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Snowcats on Trailers ~ Safety Questions?

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I'm sort of curious about some TRAILERING safety tips from some of you guys who are more experienced than I am with regard to snowcats.

My snowcat is pretty narrow so I have a trailer bed that is set low between the wheels of my trailer. I use grade 70 chain and chain binders to fasten my Snow Trac to the trailer.

But I know that a lot of snowcats are too wide for a trailer like mine and have to be hauled on car haulers or similar trailer that do not have side rails. Most snowcats have some sort of cleat that can retain snow/ice.

I'm wondering how do you keep the snowcats from sliding laterally off a trailer when the tracks are full of snow/ice :confused2:

What techniques do you guys use to fasten your snowcats to the trailer? How about some trailer photos?

My trailer is pictured below, I had it built by my neighbor's machine shop to my specs and it is about 100" wide at its widest point, uses torsion suspension axles that allowed me to keep the bed as low as possible. The bed is wide enough to give me about 6" of clearance on either side of my tracks, but at 100" wide it is still narrow enough to remain legal. (102" is the widest legal trailer without having to follow WIDE LOAD regulations). The trailer has a box steel frame and LED lights and electric brakes. Obviously on my trailer I don't have to worry about it sliding sideways off the trailer, but what about other trailer designs where the tracks are too wide to use a trailer like mine?
 

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Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
As an example, here are some photos of Kristi snowcats on a couple different types of above the wheel trailers. No visible attachement points for chains on the sides. No way that I see to contain the snowcat if there are any lateral forces on the trailer. Although the Kristi in the bottom photo is sitting on a trailer that is wide enough that you could actually secure it from the sides too, but the other trailers don't appear to offer that ability.

I know that many of the Tuckers are also narrow like my Snow Trac and can fit on a trailer similar to mine. But what about the wide track Thiokols and all the other similar wide snowcats like the Kristis in these photos?

:confused2:
 

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dseymour

New member
In New York State we are required to use four grade 70 transport chains and binders. The chain is to be hooked on one side of the trailer and across to the other side of the sno cat. This should be done on all four corners of the cat. The sno cat can not slide to the side when the chains are crossed.
Just because N.Y.S.D.O.T. says this is the law, I don't always do what they say to do.
 

mtntopper

Back On Track
SUPER Site Supporter
On my tilt bed trailer with the metal deck, I have two 3.5 inch angle welded to the center of the deck between the tracks to prevent the snow cat from sliding sideways when loading or shifting sideways in transport. Space the two angles wide enough to just prevent the cat from sliding off the trailer. Too wide of space between angles will be a problem with narrower track machines.

I will probably not do anything on the 24 ft gooseneck beavertail with the wood deck as it will be used for many other purposes. The angle will get in the way of loading. Just pull the tracks down and bite the wood deck good..:yum: I usually also block the tracks front and rear to try to keep it from shifting forward and backward.

The most important safety to me is to check your chains and binders OFTEN. Check your load immediately in the first few miles after loading and beginning to tranport the cat to see that it has not shifted and your chains are staying tight.

236217932tFmZEV_fs.jpg
 

mtncrawler

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I fasten 2-4x4's lengthwise down the middle of the trailer deck, sort of like Mtntoppers angle iron. Leave a little extra room so you don't hit them when loading and unloading. On my second trailer it wasn't much more cost to have the deck a full 8'6" wide. Sprytes with 36" tracks are 8'4" wide so if you get it centered when loading the trailer sides protect the tracks somewhat. I think the swing up type ramps work best (instead of the ones that slide under the trailer for storage) because when in the down position they have a vertical stabilizing foot that stops the rear of the trailer from sinking and lifting (or unweighting) the rear of the tow vehicle. This is probably only important with larger, heavier Cats. My experience with tilt deck trailers has been good with smaller Snowcats but the only time I used one for a full size Cat I didn't like it at all. When you get really serious, a 24' gooseneck like Mtntopper has is the cats meaow.
 

mtntopper

Back On Track
SUPER Site Supporter
mtncrawler said:
I fasten 2-4x4's lengthwise down the middle of the trailer deck, sort of like Mtntoppers angle iron. Leave a little extra room so you don't hit them when loading and unloading. .

Mtncrawler,
How do you fasten or attach the 4X4 to the wooden trailer deck?. I might want to do something like you are talking about to the 24 foot trailer for the winter. I guess I could use something like carriage bolts and bolt through the trailer deck. but I am looking for a better, stronger way to hold the 4X4s in place. I need ideas to make it simple for installing and removal as needed.:confused2:

I do load and transport the 1200 LMC on the orange bumper pull tilt trailer. No problems so far, but I do keep the road speed down and it is usually short hauls. With the angle iron between the tracks to center the cat, it has never given me a problem sliding sideways while tilted and loading even when the metal is slick.:pat:
 

mtncrawler

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I just bolt through the deck crossmembers and it seems plenty solid. Might think about capping the 4x4 with short pieces of angle iron and welding the bolt heads to them so the bolts dont spin when your'e running the nuts off.
 
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