I bought two sets of the PowerMadd slides for $30 each and they came with the traction bars and stainless steel hardware at Haydays two years ago. I couldn't make it out this year because of rotator cuff surgery. If you can't find a deal like I did at Haydays, I would definitely look at those garage door trim pieces. That was a great idea, keep'em coming.

hey i was just at home depot, they where selling 10ft, for $16.00 i was just wondering if this seems right. i am going to check at meanards tomorow.

yep-i paid $16 for 10 foot...got mine at lowe's.it's a slick deal.looks like iron dog put some tint in his deck treat-just like i did.nice job dog. ;)

Ok guys I went to my local lowes and they did not have it if any one can get me a part number so I can have them order it or call around and see who has it thanks

Go to a junk yard and get an old plastic bedliner from a truck......