Suspension

Which machine would you consider has the superior suspension design?

Only consider the suspension not the rest of the machine aspects.

601
Snow Trac
Weasel




Thanks Cletis

When you say "superior" I suspect the experienced forum members could respond in any of several ways: smooth ride, easy to repair and maintain, cost, simplicity, and probably others. I suppose a part of the suspension question would also involve whether there's a tendency for the tracks to run off and how easy/difficult it is to adjust tension.

The weasel has a good ride quality problem is they like to walk out of their tracks i have a snow track also and have watched it in action not only does it do a pretty good job of soaking up bumps it also does a good lob of keeping the track on the ground while running over obsticals un like the rubber torsion axles of the bv 206 which will have a front and rear road wheel in contact and the rest of the track in the air i cant speak for torsion spring axles like thiokol but they look sound the torsion bar suspension that all tanks use now days has got to be the best overland mobility suspension in my opinion remember torsion bars are heavy

I searched tank susp and came up with a panther tank. Way too many parts and weight but they get 20" of travel out of the torsional bars.

Cletis

According to this artcile the Snow-Trac has the best suspension! At least it did in 1967! LINK

Be sure to read all 50+ pages.

I have used Weasels at my hunting camp since 1985. The ride was good in snow but on hard surfaces, dirt roads ect., It was like riding a chainsaw. The seating sucked and that didn't help. I might add, I ran M29 and M29C models and I never threw a track.

the tank suspension you aer looking for was develiped in the us by a fellow if memory serves me right was walter christi no relation to the snow cats the origional patent was filed during ww-2 and used on russian tanks i think t-34 and now all tanks use the torsion bar torque arm suspension i suppose you could use lighter components like aluminum torque arms and smaller bars and if you have ever run a m113 or 548 over rough ground you will under stand as for weasels i'm not cutting on them but even the opeators man states not to try to steer on a side hill as they can walk out of the track i have one my self and its still sitting in anchorage with tracks off of it they are an excelent vehicle when used as spelled out in the tm no hard turns in muck or on side hills also you have to watch willows getting tangeled up in the track but they have a good road speed and will run all day on a tank of fuel i was looking at your pics looked like your tracks were origional must have taken a while to locate some tracks with good cables in them