Trac Master Performance Upgrades

For Trac Master ST4Bs, what is known about sensible realistic upgrades to increase performance/speed but with reliability?
Is it possible to increase speed with reliability to that of an Snow Trac ST4 or beyond?
Thanks, Marc

There are drive sprockets on the chain drive system that can be changed to increase the speed. I'm not sure how many teeth your chain drive sprockets have, but there were a couple different options.

The other option is to swap out for a more powerful engine or do an engine upgrade. Obviously the easiest thing for more power is to go to a larger hp VW engine as it will be the easiest to fit. I know of some Subaru and Toyota conversions as well.

I'm no expert on the engine swaps, I'm just reporting on what I've seen.

Behind the scene there are several ST owners here that are working on this.....

With enough engine power, 30 mph might be possible.... on hard pack level ground anyway. I don't think the tracks will be a problem, nor the variator. The final chain drive gears are the answer, the drive sprocket the most likely candidate.....Deep wet snow and climbing grades, probably not at 30 mph. If you want to go that fast get a sled...

Track masters are not going to go as fast as an ST, with equal horse power anyway. Tracks are much heavier, as well as the total weight of the machine.

Regards, Kirk

Thanks for the information. Much appreciated. If anyone has good success with simple gear ratio changes with the standard or upgraded standard power unit it would be great to hear about it and how it compares in usability with other machines. While we discuss this, what kind of snow can a Bombardier B12 handle in terms of depth and type?

There is a forum dedicated to the Bombardier B12/C18 machines its called NORTHERN TRACKS and you can find them by doing a simple google or yahoo! search. But based on videos I've seen, and my analysis of the design, the B12 type machines are not well suited for rough country use, use in mountains, off-trails, etc. These are machines well suited to high speed (30mph) cruising across frozen lakes, on semi-groomed trails, flat fields and other conditions similar. I'm not sure you'd want to take a B12/C18 out into several feet of virgin powder snow but it would be ideal for snow covered cruising logging roads or other modestly maintained paths that are snow covered.

By using 38 tooth sprockets in the engine compartment from a Snow Trac instead of the 42 tooth standard on a Snow Master or Trac Master, and installing a 1776 CC, fairly high preformance, balanced VW engine, 25 to 35 MPH speeds were achievable on fairly level and hard packed surfaces. The machine set up this way currently resides in Washington. The engine could generate around 80 HP, had no turbo or super charger. In deep snow and on long hill climbs it was unable to keep up with a similarly equipped ST4 with the standard 21" Tracks.

ithink the best solutn is to equip you snowmaster with the porsche 356 motor like they did did for antarctica the 356 is built heavyer and balanced making 90 hp in stock form and cood to 8000 rpm my self i would keep it aroud 6 k my st has the same gearing as yours which limits me to about 15 mph at 4000 rpm taller final drives will impact load and also low rpm operation where you have to creap accross rough ground abalanced vw motor will hold to gether to about 6 k also but the main bearings arn't as big as the porsch motor.