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Gmoose Adventures

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I had so much fun with my Frandee last winter I thought I would start a thread where I could post some of the adventures we go on. I will post a few videos from last winter then when I get out this winter I will start posting the new adventures. Should be a great time! Hope you enjoy.

The first video is in one of the main areas where I go which is about 10 miles from my house. It is located in the Caribou National Forest in an area called Elk Meadows. My youngest son is driving the Frandee in about a foot of fresh powder. It was a great time, even if he needs to work on his driving skills a bit. At least he didn't blow the engine, but I think he tried a bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_oQQQnE74I
 

1boringguy

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
From the rear it looks like jet engines strapped to either side. We want the full afterburner video. :thumbup:
 

mikemikelle

Active member
Luckily skinny jeans don't allow full ankle movement....works as a "rev limiter" in this case.

Thanks to the kid for being the next gen of Teufel Hunden!!

" Oorah", Go Marines!!
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Here is one with my wife driving the Frandee at Vail Pass last winter, look at it quick before she finds out and makes me take it down.

This one shows the ski floating along on the trail later in the video, good shot of how it works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xil8-BMRr78
 

mikemikelle

Active member
She is having a great time! Now wonder you needed a couple other cats...think you've lost the Frandee to her
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Here is a video for you Tucker fans.

Met up with my friend who lives in Arbon Valley Idaho and we went for a 10 mile adventure through the stubble fields near his home. Sadly he has since sold this cat, whoever bought it got a very good machine. This unit has the fiberglass pontoons. He is currently rebuilding a 442, but it won't be ready for use for some time yet.

This was a fun day, but aren't they all when you are driving a snowcat?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjihpn1WMbE



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GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
FINALLY got Frandee out today for its first time this season. My brother-in-law just retired so I sent him a note that if he came out to Idaho from West Virginia I would take him on a snowcat adventure. So a week later here he and my little sister are snowcating in Idaho. We haven't gotten much snow near my place, but there was enough to have some fun and to cover up the rocks so we could find them with the tracks. Hope we get more snow soon.

I had to pull over by this sign and take some pictures, don't know why but it made me laugh, as I went past it and up the mountain a few more miles.

We covered 18.1 miles today 5901 ft of vertical distance with a max speed of 20.9 mph and an average speed of 5.9 mph. Got a whopping 1.6 miles per gallon of gas.

This was up Scout Mountain area in the Caribou National Forest. We went in about 9 miles and found a high point to have lunch and take some photos. What a beautiful day, fun was had by all. The last photo is four snowcatting smiles in the cab of Frandee with my brother-in-law driving.

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GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Took the Frandee out today to make sure she was ready for the Joseph Oregon Jamboree. Had some new snow, so the powder was fun. No sun though, kind of a dreary day up there. Got in 17 miles with 2500 ft of decent and 2500 ft of ascent. Got about 1.7 miles per gallon. Not sure what I am doing different, last year was getting around 2 mpg. Could just be the terrain I was in, or my driving. Next weekend will be the first time this Frandee will have been to Oregon, should be a great time.


Photo is on top of a wind blown point we call "Lunch Knob", this is where my wife and I like to go, eat lunch, and look at the view. However, today there was no view. Elevation is around 6500 ft.

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GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
We got dumped on here in SE Idaho last night, they canceled both my work and my wifes, so what does one do, go snowcatting of course.

One of my favorite spots, Elk Meadows, about 10 miles from my house had about 20 inches of fresh powder. Here are some photos, Frandee did awesome in the deep powder. However when I went to fast the powder would fly up into the engine compartment and suck into the carburetor, freezing up and causing problems there. Had some left braking problems also so had to cut the fun short and go home. Got it home and fixed the brakes, so hopefully I can take it out again this coming weekend. To resolve the powder in the air intake I am going to wrap the air cleaner with Frogzskin, same thing I use on my snowbike intake.

All I can say is I sure love my Frandee, and driving it is a ball!

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GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Need some help.

Looking to add some strobe lights to the Frandee and probably the Kitten this year to help prevent a collision with a snowmobile (no I have not had any close calls). I do not want to wire them in, especially since the Frandee is 6V positive ground and I do not want to add any permanent non-original equipment. So I was thinking about some of those battery operated mag based units. I would have to add some steel plates or brackets in the areas where I wanted to put these lights, but I can do that with non-permanent hardware. So my question is, has anyone had any experience with these lights and if so what might be a good brand to purchase. Thanks in advance for your suggestions, opinions, and thoughts.
 

Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
I don't see any tail lights on the Frandee. but if there was some oem style you could get, there are strobes made to fit inside existing lights which you would have to make connections and possibly use a power converter for the 6 to 12 volt. the converters are fairly cheap now (~$30). While they would be a mod, you couldn't see them unless they were on.
 

1boringguy

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Don't know who's product is good for these, but Ecco makes pretty good construction lights and other things, just kinda spendy compared to the Chinese LED producs. A reasonable thick plate to mount to and the strongest magnetic base you can find, since a snowcat experiences a fair amount of vibration thats going to want to shake it loose and fall off on the trail.
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I completed the platform for the back of my truck so I can now carry both the Kitten and the Frandee. Need a platform because the wheel wells are only around 48" between them, but the Kitten tracks are about 53" wide.

To load the Kitten I have to have the trailer empty, use the trailer ramps to get the Kitten on the trailer, then move the ramps to between the top front of the trailer platform to the bed of the truck, then drive the Kitten into the truck bed. Seems to work well, drove the truck/trailer, two cat combination around a bit and seems stable. I also put my overload blocks on the upper leaf springs of the truck and put about 60 psi in the air bags, the same setup I use when I haul my heavy Arctic Fox slide in camper. The Kitten barely runs right now, once I get it running better I will take a video of the loading process and post it.

Considering bringing both the Kitten and the Frandee to the Oregon, Sun Valley, and maybe even Colorado events this winter.

Just need some snow now!

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Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
it a 10 from me !!!

nicely done, you have upped the game for everyone, looking forward to seeing you

take care,

up for trading driving a torpedo for driving your fantastic frandee
 
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GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I am sure this will come up so I am going to address it before it does.

"Hey Gmoose, why not just buy a bigger trailer that can haul both cats?"

Well I looked into that right after I bought the Kitten, expecting to pay in the range of maybe $6K, yes I was out to lunch. Something long enough, (I was shooting for 24 ft) with heavy enough axles and ramps was more like $12K. Plus nothing that was stock was what I really wanted, ramp system wasn't quite right, tilt wasn't right, picky picky, picky. Additionally, I have the skills and equipment to build my own trailer, just not the time yet, but getting closer. Now for the main reason, $12K will pay for the next secret snowcat that I would like to get. So decision, trailer or snowcat, I think everyone here would side with snowcat. So if that cat comes available I am ready, and if it doesn't that is fine also, because I need 248 1" Tucker track rollers for the 542 Cab Forward, which is right at $10,000. So based on all that logically one builds a deck for the back of the truck for a couple hundred bucks instead. Bonus is that it does look pretty cool.
 

sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Mr. Moose. Another option for stuffing a Kitten in a pick up is to cut down the fenders in the bed. If you measure for clearance loaded with chains on and cut accordingly, you can usually drop the height by 6 inches give or take. A ply wood or weld in top piece makes for more room. Some rigs end up with a flat deck side to side which is nice for all kinds of loads. You have a good plan for loading.
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
One of my friends has one of these. It works, but is not what I would call high output. I've been toying with getting one just so I have it in the cat. So a breakdown I could put it out and hopefully avoid a further oops. I understand the issue. that's why I have the 2 rear strobes on my cat, to keep a sled from rear ending me at speed.



https://www.surpluscenter.com/Brand...robe-Light-Buyers-Products-SL475A-12-1017.axd

Thank you Cidertom and 1boringguy on the input for lighting options. I looked at the units you each suggested then did some more looking. I ended up ordering some Fortune Products PL-300AJ battery operated lights. They also sell a remote actuated one, which I considered purchasing, but they were nearly twice the money, and I am not sure I really need that feature.

 
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