Snowmobile Ice & Snow Scratchers

There are times when snow conditions are not perfect for snowmobiling. All liquid-cooled sleds depend on snow for hyfax lubrication and engine cooling through heat exchangers. For modern snowmobiles, hard ice and slushy surfaces covered in melting snow are equally bad. If a sufficient amount of snow is not thrown up on your sled's heat exchangers, the engine can overheat, and the hyfax (slides) can heat up and wear out prematurely due to friction between the hyfax nylon and track cleats. That's when snowmobile ice scratchers come into play.

Ice scratchers have been around for a long while and the way they work is fairly simple. Essentially, these are cable-type or wire-type devices mounted to the rail or to the ski on each side of the sled. When you're going to ride in nasty trail conditions with lack of snow or bare ice, you just need to flip them down. These scratchers will cut into the surface and drag lots of show just where you need it – onto your sled's slides and heat exchangers. This will keep your machine running cool and extend the lifespan of slides which need snow to stay lubricated.

Wire-style scratchers do an excellent job kicking snow up. They create a dense cloud of snow that easily gets into the track and onto the heat exchangers. Their flip side is that wire spring construction is not designed to bend in reverse, so when you back up with these scratchers down, they can get broken easily. Cable scratchers are a more expensive yet highly popular option. Although they do not create as finely dispersed snow cloud as their wire spring counterparts, cable-style scratchers can be used in reverse. It's entirely up to you what style to use. We offer you a range of options that are affordable and easy to install.

The majority of scratcher designs easily fold along the rail for storage, while some need to be removed when not in use and installed when you're planning on riding in scarce snow conditions. We carry snow and ice scratchers for different track lengths and lug heights. Thanks to special mounting systems, they eliminate rail wear. Their durable steel construction ensures these scratchers will do their job mile after mile, season after season. We also have replacement carbide tips for ice scratchers, so if you happen to drag your scratchers too deep and have them abraded, you can just swap the tips only.

Snowmobile ice scratchers were originated by mountain riders who use long-track machines where there are hard-to-reach areas for the snow to fly up into. Today, these snow-throwing devices are must-have pieces of gear in every snowmobiler's arsenal. Keep your snowmobile cool and prevent the hyfax from being stuck to the track with our snow & ice scratchers. Here you'll find a pair of scratchers that will work best for your needs while featuring a virtually indestructible construction with optimal down pressure to dig into the snow with ease.