Any special plans for summer? Consider an Alpine Slide! Instead of going down the side of a mountain on skis, this time go down on a specially designed sled that races along a fiberglass track. Leter rip for thrills at top speeds or ease on back for a gen
Hydro’s Ellenville, New York facility provides six extruded aluminum parts for the popular Augie Sled, manufactured by Alpine Slide LLC in Vermont. One component is the all-important speed control housing (see above).
This unit is filled with hydraulic oil with an axle going through the middle. As the sled goes down the mountain, the internal fins cause turbulence and friction to slow the rotation of the axle and control the speed of the sled, acting as a regulator.
The design and number of fins are critical. Too few and the sled will go too fast; too many and there is no thrill. The rider uses the control stick to engage the brake while the regulator restricts maximum speeds to safe levels.
