# Tracked Max IV or Argo 6x6s



## vthighland

I know they're not snowcats but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with them both from a reliability and how good they are in snow viewpoints.  I need something that's easy to transport behind a midsized SUV that can fit two people and some gear.  I currently have a Bombi and it's to big this application.  I live in New England so I don't expect much powder.  

Thanks,

Mark


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## Oilcanman

Have friend that has a Argo 8x8 and has liked it a lot for ice fishing and hunting. The only problem is when he broke through the ice with 2ft of powder it had to be winched out.  Argo floats but with 1 ft above waterline would not get out on its own.  When winched out water came into from the back and raised heck with every thing inside.  This was 4 years ago and he he still has it but moved away from here


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## Blackfoot Tucker

I realize you asked a specific question, but here in northern Utah the side-by-side UTVs with tracks (such as a Polaris Ranger) are quite popular.

It's not hard to find them used and they seem to depreciate fairly quickly.


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## flathorn

Look at the Cushman Tracksters.  With or without  the flotation collar.  Best are  units repowered with 4 strokes.


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## NorthernRedneck

I like the idea of the cushman trackster as a small personal cat. Seriously considering one for myself.  Just have to convince the misus.


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## hunter1951

I had a  cushman  and drove it in the winter in a lot of deep snow and it was wicked I never remember ever getting stuck.

Dwight


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## vthighland

I've looked at the Tracksters, PPTs, Playcats, ... but parts seem to be an issue.  I was leaning towards an Argo / Max since everything seems available and they seemed more like a snowcat.  I've also thought about a tracked side by side because of their winter and summer utility but have heard good and bad about their snow capabilities.  If anyone has personal experience I'd like to know.  I will not be on a groomed trail, I'll be breaking trail up hill to a cabin.

Thanks for the help.

Mark


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## JimVT

I had a 6x called a husler. at times the wheels would spin in the tracks. it was chain drive to all six axles and the only suspension was the soft tires. I run it mostly without the tracks and had to be  maintained good. the bumps would hammer the axle bearings good.
 I never seen any newer ones but sealed axle bearings may be necessary but as soon as that seal was gone your bearing went fast.
 I can't compare them because I only owned one .Never cared for climbing in a tub and little load hauling.


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## 300 H and H

Friction drive inside of the tracks takes serious track tension. My Caterpillar Ag tractor has no less than 15,000 lbs of tension in each track. Now an Argo isn't a tractor, but the priciple is the same. There appears to be no way to mechanically add tension to the tracks., and no positive drive coggs to transfere any of the power. Add to this the Argo's arent designed with and for the forces generated by tight tracks. My bet is that they will slip way to much inside the tracks to be fun.

Cushmans are not like this as they don't rely on track tension for power transmission. They have drive lugs on the tracks and a sprocket to drive them. Much better, especially for climbing and pulling loads. JMHO

Regards, Kirk


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## hunter1951

You are correct about the cushman and the drive system, the only problem I ever had were the idlers they are metal and when working in areas with a lot of rock you had to be careful not to jam a rock in them for obvious reasons.


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## flathorn

I have 3  Cushmans.  Bought all of them on Craigs list . One had been repowered with a snowmobile engine. Bought it pretty cheap as it didn't run, for parts. Second one was original with an original cushman trailer to go with it. Will repower it some day. Third one had been converted to Honda 4 stroke. ,And even found just a flotation ring separate on Craigs list.  Have less the $5000 in all of it. I am set with what will be 2 good machines, and a parts machine that does run now. 

Expensive parts are new tracks if you need them, but they are available.


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## Blackfoot Tucker

vthighland said:


> I've looked at the Tracksters, PPTs, Playcats, ... but parts seem to be an issue.  I was leaning towards an Argo / Max since everything seems available and they seemed more like a snowcat.  I've also thought about a tracked side by side because of their winter and summer utility but have heard good and bad about their snow capabilities.  If anyone has personal experience I'd like to know.  I will not be on a groomed trail, I'll be breaking trail up hill to a cabin.
> 
> Thanks for the help.
> 
> Mark



Good Question. I asked the same thing on the forum a few years ago: http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/showthread.php?t=32698&highlight=polaris+ranger

I bought my first Tucker to access some property at a fairly remote lake in Montana. An across-the-lake neighbor who lives there all year bought a Polaris Ranger and had it all tricked out with various options including Duratracks (different than the Camoplast, Tatou or Polaris brand tracks).

It had worked well for them for several years and when they decided to buy a new one to replace it I was offered the option to buy the used one. I jumped.  

Sadly I haven't had the opportunity to test it in deep snow (or in any snow for that matter). I'm hoping maybe tomorrow. If I do I'll let you know.

The Duratracks are a different setup than the other brands and are quite a bit more expensive. According to the previous owner the new machine (a 2013 with Polaris tracks) is much faster, but isn't as capable in deep snow. He describes the one I bought as being "like a tank".


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## mtntopper

Just checked out a video of the Polaris Duratracks and see they appear to not have the square inches of track for snow floatation when compared to the Camoplast tracks. They are much shorter on snow contact and the front and rear appear about the same length. The Camoplast tracks offer a longer rear track with a shorter front track for ease of turning for more floatation in snow. The Camoplast are light weight for added snow float while the Duratracks look and sound much heavier built. Looking at both I am thinking the Duratracks are a better all terrain track but will not perform as well in snow as the Camoplast tracks. I have not seen the Duratracks in use on the mountain but we have many Polaris running the Camoplast for over snow travel in our area. 

I have the Camoplast track system on a 700 Rhino and they have worked great for about 6+ years. They do suck up the power but all track systems do that. The Rhino is not used often but mostly as a back as we usually opt for our snow tracked SUV. I would compare the performance of the Rhino and tracked SUV as about equal but the tracked SUV can haul more people and is much more comfortable along with being warm. All of the tracked ATV/UTV's, Argos and such are extremely loud, require ear protection and forget about having a normal conversation or sipping your coffee as you cruise over the snow as it will be next to impossible.


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## Blackfoot Tucker

Interesting comments...

I just measured the overall dimensions of the Duratracks on my Ranger. The rubber tracks themselves are slightly wider at 14" and the overall length front and rear is 43".  So 14 x 43 x 4 = 2408 sq in.

Last spring I had some questions about the track system and called Duratrack. The owner of the company picked up the phone, answered all my questions, and was extremely nice. It's really great when you have questions to speak to "the expert" himself! One of the things he mentioned is that Polaris sells Rangers to the US military and when the specifications call for tracks Polaris equips those machines not with their own tracks, but with Duratracks. I thought that was quite an endorsement.

I know Duratrack has made some design changes since mine were built, but the changes are relatively slight.

Whereas the Polaris Prospector and other brands are designed to be seasonal, the Duratracks are intended to be used in place of the wheels and tires all year long. The Duratrack system replaces the stock front A-arms with beefier ones. I wonder if that's an issue for people with Polaris or other track systems? 

I wish I could tell you how well they worked, but I can't. Maybe soon !


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## hunter1951

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/sno/4262572121.html

Here you go nice Cushman available

Dwight


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## Snowtrac Nome

50 hours on the omc it's ready to burn the back piston again.that was the weak spot with the omc motors cooling, I think it was the back piston that wouldn't cool right


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## hunter1951

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/for/4221275094.html

Well then try an Argo looks kinda cool

Dwight


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## vthighland

Based on the lack of positive responses with respect to tracked Argo / MAX IVs I've decided I need a Plan B I'm thinking either a UTV or a Trackster.

Thanks for all of the help.


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## Blackfoot Tucker

I'm not trying to "rain on the Trackster parade", but what is parts availability like? 

IIRC Cushman stopped making the Trackster back in the seventies. At the time it was a division of Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) more known for their Evinrude and Johnson brands. Then it got sold to Ransomes and now it's owned by Textron. 

I have three 1988 Johnson outboards and getting parts really hasn't been a problem. Maybe parts are readily available for Tracksters -- I don't know, I'm just asking the question. It does seem from looking at a few ads, owners typically replace the OMC engine with something else, often a Honda.


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## hunter1951

Well when I owned my Cushman I never had a problem with anything other then the idlers and I ran mine both summer and winter the parts I needed were never a problem to find but that was some years ago and things change, they are changing on the Imp as well getting parts for the Ford v4 engines and the Wisconsin are becoming very hard to find and will only get harder as time goes by.


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## akmountaineer

I own a MAX IV with tracks in addition to a DMC 1450. I use the Max for ice fishing and light duty transport and recreation. It's a great vehicle that's easy to move, store, and tow, and you can get excellent parts and knowledge support from Recreative Industries. Mine has a Kohler 25 Hp air cooled engine which has been bulletproof. With all of the bearings and chains, these are a lot of maintenance compared to other vehicles, but they also do things that the others don't - like float. Capability wise, I have only had trouble in deep powder (2+ feet of fresh High Sierra snow) climbing hills at altitude. On flats and rolling terrain it will keep moving no matter how deep the snow. Also on firmer wetter snow, it can still climb fairly steep hills. For New England, I'm sure it would work just great.


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## hunter1951

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/sno/4257421782.html


Here is one for the books anybody know what this is?

Dwight


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## Snowtrac Nome

it looks like a cobbled together pos kind of a waste of a good Toyota power train


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## vthighland

akmountaineer,

What tracks are you running?   Also, do you have bearing cages and the frame reinforcement kit?

Markhttp://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/member.php?u=7123


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## rory_mcw

Argo on tracks work well, the later avenger models with the rubber 18" wide tracks are great in the snow. Pm me if you wish or check out 6x6world.com


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## akmountaineer

vthighland said:


> akmountaineer,
> 
> What tracks are you running?   Also, do you have bearing cages and the frame reinforcement kit?
> 
> Markhttp://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/member.php?u=7123



I have the factory rubber track kit. I believe it has 15 inch tracks, and it came with bearing cages, support rails, and wheel extensions. The extensions and tracks put a lot of extra strain on the drive system so it's definitely necessary for the added support of the cages and rails. It's a good working system.


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## Nikson

I've put my Trackster for sale...  

They are all fun toys...


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