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Camso / Soucy comparion

Denis

New member
I'm sure you guys don't know that I have many, many years of experience using Camso and Soucy pods on both UTV's and ATV's. All these hours of use and servicing them, gave me opinions of there respective quality. If some of you guys have interest in these pods*, feel free to have a conversation about them here. Maybe questions??


*the individual units are called pods.
Hello, i stumbled across this thread regarding Camso tracks. I have some issues with mine. My bogies keep icing up. I do not think this is normal. They iced up so much one time that it cracked the rubber track. Any advice? Thanks Denis
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Hello, i stumbled across this thread regarding Camso tracks. I have some issues with mine. My bogies keep icing up. I do not think this is normal. They iced up so much one time that it cracked the rubber track. Any advice? Thanks Denis
I had a set of camso tracks that burned up in a forest fire with the mini truck on this page. I had good luck with them, my usage was for cabin access in the winter and hauling on the steep in the summer. The snow up there is always wet and heavy with the temps in the 30's daytime to single digits at night. I didnt have your issue. I built a mini mini van and used Mattracks ez utv Tracks. The offer a little more flotation for around the same price. The only issue I had, last year was after freezing rain on the steep part of the road, I almost didn't make it. Got studs now. Your best option may be to contact the manufacturer and see if they have any solutions.
 

Denis

New member
I had a set of camso tracks that burned up in a forest fire with the mini truck on this page. I had good luck with them, my usage was for cabin access in the winter and hauling on the steep in the summer. The snow up there is always wet and heavy with the temps in the 30's daytime to single digits at night. I didnt have your issue. I built a mini mini van and used Mattracks ez utv Tracks. The offer a little more flotation for around the same price. The only issue I had, last year was after freezing rain on the steep part of the road, I almost didn't make it. Got studs now. Your best option may be to contact the manufacturer and see if they have any solutions.
Anyone have any solutions to repairing cracks in tracks?
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Anyone have any solutions to repairing cracks in tracks?
Are they new or been exposed to sunlight outside for a long time? I don't know a solution for cracks in the tracks, can you post some pictures?
 

Denis

New member
Are they new or been exposed to sunlight outside for a long time? I don't know a solution for cracks in the tracks, can you post some pictures?
They are about 10 years old. Very lightly used and never abused. They have been stored indoors all their life. We use them for 3 months out of the year and maybe a few times at best every year. What I had noticed is that my bogies are all hard plastic. They do not have any rubberized perimeter like what you see on snowmobiles. I notice most newer track systems all have rubberized perimeter on their bogies. The hard plastic bogies developed tiny serrations which would be expected, that allowed ice to form and attach to the perimeter and build up causing a lot of tension to the track. This stretched the track and caused the cracks. good thing is that the cracks did not go completely through. You can see some frayed strings. I am thinking of cutting and applying a torch flame to the strings to tidy them up. Then applying some heat, heat gun or torch to warm up the rubber and then applying Loctite 380. So far this is the only solution I have come up with. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks Denis
 

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m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
They are about 10 years old. Very lightly used and never abused. They have been stored indoors all their life. We use them for 3 months out of the year and maybe a few times at best every year. What I had noticed is that my bogies are all hard plastic. They do not have any rubberized perimeter like what you see on snowmobiles. I notice most newer track systems all have rubberized perimeter on their bogies. The hard plastic bogies developed tiny serrations which would be expected, that allowed ice to form and attach to the perimeter and build up causing a lot of tension to the track. This stretched the track and caused the cracks. good thing is that the cracks did not go completely through. You can see some frayed strings. I am thinking of cutting and applying a torch flame to the strings to tidy them up. Then applying some heat, heat gun or torch to warm up the rubber and then applying Loctite 380. So far this is the only solution I have come up with. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks Denis
I would call the manufacturer, looks like what you said happened. The ice made the wheels bigger, made the tracks too tight to the point of failure. I wouldn't have thought that would happen, but it did. That will happen to a bulldozer used in the snow too, unless you drill holes where the sprocket meshes in the track.
 

Denis

New member
I did contact Camso and emails back and forth. Long story short is that they said that this is normal characteristic for this track. Unfortunately for me is that I rode maybe a total of 150kms over the ten years! If I rode the tracks 200kms per season this would have shown up the first season.
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I did contact Camso and emails back and forth. Long story short is that they said that this is normal characteristic for this track. Unfortunately for me is that I rode maybe a total of 150kms over the ten years! If I rode the tracks 200kms per season this would have shown up the first season.
So did they say it will be OK or they are done? I only put about 50 miles on mine before they got burned up. I wouldn't be very happy if I just spent 5k on a set and put a lot of miles on the first year and that happened. If they are done, you would think they should be recalled 200km isn't very far. The Mattracks ezutv tracks I have now, I will look for the ice build up.
 

alryA

Well-known member
We've not had good luck with Camso quality so we switched to Soucy. But no one is going to warrentee a 10yo product.
 

Denis

New member
We've not had good luck with Camso quality so we switched to Soucy. But no one is going to warrentee a 10yo product.

I agree that 10 years is a long time but does not hurt to to try. At least if discovered a lot of information that will help me and others diagnose problems in the future. When you say "not had good luck" what was the issues you had encountered? Do you have pro's and con's between the 2 track systems that you can share.
 

Denis

New member
So did they say it will be OK or they are done? I only put about 50 miles on mine before they got burned up. I wouldn't be very happy if I just spent 5k on a set and put a lot of miles on the first year and that happened. If they are done, you would think they should be recalled 200km isn't very far. The Mattracks ezutv tracks I have now, I will look for the ice build up.
They said that I would have a few more years of use. I am replacing the wheels right now. Also I set the tracks up in a way that I place the cracked area over the bogie so that it opens up and allows me to clean and prep and fill. I cut and clean the loose strings, clean and prepare the cracked area and using a loctite product to bind the rubber and string together and then putting a top coat on to keep snow and water from getting in. I have attached some pictures illustrating what I am doing. I'll let you know what happens after a weekend of play.track fix1.JPGtrack fix2.JPGtrack fix3.JPGtrack fix4.JPGtrack fix5.JPGtrack fix6.JPGtrack fix7.JPG
 

Denis

New member
We've not had good luck with Camso quality so we switched to Soucy. But no one is going to warrentee a 10yo product.
They said that I would have a few more years of use. I am replacing the wheels right now. Also I set the tracks up in a way that I place the cracked area over the bogie so that it opens up and allows me to clean and prep and fill. I cut and clean the loose strings, clean and prepare the cracked area and using a loctite product to bind the rubber and string together and then putting a top coat on to keep snow and water from getting in. I have attached some pictures illustrating what I am doing. I'll let you know what happens after a weekend of play.track fix1.JPGtrack fix2.JPGtrack fix3.JPGtrack fix4.JPGtrack fix5.JPGtrack fix6.JPGtrack fix7.JPG
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
That really sucks that that happened. Camso basically said yep thats normal? I bet if it said that on the sales brochure they wouldn't sell many. Too bad there isn't a way to vulcanize the repair. Industrial conveyor belts are joined that way. Even though its been 10 years, its only 200km? That is a design flaw. I know to not get another set of those. Good luck, I hope they hold up a little longer.
 

Denis

New member
That really sucks that that happened. Camso basically said yep thats normal? I bet if it said that on the sales brochure they wouldn't sell many. Too bad there isn't a way to vulcanize the repair. Industrial conveyor belts are joined that way. Even though its been 10 years, its only 200km? That is a design flaw. I know to not get another set of those. Good luck, I hope they hold up a little longer.
I researched Vulcanizing procedures and there are a lot of options available. All the manufacturers where really helpful, explaining to me taking me through the steps. The problem with my situation is that I have a lot of cracks, maybe 50-60 small points as per pictures. Using a vulcanizing compound which all are 2 part mixes which allow for 1/2 hour to 1 hour of work time depending on heat and moisture conditions. At over $150 for the smallest batch (shipping included) I see myself running out of time every time and probably spending a lot more money. Might as well buy new tracks. This seems to be a $50 solution that lets me enjoy these tracks for a few more seasons. I let you know how it works out.
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I researched Vulcanizing procedures and there are a lot of options available. All the manufacturers where really helpful, explaining to me taking me through the steps. The problem with my situation is that I have a lot of cracks, maybe 50-60 small points as per pictures. Using a vulcanizing compound which all are 2 part mixes which allow for 1/2 hour to 1 hour of work time depending on heat and moisture conditions. At over $150 for the smallest batch (shipping included) I see myself running out of time every time and probably spending a lot more money. Might as well buy new tracks. This seems to be a $50 solution that lets me enjoy these tracks for a few more seasons. I let you know how it works out.
Yes please post how it works out. When I go out with the van on Mattracks, I will keep an eye on that. It likely can happen to any of them. Im wondering if there is a way to mount a scraper from the track frame that has a not touching, but tight clearance of about 1/8" to the front and rear wheels to keep the ice from building up
 

Denis

New member
The ice build up I had experienced was very specific and on the perimeter of the bogies. In my drawing I show the ice build up as it did on the wheel perimeter just like I have drawn it. It was very strange that the ice formed such a nice and even shape. At one point I tried to break the ice off but only manages to break the ice and never completely off the wheel. There always remained some ice adhered to the wheel like crazy glue. At that point I took hot water and melted the ice away. The other pictures show a new wheel next to an old original wheel. The new wheel has a nice soft rubber coating on the perimeter that does not allow ice to build up. The old wheel is hard plastic and you can see the serrations. Ice attaches to these serrations and keeps building and stretches the track till the track breaks. Anyway I hope I have solved this issue.

Tatou tracks ice1.JPGTatou tracks ice2.JPGTatou tracks ice3.JPG
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
The ice build up I had experienced was very specific and on the perimeter of the bogies. In my drawing I show the ice build up as it did on the wheel perimeter just like I have drawn it. It was very strange that the ice formed such a nice and even shape. At one point I tried to break the ice off but only manages to break the ice and never completely off the wheel. There always remained some ice adhered to the wheel like crazy glue. At that point I took hot water and melted the ice away. The other pictures show a new wheel next to an old original wheel. The new wheel has a nice soft rubber coating on the perimeter that does not allow ice to build up. The old wheel is hard plastic and you can see the serrations. Ice attaches to these serrations and keeps building and stretches the track till the track breaks. Anyway I hope I have solved this issue.

View attachment 143030View attachment 143031View attachment 143032
so when it does that, do the wheels grow into each other and lockup or do they keep turning? The wheels on the Mattracks have a rubber band around them.
 

Denis

New member
I hope that is the fix, how much are the new wheels
The ice did grow into each other and a few wheels locked up but only the small ones. I did not see the bigger ones lock up. You should be fine with the rubber coated wheels. I have paid a lot of attention lately to any tracks I see and all have the rubber coated wheels. It is strange that I have not come across any hard plastic wheel tracks. It is possible that this hard coated wheel was produced for a very short time. So far the fix looks good. I will follow up with my experience riding after a few weekends. A complete set of new wheels is $800
 

sledhead Ed

Member
GOLD Site Supporter
google snowmobile track repairs for torn lugs and small rips. Alot of them used E-6000 glue and there was a locktite product that worked too. But I can't remember it.
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Driving around locally no problem, I would be a little hesitant to take a back country trip.
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
2010 Can am 800 Limited
I think you are likely running them a little harder and faster than I do. I use the van for cabin access in the winter. The road I travel is steep with switchbacks and an un protected cliff off one side that is hundreds of feet down. I travel at snowcat speed 5-10 MPH. and loaded down pretty good with gear, wife and dog.
 
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