Newbie prospective buyer

[walt stradlater]

Alry,

I guess it depends on your point of reference. In my opinion that's not deep snow and it's flat ground, so... not much of a test. Before I made the mistake of buying that used Polaris Ranger on tracks, I was curious enough to ask about them on the forum:

Polaris Rangers on Tracks?

I realize this is a snow cat forum, not a Polaris Ranger forum, but I'm curious as to the opinions of forum members as to how well those machines perform in snow, and what their limitations are.

www.forumsforums.com

I started that thread about three weeks after this picture taken during an epic day of snowmobiling. Seriously deep, fresh snow and we spent a lot of that day getting unstuck. It was exhausting, but a whole lot of fun. These are very experienced riders on top-of-the-line Polaris RMKs. The one in the background was maybe a month old and has a 163" track. The sled in the foreground was a year older and the rider competed in the Jackson Hole Snowmobile Hill Climbs for a number of years. The point being if these guys were getting stuck... well, you get the idea.

View attachment 140475

omg this picture triggers my PTSD because it is EXACTLY what running a snowmobile on my property can be like. All of it of course worse when you get around some trees and you need to maneuver... can't just open the throttle full to float. Then I have a "fun" afternoon with a buddy and a shovel just pouring sweat while I dig like a bastard over and over again.

Now, AlryA's 6x6 sure has a LOT more track on it and less weight, or at least a much better ratio than the UTV track set ups I've seen. It seems like that's the point he's making - it isn't the same setup as a straight sled or UTV. More power, more track, less weight.

Bottom line, what I am seeing is that, esp for trailbreaking backwoods, at my size constraint there are some real options, but the best thing to find is a BIG ratio of track area to weight, and then sort by $$$ for whatever comfort and freshness etc.

 

[MountainMike]

Walt,
It is great to see that you've been getting all this feedback from the gang here on the forum. A great group of snowcat owners/enthusiast. It's no fun getting stuck because you have the wrong machine. I think we've all been there. I do believe the discussion has gone full circle back to the key issues you identified in your first post. Again, matching the machine with the need. And, some situational awareness which only comes from experience. That's where all the forum members come in!

As we all know, the weight of the machine in combination with the amount of track surface area will determine the machines' PSI on snow and influence the snowcat's ability to 'float' in deep/unconsolidated snow conditions. The wider the track, the better the weight distribution and, the better the flotation of the machine.

Black Tracks Matter!

 

[walt stradlater]

agreed, mountain mike… like so many enthusiast communities its wonderful how open y’all are sharing experiences. i am not remembering now but whoever flagged the bombi /br100 out of the gates probably had a great answer. i see a few people on these forums have also done real work on that platform so there is a LOT of knowledge available. thank god.

 

[MountainMike]

Walt, I was the one that flagged the Bombi/BR100 post on facebook marketplace in my original reply to your post. Here's is the link again. I just checked with the owner and both machines are still available. They are in Ticonderoga, NY I would recommend taking a look at the BR100.

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Mountain Mike

 

[walt stradlater]

hi mountain mike - yep - looks quite interesting

 

[Blackfoot Tucker]

Walt,

A few more thoughts for you to chew on.

I don’t think everything boils down to flotation. You also need traction and the power necessary to accomplish the mission. A snowcat that does okay by itself may be inadequate if then laden with a blade and towing grooming equipment.

There are different cab styles with most of the manufacturers. If you think you might at some point want to carry a few passengers, you should factor that into your search criteria. You are way better off buying a machine with the right cab the first time, rather than discovering later you wish you had a different setup.

A front blade for grooming might look like a snow plow, but they really aren’t made for pushing a lot of snow, or for contact with fixed objects. Typical pickup truck blades are power up, gravity down and power angle left and right. Snowcat blades usually offer more power functions. For example, the six-way blade on my Tucker is power up, power down, power angle left and right, and power tilt left and right. The only blades I’ve seen on UTVs/ATVs have a winch and cable to raise it, with gravity down. No power angle, no tilt. Many blades have several more powered functions.

Factory snowcat blade systems can be somewhat complicated and if you want a front blade, I would strongly suggest buying a machine with a blade already on it. I would have a strong preference for a factory-type blade rather than a Bubba and Billy Bob project. The blade itself is only part of the equation. You need a hydraulic pump, reservoir, filter, hoses and a valve system to control the blade. All of that has to be integrated and the snowcat modified to install everything. Realize too, the weight of the blade and associated parts will have an effect on the weight distribution. I don’t have any experience with the Bombardier machines, but I’m skeptical about a front blade on such a short machine as a Bombi, and that skepticism applies to the Thiokol/DMC/LMC Imps, Super Imps/1450s as well. Two track machines literally climb and descend bumps and the short track length would magnify the pitching motion. Now add a blade that’s several feet out in front and it only gets worse.

My Tucker came with a blade from the factory and we’re using that blade and design as a basis to build another similar blade for another Tucker we’re modifying for a customer. It’s a long story, but if someone had to pay a fabricator to build a blade system from scratch, even having one to copy, the time involved is substantial, and I’m sure you realize that directly translates into dollars, as-in, a lot of ‘em... Before I bought my first Tucker I had a conversation with Dan Dressler, a salesman at the Tucker factory, about all kinds of snowcat stuff. At the time I was considering a 1980 Tucker 1543 with a factory blade. I recall Dan saying the blade option probably cost $10K back when the machine was ordered, and it added about $3K to the value of the machine I was considering.

That brings about another thought. I’ve had excellent conversations with both Dan Dressler and Jeff Godard at Tucker, Inc. These guys have a LOT of experience and knowledge, not just about Tuckers, but about their competition as well. I think it would be a good investment of your time to give them a call and get their thoughts on your situation. I have found both men to be generous with their time, and happy to answer questions.

 

[300 H and H]

Walt I will throw in my 2 cents here...

Consider trees. In your area are you going to run around them as you would a Conifer, or will you be operating under a canopy of deciduous trees?
Under a canopy you will find some machines are limited due to their height, and one should consider this over all height if your running under the tree canopy.
By far the easiest machine to enter and exit from at the Snow Tracs. But also consider as an of one owner I am some what opinionated...

 

[walt stradlater]

yeah the sno-tracs look really cool… not many out there in good shape… yours for sale?

 

[300 H and H]

yeah the sno-tracs look really cool… not many out there in good shape… yours for sale?

Maybe in 15 to 20 years it might be....
Best looking machine out there. I was hooked in 1966 when I received my first one, a match box toy.....

 

[Loneoutrider]

In reference to 300 H and H comment about top clearance, I don’t know how much snow depth you end up with.
You need to allow for that. I have 10 ft openings on my storage shed and almost have trouble getting my TrackMaster in
due to the drifting by the end of the season. I don’t always get the doorway snow blown timely!