Snowmobile question

[Liquid Charlie]

First it's only limited by money and imagination -- I'm assuming you don't want to go out and spend $12,000 dollars on a new snow machine. So the obvious first solution is to reduce the load -- it's only a couple of champs and fuel can be hauled in plastic jerry cans - is this a trail or can you drive it with a truck in the summer so maybe a small fuel shed but barring all that you could look around for an old double track or a scandic - I believe the scandics even had a "bull low" with a 2 speed gear box.

Me -- a snow blower and an atv and stay with it -- or if you are on a farm you must have a blower so if you can't get to the strip with a tractor maybe road work is far better than a new snow machine.

look at a scandic http://www.trailsiderentals.com/pre-own ... obiles.htm

[sdp]

you need any type of wide track snowmachine. i would look at a skandic by ski-doo, they will pull almost anything through deep unbroken trail. you could probably find a used one but remeber those types of snowmachines are work horse's so there might be a reason why somone would sell it. polaris makes a pretty good wide track as well.

i didn't see the link that liquid charlie posted. the 2003 skidoo skandic is exactlly what you will be looking for, it is a good price too as it says it has "zero" miles.

[sheephunter]

If budget will allow, I would go with the Skandik super wide as my first choice, Yamaha VK 540 as second. These are the two real heavy duty workhorses (your Beaver). The Tundra are less expensive, a lot lighter to haul around and might do the job for your as well (your super cub). Polaris might be more economical for an older wide track and they have a very reliable engine in the 500 cc class. But as anything with a motor and moving parts, take a close look or take someone with you that is familiar with the machines to take a close look. This is a good time of year to purchase and spend the warm season getting it tuned for next winter. Good luck.

[Cat Driver]

Clunk, why not just move to Vancouver Island and solve the snow problem?

[Liquid Charlie]

earthquakes --

[sammy]

Clunk I have a Yamaha Bravo one lunger 1986 long track trapper edition...This thing has never given me grief and hauls all the wood for my cabin and I really load up the big sleigh.I,ve got six other snowmobiles at camp but when the work is needed ,we always use this gem.the other good thing is if you get stuck in slush it weighs sweet bugger all compared to the other newer snomobiles.And when your 60+ with a bad back thats a real plus.The wife always jumps on this one probably because of the vibrations induced .

[CLguy]

Clunk I have a lot of experience on all the wide tracks available. The best I found was the Arctic Cat Bearcat, next the Yamaha VK 540 and then either the Polaris LX or Ski-Doo Scandic. I am sure either one of these will do the job for you. Get the track studded and you will even get more traction. What you will find the most frustrating with most of these wide tracks, especially the Polaris is they tend to bury the skiis in deep powder when trying to make a turn. They do this to the point where you feel they will roll right upside down if you didn't stop. This can be easily corrected by putting a set of wide ski skins on the skiis. Get the widest you can, I believe they are about 8 inches wide.

Of course if you are really serious about never getting stuck you could go with a Tucker Sno-Cat or a Bombardier BR-160 and sit in a heated cab while you are hauling whatever it is that needs to be hauled!!

[sdp]

cl quy: i really don't mean to be rude, but you deffinatly should not be giving advice about snowmachines! you may be a"10thousand" hour pilot, but you have no advise when it comes to this. don't want to be harsh, but a "bear cat" is not a wide track, it is an arctic cat and it quite frankley sucks! , it is for takin the wife for a ride and thats about it. a skidoo skandic is the best period, then mabe polairs, then mabe the bear cat, vk is deffinatly at the bottom of the list. google it, and i'm sure you'll find skidoo at the top! almost every long track sled sold today has atleast an 8 inch ski for it or skins the true work horse is one with "big skies", "wide track", "power", "high and low range gears" "reverse" big window", "big running boards" and a good rep! I am not in the arctic, but the are well known where i'm from.

[Rudy]

There is a wide track version of the Bearcat and frankly they are bastards to get into the twin otter. The Bravo was the only sensible solution I've seen so far.

[360montana]

2005 Skidoo Summit 800. The track has 2 1/4" paddles 16" wide 144" long. It is all I ride and there is nothing stopping this machine, but hold on tight.
http://www.shredordie.com/videos/ac4cf5df04

[lucky37]

I'd forget a sled altogether and go with a snowcat, like the Thiokol Spryte. Drove one on Grouse Mountain near Vancouver and it can haul LOTS up very steep slopes. Not the fastest machine but it's a blast to drive and can go almost anywhere.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHWqjo23vAo

http://www.chameleoninc.com/snowcats/1202B/index.html

Or like CLguy said a Bombardier BR-160.

[CLguy]

Well Sdp I guess the thousands of kilometers I spent on a WIDETRACK BEARCAT plus the thousands spent on the other types while packing swamps and snowmobile trails winter after winter were just a bad dream. Of course there were many days it felt like a bad dream and is now a few years ago! Hell I could have just stayed home and googled them to find which one would do the job best!! Sure would have saved lots of frost bite! I am no fan of Arctic Cat but I am telling you as an all around workhorse it gets my vote ahead of the rest and I never even had to google it!

[ruddersup?]

Why not consider the old twin track Alpine by Ski-doo. Had one back in the seventies and boy does it pull. It has reverse but do not get it stuck. I packed a winter strip on our lake through slush etc. for our winter operation.
Problem would be to find one rebuilt.

[l_reason]

If you have the cash around I would get a 6x6 or 8x8 Argo, I’m surprised nones mentioned them. You can get winter tracks that make them almost unstoppable in deep snow. They can haul a good load, have plenty of power to tow stuff and would make a perfect runway groomer. They are even made here in Canada just west of Waterloo.

http://www.argoatv.com/recreational/per ... etail.aspx

Have a look at this youtube video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ8_seCA ... re=related

It would be hard to beet the capability of an Argo with snow tracks, its going to be around for years and its worth twice as much as any snowmobile simply because you can use it more then 5 months a year. How much use will you be getting out of your sled next July?

Or just get your self an old Yamaha Bravo long track, its cheap and will get the job done for years to come.

[snowshoe]

Clunk; If a guy could get hold of a used Bombi, might be an option. You see the odd one in the Truck/equipment trader type magazines. Like a previous post stated about another machine, these tend to be work horses and lot of them have been worked hard and put in the barn wet. Would help if you knew a mechanic that was familiar with the machines. If not a piece of crap, could be what you're lookin for. Even has a cab.

http://www.resortboneyard.com/list.php?category=17

[5x5]

+1 for the Argo. They will go anywhere and are very simple to fix and maintain, way easier than a snowmobile. And they can be used all year round for a lot more things than a single purpose machine. Here's an example of one from eBay that looks pretty good. And it wouldn't be that far to go get it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ARGO-199 ... enameZWDVW

[MUSKEG]

One set of chains and a few wheel weights for the tractor and all your problems go away. A lot cheaper and warmer than a sled and all the frustrations they bring. You think a Sea King is high maintanance?