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Ridge Runner Project

Mill666er

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View attachment 79431

The previous owner said he thought it was a 1974 but I have not found anything to support that, I'm thinking it might be a year or 2 older. The Ridge Runner company was based out of MN and was sold to the Steiger Tractor Company in 1971 which is the last year I can find anything posted on the Internet.

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This is the only thing close to the model that I have and appears to have the same under carriage with a fiberglass body and removable hood. No model year was noted on this machine but suspect it is the same year as my side-by-side. This body style may be a Steiger design since it is a radical departure from previous Ridge Runner models.

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When I started the disassembly it appeared that the motor was not factory installed or someone thought it needed a bigger one. To shoe horn the larger 744cc motor into the existing front end a few modifications needed to be done. None of these mods were done in a way that any manufacturer would be proud of so I just assumed it was an owner mod. That was until I cleaned it up and found the manufacturer tag from Ridge Runner matched the JLO model and serial numbers.

Torched hole to get the exhaust through the belly pan and the 3/8" flat bar muffler mount using a large hose clamp directly around muffler and flat bar.
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The welded on torque limiter to keep the bigger motor from pulling the transmission out of alignment, the bolt pushed right against the aluminum case.

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The enlarged hole cut with a sawzall to raise the handlebars above the larger exhaust pipes and the odd hole placements for the brake and throttle cables.

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None of the hardware holding the entire system together would be considered the 'correct' fastener for the task.

Don't get me wrong, I think this is great. I just keep telling myself how lucky I am that this wasn't Orange, we all know where those 1-off prototypes go.
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
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Rob,


How does this unit steer? A clutch/brake set up? I can't seem to make the links work, and the pictures you posted don't give a clue that I can see..

Regards, Kirk
 

Mill666er

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Well that is weird, I posted all of the pictures the same way and just assumed they all worked. I'll see if I can edit the post. The tracks are independent hydrostatic and controlled by pushing or pulling each side of the handle bars. I don't think that it would be very easy to control on a bumpy trail as you are bouncing around taking the bars with you. The bars rotate and push/pull a spool in a hydraulic 'valve'. The valve looks like a tiny cylinder with a hose coming off each end down to the 'transmission' which must consist of a main pump and two drive motors. I will get some pictures of that posted when I figure out why my others didn't post.
 

Mill666er

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Guess I was Too late to edit the original post, here are the pics of the project machine that were posted in the 'for sale' forum.

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Here are the 1969-70 model Ridge Runners

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This is the only other ridge runner that I have found that somewhat resembles mine. It has the same under carriage but not sure about the 'under the hood' stuff.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1439951455.837652.jpg

If anyone has seen one similar or might know where I can get more info let me know. I have found some information about the earlier models on vintage snowmobile sites.
 

Mill666er

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With another Tucker looking for a warm place to stay, this project has been put on the fast track to make room in the shop.

Applied a little Bondo to the worn and damaged areas of the fiberglass and sprayed with 3 heavy coats of feather fill primer.
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Apparently it never had paint and left the 'factory' with the 'Ridge Runner' and 'Trail Boss' decals applied directly to the red gelcoat. I could not decide on a paint color and warm weather days were getting short so I tried to spray metallic black which I now regret.

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Steam cleaned the chassis and broke down all 16 of the spring packs for a soak in 'Evaporust' and sand blasting.

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Overnight soak brought back the 'new' steel.

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Got the chassis inside and removed the rotted sheet metal were the battery leaked and beef' up the frame work to support the back of the body.

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Fab'd up a new support with a 1 1/4" receiver hitch.

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Next will be a few brushed coats of POR-15 top coat chassis black on all springs and frame.
 

Mill666er

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I got all of the springs painted and reassembled with new hardware.
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Had to make a replacement tooth for one of the drive sprockets. I wasn't sure of the material, it seemed heavier than aluminum so I make one out of steel that just slips on the casting.

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Put the tracks back on but will need to adjust the mounting angle of some of the springs to get all of the bogie wheels with equal pressure.

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Temporarily set the body on the chassis

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Next will be the fuel tank and battery which is located under the seat.
 

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JimVT

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are tracks available? to bad you couldn't fix it to run one of the common snowmobile tracks size.
 

Mill666er

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I hope they are Trackster tracks since they are still available. I'm holding off putting something new on it until I know it runs. The tracks are 15" wide by 15' long with 3" pitch on the drive lugs
 

MNoutdoors RIP

Gone But Not Forgotten
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I hope they are Trackster tracks since they are still available. I'm holding off putting something new on it until I know it runs. The tracks are 15" wide by 15' long with 3" pitch on the drive lugs

The pitch is right the width is right, you would have to count your pitches
 

redsqwrl

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this months WI snow mobile news has a little article on the ridge runner company.,

I will see if I can scan that article. basically that is was a two year effort in Minneapolis that failed and was bought by steiger tractor company.
there was a couple of photos also.... now where did i set that magazine....
 

Mill666er

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this months WI snow mobile news has a little article on the ridge runner company.,

I will see if I can scan that article. basically that is was a two year effort in Minneapolis that failed and was bought by steiger tractor company.
there was a couple of photos also.... now where did i set that magazine....


From what I have found or haven't found was any evidence that Steiger made much of a production run with it. The 4 or 5 I have come across on the internet were all different body configuration on the same running gear.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1447657418.985566.jpg
 

Mill666er

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ImageUploadedByTapatalk1447658569.981926.jpg

Transmission appears to be gears and clutches with hydraulic pressure from the handlebars independently controlling the direction of each track. I drained a quart of hydraulic/gear oiled that had a very strong odor of burned clutches. Not sure if the 45-55hp from the 760cc motor is too much for this drive setup. I did find a couple patent numbers on the case that I looked up on Google but feel I have a better chance of learning/understanding Latin.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1447658166.833653.jpg
https://www.google.com/patents/US35...ved=0CB0Q6AEwAGoVChMIqtD09siRyQIVUPJjCh1OTAgz


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https://www.google.com/patents/US34...ved=0CB0Q6AEwAGoVChMIsYafz8CRyQIVD9xjCh0SVAKc
 

Mill666er

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Got the Ridge Runner out the door and into the snow. It appears that the forward drive clutches are worn out but the reverse take little effort to get it going. When I get some spare time I will split the transmission and see if the clutches can be re-lined or replaced. If not, I will swap them forward/reverse. Still a few of the details to finish up but is a hoot to run in the white stuff, of course, that is coming from someone that never owned a snowmobile.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1450133514.749316.jpg
 

DAVENET

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Um, what's that white stuff??

Yesterday was 52 riding home and have only seen a few flakes blow by this year. Very odd. Al Gore- inventing the internet & taking away winter.
 

Mill666er

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Going to make a mount on the real cat to carry it? A snow-dinghy?


Bought some 8' aluminum ramps and thinking about a hydraulic cylinder off of the receiver tube to tip the ramps up with the Ridge Runner on them. Even at 8' the angle is too steep and would need to use the front mounted winch on the Runner to get it up there. Once out in the snow I'm sure there would be a snow bank to help with unloading.
 

Mill666er

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Great weather here this morning so I mounted the GoPro on the hood and went for a short ride which ended in the middle of my field with a broken drive belt. That now makes me 0 for 3 for functioning over the snow vehicles, I'll have to tow it back with the skid steer.

http://youtu.be/eeW9OMa4Z3Q
 

Pontoon Princess

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thinking you should bring the ridge runner to leavenworth jamboree, could be lots of fun if a couple others brought up, "personal over the snow machines",
 

Track Addict

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Thing looks like it goes pretty good. Way faster than. Trackster. Sno machines like eating belts. Get some spares.
 

Mill666er

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Been reading up on clutch alignment but everything is machine specific including the tools. There is no adjustment on the motor or transmission so I have to assume they got it right. The belt was vintage and I'm sure they have improved them to keep up with the HP of newer sleds. Got a Dayco Extreme HPX5020 on its way.
 

Track Addict

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On most snow machines belt driven you use washers add/remove behind the secondary to correct minor alignment. The clutches are generally slightly offset as well to account for the sheaves opening and closing at different rpm/speed.

Broken/or loose motor mounts could cause increase deflection. Some motors also had and adjustable torque stop to keep the motor from moving close to the secondary on the clutch side.

There may also be a belt deflection adjustment which is usually a shim between the clutches or some external adjustment. Deflection is key because if too loose belt will slip increasing heat causing failure and if too tight will squeal and possibly creep at idle.

The secondary belt should probably be flush or slightly above the secondary in most applications I have seen.

Another problem with these clutches is as they wear they hang up and don't shift all the way out. You can check this by taking a sharpie and drawing some lines from the center of the sheave to the outside. Run it and see what wears off will tell you how far each is shifting.

Of course this machine may be totally different but most belt drives should have similar principles.

Glad you have snow!
 
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