Newbie w/Tucker ?

Hello All, I see a 1966 Tucker 442 with rubber tracks at Safety One for $9,000. I love the looks of the Tuckers.... but, was wondering how they drive? Are they loud and what kind of speed will it go. Thanks for any and all info.
Jeff

15 MPH would be about the top speed. Was that a steel track machine converted to rubber belts? That would be an improvement if it was.
Too many grease points on a steel track machine. My 342 has 225 spots to grease which is not to bad if the machine is not used much and greased only twice a year.

I dont know that cat personally, its been for sale for awhile. looks nice and I really like the rubber tracks and the visor is

Noise?? yeah, probably, they're built like a beer can.

probly do about 15mph, seats 2

dseymour said:

Too many grease points on a steel track machine. My 342 has 225 spots to grease which is not to bad if the machine is not used much and greased only twice a year.

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Yeah, I know, but I got a 400 series, 248 track rollers... three words...





Pneumatic grease gun.

I like the idea of rubber tracks as well.

Hey, thanks for the info. So I take it the Tuckers are slow and very loud. I take it that rubber tracks is a good improvement? Boy I bet they are fun to drive.
Jeff

jzue1 said:

I take it the Tuckers are slow and very loud.

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Compared to any car, even a mid-1960's VW Beetle, any brand of snowcat from 20 years ago is going to be slow and loud. Most of the older units had no sound insulation at all, and most didn't even have any thermal insulation materials on the walls. So for the most part these things are simple sheet metal and seats. The floor is often a sheet of plywood.

You can quiet them down somewhat by adding sound insulation mats, they are available from sources like J.C.Whitney. Many people add a layer of indoor/outdoor carpet to the floors and walls, that helps a little with the noise and also helps act to keep the heat in/cold out. You can also improve the muffler and tailpipe as many old units have gotten rotten, that can go a long way to quiet them down. But don't be thinking that they are so loud you can't talk. They are loud by car standards, but it is not unreasonable.

As for speed. They are all pretty darn slow. Most of us put lights on the rear so snowmobiles don't crash into the rear ends of our units! New $100,000 snowcats are probably faster? If you want a FASTER, and still an old and affordable unit you might want to look to the WWII era Studebaker M29 Weasel. The Weasel was configured in many different ways, including for snow use.

Thanks for all the good info. I really like the looks of the Tuckers and I like steering of the 4 track models. Think my mind is made up...just got to sweet talk the wife. This is a awesome site. I have learned so much. Again, thanks to everyone for the info.
Jeff

That looks like a nice Tucker. Similar to the one that I will pick up next week but mine has the (slightly) extended cab. Looks to have the same 5 wheel rubber track conversion. Mine is reported as a 1972 442A.

there are also some good looking cat at Tracks Inc but they are the newer style Tuckers.
http://www.users.qwest.net/~tinc/Newest_List_of_Used.html

Good luck on the new toy!!

Vance

Noise? what Noise? I've had to wear hearing protection in: Bombardier, Tucker, Thiokol, Haglund and Snow Trac. Maybe some recent 300,000 $ Kossborer/Piston bully is quiet, but I've never ridden in any quiet tracked snow vehicle to date! The Bombardier B12 wasn't too bad. Get a set of nice headphones. The Trans Alaska Pipeline (Alyeska) has headphone systems with mikes for the driver and all 3 passengers in their Tuckers. They were set up so that you could talk on the CB, the ARTS Radio (Alyeska Radio Telephone System), or to each other. WHAT! WHAT!