Bombardier ski dozer 252 vibrates excessively

[Wrench9]

I recently acquired a ski dozer 252 . I have replaced all bearings /track rubbers and bad grousers it has the 29" wide tracks with steel grousers . I am working out the bugs but i find the machine vibrates quite a bit when I am driving it . Is this normal it is worse on packed trail but I still find the vibration excessive even off trail . It has the Perkins diesel in it and in 3rd gear you seem to feel every grouser the wheel drives over. Maybe this is normal but i am looking for someone else with one to compare to
Thanks Brad

 

[Wrench9]

How bad should one of the tracked machines of similiar style vibrate. I realize they are going to vibrate some due to the construction of the tracks and grousers but when I try to move along at say 10 or 12 mph it seems excessive

 

[brianf]

Most likely your torsion arm rubber is worn out, do you have solid or air filled tires, i put more aggressive tracks on one I had and it was pretty good,

 

[Wrench9]

From what i can see they are not new but all appear to be centered in the rubber( rubber not worn out and center shaft touching outer part) they are all holding the correct angle. I have all solid tires The vibration to me is kind of like the solid rubber wheels going over the grousers or the grousers getting pushed up because of the packed trail making the pitch between them noticable as a vibration if you understand what I am trying to say How fast could you roll along on a packed trail comfortably

 

[1boringguy]

From what i can see they are not new but all appear to be centered in the rubber( rubber not worn out and center shaft touching outer part) they are all holding the correct angle. I have all solid tires The vibration to me is kind of like the solid rubber wheels going over the grousers or the grousers getting pushed up because of the packed trail making the pitch between them noticable as a vibration if you understand what I am trying to say How fast could you roll along on a packed trail comfortably

I have an sv 252g and don't think I would call the vibration of driving 'excessive '. I wonder about an axil bearing being bad? Does it seem more like a drive train vibration or ground vibration?

 

[Wrench9]

I replaced all 20 bearings and seals (not cheap) To be honest I would like to find a similiar maching locally to go for a drive in I am looking for someone and may have a lead maybe it is normal but if it is I am kind of dissappointed as I wanted to use the machine for pleasure and a little spin here or there. I own an argo with the rubber tracks it drives beautifully but the ski dozer has heat ,radio etc and i am spoiled lol

 

[Backyardski]

It will definitely vibrate more than the Argo. My BR-60 has the same undercarriage and it is not a smooth ride. Fluffy snow is smoother and quieter, packy wet snow makes it loud and shake. I once thought I wrecked something, ride turned rough and loud, but it was the temperature change that did it. I hope that’s your only prob!

 

[Wrench9]

you are making me feel better I cant find anything else that i can see wrong I need a good dumping of fresh snow to give it a try in. It also still has the plow on the front I was going to try it with it off to see if lightening up the front end made any difference

 

[catf7rider]

I have a 252 as well with the 29" steel cleats. Nice and smooth in fresh snow. Go over your tracks the next day and you can barely stay in your seat. Those steel cleats don't like hard packed.

 

[Wrench9]

Sounds like mine exactly Mine vibrates a little in fresh snow but with the cleasts I think it is normal. Is it the steel cleat design that make them vibrate like that or are they all that way

 

[Wrench9]

How much snow will they go through. How deep can the snow be that you can you venture off into completly fresh snow without worrying you may have to shovel with the 29" tracks

 

[Backyardski]

How much snow will they go through. How deep can the snow be that you can you venture off into completly fresh snow without worrying you may have to shovel with the 29" tracks

Depends on type of snow. Usually when you hit the maximum the belly gets hung up and you lose traction - most of the time you can just back up onto the path you made and try to get farther next time. Try getting it stuck heading uphill first, less of a battle to get out. Maybe find a nice big drift to play in to get to know how it handles

 

[Wrench9]

I have an argo wit the rubbber tracks had argo's for the past 30 years it is pretty much unstoppable except for hills but trust me I have found places where it wouldn't go and ended up in a mess lol. Getting it unstuck isn't that bad but getting 8000lbs unstuck may be more of a challenge I am sure I will test its limits. I'm no stranger to operating machinery and I know the snow condition/type will play a big role. I need more snow here to test it out hopefully soon I will make sure I have a shovel handy

 

[1boringguy]

My 252 needs the suspension adjusted. On my list of projects. I see from photos that a lot them do. You can tell because the distance from the body to the tracks at the front end is greater than the back end. The boogie wheels are an independent rubber torsion suspension. To adjust you have to break the tracks, remove the arm from a splined shaft and the reinstall at the correct angle. With the suspension like this on mine the differential is the first thing to high center you and it gets stuck a lot sooner than it should, especially going up hill where the weight is shifted to the back end.

 

[Wrench9]

I replaced all my wheel bearings and set the flextors at the correct angle according to the manual mine sits level now from front to back

 

[1boringguy]

As I said, haven't done mine yet but wonder what happens to let the back end down. The rubber weakens, the steel shaft slips in the rubber, or the rubber slips in the housing? And how long will it go before the problem reoccur?

Any thoughts after seeing your apart and close up?

 

[Wrench9]

The rubber probably does loose some if its elasticity over time but mine all still looked good some of the splines were stripped so I had to weld the arm to the flextor and will have to replace as a unit next time but they were ruined anyhow. They havent moved since I reset them and I have probably 75 hrs on them and all seems well I think they will last for a considerable amount of time again from what I can see

 

[Wrench9]

yuo may find like me that the splines have stripped from the shaft to the flextor from loosening up over time and not getting retightened

 

[1boringguy]

yuo may find like me that the splines have stripped from the shaft to the flextor from loosening up over time and not getting retightened

Yes that could definitely explain it, I'll have to see as I get to it. Like you say, at least that's better than the rubber being shot, a guy can still get one more life out of it that way. 75 hrs and looking good, that's reason for some optimism.

 

[Wrench9]

For those 75 hrs I have been putting it through its paces I am not grooming with it but use it to go to and from my camp I have loaded it with wood and the terrain i am driving on isnt real smooth as we do not have a lot of snow as of yet so the flextors are getting a fair work out and all is still good