Reverse-Compatible Ice Scratcher Retrofit

There are still a bunch of us that are using the traditional coil-spring ice scratchers, you know, the long ones down on the suspension rails that we unhook from the rails and drop down onto the snow. The coil spring design provides great tension and we get a great spray of ice and snow into both the wear strips (Hyfax) but also for cooling the heat exchangers.

Problem is, our good old wire ice scratchers are non-reversible, in that if we should drive the sled in reverse without first lifting the scratchers back up onto the rails, we pretty much tweak the scratchers and wreck them. That sucks.

So when we saw this crazy cool solution to this problem, we were stoked. OK, we get excited pretty easy when it comes to cool sled parts, but this is a great idea! This is a piece that mounts to the tip of your ice scratcher, called a “Duratip” Reverse Compatible Retrofit. The unique triangular shape allows the scratcher to ramp-out of the snow when the sled is put into reverse. One quick look at the design should be all it takes to understand how it works. Pretty dang cool, huh?

Mounting these will greatly reduce (but not totally eliminate) the damage or breakage of our non-reversible wire ice scratchers when left down in reverse. They attach in seconds with a single mounting bolt, and retain the hook-over-rail storage of the ice scratchers. The carbide tip insert increases the durability of the scratcher compared to the original steel wire, and actually increases the amount of ice spray.

These cool little pieces are sold in pairs for $47.95, available from Starting Line Products at www.startingline products.com or by calling
208-529-0244.