Scorpion Track Installation
Time for the track install. Due to the age of the original track and condition of the original track, I wanted to replace it.
The original tracks were rubber with external drivers. These are very hard to come by, and my understanding is that if you did find one, they would not last long if you actually drive it.
So the option is for a newer Whip style track that are more common. These are an internal drive track however.
I was told it was basically just a bolt in change. Change the drivers, relocate the rear holes about an inch. Sounds easy.
Not in my case!
This is what I have found. Scorpion has made different width drivers, so the bogie supports need to match the track for width or the bogie wheels will hit the internal drivers.
Not good.
So, when I went to put the original bogie supports back in, they hit the drivers. OK, no problem, I think to myself. I have a 71 Super Stinger for parts that has this type of track, only longer. I'll use those bogie supports. Nope, they don't fit my track either, they are about a 1/2 inch different.
So the moral of the story is, find the bogies that match your track!
This would have made this installation quite easy.
So, easy is not my middle name. Here is how I ended up doing it.
Installed the drive axle and set the bearings.
These are NOS drivers and axle.
Notice the difference in the bogie supports from the 69 to the 71 setup. Please note that the 71 did not work either with this track.
This is the finished product.
The width is 13 7/16 center to center on the outside wheels.
Here is a close up of the bogie support which has been widened.
Scorpion appears to have used black pipe when they were manufactured. So, that is fairly easy to match up.
I could have welded the extension on, or replaced the whole tube, but I elected to just add it in as a spacer.
Scorpion used an aluminum bogie shaft, which I had to replace so I used a steel shaft. I feel this will more than make up for the strength. Besides this sled will not be driven extremely hard anymore. Anti-seize and grease was my best friend while assembling this.
Watch the bogie wheels that you get. The ones that I received (supposedly NOS Scorpion) had a slightly smaller inside diameter, necessitating that I take just a little metal off of the axles so the bogies would slide on properly.
If I did not have a deadline to get this done for a show, I may have elected to find a sled that the bogie supports fit this track, and found the correct bogie wheels. That is how I would recommend that it be done again, as this was a lot of messing around and took a considerable amount of time.
Note that the spring is not resting against anything due to the relocation forward of about one inch.
I had to put a brace across for this, but do not have a picture of this. The snow flap does cover this.
And the finished product.