Bobsled help please

[Corinne Grant]

I bought this sled, it used to be a 2 1/2ft wide runners but it was changed to 4ft. So everything except the runners had new wood done about 4 years ago (but then never used). My question is how can I get it to turn sharper. My team broke the piece of wood that attaches the two runners together when they went to turn (I marked it with a pink arrow) I am not sure if this is a common problem, or if that piece of wood was just rotten or too thin. I was also wondering if it is possible to attach that to the top (I think its called a bolster?) instead of the part of the runner that pivots. I was thinking about cross chaining, can I do that (I know I would have to make the back set of runners pivot) I need some ideas on how to get this to turn otherwise I wont be able to use it on the annual sleigh ride as there are some sharp corners.

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[Mark Cowdrey]

Corrine,
From looking at your second photo, your sleds are very similar to mine. I am not sure which piece broke, I cannot tell from the first photo. I think from your description that it is the “reach”, the piece that connects the front bob to the rear bob and allows the front bob to drag the rear one behind it. Am I correct? If so, the connection of the front of the reach to the rear of the front bunk should be loose enough, have enough play, to allow the front bob to pivot almost 90 degrees to the sleigh before there is interference.
I will post some photos later.
Hope this helps,
Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

1. loop & staple
2. reach
3. max turning swing, about 45 degrees

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[karl t pfister]

I also have a very similar set of bobs but without a reach. I also widened them out to almost 4′. I reinforced the wood with steel angle 1/4″ X3″x3″x42″ front and back thru bolted, bascialy wraping the wood in steel . and it has held up well for now 10 years doing lots of rides with 12 + people . I do have cross chains to help turning. Good luck

[Ed Thayer]

My sled does not have a reach between the two. Would a semi slack chain work? Connected to the center of the front bob and then to the rear roll?

It seems as though there might be more room than with a stiff reach arrangement.

Ed

[Corinne Grant]

Here is the damage. I am thinking about cross chaining in order to get a tighter turning radius.

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[carl ny]

If you you are going to cross chain your bobs I would set them a little farther apart,maybe a foot. They seem to be kinda close together to me. Also, you will have to make the back bolster pivot, I know that you already know this. I like the bobs that steer both front and back, the runners follow the same path. JMHO

carl ny

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