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Bombardier SV 252 skidozer

tree runner

New member
Hey,

I'm new here and I need some input. Now I know that the name Skidozer implies that you should use it in the snow. And from what I can tell most people use'em to groom trails or go for fun in the snow but...

What about the swamp???

I need a vehicle that can travel through (or rather travel over) swamp and mud and such. It seem big enough to carry a load but not big enough to be a major hassle if it gets stuck(hopefully not a t all) or to transport.

Can a Bombardier SV 252 skidozer do that? (Without ruining it?)

I have a line on 2 of these units and would like to know if it is worth buying or a waste of time.

Please give me any and all feedback!
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
Hello and welcome to this forum !

A Skidozer weighs around 7000 pounds and is rated to carry 2000 pounds.

I don't think the tracks are made to take the sort of abuse that swamp, bush, roots, etc will be giving. The metal grousers and the rubber material are both of lighter weight than what is used on a year-round type machine.

A Bombardier Muskeg would probably work better.

What were you going to do with it after you drive it thru the swamp ???
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
there was one around here they ran it exclusively accross tundra and when it was used seemed to work pretty good after they parked it by the beach the grousers rotted away that being said it is a pretty wide track with only one row of road wheels i would be careful on hard or rocky ground but should work ok on soft terrain and don't foget your grease gun i will also add i use my snow trac year around with the same technique and it works good for me but its goig slow and i know its not a tank sso take it easy should work ok if you are going to give it to a crew of guys to work with i would say follow pixy's advice get some thing bullet proof like a muskeg
 

tree runner

New member
Hey Guys,

Thanks for the quick response.

I run a tree planting company in Northern Ontario. I want something to carry trees across the swamps I can't get across with my Clark C4 skidder. It goes almost everywhere. I realize it would be slow, the C4 isn't a race car either, but I wanted to know if the 252 would take the abuse. I would like to find a muskeg if possible but haven't found one for a decent price yet. Cost of course is always and issue.

Judging by your responses, the 252 it isn't the right choice. I don't want to buy the thing use it a couple of times and wreck it. I don't mind doing minor repairs butI think that ruining the tracks would not make this cost effective.

I've also thought abaout a J5 with a tracked trailer. That might work just as well. I guess it all depends on what I can find.

If you know of anyone with equipment that might be suitable could you point them in my direction or I in theirs?

Once again any and all input it valued.

Thanks Pixie and DDS!
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
You might want to consider a Bombardier Muskeg which would be a good choice for the application you want to use it for.
 
You should have no problem with using that machine in swampy conditions. They were advertised to do go across exactly that type of terrain. That is why they sold summer tracks. I owned the Bombies for about 10 years and used them year round, mostly in soft dirt and very wet swamps in the summer and that was with the winter tracks. They did just fine. Even some of the bigger snowcats designed mainly for grooming snow have summer track options to perform maintenance on slopes and trails. They use the real big groomers for all sorts of agricultural work were the absolute lowest ground pressure is needed.

I have looked at several Skidozers over the years here in Alaska and most are used for hunting and other summer applications and they are built like tanks. Certainly not as heavy duty as the Muskegs but more so than the Thiokol Sprytes. The narrower the tracks, the less stress on the drive train, wide tracks will give more floatation however. Also the summer tracks usually have a much lower profile on the cleats which also are better for summer use.

No matter what machine you get, I would stress keeping the tracks mucked out at the end of the day, wash them often, grease the bogies religiously and pay close attention to track tension and alignment.:wink:
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
I Completely forgot about summer tracks.

Does any one have a picture of them ?
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
there is also the option of the bv206 i'm no a big fan of tem after working so long on them if you plan to put a lot of miles on them you also have to have the governments pockets to keep them in tip top shape but for short trips around a tree farm it might work out ok the suspension is built like a brick*&^%house and in 20 years if service i never saw one walk out of a track yes the gi's could break them but it usualy was engine drive sprokets or road wheels i'm curently working with a civilian company that has one used for tours to try to remody some of the problems associated with long trips .
 

tree runner

New member
You guys aren't making this easy,

Sounds good in some ways not so great in others.

So what I get out of this is that it will work for what I need. The winter tracks (which the units I'm interested in appear to have) will work but will probably wear out faster than usual. Summer tracks would be better. It will need lots of TLC for the punishment of being a "Swamp Donkey".

I assume that the ground needs to be free of as many obstuctions as possible (eg. large sticks, stumps jagged rocks)? These kinds of things will probably damage the tracks?

Key here is that the machine won't be used a lot. But when it does get used it needs to work. I also feel that the key for me is to know exactly when to used the 252. As mentioned by DDS its not a tank (thats what my C4 skidder is for). Right tool for the right job eh!
 

snowbird

New member
There have been forum posts showing I think a J5 used for logging. I'm not sure how they would work in swampy conditions, but they look pretty hardy. I'd think forum member Boggie might have some Bombardier advice.
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
I have a Skidozer.
I admit that the (winter) tracks are a little worn down.
I have broken four grousers in my driveway. No turns, no stumps, just going in and out of the garage.

Your luck might be better :smile:
 
Here are pictures of a 250 with the narrow tracks. A little smaller than a 252 but basically the same. The key to any tracked vehicle operation when going over obstacles is to go slow and try and approach it head on. Driving over at an angle puts stress on the tracks and is a good way to walk out of a track. The big disadvantage to winter stacks used in the summer is they have a higher profile plus being wider making it more difficult for the machine to turn. The tracks need to slip on the ground so if it is primarily swamps you are crossing they slip pretty easy. You can usually cut the winter tracks to a narrower width. Do you have pictures of the ones you are looking at?
 

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snowbird

New member
I have a Skidozer (older model: 1973). I live in southern Minnesota and so much of the early-winter driving is on frozen sod without much snow cover (the wind blows snow into drifts). So far I've not had problems (maybe I'm lucky?)
 
Those are the summer tracks and will work just fine. It's hard to tell for sure from the pics but it looks like the rig will handle the wider aluminum or steel symmetrical winter tracks that extend both inboard and out board of the bogies. The blade is also very handy for GENTLY moving downed trees out of your way. Honestly from what little you have described of your needs for a track rig, this looks like a good choice. Price and availability seem to be on your side?
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
Mine weren't called summer tracks ?
28" wide. Not much room left on inside.
 

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Well you are probably right that they are not called "Summer Tracks". The brochures I have list a 41" wide aluminum symmetrical track and a 29" wide steel symmetrical track. I have looked at both type up close on actual machines and the steel ones have much lower profiles than other steel tracks made specifically for snow, like found on a BR168/180. I assumed they were for summer or mild snow conditions and I know of several here in Alaska that primarily are used in the summer. The Bombi brochure lists a wider aluminum winter track and a narrow steel summer track and the comparison between those options and the Skidozer options are for the most part the same.
I remember drooling over these brochures for hours wishing I had a Skidozer instead of the Bombi. Even though I've moved on to Pisten Bullys if I ran across a 252 like tree runner is looking at I would buy it in a heartbeat, I think they are pretty cool.
The other interesting thing in one of the pics I have, show a steering wheel, where yours looks like it has the handles Pixie. I wonder how well that worked. I still remember how sore my arms would get after about six hours of pulling on those sticks.
 

sledbc

New member
i have a 72 skidozer SV72 250S and wondering if anyone on here had a manual, im new on here and new on the groomer, it is are snowmobile clubs, we went over it this year and got it back to snuff, all went good tell we went to bleed the steering system, it would pull right to the seat so we bled the air out, now it steers good on one side and you have to pump the stick on the other side to get it to steer, when it does it turns really hard, wondering if anyone had any ideas as to why it steers worse
 

northeastheavy

New member
That looks like a solid skidozer!!! I think you also have to look at what you are skidding??? Heavy hardwoods(oak, maple) are alot heavier than spruce or pine!! Skidozer might be good on lighter wood. The Muskeg would not care!!! Its a brute!!!
I also think the amount of debris you will be driving in!!!! I just had a 6 inch log pop the steel track off my bulldozer. It hit it just at the right angle while turning and it was off in a second!!!!l The skidozer with single tires could throw a track or get damaged easier. The muskeg with dual wheels and the side guard I think is real tough to throw a track.
The muskeg was built for "muskeg". The skiddozer could do your work fine!!! Just a though, but would't rear wheel drive skidozer help push the lighter front end up in a swamp, which is good???????? The heavier Muskeg with front wheel drive would dig the heavier front end down into the swamp????????? I Think?? that makes sense!!!! or I got it backwards????? More food for thought!!! Need more coffee!!!
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
It really depends on the operator.....

Some would find it to be a good choice, and understand how to operate it within it's limits. They would get along with the 252 just fine.

Others however could probably break it in a few hours....and wonder why?

So there you have it in a "nutshell"

Regards, Kirk
 
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