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WORST SNOWCAT STUCK! post your worst snowcat stuck pics here!

Snowcat Operations

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Well guys and gals Thursday saw me doing one dumbass move! I cut a corner to close on a turn and broke off the outer road edge or false edge. Two days before we had real cold weather and I took the exact same line. Two days later and 800 pounds of batteries heavier and about 30 degrees warmer I took the same line around the corner. This time my outside track slid off and I found myself almost 70 degrees sideways. 1 hour 43 minutes later we finally extracated the cat. I pulled one 9" tree over, mangled my new wire winch rope, and spent an hour shuveling snow. The cat was so sideway it wouldnt even start. Realizing I needed my engine running to keep the breaker from popping on the winch power line I decided to just dig out the uphill track to get her somewhat more level. The plan worked and 5 minutes after that we were back on the road. What a nasty hole that was! Lessoned learned and I hope someone can avoid the dumb mistake I made.

#1 snow changes day to day.
#2 loads change everything day to day
#3 stay away from the edge

Pics will come after I reduce there size.

Dont be to proud. Post picture of your worst stucks!
 

Snowcat Operations

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Pics
 

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Snowcat Operations

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I actually pulled over a 9" diameter tree after several times winching. The winch would trip the breaker everytime a real load was put on it. After I was able to restart the engine I used the winch cable to keep me from sliding sideways (if it wanted to). But the cat just climbed right out of the hole.
 

Snowcat Operations

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Also I have heard discussion on here before about what size winch. I had a 9,000 lbs rated winch and it bogged down several times (needed a dual set up and or engine running). Some people have said a simple 2,500 lbs rated ATV winch would work fine. NOPE! My cat weighed in at 4400 lbs that day. An ATV winch would have simply burned up. Not have worked and would leave you stranded when a real winch would have gotten you out. A simple equation to go buy when picking a winch is twice the max loaded weight plus 20%. That should be enough winch. Also make sure you have enough battery power. I am running a single Odyssey battery which never let me down that day (always had alot of juice but two would have been better for sure). I also had 8 more batteries for the site in the back If I needed more juice. A nice dual battery set up and a nice warn winch would be a great set up! Also go with the new nylon??? winch ropes. They weigh less. Are about twice as strong for same size diameter cable and wont cut you in halk if you do happen to break one.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Never got my Snow Trac stuck. But my New Holland is stuck out back right now. :smileywac

I drove it down the hill with some pallets in the front bucket that I needed down in the valley area and the farther down the hill I got the deeper it started to sink in to the mud. I've got it "unstuck" for now, but I can't move it anywhere. If I drive forward the ground is too soft. If I reverse it is too soft. So I'm stranded on a small hump of ground and that tractor will remain parked there for a few days hoping for NO MORE RAIN.
 

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pixie

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Thanks for the pics and write up SnowOps !

I have the Amsteel Blue fiber lines on all my winches. If they are good enough for tugboats, they are good enough for me :thumb: They are much easier to handle.

None of the 4-5 ATV winches I've had have lasted more than 6 months on my ATV. The current winch has the Amsteel Blue but the freespool has broken :bonk:
 

Snowcat Operations

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Bob now is the perfect time to pull your snow trac out and pull the tractor home. Then go back and run over all those ruts with your tracks! They will clean up nicely. We got one of our big trucks stuck and I had to winch it out. After it was out I then unloaded my cat and ran over the ruts. 95% cleaned up!:thumb:






Never got my Snow Trac stuck. But my New Holland is stuck out back right now. :smileywac

I drove it down the hill with some pallets in the front bucket that I needed down in the valley area and the farther down the hill I got the deeper it started to sink in to the mud. I've got it "unstuck" for now, but I can't move it anywhere. If I drive forward the ground is too soft. If I reverse it is too soft. So I'm stranded on a small hump of ground and that tractor will remain parked there for a few days hoping for NO MORE RAIN.
 

couchloafer

Member
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This was from a few weeks ago. Wasnt me but it was fun watching them cut a new road to it with a 2100......
 

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79bombi

Member
Site Supporter
I actually pulled over a 9" diameter tree after several times winching. The winch would trip the breaker everytime a real load was put on it. After I was able to restart the engine I used the winch cable to keep me from sliding sideways (if it wanted to). But the cat just climbed right out of the hole.

Did you have a snatch block?

79bombi
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Early on in this 'thread' I was tempted to point out that this probably wouldn't have happened with a Trac Master, but now I see that that is what has come to the rescue. Maybe there's something to those Herring Bone grousers unique to Snow Master's after all!
 

dmeisner

New member
Actually, I attribute the fact that the snow master did not go through the snow bridge to the clearly superior operator. The super imp operator was reaching for a drink, I mean his phone. Snow ops knows him and I am sure understands. We can't blame the machine.
 

dansvan

Member
Just a note on your winch selection. You will only get the full 9k rated pull when on the very last wrap of cable on the drum. Pulling power diminishes quickly as the layers are built up. Solution? use a farther away anchor or a snatch block to double up. Of course the snatch block when used to double line pull will double the power of your winch. Or it can be used to redirect to a suitable anchor. Always use a cable dampening device on a loaded winch cable. Coat, floormat, something.

Winch rope is the only way to go. Stronger, lighter, kink resistant, etc. Only issue is abrasion resistance. That can be overcome.
 

Mainer

Boggie likes our museum
SUPER Site Supporter
Snowcat Operations knows alot about taking care, cautious activities, and how to be thoughtful whenever he's playing around in the 'snow'. There was some note earlier in another BobP post about SnoOps knowing alot about back doors... I think he was having design discussions on back doors... so he may know if it would be an adviseable approach to come out the back door really fast. ??? I don't know as I prefer the top hatch myself (601 style of course).
 

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
Snowcat Operations knows alot about taking care, cautious activities, and how to be thoughtful whenever he's playing around in the 'snow'. There was some note earlier in another BobP post about SnoOps knowing alot about back doors... I think he was having design discussions on back doors... so he may know if it would be an adviseable approach to come out the back door really fast. ??? I don't know as I prefer the top hatch myself (601 style of course).


I perfer the front entry method myself. BUT in the case above I believe something would have exited my backdoor before I was able to evacuate that cat!:yum:

Bob seems to have a back door fetish! To each his own I guess.:puke1:
 

dkmclean

New member
The Yellow Sub.
Another back door EXIT.
This happened last winter at about 9pm one evening.We tried to pull it out that nite ,but did'nt have enough rigging.Had to leave it over nite.
 

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Snowcat Operations

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What a nice Track Master! Sorry she got an unexpected bath though. Was everything in working order after all the fluids were changed? Have any more pictures of her?
 

dkmclean

New member
We pushed and pulled the dead cat for 3miles to a warm garage.How much do these things weigh. The dash got wet so after the fluid change and a test drive it was left out side at -20 over nite.
Lots of trouble with key switch,gauges and electrical.
 

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dkmclean

New member
Don't know.Not my toy.
Darryl stripped it down last summer. Dropped in a 302 v8 with a c6 auto. It still needs rear diff and spockets.
 
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