After some research im a little confused as to what you need to stud your sled. Obviously you need the studs. But do you have to have backer plates and the nuts? Or do you have to have one or the other? And do you have to use the special drill bit for drilling tracks? One last question, if i have a lug height of 3/4", do i buy .875" studs? Im interested in studding my track just pretty confused as to what i need, and im still debating whether to do it or not because i have sucj a small track.

After some research im a little confused as to what you need to stud your sled. Obviously you need the studs. But do you have to have backer plates and the nuts? Or do you have to have one or the other? And do you have to use the special drill bit for drilling tracks? One last question, if i have a lug height of 3/4", do i buy .875" studs? Im interested in studding my track just pretty confused as to what i need, and im still debating whether to do it or not because i have sucj a small track.[/b]
Yes the .875 studs go with 3/4" track, yes you need backer plates, No nuts usually come with the studs, and I would say with your power and the track size that the 45 stud pattern would be plenty enough for your sled. A track cutter is the best way to cut a hole the correct size through the track. Ask around before you buy one though, I bought one and found out after the fact that three people I knew already had a track cutter. Oh well.

ok, so no need for nuts? oh yeah, stupid question, the backer plate goes on the "back" of the track? Not on the side with the lugs?

Drill a hole in the track with the track cutter, push the stud in from the inside, install the backer (lug side) & the nut. I torque the nuts so the studs pull into the track properly & they are all even. I can't remember the torque spec but I will find & post it for you. :D

A good site for recommondations is woody's website.
www.wiem.com

so you have to have the nut and backer plate? Also, why can you use just a regular ol' drill bit?

so you have to have the nut and backer plate? Also, why can you use just a regular ol' drill bit?[/b]
The track cutter is a hollow drill bit that actually removes the prefect sized piece of material from the track. A regular drill bit would just bore a hole through that would kind of close back up.

A track template is usually a help as well. We got a plastic one and a track cutter pretty cheap from shadetree and have since studded 3 tracks with them. The template will make sure your pattern is even and will assure a good scratch line pattern. (i.e. if you put all of the studs in a line, they would all scratch the same place on the ground. By stagering them, they all scratch a different line in the ground.) Do not overtorque the nuts on the studs!

Tip: dip the track drill in dish soap each time to ease drilling.

every stud you buy comes with the nut, so 45 studs come with 45 nuts in with the stud price, the backers are a seperate cost, usually 45-60 cents each. the template is a cheap investment, around 5 bucks, and the cutter is around 10 bucks. there 2 sized cutters for the 2 different sized studs available.

Your sled really only needs 72 or less studs. You also don't need the 5/16" or 8mm thread save a few bucks and go with the smaller diam studs.
It sounds like you already have answered your own questions regarding the layout of studs etc.
However, I attached a rudimentary view of a track and studs for reference.

The studs should be torqued to 15 foot/lbs.
I would suggest you install 2 studs every other pitch.
Also check the clearance to the top of your tunnel.
Although you have a fan cooled sled, it's still wise to protect the top of the tunnel from getting shredded. You should install tunnel protectors made for fan cooled sleds. They're plastic strips you rivet to the top of the tunnel.

Jeff

So heres what ive come up with. Ill need to buy a track cutter, im going to buy 48 studs, w/ 48 square backers, size: 5/16 round by 7mm long, and the place im buying them from you also have to buy the nuts seperate.

I came up with my own template, if it is bad or you see a potential problem let me know.

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p168/noname11445/trackstuds.jpg

That's a good start but the 3 you show down the middle, are too close to the middle. There isn't enough support under that part of the track. You'll want to move them closer to riding under the sliders for support. The rest of them look good as far as side to side placement. You should count up the number of bars (sections) you have. Then work out a more even spread of the studs. I'm concerned about the uneven spacing you have around the track where you skip 1 bar/section and later skip 2. That could result to uneven centrifugal loading around the circumference of the track.
Not sure if I'm explaining this well enough.

Jeff

well, there are 58 sections, dont worry, ive already counted them. But i understand what your saying. That is like the only other pattern to use that used all 48 studs. Ill work with some more patterns in a little bit. In case you guys are wondering how i made that. Just go into excell, (first count the # of track sections you have), make the first column width 3.50, the second 12, and the last 3.50, than highlight the 3 colums, all the way down till 58 (or however many track sections you have) and fill it in with grid lines. Than copy and paste it into paint. Then use the paintbrush to make dots wich represent studs.

Here is the other pattern i came up with. Ill include more track this time, i think this one would still have the same problem with the on in the middle but i dont know

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p168/noname11445/trackstuds2.jpg

The last one i have before i run out of ideas

this one only uses 34

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p168/noname11445/trackstuds3.jpg

The last one i have before i run out of ideas

this one only uses 34

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p168/noname11445/trackstuds3.jpg[/b]
You should staggar them. You look like you are only going to have 4 scratch lines. Install one row of studs then the next row move them in about a 1/4 inch. do that about 5-6times then start over again. This will give you better traction.

ok, im really pondering this now. I will most likely be tacking this sled on ice, and with the poor track it has its almost a neccessity to have studs. So another thing ive been thinking about is which backer plates to use? Square or round?

I looked back in the post in case someone already answered this question, i said i was going to buy square, but round seem to be cheaper.

oh yeah, ill have to come up with another template because i have less track sections.

i heard round were better cause the square ones corners can bend easily? thats why i bought round, and they just really looked better cause you dont have to put them all at the same angle.