# Adventures in Snowcatting



## NorthernRedneck

I figured I'd start a thread for those of you who would like to share your stories/adventures while out having fun.  I'll go first:

My day started out pretty good today.  Went out to the garage to fire up the Lamtrac for its first run of the season.  Fired right up with no problems.  Let it warm up for a bit then pulled it out of the garage for its first taste of snow this season.  Plowed out the parking lot with it just to get a feel for the ole girl again.  Then I went to try to hook it up to the 10 ft drag with no luck as one of the hydraulic couplers on the drag was damaged.  So I moved the machine over and hooked up to the 8 footer with no problems.  This is when my day took an unexpected turn.  When I hooked up the hydraulic lines to the back of the machine, one of the rubber o-rings inside the coupler(there are 6 couplers on our machine for drag controls) was leaking.  I thought to myself...no big deal!  They always leak a bit when I first hook them up until the rubber o-rings swell a bit from the oil.  Well, I was wrong this time.   I drove it the 7 or so miles to town along the highway(would have taken the trail but it needs quite a bit of snow before we can go there).  

   So I get to town and go pick up a new operator that I have to train.  We get out on the first trail that I planned on grooming before stopping to give him a complete tour of the machine.  I lift the engine hood to show him a few things when i discover that the guage on the hydraulic tank is reading empty.  I know it's not a major deal as the tank reads empty after you have only lost one pail of oil and the tank holds 7.  There's also a safety beeper that comes on in the cab to warn that the tank is now holding around 5 pails of oil(and it hadn't come on yet).  Turns out a 12 cent  rubber o-ring split in the coupler from sitting dry over the summer and leaked out a $120.00 pail of semi-synthetic.  Just goes to show that even the cheapest of parts can be very costly in the long run if not replaced.

So we continue on our way gromming a 5 mile trail on an old road and then I decide that just to be safe, we better head to town and put in another pail of oil.  Well, I soon discover that the 3 extra pails of oil we had for emergencies was used in the BR160 last week.  So now, I start searching all over town for a *&^*&^ pail of semi-synthetic hydraulic oil with no luck.(of course everyone closes on Satudrays around here)  Finally tracked down a pail of oil after wasting two hours looking around.  So we go and unhook the drag at the groomer's winter parking spot in town.(I don't haul the drag around on the first pass of the season) We went out on one trail near my house and filled in a couple ditches and made a snow bridge over a small creek and also pushed about 20 trees off the trail with the blade then called it a day.  

I didn't get many pictures as after I took this one, I put the camera on the seat of my truck and kinda forgot it there.


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## mbsieg

GREAT thread Brian look forward to lots more stories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## NorthernRedneck

There comes a time in every man's life when he has to choose..........did I go with my wife over to my my-in-laws house?  or................do I go out playing with my snowcat???

Well, after plans fell through for us having friends over for supper tonight, I decided to take the second option.  Went out around 4:30pm to finally start opening some trails around town for the snowmobilers.  I was a little hesitant to go over one particular trail as we have very ilttle, if any, frost in the ground and there is one swamp area that I had to cross.  Turns out the sleds have packed enough over the past week to drive some frost into the ground.  All in all, I covered roughly for miles of trail tonight(most of it being the first pass of the season.


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## NorthernRedneck

Then, just when I was starting to make my way back the way I came on the first trail to make it two passes wide, I stopped to give the machine a break.  It was then that I discovered the following.....

What normally looks like this....





Now looks like this......





   

So, I decided to get the machine back to town the quickest way possible.  Normally, we would change it on the trail but Without the proper tools for the job, I took it slow and made it back alright.  Now I get to go look for that missing ice breaker idler on the trails in the morning.  The shaft for the idler had apparently snapped off completely.  It should be fun trying to find that idler in the morning as I have a hunch it got sucked into the snow in the drag and got packed into the trail somwhere.  Oh well, time for a


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## Bobcat

Wouldnta  happened with a Kristi.


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## mtntopper

I lost the complete top idler and shaft on a Piston Bully one night. The way it should of came out of the track, I should of derailed the complete track. As it happened I did not even know it was missing for a couple miles. Things just started to not feel right as the machine felt heavy on that side in the steering. GroomerguyNWO, did you feel anything different in the machine without the idler wheel assembly?


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## NorthernRedneck

bobpierce said:


> Wouldnta  happened with a Kristi.



I know..............kinda hard to break ANYTHING on a kristi when they don't even make it 50 feet from the parking lot!


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## NorthernRedneck

mtntopper said:


> I lost the complete top idler and shaft on a Piston Bully one night. The way it should of came out of the track, I should of derailed the complete track. As it happened I did not even know it was missing for a couple miles. Things just started to not feel right as the machine felt heavy on that side in the steering. GroomerguyNWO, did you feel anything different in the machine without the idler wheel assembly?



Yeah, I never noticed it at first when it broke.  I did notice that the ride seemed a bit rougher for a 1/2 mile or so before I noticed it missing.  The shaft had snapped off and there was about 2 inches of it left sticking out of the frame where it mounts.  I noticed that it had been rubbing on the cleets for a bit.  Good thing I stop about every mile or so to look over the machine.  This is especially important when I'm breaking trail for the first time each season.  We had a spell of rain for two days then it turned to freezing rain, then snow so The tracks were all iced up when I went out tonight.  Usually, the ice breaks off within a mile or so of slow running.  I did notice there was still quite a bit of ice built up on the cleets each time I stopped.  I'm thinking that's probably what caused the shaft to snap.


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## NorthernRedneck

Well, got the shaft and missing idler replaced yesterday.  I'm surprised how easy it was.(I've never had to do one before)  The shaft just slides through a collar built into the track frame then a bolt sliedes through the shaft on the inside of the frame.  We assembled the idler and shaft before installing it to make it easier.  I had another guy jack up on the track to give me enough clearance to slide it on.  We heated up the old shaft first to make it easier to slide out then just tapped on it with a hammer and punch and it came right out.  Then just slid the new shaft and idler in and we were all set. 

I then went out and opened a 7 mile stretch out to our clubhouse on the hwy.  It was slow going though.  I managed to get spun out on one hill.  It was a short steep hill so I just backed up, moved over a few feet then tried it again and made it up.  Today, I plan on going the give the ole girl a quick grease job and fix a couple of electrical problems(had a wire going to the fuel guage sensor on the tank break and one of my to headlights keeps cutting out) before heading out to open up a 30 mile trail to the next town.


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## NorthernRedneck

Never a dull moment when out there breaking trail for the first time each season!  It's normally a 7 hour run to cover the 30 miles to the next town and return.  I left around 4pm today and it was slow going right from the get go. Trees were down all over the trail.  I had a chainsaw with me but I soon discovered that the last guy to use it this summer(not me) had apparently tried to cut through rocks with it making it very dull.  And wouldn't you know it....no file in the machine for the saw.  So, after a little creative persuation with the front blade of the groomer, we made it through.  Things went great for the first 45 miles or so then the ole Lamtrac started chugging.  THe engine was still running fine so I figured I better stop and check underneath the machine.  Sure enough, found a busted hydraulic elbow going to a pump on the back track section.  I had a spare elbow and they are fairly easy to change but I had lost about 3 pails of oil by the time I stopped it.  Normally, there's a sensor beeper that goes off when the hydraulic level reaches a certain point but it never did this time so I had no indication that there was any problems until I stopped.  So, I had to leave the machine on the side of the trail and call the wife to come and resuce me at midnight( she wasn't too impressed).  Tomorrows task will be to track down some oil and replace that broken elbow then try to get it started to get it home.(deisels don't like the cold weather when they aren't plugged in)


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## Snowcat Operations

Is that a Lame Track?


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## Snowcat Operations

But since its French I bet it runs excellent in Reverse!


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## Bobcat

Oh, sure, kick a guy while he's down. Isn't that just like a Slow Master owner? You could at least offer him the use of a Kristi till he gets that refugee from Lameque running again. 



_All content copyright K.R.I.S.T.I. - Kristis Rescuing Impotent Snow Tracs, International._


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## NorthernRedneck

Oh, I'll have it running again..............would have had it running last night but someone used the 3 spare pails of hydraulic oil we had in that yellow Bumb-bar-deer thingy that's been bleeding its guts out all over the floor of our groomer garage with a cracked tank and din't replace it.  Can't wait till that thing's gone.........not a big fan of it by any means!  So, my task this morning is to track down about 3-4 pails of semi-synthetic hydraulic oil.


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## Snowcat Operations

bobpierce said:


> Oh, sure, kick a guy while he's down. Isn't that just like a Slow Master owner? You could at least offer him the use of a Kristi till he gets that refugee from Lameque running again.
> 
> 
> 
> _All content copyright K.R.I.S.T.I. - Kristis Rescuing Impotent Snow Tracs, International._





Bob!  Your just use to us Snow Trac owners kicking you Kristi owners when your down.  Its not are fault you guys are alway down!


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## NorthernRedneck

Just when things can't get any worse this week.........first the busted idler, then the broken hydraulic fitting, now this............














Pretty self explanitory how I spent my day!  Was supposed to be opening a new 30 mile section of trail halfway to a small town north of us.  The pi$$ off part is that on the other side of the highway, there is a nice clearing I could have gone through and have used in the past with no problems.  Instead, we were told that we would have to push the trail through on the north shoulder of the road where there's only about 20 feet of slopping shoulder down to the tree line.


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## mbsieg

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## NorthernRedneck

Here's where it was hauled out.  About the only thing that went right today after that happenend was how it got hauled out.  I made a few phone calls to try and get ahold of the other guys in the snowclub but couldn't get any of them on the phone.  They were busy out at the clubhouse trying to get the BR160 going so they could bring it to town and change a leaking hydraulic tank for the drives.  So, I called the wife up to come and get me so I could get things organised in town to get it out of the ditch.  I got off the phone with her and this big railway service truck pulled up and asked if I needed some help.  He turned his big truck around on the highway(this thing was bigger than the average highway transport out there)  He had a  15,000lb winch on the front which I hooked up to my front blade frame.  Then, he hauled the winch in and it sucked my right out of that whole I was in.  I finally tracked down the other guys and the tank on the BR160 got put on hold.  We tried of a few hours to get at least the front track back on with no luck( kinda hard to work on something like that on the side of the highway)  At least if we could have gotten on track on the front, I could have walked it back to town slowly.


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## Snowcat Operations

I sorry you had such a bad day.  How old is that unit?


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## NorthernRedneck

It's a 2002 model with roughly 2400hrs.  We'll get the tracks back on in the morning.  It's thawing out in a local garage overnight to de-ice it.  It doesn't take much to throw a track off when breaking open the trails.  Break through one swamp and get a chunk of ice wedge itself into the track................all it takes!  

Been doing this for quite a few years now and this is the worst start to the season I've ever seen for luck.  Allot has to do with the fact that we barely got any frost in the ground this year before the snow hit.  We have allot of muskeg swamp that we go through around here.  Machines all around my area have been breaking through the swamps.


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## Bulldog1401

Bummer dude!


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## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Great pics and stories (even if they suck for you)!  Thanks Brian!


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## yellowpine O.T.S.

Bummer that it happened but most fortunate it was right next to the highway were you could load it and then work on it in a heated shop, I've thrown a track on our SV301 and had to work in zero degree weather ended up taking days to get it back on track and of course I had loaned out my track jack so had to relace it the hard way.

As they say let no good deed go unpunished!  Good thread!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## NorthernRedneck

Good news, after 5 guys, 3 long pry bars, a couple of bottle jacks, a socket and ratchet, a cumalong, and three hours of lifting and tugging, both tracks are back on.  The nice thing about our Lamtrac is that there's a hex-nut on each drive sprocket motor that, when removed, disengages the sprocket from turning.  So we took three of the hex nuts out except for the one on the track were were working on, then jacked up the track making sure to put blocking in place so the track rises evenly when jacking up.  We backed off the track tensioner.(on the Lamtrac, you adjust the track tension with a bolt on the inside of the front idler wheel)  The front idler is mounted on a sliding box frame that sits inside the frame that holds the rest of the idlers.  It works sort of like the way you would adjust the track on a snowmobile. Then, we lifted the track assembly over the top ice breaker idlers and over the back sprocket and bottom front idler.  At this point, the track cleets/grousers were not yet lined up with the sprocket.  Next, with the machine set in low range and in 4x4, we just gave it a bit of fuel with the machine in reverse and a couple guys prying with the pry bars and turned the track slowly and it walked itself right back on.   That was for the back track that came completely off.

The front track went a little easier.  Again, we backed off the track tension bolt.  Jacking was easy for the front.  We put a few bolcks under the front blade, then lowered the front blade all the way down.  This lifted the whole front of the machine 2-3 feet in the air.  Here's where the cumalong came in handy.  With the track tensioners backed off al the way, there way a good 7-8 inches of space between the track and bottom idlers.  So we hooked the cumalong from the front track to the back one, winched on it and got it started over the sprocket.  We then removed the cumalong and chains, put the machine in reverse, and slowly walked it back on.  The final step on each track was to re-tighten them(which was a pain as the adjuster bolts were all rusted)

After we got the Lamtrac out of the shop, we went to fire up the BR160 to get it in the shop to change the hydraulic tank for the rear drives.  Whoever plugged it in last night forgot to plug the cord into the outlet outside so of course, that gave us a bit of work trying to get that cold deisel to start.  A set of booster cables and can few shots of eather later, we got it going.  I left the job of changing the tank to the other guys.

I'm beat!  Taking a day off from grooming tomorrow.........well, not really.........heading out tomorrow night with Lamtrac with another guy to go pack the rest of the trail we were doing when everything happened yesterday.  This time, I'll be going on the south side of the highway where I got stuck.....no problems there. 

I hope this thread gives you guys a bit of an idea of how much work is involved in opening up a snowmobile trail system for the season, once the trails are open, keeping them open is allot easier.  And remember, this is all done by volunteers.  We've also got a few guys out there brushing the trails, putting up signs, etc...

 Happy new year to everyone!!!!


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## NorthernRedneck

I should add that we have determined the reason as to why the tracks jumped off in the first place.  We had track problems last year so we got a complete set of new tracks and cleets in but they arrived too late this fall for us to have time to install them before the season started.  The plan was to preassemble them then install them after the trails were open.  Seemed like a good idea at the time.  Our track adjustment bolts were maxed right out and we had already cut 6 inches off each belt last season and removed one cleet on each track but they were still very loose.  I'm thinking that probably didn't help matters when I got down in that ditch.


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## NorthernRedneck

Here's what I'll be doing by about 3 AM tonight.  Heading out in an hour or so to finish off the trail I had started the other day when I got sucked down into that swamp and threw 2 tracks off.  I'm staying clear of the swamp this time though and will be taking the other side of the highway.  I'm hoping for the best tonight......don't need any more problems like the past week.


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## Snowcat Operations

Dont forget your survival kit!


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## NorthernRedneck

Got it!  Sat phone, first aid kit, tools, parts, etc......  Got all the stuff I need.  I'll be along a highway most of the way.  There's only a 10 mile stretch that heads down an old logging road where that hill is.  My main concern is the creek at the bottom of the hill.  It's only about 3 ft deep where we cross but I still don't want to break through.  Which is why I'm also bringing an ice auger to check the ice thickness.  Well, I'm off, if I dont report back in the next few days, come looking for me!


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## NorthernRedneck

I should add that we've done some work to that hill this summer to get rid of the hump halfway up and cut down the grade a bit.


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## NorthernRedneck

Finally!  Nothing went wrong this trip!  I was training another operator last night breaking trail through 3-4 feet of fresh snow.  We had to make three snow bridges which took a little time as the small creeks we were crossing weren't frozen.  It took an hour to push enough snow into one creek to make it across.  We were only machine packing last night without the drag for 3/4's of the night as after my little episode with the swamp the other day, the towing truck that hauled me into town also hauled the drag up to the first open road along the highway and left it there.  SO I packed a nice trail only to the bottom of the hill in the picture a few posts back.  When we got there, I checked the ice in three spots with an auger and there was only about 12 inches of soft slush ice over 3-4 feet of water.  So, after the week I've had, I opted to play it safe and not cross.

On our way back, we picked up the drag and got back to town around 5:30 am.


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## Snowcat Operations

Got pics?


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## NorthernRedneck

Nope!  Grabbed te wrong camera when I went out...........tried taking a couple but they didn't turn out.  That camera takes crappy pics in the dark!


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## NorthernRedneck

What a long day!  Left at 7am this morning with both machines to go break open a trail we haven't been able to use in 3 years due to lack of snow.  Allot of cutting, snowbridging was involved.  I ran the BR160 today.   We left the drags at home to break this trail open.  We covered roughly 60-70 miles today.

Here's a quick video of what allot of my day was like.

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/bcdlavis/?action=view&current=100_0333.flv


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## NorthernRedneck

Here's the machine I was running.





Following the Lamtrac.....operator just finished cutting a tree down that was across the trail.





Lamtrac pushing snow to make a snowbridge across a creek.


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## Bobcat

Glad to see you CanUKs finally got your Lametrac running (that refugee from Lameque, that basket case from New Brunswick, that tin can from Canada). Meanwhile, a reliable cat was out doing real work today. SnoOps brought his Super Imp out to New Castle, CO to help get me out to one of my seismic stations that was in need of a service call. After we took care of business, we took a few minutes to zip around in the local powder.

Here's a short video...
http://www.forumsforums.com/pp53/data/571/Imp_2.wmv


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## NorthernRedneck

Well, that's cool!  Only one problem though, where's the Krusti-mobile?


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## Bobcat

You don't pull out the big guns for the small stuff!


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## MNoutdoors RIP

bobpierce said:


> Glad to see you CanUKs finally got your Lametrac running (that refugee from Lameque, that basket case from New Brunswick, that tin can from Canada). Meanwhile, a reliable cat was out doing real work today. SnoOps brought his Super Imp out to New Castle, CO to help get me out to one of my seismic stations that was in need of a service call. After we took care of business, we took a few minutes to zip around in the local powder.
> 
> Here's a short video...
> http://www.forumsforums.com/pp53/data/571/Imp_2.wmv




Looks kinda like a kid in a toy store trying out the toys.  so how fast was that quarter mile. looked like just before he almost wiped out the microwave he hit the nitrous


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## Snowcat Operations

To be fair to BOB the One side does brake a bit harder.  I need to fine tune the brakes a bit still.  I did the same thing a few times just not on video.  She sure is a blast to operate!


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## ALLEN PARSONS

Here are a few photos of the trip to the cabin this past weekend. 
I would love to see some of these want a be snow cats in snow like this.
In the photo gallery you see one going DOWN a small snow bank. But you do not see the ramp on the other side that it used to get there. In a different post someone posted a tucker on four tires. Well a tucker on tires will still out do a want a be. 
  We had three feet of new snow on top of a six foot base. What a blast.  
Lets here it for the good old tuckers. And let it snooooooooooooow


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## Thiokol2track

Hi Allen , 
    Love that old tucker  !!!  Nice pictures !!    Where are you cattin???


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## ALLEN PARSONS

We are cattin is a small town called Powell River, B.C. the cabin is at the 4 thousand foot level of the Knuckleheads. Last year there was about 15 feet of snow, So far this year we have about 9 feet. it took about a hour and a half to get to the cabin.


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## NorthernRedneck

Now, that's what I'm talkin about!  Very nice pics!


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## Mainer

ALLEN PARSONS said:


> We are cattin is a small town called Powell River, B.C. the cabin is at the 4 thousand foot level of the Knuckleheads. Last year there was about 15 feet of snow, So far this year we have about 9 feet. it took about a hour and a half to get to the cabin.



That is just awesome!!!  If only we all had snow like that!  Unbelievable... I love an environment where people MUST adopt, care for, and cherish their cats!!!!  Otherwise... certain and utter starvation will ensue!


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## mtncrawler

O.K. I'll bite. What is a "want a be" snowcat and who made them? Did they come in different colors?


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## Snowcat Operations

I was wondering the same thing.


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## srexecmark

I hear ya!  I have just over 7' and almost a mile of my road to the cabin which is switch-backed and numerous 40-50% grades!  The Tucker keeps going where the snowmobile buries itself and one can barely snowshoe.  My neighbor won't even try my hills in his Thiokol Spryte.


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## fogtender

ALLEN PARSONS said:


> Here are a few photos of the trip to the cabin this past weekend.
> I would love to see some of these want a be snow cats in snow like this.
> In the photo gallery you see one going DOWN a small snow bank. But you do not see the ramp on the other side that it used to get there. In a different post someone posted a tucker on four tires. Well a tucker on tires will still out do a want a be.
> We had three feet of new snow on top of a six foot base. What a blast.
> Lets here it for the good old tuckers. And let it snooooooooooooow


 
Nice photos.  Never played with a tucker with tracks like that.  I would assume that they were a high maintance item, how do they compare to the Tuckers with the rubber tracks with snow cleats.

What is your ground clearance on that unit, looks more like it is walking though the snow, verses over it...

I would love to take my wide track Imp to play in snow like that.  Here for the last few years we haven't gotton much snow to play in...  A friend of mine has the wide track Imp also and in '92 we had about 12 feet of snow, and his broke trails for the snowmachines where they couldn't get though it.


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## ALLEN PARSONS

What is a want a be. I will leave that to your own descretion. In the fear that Kristi owners will get mad at me. Do not get me wrong I love the looks of them.And they do have a far better steering set up then my 323. I just love to poke fun at them like every one else. I do carry a tow rope in case I run into one that needs a tug up the hill.
  Maintance is a Never ending job on these old tuckers.
  My ground clearance is almost two feet. They are made to slide over the snow on the pontoons with the track pulling it along. They do very well in the deep snow. I have had it loaded with six people and all our packs for a weekend stay at the cabin. It did very well, but it was a very slow ride.
  Maybe one day I will have the ol Tucker painted so it looks as nice as kristi.


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## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Great Pics Allan - My Dad has a place on Hornby Island looking over your way.  I haven't been to Powell River in a long time.  Is the mill still running there?


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## fogtender

ALLEN PARSONS said:


> What is a want a be. I will leave that to your own descretion. In the fear that Kristi owners will get mad at me. Do not get me wrong I love the looks of them.And they do have a far better steering set up then my 323. I just love to poke fun at them like every one else. I do carry a tow rope in case I run into one that needs a tug up the hill.
> Maintance is a Never ending job on these old tuckers.
> My ground clearance is almost two feet. They are made to slide over the snow on the pontoons with the track pulling it along. They do very well in the deep snow. I have had it loaded with six people and all our packs for a weekend stay at the cabin. It did very well, but it was a very slow ride.
> Maybe one day I will have the ol Tucker painted so it looks as nice as kristi.


 
With that kind of a track, do they wear out fairly fast and can you get the parts for them very easy?  Seems like they would break and come apart fairly often...


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## NorthernRedneck

Another long day for me!  I had a new operator head out last night in the Lamtrac around 8pm to break open a 90 mile stretch of trail.  We had already packed the worst part of this trail a few days ago.  The original paln was that I would drive my truck over to meet him in the morning and we would switch off and I'd take it back.  It's about a 12 hour run one way.  Well, I got a phone call at 5am from the operator.  They got themselves in a bit of a mess sometime during the night and were stuck in a creek.  They could have backed out but the drag was hung up on the ice.

So, instead of heading out to meet them with my truck, I instead had to head out to the garage and fire up the BR160.  I made good time though getting to them.  Left town at 8am and got to them at noon.  The creek they were crossing  is normally safe to cross with only a foot of water.  But what they didn't see in the middle of the night was that there was a beaver dam just downstream which made the water level rise and drop.  the back of the machine was in water and broken ice over the tracks.  Only the front passenger side had broken through the ice.

They had already unhooked the drag and had a chain attached to it.  I pulled the BR up to it and hooked up the chain to my front blade mount.  Gave a couple tugs to break it free from the ice.(It had already started to freeze into the ice)  I pulled that back around 50' or so then turned the BR around and hooked up pintle hook to pintle hook and pulled it right out the first try.  No damage to anything.  Took me 5 hours to get to them and only 15 minutes to pull them out of the creek.  It was a little slower coming back as we took the trail the whole way.  I had taken a shortcut on the way there which saved me about 2 hours and 15 miles.  Pictures will come later!


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## Snowcat Operations

Very cool!  Now post those pics.


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## NorthernRedneck

I don't have any pictures of the recovery yet!  The other operator took a few with his camera and is supposed to send them to me.


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## Bulldog1401

Oh sure... always pictures later.. always leave us in suspense..

Don't you know some of us are living vicariously through your posts?


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## Mainer

Bulldog1401 said:


> Oh sure... always pictures later.. always leave us in suspense..
> 
> Don't you know some of us are living vicariously through your posts?



Ditto that!!!


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## ALLEN PARSONS

This may be a silly question. But how do you bring up a quote on a post?
 PBinWA Yes the mill is silll running and the town is growin to a point where it do's not rely solely on the mill. House prices have taken a biggggggg jump in the last couple of years. If you are ever in town, drop in, the door is allways open. 

  Fogender. Your qustion on the tracks> I wish that I had a penny for every pump of the grease gun. They take a lot of grease. I have never had a track come apart. And they can not come off the pontoon. The only trouble with them are the rollers. On the 323 they used the smaller rollers which you can not buy anymore. I am going to have some made with bearings that I can replace.


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## NorthernRedneck

Here ya go!  Just a little something I just threw together to show why we all have been bitten by the snowcat bug...

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/bcdlavis/?action=view&current=96b02120.pbr


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## Bobcat

Very cute.


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## fogtender

groomerguyNWO said:


> Here ya go! Just a little something I just threw together to show why we all have been bitten by the snowcat bug...


 
Pretty neat way to make a living.

Do you do the trails for a snowmachine club or gov't agency?  I would assume that is it a pretty expensive deal for a club.

How many miles do you guys have for trails in your area.  I don't think there is any "trail" grooming as such here in Alaska that I know of for snowmachines, some for cross country sking, buy they use snowmachines for pulling the groomers.

We groom our trail out to the cabins, but that is for making it easier on us when we are hauling freight out there.  About an 80 Mile round trip.


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## NorthernRedneck

We've got clsoe to 200km's of trail we take care of.  There's clubs on each side of us that have around the same mileage they maintain.  Our club isn't goverment owned.  We're all basically private clubs joined together by the OFSC(ontario federation of snowmobile clubs)  We sell trail permits for snowmobilers to ride on the trails we maintain.  When they buy a permit, they can ride on any OFSC trail in the province.  If you chose to, you could start at one end of the province and ride your sled all the way to the other end through the trail system.  We have our local trails which are trails that go around town then we have our main trails that join to other communities.  It's allot of work to maintain a trail system like that which is done mostly by volunteers.


----------



## fogtender

groomerguyNWO said:


> We've got clsoe to 200km's of trail we take care of. There's clubs on each side of us that have around the same mileage they maintain. Our club isn't goverment owned. We're all basically private clubs joined together by the OFSC(ontario federation of snowmobile clubs) We sell trail permits for snowmobilers to ride on the trails we maintain. When they buy a permit, they can ride on any OFSC trail in the province. If you chose to, you could start at one end of the province and ride your sled all the way to the other end through the trail system. We have our local trails which are trails that go around town then we have our main trails that join to other communities. It's allot of work to maintain a trail system like that which is done mostly by volunteers.


 

What kind of penalty for the idiots that run the trails without the permits...


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## NorthernRedneck

cops can charge them with tresspassing........................we can't do anything to them other than politely tell them to get the H*LL of the trail until they get a permit


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## ALLEN PARSONS

Sorry if you are getting tired of seeing this 323. But we are haveing a fantastic year for snow. Week after week it is snowing hard from about the Three thou. foot level up. This week end we had the poor girl loaded with about 1300Lbs of people and gear. We had no room for even a case of beer.
(Or should I say another case) It would of been better to make two trips. Or I should find or build a trailer I can tow.  
  We had the cat loaded by 9Pm. For the 6 Km trip up the mountian.The first 2 Km were not to bad. Then we were getting into very wet and heavy snow. By the time we were about 2km from the cabin The snow had changed to a thin layer of wet snow sitting on top of 2Ft of power We broke throught the wet snow and lost all traction in the power. When the tracks started to spin we had to stop and back up and try again. It was first gear and very slow going after that. 
 We did not make the cabin untill allmost midnight. Once we were safe in the cabin with the fire going, then it was beer time.
  A four track unit or a cat with a wider track would of been better in this snow. But the road is very steep and narrow in places. 
  The last photo is the thinking room. But you are in and out so fast you do not get much time to think.
  For safety. On these trips we have it all, From sleeping bags to food


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## ALLEN PARSONS

Sorry photos did not show up


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## NorthernRedneck

Love seeing those pics!  Very nice!  Don't stop.


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## mtntopper

An overhead heat lamp will make your stay in the thinking room much more enjoyable. Years ago, in one of our remote rooms we installed the heat lamp and it was amazing how much more enjoyable it was with a little heat and light... It even warmed the seat a little if you turned the light on a few minutes prior to use...

Great pics and I look forward to your weekly treks with the 323....


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## Snowcat Operations

Me too!  Love the pictures.  Looks like you guys were having a blast!


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## fogtender

ALLEN PARSONS said:


> Sorry if you are getting tired of seeing this 323.


 
Not a chance, keep 'em coming..


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## mkntrakes

took a trip to a cell sight and remembered my camera today here a couple pics of the lmc 1500 aka the blue bird


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## weatherby

I also think those pics. are GREAT keep them coming all you guys. They also get my enthusiasm back up to go out & keep working on that 601 of mine when things are not going very well or just don't feel like it


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## ALLEN PARSONS

How wide is the imc1500 ? And what is the weight. My gess is about 8 feetwide and about 5000Lbs. 
  Something with a small blade is what I need.


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## mkntrakes

ALLEN PARSONS said:


> How wide is the imc1500 ? And what is the weight. My gess is about 8 feetwide and about 5000Lbs.
> Something with a small blade is what I need.



it is 8feet wide and weights about 6000 with blade.


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## srexecmark

My conditions are exactly th same as yours.  The blade on my Tucker is worth it's weight in gold.  I did notice that turning in that crusty, wet snow was different.  For your conditions I would really recommend you have a 4 tracked snow cat, specially if you have any side hill, or drifting.  I have several steep grades and I have yet to find a spot that my Tucker won't handle.  I chicken out before it stops.  The blade is great for removing snow that falls off the roof and you can drop the blade close the the entry ways and drag the snow back.  I think it is hard to beat a Tucker for our Western conditions.  Here is a picture after I had plowed the front of the house.


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## ALLEN PARSONS

In deep dry power snow I have no troble at all turning. Because the snow is so light you can turn your pontoon, and the cat just slides around. But when I have a wet heavy layer that I brake throught into the power then it becomes hard to turn because the pontoon is so deep in the snow. The weight I was carring did not help either.


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## srexecmark

I understand.  The snow conditions this last week made turning hard for everything I imagine.  Once the grousers cut through the hard crust, it turned fine.  It was just geting them turned in 3' of that stuff.  I never had any loss of traction issues.  It froze hard Saturday night and did not get above freezing today, so I was able to get a decent trail made.


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## ALLEN PARSONS

What is your Avalanche danger like down there. Ours is very high here. If the freezing level goes way up, all hell will brake loose here.


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## srexecmark

very high here.  I am not in an avalanche prone area where I run my cat, but there are some aras I have to watch.  This year, the base was very icy, so it has been a serious problem in the Cascades.  8 people have died this year in the Washington Cascades in avalanches.  I can see the mountain across from me had a number of large avalanches when it warmed up.


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## Bulldog1401

ALLEN PARSONS said:


> Sorry if you are getting tired of seeing this 323.



Yeah Right!

We want every pic you have!


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## Bulldog1401

Sweet 1500!!


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## ALLEN PARSONS

Bulldog Your( hopelessly lost but making goodtime) beings back memories about a trip up the mountian to the cabin. It was Another late start and we were about 3miles from the cabin in a bad snow storm at 11:30 at nite. We could just see the trail. The going was good But we could not see very far ahead at all. We compleatly missed your turn off to the cabin. A Half hour later we stopped and Started to scratch our heads. This do"s not look right.
Somebody said. We turned around and followed our tracks back untill we found the right trail. that noght we did not make the cabin untill 1:00 in the morning 
  Thank god the wife was not there. She would of Slaped me silly.


The photo is the next day.  Sorry for the UFOs Some dummy used the flash.


----------



## Snowcat Operations

Took the Super Imp out for a 14 mile trip each way.  4 to 5 feet of powder loaded down with 2  guys (one fat one skinny) and about 700 lbs of gear (guestimate).  She climed powder covered hills with no problem.  BobP has a short vid and some pics.  Actually I did discover one problem.  I seem to have a fuel starvation problem.  I believe the fuel filters are original and need to be changed out.  I am only guessing at this right now.  BUT never the less she ran great fully loaded in the powder!  We even found some Bear tracks where we unloaded the Cat!


----------



## fogtender

Snowcat Operations said:


> Took the Super Imp out for a 14 mile trip each way. 4 to 5 feet of powder loaded down with 2 guys (one fat one skinny) and about 700 lbs of gear (guestimate). She climed powder covered hills with no problem. BobP has a short vid and some pics. Actually I did discover one problem. I seem to have a fuel starvation problem. I believe the fuel filters are original and need to be changed out. I am only guessing at this right now. BUT never the less she ran great fully loaded in the powder! We even found some Bear tracks where we unloaded the Cat!


 
Careful, you may have to post a bear story.... Just remember, in Alaska you don't have to be able to outrun a bear, just the slowest person in the group... if that is you, then carry a walking stick so you can rap the faster ones in the knee as they pass you....


----------



## Bobcat

A quick video of our little trip.

http://www.forumsforums.com/pp53/data/500/Super_Imp_to_Groundhog.wmv

And a picture of the cat showing some tail...


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## Bulldog1401

Performance anxiety? Looks like it rips right along pretty well. I think he gave you a few "get readys" to make sure you could keep him in frame when he did take off.


----------



## Snowcat Operations

Bulldog1401 said:


> Performance anxiety? Looks like it rips right along pretty well. I think he gave you a few "get readys" to make sure you could keep him in frame when he did take off.


 


What Bulldog said!


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## Bobcat

As seen here, http://www.forumsforums.com/pp53/data/571/Mikes_1202B_Stall.WMV, Mikey has a history of this kind of thing.


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## Snowcat Operations

PHOTO SHOP!


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## Snowcat Operations

All lies I say!  All Lies!


----------



## Vance

Nice video.  You must have some more pics from the trip...

Vance


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Spotted earlier today out playing in the hills.  I was out all night on a 14 hour/80 mile one way run breaking open trail with the drag in tow.  I was out finishing the trail where I had to go on the rescue mission  the other day to haul the Lamtrac out of a creek.  When I got to the creek last night around 5am, I thought I would be able to cross where we normally cross but the water levels are so high this year around here that the creek that normally only has just a trickle of water in it now has over 3 feet.  I could have made it across but I figured "Why bother!  The snowmobiles won't be able to make it across there even if I can."  So, I turned around, backtracked about 10 miles to where I turned in off the highway, then had to walk the machine down the shoulder of the road for about 10 miles before I joined up to where I could access the other side of the creek and continue on.  It was slow going last night as I was breaking trail most of the night in 3-4 feet of snow while pulling a drag.  The snow was the "sugary type"  where you sink to the bottom and can't get much traction.  I had to make 7 snow bridges to get across creeks which took a bit of time.  I couldn't imagine trying to do what I do without a blade on my machine.  We used to do it though.


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## NorthernRedneck

I just noticed something.  We have the following brands represented in this thread showing snowcats in actual use(Bombardier, Lamtrac, Tucker, Thiokol) but I haven't seen any action shots representing Kristi yet.  Could it be that there aren't any???  BobP?????  Common, you're holding out on us..............show us show pictures of your Kristi in action in the snow and make a beleiver out of us.  Common man, even I've got faith that that Krusti of yours can do a slight bit more than tear down fences and drive around in parking lots.  Where's your pics???


----------



## Snowcat Operations

OUCH!  BOBP that sounded like a challenge to me!


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## NorthernRedneck

yup!


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## Bobcat

You have me at a slight disadvantage since I'm on the road (constantly), but I'll see what I can do.  All of this playing around in the powder of the Rockies over the last few weeks has been driving me nuts without my Kristi. irate:


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## NorthernRedneck

So Bob............after sampling that cadillac of the snow(Tucker), how are you going to find it going back to your little pinto of the parking lot(Kristi)? 

Just messin with ya.......looking forward to seeing some action shots of it in the snow just to see what they are actually capable of.


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## ALLEN PARSONS

Cat country.
 Sorry no great cat photos this weekend. Ten feet now with five inches of power snow. It was was great.
 Here are a few shots of the stuff we were playing in.


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## Bobcat

Friggin fabulous!


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## Deerlope

Subperb pic's. Sure would make me feel very small standing there.


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## NorthernRedneck

WOW!  I could just picture opening up a copy National Geographic and seeing those pictures in there.  Absolutely amazing!


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## MNoutdoors RIP

You know those are the kind of places most people dream of seeing. and some days we just live life to fast. we all have to slow down some times and really enjoy what has been put forth for us to see, experience and savor.
Man those are some award winning shots.


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## Logger1965

srexecmark, where are you at in WA?? Fellow Tucker owner here in WA., I'm over by Spokane. Nice looking cat !!


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## ALLEN PARSONS

How far off road do you adventure with your cats?
When I mean off road, I mean wayyyyyyy off road .If you have a brake down it would mean that you find some way to get your cat out because if you leave it tell spring you will not be able to drive to it. I have been very relucdent to go off road or trail because of that danger.


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## fogtender

ALLEN PARSONS said:


> How far off road do you adventure with your cats?
> When I mean off road, I mean wayyyyyyy off road .If you have a brake down it would mean that you find some way to get your cat out because if you leave it tell spring you will not be able to drive to it. I have been very relucdent to go off road or trail because of that danger.


 
When we head out to our cabin, it is a fourty mile run one way (Just North of Mt. McKinley Park), there is a couple of other guys on the forum that go out that way too, so we are pretty much on our own if something goes wrong. Mostly we fix what breaks on the trail, so we do a lot of maintance before we leave to avoid it later... Once we leave town, that is it, there is no access to where we are going except the trail we are on.

Roughwoods has a "halfway" small cabin by mine, but has a homestead another thirty some odd miles farther out so I would say he has the longest run once this new trail is completed, normally he has a really long boat ride in the summer to get there that takes the long way around.... so about 70+- miles one way.

I took a dozer out to my cabin a few years ago and it took two days to make the trip at about -20 for the average temp on the trip, having the backhoe on it made it pretty slow going since the hoe made the front end pretty light. But that really wasn't a snowcat since we didn't really have a lot of snow that year....per say...

In the photo below, were are crossing an area that had a burn go though there a few years earlier, it is about 27 miles into the trip.

Below that is a photo taken during that trip where an owl hit the snow and left it's wing impression where it took out some critter for dinner that stuck it's head up...


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## dkmclean

Groomin trails around town.To cold to go fishin.
I figured you groomer guy would get a kick out of my drag, Don't laugh-it works.


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## NorthernRedneck

Looks like its doing a decent job.  How long to the trails hold up after you drag them with it?


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## mkntrakes

some picks from today's adventure here in colorful colorado


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## srexecmark

dkmclean said:


> Groomin trails around town.To cold to go fishin.
> I figured you groomer guy would get a kick out of my drag, Don't laugh-it works.



Hey! I want to make one of those.  What did you make that out of?

Mark


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## Snowcat Pat

Stunning shots mkntrakes. That takes me back a few years. Site access on steep sidehills can you spell a-d-r-e-n-a-l-i-n-e! My heart jumped just looking at those pics.
-Pat


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## mtntopper

Great pics mkntrakes!!!!! How far did you have to cut the steep side hill trail? Did you slip any as you worked the side hill? Are you sure you were even on the access road to the site.....or making a new one....


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## mkntrakes

mtntopper said:


> Great pics mkntrakes!!!!! How far did you have to cut the steep side hill trail? Did you slip any as you worked the side hill? Are you sure you were even on the access road to the site.....or making a new one....



The side hill goes four about six miles took me about three hours to cut it in i have plowed this trail several times near as i can figure i was about ten feet above the actual road and about eight feet to the left of the road. Never slipped but you never want to put the cat in a situation where it can when plowing side hills like this is you want to go very slow and back up often to see if there are any stress cracks in the snow if there are you need to back up and move more snow from the top of the slop to the bottom to carry the weight of the machine. It is also very very important to have a understanding of of what your machine is capable of and understanding the snow you are working with i always dig a hole with the machine in a level area then drive the machine on the edge of the hole to see how well the snow will support it you want to ease on and back up to see what the edge of the snow is doing this will give you a idea how much snow it will take to support the machine.


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## Snowcat Operations

Excellent pictures! Did the slope ever cut out after you had come back? The snow layers look solid (or lack of layers visable).  Well at least nothing screaming avalanche!


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## dkmclean

Mark; I used 2-2"x8"x20'chanel beams,cut 6'off each for cross brace,6'x2" pipe - 1'x6'x.25"plate for the back +cutting edge off a grader. Welded it together and bolted on the cutting edge.

Brian; Two passes to fill in the holes then 4 or 5 times through the winter keeps them smooth.


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## NorthernRedneck

Here's the damage report for yesterday's outing.  I took the machine out in the morning to do a short section of trail then handed it off to another operator to continue on doing all our local trails.  He was almost back to the parking spot when he looked in the mirror and saw a cleet flopping around on the left rear track. The track belt now has a three inch tear in it where the cleet fastens to it.  I repaired this today installing a spare cleet and re-inforcing the track belt in the area where it is torn by doubling up a spare chunk of belt under the problem area.

The bottom picture is a sprocket on the left rear track that's not looking too healthy and is going to be changed very soon when we can find enough time to assemble a new track assembly.  We've got a complete set of new tracks/cleets that we have to throw on and we'll be changing the sprocket at the same time.


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## garygaboury

"Heres the damage report for yesterdays outing"

That may be one of the best quotes for snowmobile grooming I've heard in a while.  It seems every time our cat goes out it needs something when it gets back.  Knock on wood nothing major so far this year.


Gary


----------



## mtntopper

groomerguyNWO said:


> Here's the damage report for yesterday's outing. I took the machine out in the morning to do a short section of trail then handed it off to another operator to continue on doing all our local trails. He was almost back to the parking spot when he looked in the mirror and saw a cleet flopping around on the left rear track. The track belt now has a three inch tear in it where the cleet fastens to it. I repaired this today installing a spare cleet and re-inforcing the track belt in the area where it is torn by doubling up a spare chunk of belt under the problem area.
> 
> The bottom picture is a sprocket on the left rear track that's not looking too healthy and is going to be changed very soon when we can find enough time to assemble a new track assembly. We've got a complete set of new tracks/cleets that we have to throw on and we'll be changing the sprocket at the same time.


 
Are you telling us the "Lametrac" is getting lamer? I can normaly hear and feel a broken cleat before I ever see it. The click, click and chunk of snow in the air over the cab is a dead give away of a track problem.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

You know..........I'm gettin really fed up with all the mechanical problems we've had this year.  Unreal.........but it's our fault though.  I'm surprised it's taken this long for one of those cleets to break.  They are all in really bad shape.  We've got new belts and cleets sitting here ready to assemble and put on but no-one seems to be too interested in doing it.  They were supposed to e done last summer, then the plan got changed to doing it in the fall before the snow hit, then it got changed to doing it after we're done opening the trails.  Now, it's changed to doing the job in the spring.


----------



## mtntopper

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that sprocket is not going to last till spring if you use the Lametrack cat .... Your maintenance schedule would work for me but the cat would not.....


----------



## mkntrakes

groomerguyNWO said:


> You know..........I'm gettin really fed up with all the mechanical problems we've had this year.  Unreal.........but it's our fault though.  I'm surprised it's taken this long for one of those cleets to break.  They are all in really bad shape.  We've got new belts and cleets sitting here ready to assemble and put on but no-one seems to be too interested in doing it.  They were supposed to e done last summer, then the plan got changed to doing it in the fall before the snow hit, then it got changed to doing it after we're done opening the trails.  Now, it's changed to doing the job in the spring.



So i'm guessing that you have lots of volunteers to ride the trails you groom but no one can take the time to pull maintenance on the machine?so im curious how far you groom from a road where some could pick you up? i hate to walk and figure every hour of run time creates a half hour of maintenance time


----------



## NorthernRedneck

mtntopper.........
That's the beauty part about the Lamtrac or tucker 4 track setup. All I have to do is keep it in 4x4 and it'll keep chugging along unlike those THIO-thingy's, krusti mobile's, and snot tracs.  I'd like to see any other two tracked machine try to move more than 50 ft with a sprocket that looked liked that.  Would end up looking like a dog chaising its tail in the parking lot going round and round in circles while I just went crusing on by!  Hell, I could probably take both back tracks right off and still outperform a Krusti in the snow!    

I agree though that the sprocket's gotta come off very soon as the track cleets keep slipping and jumping the teeth on the sprocket.


----------



## Bobcat

Ya know, you seemed to be having so much trouble I was gonna leave you alone. But now you force me to introduce *K.R.I.S.T.A.L. - Kristis Rescuing Impotent Snow-Tracs And Lametracs*. Unfortunately, we are currently too busy in the lower 48 picking up scrap aluminum from the circus tent in SnoOps back yard.


----------



## Bobcat

...._(Jeopardy! theme playing)_...


----------



## mtntopper

groomerguyNWO said:


> mtntopper.........
> That's the beauty part about the Lamtrac or tucker 4 track setup. All I have to do is keep it in 4x4 and it'll keep chugging along unlike those THIO-thingy's, krusti mobile's, and snot tracs. I'd like to see any other two tracked machine try to move more than 50 ft with a sprocket that looked liked that. Would end up looking like a dog chaising its tail in the parking lot going round and round in circles while I just went crusing on by! Hell, I could probably take both back tracks right off and still outperform a Krusti in the snow!
> 
> I agree though that the sprocket's gotta come off very soon as the track cleets keep slipping and jumping the teeth on the sprocket.


 
Haven't you ever watched a 3 legged dog run? He looks real good until he finally just trips over one of his good legs and stumbles nose first to the ground and then you got to feel sorry for him.... I wonder if that is what will happen to your lametrack? 

The two tracks machines just need to make 3 turns one way and then we are headed where we need to go ... or so we hope....


----------



## NorthernRedneck

mkntrakes said:


> So i'm guessing that you have lots of volunteers to ride the trails you groom but no one can take the time to pull maintenance on the machine?so im curious how far you groom from a road where some could pick you up? i hate to walk and figure every hour of run time creates a half hour of maintenance time



Pretty much sums it up right there.......everyone wants to run the groomer but no-one wants to fix it when it breaks.  AH well, always been like that!  That's the life of a volunteer!  Put in 40hrs at my regular job and between 20-30 hrs running the groomer and other club things while trying to find time for the family.........lotsa fun!  We've got 3 guys including myself right now to maintain over 200 miles of trail.(that includes signing, brushing, grooming, groomer maintenance etc...) 

As for the distance from the road, the farthest the trail gets from the travelled portion of the road is roughly 40 miles.  Quite a bit of the trails we maintain are either on the side of the highway, hydrolines, or pipelines. Even though it may seem at first that that type of terrain would be a walk in the park, it does present its challenges.  It just means that there's less trees for us to cut.

For example, when I'm doing the side to the highway, there are a few creeks that we don't cross with the groomer just for safety reasons.  So I have to climb a steep 10 ft bank to get up onto the shoulder of the highway and go around the creek.  A small bank like that might not seem like much for a snowcat but throw in a blind corner in the road on each side of where I have to jump out on the highway, so right there, visibility is an issue.  The machine makes it up the bank without flinching.  Now,throw a drag on the back of the machine.  Even with the rear wheels on the drag lowered and the front of the blade raised as high as it goes, the knives on the drag often catch the frozen shoulder of the road bringing the groomer to a complete stop while blocking both lanes of traffic in a blind corner with transport trucks coming from each direction.  Oh, and the highway's usually glare ice and all you do is spin cause the drag's still hung up on the shoulder.

We also have quite a bit of muskeg swamp that we go through which is hard on a machine as well when breaking trail due to the amount of flexing the machine takes. Now, throw in a couple of sharp rocks sticking out of the muskeg  in the middle of the trail that you can't see due to snow drifting over them.  Picture coming along breaking trail with a ten ft drag on behind, you're constantly looking in the mirrors to see what the drag is doing when all of a sudden you go over a sharp rock you didn't know was there.  That's how things like cleets and idler wheels get broke.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

bobpierce said:


> Ya know, you seemed to be having so much trouble I was gonna leave you alone. But now you force me to introduce *K.R.I.S.T.A.L. - Kristis Rescuing Impotent Snow-Tracs And Lametracs*. Unfortunately, we are currently too busy in the lower 48 picking up scrap aluminum from the circus tent in SnoOps back yard.




1.  *K.R.I.S.T.A.L.* ---isin't that the same FRAGILE stuff that WOMEN get all googly over then if you even attempt to look at it, it breaks! 

2.  *Scrap alluminum for the circus tent in Sno Ops back yard* ---so that's where he stored your fragile Krusti-mobile. 

   









He shoots..............he scores!!!!!


----------



## Bobcat

Yes, women get googly over us Kristi men.
No, there is no aluminum in a Kristi.



> He shoots..............he scores!!!!!



Gee, you playin hoops with 12yr olds in the playground again?


----------



## Snowcat Operations

Groomerguy.  Never mind BobP.   He is still dillusional about having a KRISTI he thinks he can get running in the snow like all of us have done so far this year!  BUT word is that he may try soon.  Good Luck BOB.  We will all be standing by with a helping hand and running snowcat *IF *you need help.  IF you can get it running!  Good luck.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Let me know the time and place and I'll be there with tow rope ready to haul him the 50 ft back to his trailer after he breaks down!


----------



## ALLEN PARSONS

bobpierce said:


> Yes, women get googly over us Kristi men.
> No, there is no aluminum in a Kristi.
> 
> 
> I must say, yes a Kristi is a neet looking cat. And womon do get all googly over a Kristi. Why BECAUSE IT IS A HOUSE CAT. IT DO'S NOT LIKE THE COLD
> You are right there is no aluminum on a Kristi because it has all fallen off.
> We Tucker owners are all ready to give you a pull if you need one. (IF) you get it out of the house


----------



## Snowcat Operations

Ouch!


----------



## Bobcat

groomerguyNWO said:


> Let me know the time and place and I'll be there with tow rope ready to haul him the 50 ft back to his trailer after he breaks down!




50ft!!! I've never been 50ft from the trailer! Can't we work up to this slowly, starting with, say, 20ft?


----------



## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

bobpierce said:


> Gee, you playin hoops with 12yr olds in the playground again?


 
Brian - these f'in Americans!  They just don't get it , eh!

Hey Bob - ever heard of a sport called Hockey?  Probably not, it's played in places where there's snow!  Of course, if you had a functioning snow cat then maybe you'd get out more often.


----------



## Bobcat

Sir, you doth wound me. I 'grew up' with Bobby Orr (the Patron Saint of Boston), Phil Esposito, and Ken Hodge. A copy of 'The Goal' hangs in my bedroom with a candle burning on either side. I was probably playing hockey while you were learning what a maple leaf was. I lost my front tooth during a one-on-one game with my brother on the local pond. My father waited a couple more hours to get me to a hospital while he finished ice fishing. Now that's hockey!

Habs suck

Why the 'hoops' reference? Because basketball is for girly-men and groomer-guys.


----------



## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

bobpierce said:


> Why the 'hoops' reference? Because basketball is for girly-men and groomer-guys.


 
Basketball was invented by a Canadian too - eh!  You're on thin ice yankee boy!


----------



## Bobcat

But he had to come here to invent it!


----------



## mtmogs

bobpierce said:


> Now that's hockey!



That's Old Time Hockey! You'd be hard pressed to find a hockier town than Beantown, even in Canada. Bob, let's not forget Gerry Cheevers (a.k.a. Cheesie), a hero of mine when I was playing goalie as a kid. Like Gerry, I even painted little sutures on mask whenever it took a puck!


----------



## Bobcat

Yup, I remember Cheevers. A kid next door to my grandmothers house was a Cheevers nut and we'd go at it, me as Orr, him as Cheevers. I kicked his arse.


----------



## mtmogs

bobpierce said:


> Yup, I remember Cheevers. A kid next door to my grandmothers house was a Cheevers nut and we'd go at it, me as Orr, him as Cheevers. I kicked his arse.



Did you mean to say Cheevizz and Ahh?


----------



## Bobcat

Cheevas and O-Ah. I miss the Gaaden. Use to paak ow-ah ca in the paakin luot and climb the stay-ahs of the fi-ah escape so a friend could let us in one of the fi-ah do-ahs.


----------



## mtmogs

bobpierce said:


> Cheevas and O-Ah. I miss the Gaaden. Use to paak ow-ah ca in the paakin luot and climb the stay-ahs of the fi-ah escape so a friend could let us in one of the fi-ah do-ahs.



PERFECT!


----------



## mtmogs

bobpierce said:


> I miss the Gaaden.



Me too. Been a while since I was back. Ustah go flonda fishin ohta qwinzy when I was a kid.


----------



## Bobcat

Flonda, mackrel, and Cuod outta Seabrook/Hampton. A highschool friends dad had a charter service outta they-ah. Darn squids always givin ya their last squirt as you pull your line up!


----------



## mtmogs

Whatta pissa!


----------



## Bobcat

Ya, a wicked good time!


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Just a quick update on the status of the sprocket/track situation I posted earlier.  We assembled a new track this week including new cleets and belts and spent a few hours this morning removing the old track.  Well, no-one can accuse us of not getting every last bit out of a sprocket before changing it.  When we took the old sprocket off, the metal cogs(if you would call them that) that are normally coated, had all gone missing.  They were originally imbedded into each tooth on the sprocket for support.  So basically, the only thing left to that sprocket was the metal that bolts to the hydraulic motor.

We put the new sprocket and track on and should be good for a while now.


----------



## Bobcat

SnoOps is currently having an 'adventure' south of Atlanta, ID. He went out with the Super Imp and my service guy early this morning, They found a route in that required catting only 40miles instead of the the 70miles through the standard route. They got to the town, but couldn't find the site in the mountains south of town that requires servicing. I got a call from him over the satphone asking for some hints to help find the site, but the connection was lost before we could finish. I suspect the satphone battery died.

If he tried to get back out tonight, it should still be a couple more hours before we hear from him again. Will post pictures and video when he gets out.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Speaking of Sat phones............anyone else using satellite phones have a problem with constantly losing reception.  I mean, when I do go to use ours, it sometimes takes me a good 10 to 15 minutes to finally get a signal then, if I do make it through to who I'm calling, within 30 seconds, I lose signal again.  I figure with the kind of $$$ we're payin for sat service up here, we should be able to hold a conversation on the thing without losing reception.  The last time I used it, I was at the highest open area within 20 miles, got a signal, started talking, lost the signal, turned my head 3 inches to the side, got a signal again.  Frustrating to say the least.  We've already called our service provider about the $h-tty service and all they say is "It is what it is, it ain't gonna get any better any time soon!"


----------



## mbsieg

Yep thats how the Sat phone I used was also. Mike


----------



## Bobcat

Yup, always expect no coverage for at least 10mins out of every hour, not necessarily all at once. The providers of the Globalstar service are upgrading their service to give full coverage, which is why they currently offer a 3yr/$1000/unlimited plan (to help you tolerate the current outage frustrations).

http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/

Details about the outages and upgrades...
http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/news/update.php


----------



## NorthernRedneck

We were talking to them(Globalstar) earlier this week and they said not to expect any improvements for at least two-three weeks.  They have apparently put up a few new satellites and are in the rpocess of fine tunning them.


----------



## Snowcat Operations

WELL WE MADE IT OUT OF ATALANTA ID.  THE TRIP WAS OVER 80 MILES.  I BROKE TRAIL GOING IN!  MAN I BURNED ALOT OF FUEL!  COMMING OUT WAS A BREEZE.  THE SNOW WAS UP TO 12 FEET IN MOST AREAS!  THE SUPER IMP PERFORMED BEAUTIFULLY!  MINE IS A WIDE TRACK MODEL.  I HAD ABOUT 1,000 LBS OF GEAR IN THE BED AND 45 GALLONS OF FUEL.  I BURNED 30 GETTING TO ATLANTA.  I PURCHASED 20 GALLONS FROM A MINER WHO LIVES IN ATLANTA.  BUT THE TRIP OUT WAS EASY AND I ONLY WENT THROUGH 10 GALLONS.  IT TOOK 8 HOURS TO BREAK 41 MILES OF TRAIL.  IT TOOK ONLY 4 HOURS TO MAKE IT BACK OUT THOSE 41 MILES.  18.5 HOUR DAY (INCLUDING THE DRIVE TO AND FROM BOISE)  WILL BE HEADED BACK IN THE MORNING.  I WILL HAVE OUR TECH GUY SEND BOBP THE PICS TO POST.  NOT SURE WHAT HE GOT BUT THEY SHOULD BE GOOD.  WE ALSO SPOTTED SOME TUNDRA WOLF TRACKS AND ONE OF THERE COW ELK KILLS.  I HAVE PICTURES OF THAT AND THERE TRACKS!  MAN THEY HAVE SOME HUGE PAWS!


----------



## Snowcat Operations

Oop sorry about the caps.  Anyway the sat phone.  I will be installing a vehicle based antenna on the roof.  this will allow you to move the handset around without loosing signal.  You can also leave the vehicle if needed and take the sat phone with you.


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

We are using a "SPOT" satellite messenger and are dealers for them they sell for $149.99 they work! and are powered by Google earth maps there is a 100 basic or 150.00 for the live tracking mode annual service fee....check them out at www.findmespot.com  We have rentals if you would like to try one out.
Kif


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

We are Global Star sat phone dealers as well and can help you with the car kit but the phones will not work well untill they get the new consteellation of satelites up. You can check the sevice availibility on there web site and that will give you a 2 day window of what times based on location that service will be reliable.


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

testing to post pics disregard if none shown


----------



## mtntopper

Great info yellowpine O.T.S.  I sent you a pm on the Spot GPS system. My luck with satellite phones and regular cell phones confirms the real need for a GPS type emergency signal and tracking system. My thoughts are "never leave home without one" if you are in the outdoors often or live remote as we do....


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

149.99 is the national minimum price that any dealer can sell them for and they are available at Cabellas,Joes,and most major outdoor sporting good stores for the same price by buying from us you are helping out the little guy that's all. There is no service needs per say, you activate on line and all service activity is via on line. You will love the SPOT no matter who you buy it from its water proof,floats and only weighs 7 ounces you can mount them on your snowmobile or put them on the dash of car,airplane,boat and of course snow cat the key is that the built in to the case antenna has a clear view of the sky. We accept Visa and Master cards and ship same day.

Cheers,KIF


----------



## Bobcat

Here's a few pictures and a small (and crummy) video of SnoOps big snowcat adventure to Atlanta, ID yesterday. That job's done, so next he's off to Big Creek in the Payette National Forest of Idaho.

_YellowPineOTS, is the road plowed from Cascade to Yellow Pine? I'm sure it isn't from Yellow Pine to Big Creek. Expect Mikey in your neighborhood in the next day or two._


*Mikey is getting shorter these days...*





*"What the heck just zipped by me, was that a KT-3? Dang, that thing was fast!"*





*"Dang Kristis always kicking snow in my face when they go by."*





*Deep in it.*





*The trail behind...*





*The Super Imp Zips By - 2MB*


----------



## MNoutdoors RIP

bobpierce said:


> Here's a few pictures and a small (and crummy) video of SnoOps big snowcat adventure to Atlanta, ID yesterday. That job's done, so next he's off to Big Creek in the Payette National Forest of Idaho. YellowPineOTS, is the road plowed from Cascade to Yellow Pine?
> 
> 
> 
> The Super Imp Zips By - 2MB



Looks like you are having fun and working too.  o.k. which one of you two looked in the left rear veiw mirror.


----------



## Bobcat

Mikey was out with my service and recon guys. I wasn't there, darn it.


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

Yes the road is plowed from Cascade to YP But I have not groomed over to Big Creek in the PB170 since the 18th of Jan the trail has gotten pretty wild over the back side of Profile gap I have photos of or trip over on the 4th using snowmobiles but still have not figured out how to resize for posting I would be glad to email them.
KIF


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

Still trying if this works you can thank Bob P. If not you can have Mike shoot me when he gets to Y.P.
KIF


----------



## Bobcat

Beautiful. Keep 'em comin'!

Gotta say, that cat on the left looks like something from a teen slasher movie.   That is to say...I like it!


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

Bob this is one of the roads I was talking about you can see the fairly fresh cuts on the tree that is on the bottom side of the road I think it's about 35 degree slope, prime avalanche but do you think a Super Imp or other cats with out a blade will side hill this? 

Kif


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

This is looking back 180


----------



## Bobcat

You can never get a good feel for slope from a 2D picture, but I'm sure I crabbed slopes like this 'at speed' in the Imp I used in AK. Of course, I was young, wreckless, and using someone elses (USAF) equipment. I might not have tried it in the Spryte. Boy, I'd like to get my Kristi (_"with hydraulic ski action!"_) out there to try it.


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

Ok is slope conversion up your alley?  

Slope is the tangent of the angle but I have no Tangent key on my calculator and there is no doubt a conversion for slope angle % to degree and vice versa
I found a chart that converts but only goes to 21 degrees=38.4% and I'm pretty sure 39 degrees= 80ish percent but what does 60%=???
Is it safe to roughly say 35degrees=70% ie just double the degree for a from the hip?? 
KIF


----------



## MNoutdoors RIP

yellowpine O.T.S. said:


> Ok is slope conversion up your alley?
> 
> Slope is the tangent of the angle but I have no Tangent key on my calculator and there is no doubt a conversion for slope angle % to degree and vice versa
> I found a chart that converts but only goes to 21 degrees=38.4% and I'm pretty sure 39 degrees= 80ish percent but what does 60%=???
> Is it safe to roughly say 35degrees=70% ie just double the degree for a from the hip??
> KIF



100 percent slope  is 45 degrees so  approx. .45 degrees per  precent. 60 percent = 27 degrees


----------



## yellowpine O.T.S.

It seems that for a ball park figure you can take half the percent or double the degree and be pretty close to the conversion but every degree realy counts when it comes to avalanche conditions.

Thank you!!

Kif


----------



## Bobcat

Got a call from Mikey "Mouse Ears" over the satphone just a minute ago. He now has a limp Imp. Broke a track over Beaver Dam Saddle near Pierce, ID. He's splicing it back together as I type. He says the hinge broke.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

been there.........done that...........


----------



## Bobcat

I was just going to add...

If this keeps up, he'll pretty much have a LameTrac.


----------



## Bobcat

No word from SnoOps. Looks like they spent the night out with the cat.


----------



## MNoutdoors RIP

bobpierce said:


> No word from SnoOps. Looks like they spent the night out with the cat.




Hopefully he had his Wiggy's Bag. been out at -40 in mine and stayed toasty.
Never have liked the the hinges. The overlaps seem to last longer.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

bobpierce said:


> I was just going to add...
> 
> If this keeps up, he'll pretty much have a LameTrac.



   See Bob.........it's this way............you have to actually get out there and USE you're snowcat for what it was intended for.  Sno-ops and myself are actually out there doing just that.........using our snowcats for more than a lawn ornament.  That's the only way things get broke is when you actually gather up enough balls to venture out further than 50 ft from the parking lot.

You haven't been able to make any posts about things breaking on your KRUSTI since it hasn't left the trailer yet this year. 

Kinda hard to break anything when it's sitting in a snowbank somewhere not being used..............


----------



## Bobcat

groomerguyNWO said:


> <snip>
> You haven't been able to make any posts about things breaking on your KRUSTI since it hasn't left the trailer yet this year.
> <snip>



That's a LIE!!!!



It's parked NEXT to the trailer.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

were's the proof???


----------



## Deadly Sushi

> It's parked NEXT to the trailer.


 
   

What the hell Bob. Why arent you using the thing? I want to see that thing in action. Or at least pictures of it in action. Its a cool looking vehicle.


----------



## Bobcat

Not only is it the coolest, but it is also the most technically-advanced, scientifically-engineered, snow-conquering machine on the planet! I'm not using it because I am on-the-road in NM while the Kristi is in NV parked next to SnoOps Swamp Spryte. I hope none of the green slime from the Swamp Spryte oozes over to the Kristi.


----------



## Bobcat

Mikey made it out to Orofino, ID at about 11Am today. They spent the night out with the cat. He should be on later tonight to post some pictures and a tall tale.


----------



## Bobcat

Here's Mikey at the site late last night. The bottom of that solar array is about 4.5ft AGL and the array is about 5.5ft tall. So, Mikey had about 10ft of snow to dig out to get to the equipment.


----------



## AKdlarson

Went out today behind buffalo mine and tried to find a good hill to have a sledding party for kids and snow cats.  Pretty good snow (2' to 5' drifts) and some great trails and country.  If anyone in Alaska, better yet Anchorage and the Matsu valley would like to have a track rig / sledding meet, pm me and we can set a date.  The last picture is my son on his Kitty Kat, I run the support team in the Imp.  Also took the whole family out last weekend to watch the start of the Tesoro Iron dog race.  31 below zero and we were the envy of everyone watching the part of the trail we were on.  Turned into the official trail marshals helmet warmer.  Sorry my camera battery died with the first picture that day but I did get a little video of the racers flying by, I will try and post some of it on youtube when I figure out how.


----------



## fogtender

AKdlarson said:


> Went out today behind buffalo mine and tried to find a good hill to have a sledding party for kids and snow cats. Pretty good snow (2' to 5' drifts) and some great trails and country. If anyone in Alaska, better yet Anchorage and the Matsu valley would like to have a track rig / sledding meet, pm me and we can set a date. The last picture is my son on his Kitty Kat, I run the support team in the Imp. Also took the whole family out last weekend to watch the start of the Tesoro Iron dog race. 31 below zero and we were the envy of everyone watching the part of the trail we were on. Turned into the official trail marshals helmet warmer. Sorry my camera battery died with the first picture that day but I did get a little video of the racers flying by, I will try and post some of it on youtube when I figure out how.


 


Geezzzee.. that was terrible, did you guys know that you ran over a logger? I can see where his axe was stuck in your grill.... 

I was going to ask if you wanted to come up to Nenana and run out to the cabins with us. But looks like you might run over the Dog Mushers in training for the Iditarod.... Aw, what the heck, the dogs bark too much anyway, feel free to let us know when you want to come up here....


----------



## fogtender

bobpierce said:


> Not only is it the coolest, but it is also the most technically-advanced, scientifically-engineered, snow-conquering machine on the planet!


 

Uh... The Edsel was suppose to be in the same game... it was the coolest, technically-advanced, scientifically-engineered, road-conqurering machine on the planet!

Matter of fact, I found one that was ready for the road... Waiting for them to post videos on Youtube so we can see it's blistering performance! 

When are you going to put the video of yours up there?


----------



## Bobcat

Dang, she looks sweeet! 

Here are videos of my Kristi... http://www.forumsforums.com/pp53/showgallery.php?cat=568


----------



## fogtender

bobpierce said:


> Dang, she looks sweeet!
> 
> Here are videos of my Kristi... http://www.forumsforums.com/pp53/showgallery.php?cat=568


 

Well you got me there, I can see by those video's that the Kristi is in a world of it's own... I honestly can say that my Imp couldn't survive in that environment at all. It would not be able to handle the urban environment because it has lived in the wilderness running all over the place and having obstructions like fence gates and mowed yards would cause it to start missing and backfiring from panic. I guess the Imp is much to free of a spirit to handle that complex of a lifestyle. Yep, I am duly impressed!!!

Sadly, this is what I have to settle for....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw2iQ92uA_U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2JHv3uKC0c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1_dZCc_SpM&feature=related


----------



## Bobcat

Been there, done that. Imp'd all over AK, but not usually over such flat terrain. 

Fear not. My Kristi will hit the snow before this season ends, hopefully next month. Unless, of course, Mikey hasn't scavenged too many parts from it to repair his limp Imp.


----------



## fogtender

bobpierce said:


> Been there, done that. Imp'd all over AK, but not usually over such flat terrain.
> 
> Fear not. My Kristi will hit the snow before this season ends, hopefully next month. Unless, of course, Mikey hasn't scavenged too many parts from it to repair his limp Imp.


 

Wow, he has an Imp with an air cooled, lower horse powered, no heat supply, VW engine in it?  Wow, what a step backwards in Imp techonligy....  You should kick him in the butt for owning such a low life critter...  No wonder it is called a "Limp Imp"!   

Hey, isn't that what the Kristi uses the VW engine?


----------



## NorthernRedneck




----------



## Bulldog1401

bobpierce said:


> Fear not. My Kristi will hit the snow before this season ends, hopefully next month. Unless, of course, Mikey hasn't scavenged too many parts from it to repair his limp Imp.



What are you going to do with all the flowers planted inside it? Toss them out on the front lawn?


----------



## fogtender

bobpierce said:


> Been there, done that. Imp'd all over AK, but not usually over such flat terrain.
> 
> Fear not. My Kristi will hit the snow before this season ends, hopefully next month. Unless, of course, Mikey hasn't scavenged too many parts from it to repair his limp Imp.


 

Yeah, we have to go a few hours accross the Tanana River Valley before we get to the hills at the base of Mt. McKinley...

How long is your snow season there with all this Global Warming stuff going on? Might be better served if you get some ice shaved from the freezer and just throw it out on the grass and drive over it... 

Heck, I was checking out the Tetons and look what I found on Google, your Krustie Kritter climbing the slopes....


----------



## NorthernRedneck




----------



## fogtender

groomerguyNWO said:


>


 
I have been chuckling all night on that one....


----------



## Bobcat

Ignoring 'Chuckles' last post for a moment ('cause I gotta get some shut-eye)...


Here is a video of SnoOps crossing a fallen tree near Pierce, ID. No wonder he broke a track.


----------



## fogtender

bobpierce said:


> Ignoring 'Chuckles' last post for a moment ('cause I gotta get some shut-eye)...
> 
> 
> Here is a video of SnoOps crossing a fallen tree near Pierce, ID. No wonder he broke a track.
> 
> 
> View attachment 20525


 
WELL... there you have the reason they call it the *"SUPER IMP!"*, able to leap downed trees in a single pass...


----------



## Bobcat

Notice how he faltered at the top? He had to plug up a nose-bleed. He'd never been to such dizzying heights in his Slow Master.

me --><-- SnoOps


----------



## fogtender

bobpierce said:


> Notice how he faltered at the top? He had to plug up a nose-bleed. He'd never been to such dizzying heights in his Slow Master.
> 
> me --><-- SnoOps


 
Naw, he was making sure that the camera operator was getting a good shot of the action. Just hung there letting the tension build, you know the drill, just before they cut to commercial...


----------



## fogtender

Whoa!!! Went back to the site at the Grand Tetons to check on that Krustie Kritter and seems there was an update from the National Park Service.....


----------



## NorthernRedneck

tic toc tic toc....................................



















waiting for a response from BOBP...........


----------



## NorthernRedneck

bobpierce said:


> Ignoring 'Chuckles' last post for a moment ('cause I gotta get some shut-eye)...
> 
> 
> Here is a video of SnoOps crossing a fallen tree near Pierce, ID. No wonder he broke a track.
> 
> 
> View attachment 20525



childs play...............see Bob, when you're running a good machine, a twig like that in the middle of the trail is nothing.............

Seeing that I run Lamtrac.....when you factor in all that RAW POWER AND TORQUE under the hood coupled with a front blade,  I wouldn't even bother getting out of the cab to inspect a twig like that in the middle of the trail.  I'd only stop long enough to lift my drag and adjust the angle on my front blade so I could push it out of the way.  

I always carry a chainsaw in the Lamtrac but have only used it twice this winter.....and we had lots of trees down at the beginning of the season.


----------



## fogtender

groomerguyNWO said:


> tic toc tic toc....................................
> 
> waiting for a response from BOBP...........


 
He may be a bit busy evading the National Park Police on his Jaunt though the Grand Tetons in his Krustie Kritter....   

He should get one phone call if they catch up to him though...


----------



## mtntopper

bobpierce said:


> Ignoring 'Chuckles' last post for a moment ('cause I gotta get some shut-eye)...
> 
> 
> Here is a video of SnoOps crossing a fallen tree near Pierce, ID. No wonder he broke a track.
> 
> 
> View attachment 20525


 
The clicking sound in the video is most likely a broken track cleat. That is a dead giveaway to check for track problems. Strange sounds at anytime  is really a great clue to look over your cat very carefully for problems.


----------



## Mainer

mtntopper said:


> The clicking sound in the video is most likely a broken track cleat. That is a dead giveaway to check for track problems. Strange sounds at anytime  is really a great clue to look over your cat very carefully for problems.



I turned up the volume on the video second time around... nasty sound!  BP, what are the details of the broken track?  Several grousers broke off or ????  Did Snops say it happened due to that tree or were there even more extreme obstacles along the way?


----------



## fogtender

*Latest Update on the Rouge "Tank"!* 

Well after a check back to the National Park Service site, it seems that the Krustie Kritter gave them the slip and is successfully headed home, guess he got his shot at the snow to make us look bad....  

Appears that the Kritter has stealth abilities, this is done by driving though the bushes and getting branches stuck in all the holes that got punched in it by the smaller branches and they in turn dragged behind it to cover the trail (Old Indian trick).  

The when the Park guys got close, the engine would die so they couldn't hear it run (more advanced secret stuff), the ensuing swearing made the Park Police think it was a winter camper stuck to a frozen outhouse seat and they ignored it.  

Lastly, it has the ability to cloak itself as a flower pot (which was another top secret design and given away in an earlier post) which allowed it to be passed by when they were using satellite tracking/scanning to see if they could spot it on the Park Property...

We should be getting an update from Bob at any time.... stand by

So where are the video's....


----------



## NorthernRedneck

OMG!!!!! You just gave away all of the super advanced, top secret, ultra modern, technological improvements that were made by the Kristi snowcat company.  What on earth is BobP going to do now with all of his advanced secret weapons revealed...................


----------



## fogtender

groomerguyNWO said:


> OMG!!!!! You just gave away all of the super advanced, top secret, ultra modern, technological improvements that were made by the Kristi snowcat company. What on earth is BobP going to do now with all of his advanced secret weapons revealed...................


 
Yeah, I figured I will have black helicopters following my every move now....


----------



## fogtender

Bob must still be on the lamb, haven't seen any racey Kristy Kritter photo layups on his trip....


----------



## couchloafer

This is what happens when you let up off the gas on a steep downhill grade thinking you have it made. Make sure to allow the variator time to re-align the tension before you descend or this is what you get........ managed to keep all my paint


----------



## Bobcat

Ooof! I'd hate to see what almost happened, happen... even to a Slow Master.









What the heck did I just see at the top of this page?!! My, my, how the mice did play while I was out on the rez. Gotta go check the kitchen cupboard to see if I've got a can-o-whoop-arse laying around...


----------



## mtmogs

How are your brakes working?



couchloafer said:


> This is what happens when you let up off the gas on a steep downhill grade thinking you have it made. Make sure to allow the variator time to re-align the tension before you descend or this is what you get........ managed to keep all my paint


----------



## couchloafer

Brakes work but they could probably use a rebuild. I wasnt using them at the time. I was just easing down the hill. Actually didnt have any problem until I got to the bottom and eased up on the gas. As soon as I let off the gas it pitched to the right and the rest is in the picture. Took a little effort to back up and out of there.


----------



## Bobcat

Sure sounds like them Slow Masters are death traps. Better get a Kristi.


----------



## Bulldog1401

why did the throttle position (or engine deceleration) do this to the machine?


----------



## mtmogs

No one will argue that Kristi's aren't safer machines. This is because no one's ever actually seen one move.



bobpierce said:


> Sure sounds like them Slow Masters are death traps. Better get a Kristi.


----------



## couchloafer

Maybe I am wrong about the deceleration as I have only been messing around in my Snow Trac for a few months, but when I let up off the throttle it pitched hard to the right. I guessed the reason was because there was considerably more tension on that side of the variator as I had made a hard turn at the top of the hill to align for the descent.  If I am wrong it wouldnt be the first time today..............hehe...... eventually got backed back up the hill and havent had any problems with anything else..........chalked it up to operator error


Bulldog1401 said:


> why did the throttle position (or engine deceleration) do this to the machine?


----------



## Bulldog1401

If it had to do with the variator, I would like to know the mechacis involved that caused it if anyone knows. I have let up on the throttle in my imp quickly in a turn and slid sideways before on hardpack.


----------



## mtntopper

I owned and operated the Trackmaster FBI rig for one season and after running hydrostatic steering and brake steer cats the variator system just never felt right. It is slow to respond and to me often it would over respond at the end of turns. I do believe this is what couchloafer encountered. To me the brake steer system or hydrostatic steering is much more positive and much more maneuverable. I have some tight turns and very narrow trails into the backside of my property and with the Aktiv I needed an outside ground man to make it through the narrows. With the brake steer or hydrostatics I just say hold tight on to your beer and watch this as we maneuver along !!!! 

I actually widened the trail this past summer with the Kubota so I can hold my own beer as we maneuver the narrows back to home.


----------



## Snowcat Operations

Not sure what you guys are talking about.  My steering was always excellent after I adjusted the variator.  Before it was adjusted one side would turn better then the other.


----------



## Bobcat

I'm guessing yours made _left_ turns easier?


----------



## Bulldog1401

mtntopper said:


> I actually widened the trail this past summer with the Kubota so I can hold my own beer as we maneuver the narrows back to home.



Well I see you have your priorities straight!!


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Well, I just set a new personal record last night while out on my last long run of the season in the Lamtrac.  170 miles in 20 hours.  Normally we would do this run with 2 operators(each doing half)  But, since I was the only one available this weekend to get it done, I headed off at 4pm yesterday and got back at lunchtime today.  With only a few weeks left in the season, this is the last time this year that trail will get done.  I had to do it this weekend as next weekend, we've got a big group of snowmobilers coming through our area.  This group goes around the province each winter filming different area trail systems for their television show (snowmobiler tv).  They came through our area last year and featured the trails I take care of on a segment of one of their shows.  It appears they liked this area allot as they made plans last summer to come back and do some more filming.  I will be riding with them next weekend over the trails I just finished grooming.  Looking forward to it.....


----------



## NorthernRedneck

While out on the trail last night, I came accross a corpse right in the middle of the trail.  There were lots of fresh animal tracks surrounding it.  Not much left that was identifiable on the corpse.  Here are a couple pictures of my find.  I've come across other animal corpses before on the trail but never a wolf.  At first, I thought it might be a dear carcass when I saw it from a distance but upon closer inspection, it appears to be wolf.


----------



## Snowcat Operations

VERY interesting!  Cool pics


----------



## MNoutdoors RIP

groomerguyNWO said:


> While out on the trail last night, I came accross a corpse right in the middle of the trail.  There were lots of fresh animal tracks surrounding it.  Not much left that was identifiable on the corpse.  Here are a couple pictures of my find.  I've come across other animal corpses before on the trail but never a wolf.  At first, I thought it might be a dear carcass when I saw it from a distance but upon closer inspection, it appears to be wolf.




It kinda looks like what would be left of a Kristy and it and a Thiokol got in a fight


----------



## NorthernRedneck




----------



## NorthernRedneck

While out on my marathon grooming adventure yesterday, I encountered several deep holes in the trail every few miles on my return trip.  I thought at first they might be made from certain red kristi snowcat finally climbing out of its winter hibernation place(see bobp's kristi thread) but it wasn't as most of the holes had no tracks surrounding them.

These holes in the snow were right in the pass I had just made which is about 2-3ft of hardpacked snow right to the ground.  One of the mysterious holes only had what looked like wing marks in the snow surrounding it with no other tracks leading to it which made me think of the roughed grouse.  It is very common up here for roughed grouse to bury themselves in the snow completely covering themselves to keep warm.  They comehow dig themselves deep holes in the snow right in the middle of our trail. Once I pass right over them with the Lamtrac and drag, they pop right out of their hole and fly off somewhere nearby.  The only "hole" I bothered stopping to take a picture of had animal track around it with scratch marks running down the walls of the hole.  I'm thinking either a wolf or fox was hungry.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Okay....this isn't really snowcatting related but I'll put it here anyways since it has to do with my marathon snowcatting adventure last weekend mentioned in a previous post.

Today, I got a chance to do some snowmobiling with a few guys who work for a television show called _SnowmobilerTV_ and a popular magazine up here called  _Snowgoer Magazine_.  Each winter, they tour different areas of the country and do some filming and take pictures for their show/magazine.  I rode with them a good part of the day today over the trail I groomed last weekend.  Before parting ways, they interviewed me for an upcoming episode on their tv show which will air next winter sometime.  They appeared to really enjoy themselves and basically told me that my trails were some of the best they've driven on this winter.


----------



## Bobcat

groomerguyNWO said:


> <snip>
> I thought at first they might be made from certain red kristi snowcat finally climbing out of its winter hibernation place(see bobp's kristi thread) but it wasn't as most of the holes had no tracks surrounding them.
> <snip>



Lametrac broke a-gain, eh? Reduced to riding a snowmobile are ya? Hoser.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Nope!  Nothing broke.......but it is ready to be put away for the season.  Still a few good weeks of snow left but the fuel $$$ for this year has run out so it's time to put it away for the summer.  At least we finally got our new tracks and cleets put together and put on the machine along with a couple new sprockets.


----------



## Snowcat Operations

Took my Super Imp out for a quick test run yesterday.  Batteries died in my camera but I was able to get one pick.  Thats a pretty steep hill.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Cool!  Still got lots of snow there?  It's getting pretty soft up here with milder temps during the day.  Step off the trail into the deep stuff and you sink right to the bottom.

Went out today to pick up the BR160 and bring it back to store for the summer in our garage.  It spent the winter based 100 miles away taking care of a remote section of trail connecting two towns.  When I went out to fire it up, it would barely turn over.  Didn't have any cables with me so had to head back to town and pick up a booster pack and some cables.   It was plugged in but I suspect that the block heater wasn't working as even with the cables hooked up to boost it, it still took some convincin to fire up.  Finally got it running and let it sit for a bit to warm up before I took off.

So I get going down the trail about a mile or so then the engine starts chugging and dies.  I figure she's probably froze up so I add 1/4 of a jug of 911 deisel fuel de-icer to the tank.  I turned it over for a few seconds, then let it sit for a few minutes to let the de-icer do it's trick.  Tried it again and got it running.  Headed another few miles down the trail then it died again.  I figure......screw it.......I'll just add the rest of the jug of de-icer to the tank.  It worked.  Got it running again and made it another few miles.  I go to make a sharper turn with it and hear a banging sound against the back deck.  I get out to check and guess what........broken cleet.  I get back in the cab and find a note from the previous operator shoved between the seat and the center console saying that he had to change 6 broken cleets once he got in the other day.  I guess he missed the seventh one.  So, I had a spare cleet in the toolbox and decided to change it right there on the trail.  Got it changed.  

Finally made it to the neighbouring town 30 miles away then had to walk it down the shoulder of the highway for 4 miles to where our part of the trail starts.  I get going on our section of trail and notice that the drag keeps shooting off to the left and is going down the trail sideways behind the machine.  I get out to inspect the drag and discover that whatever the previous operator had went over to break the cleets had also flipped one of the springloaded knives on the drag completely over causing it to dig right into the trail which causes the drag to keep shooting sideways.  This happens occassionally but a large hammer or axe is required to bang the hell out of it so it pops back but I had neither with me at the time.

Everything else went alright today aside from the fact that what was only supposed to take a few hours to do ended up taking most of the day.  Always an adventure!  Oh well, the only snowcatting left for me this season is to bring the Lamtrac the 7miles back out to our clubhouse/garage for the summer.


----------



## Bobcat

mtmogs said:


> No one will argue that Kristi's aren't safer machines. This is because no one's ever actually seen one move.



Just taking the opportunity provided above to try the new vB youtube widget thingy...


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKSpSLXiiyo[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w373YfJsC_o[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df1kWsUeXfM[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tASrtGwLkmE[/ame]


I ran all 4 at once. Boy was it noisy!


----------



## Bulldog1401

Once again, the "transparent winch cables" videos hit the forum....


----------



## NorthernRedneck

still say its photoshop!!!!!!


----------



## pirate_girl

bobpierce said:


> Just taking the opportunity provided above to try the new vB youtube widget thingy...
> 
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKSpSLXiiyo
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w373YfJsC_o
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df1kWsUeXfM
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tASrtGwLkmE
> 
> 
> I ran all 4 at once. Boy was it noisy!


 
 Thanks for the link Bob!!
I enjoyed your NOISY little videos, and seeing the performance.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

That time of year again!  Took the Lamtrac out for her maiden voyage of the season today.  Plowed out the parking lot around the garage with it which took a good hour then hooked up to the smaller drag and began packing trail along the side of the highway for about 5 miles. I made two passes with it. Forgot the camera.


----------



## ve3otk

We had the BR-160 (Hole Filler/Tow Truck) and the Tucker (with shorty drag) out last friday. Went 30km to the east of Marathon. Not much snow after packing the snow. Able to see some grass. Clay not frozen. Creeks with very little ice. Couple of pic's up on the club's photo gallery web site:

http://www.sno-kickers.com/gallery/


----------



## pixie

Captured a wild Christmas tree.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

ve3otk said:


> We had the BR-160 (Hole Filler/Tow Truck) and the Tucker (with shorty drag) out last friday. Went 30km to the east of Marathon. Not much snow after packing the snow. Able to see some grass. Clay not frozen. Creeks with very little ice. Couple of pic's up on the club's photo gallery web site:
> 
> http://www.sno-kickers.com/gallery/



Cool!  Nice to see our old tucker is still in action.  We plan on doing some more local packing on the weekend but will wait for a bit more snow before going longer stretches.  Gotta conserve that fuel budget....


----------



## NorthernRedneck

pixie said:


> Captured a wild Christmas tree.



Now that's the best way I've ever seen to get a chrismas tree.


----------



## pirate_girl

pixie said:


> Captured a wild Christmas tree.


Pixie, can you bring me one??
Nice picture my dear!!


----------



## pixie

Thanks, PG and groomerguy !!

I had been on a mission to plow the "sn-ice" away from the gate on the state snowmobile trail that crosses my land so it would be possible to open it.

Figured that I might as well help the power company trim the trees 

PG, you can have any one you like but shipping may be a problem


----------



## MNoutdoors RIP

Nice picture Sally, but I think you are overloading the suspension on that J-5
OK why do you have only one yellow wheel bearing cover? is it so when its near dark you know which end is the front.


----------



## fogtender

pixie said:


> Captured a wild Christmas tree.


 
I like the Bumblebee paint job, makes winter look a bit more mild inspite of Global Warming..

Looks like you pack a pretty mean lunch when out hunting Christmas Trees by the look of the Cooler strapped on the side!

Seems you were having way too much fun that day, keep it up!


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Finally!    Spent the entire day out there packing trail around town.  We still don't have much snow but enough to start getting a base down.  I bounced back and forth between the Lamtrac and the BR160 training a new operator.  It was a tad bit rough but nothing broke even though it was still very cold today(-35C)

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/bcdlavis/?action=view&current=100_0655.flv

(sorry about the shakiness in the video,  new operator at the controls and not much snow resulting in a rough jerky ride)


----------



## ve3otk

On Friday both groomers were out breaking trail further to the east of Marathon. A drive motor hose wore out on the BR-160. A new hose was made up and installed on Sunday. They continued going east and after about 15km one of the tracks broke on the BR-160.

Paul and I went out yesterday morning and patched the track. Took a while to get enough heat under the BR engine with the tiger torch before the BR would start up.

We managed to continue on to Dunc Lake without any further problems. Less snow the further east we went. Dunc Lake is 5 km short of our eastern limit, but we will not go further east until there is more snow and the neighboring club to the east comes this way. Hope to bring the machines home after christmas.

http://www.sno-kickers.com/gallery/


----------



## NorthernRedneck

I see its rough going for you guys too.  Still not much snow.  We'd like to start heading west on the A trail but we don't really want to be tearing tracks or breaking cleets on either machine.  The br160 will be heading to Longlac soon as their machine is down with a busted manifold.  They are waiting for parts apparently.


----------



## snowbird

Great video.  Fun to see snowcats in action.
Could you tell me how to post a video clip I have?  "Doc" told me the photo gallery was the only alternative, but obviously you've found another way.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Headed out later this afternoon to break open a 97km run.  this is the run I did last season in 21 hrs.  But that was two passes.  As I type this, the Lamtrac is on its way there.  Should be an 11 hr run for them as they are breaking trail for the first time this season so it's slower going but I should make it back a little quicker than that this eve as there will already be one pass done and the creeks will be filled in.


----------



## Lyndon

This has been an outstanding Thread. Great Picts too. 94K? that's a "Long-Haul" for any track rig. Your machine must be a caddilac! Keep it up, Thanks!


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Yep, 97km one way.  I did the run straight last season two ways.  That's one heck of a long day.  Left at 3:30pm on a friday, ran through the night and got back around 1pm on saturday.  I'd never be able to do that running the Bombardier.  I've got a bad left shoulder and use my left hand for the steering(it's got the sticks).  After a few hours, my left arm is on fire running that think.  The lamtrac is different though.  Steering wheel, more comfortable, more interior room even though the cab is narrower.  Heck, it's even got cruise control!!!!!  I use that for the long open stretches of trail on the pipeline that go for miles.  It's not actually cruise control.  Just a high speed idle knob.  I get the machine going, set the idle at 2100rpm then just sit back and steer.  You have to know the trail like the back of your hand though to do this.  I know where all the obstacles such as creeks and rocks are.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

What a long night!!!!!

We left at around 5:30pm yesterday after refueling and made it back at 7am.  Everything went great up until the last 300 feet before getting to the garage this morning.  Went to climb a bank on the shoulder of the road and when I raised the drag to clear the bank, a shear pin broke and the drag slammed back down.  I had a spare though.  Just popped a new one in and away we went for the last few hundred feet.  Talk about timing.  Everything goes great all night then, when the finishing line is within site, something breaks.  Ah well, minor problems......no biggie.
 Here's a couple pics.  I took a couple videos also but it's taking a while to download them for some reason.  I'll put them on later.  Very tired......night night!!!!


----------



## Lyndon

The last time I looked, this thread looks like it may hold the record for "Views", making it the #ONE Thread! I love it!


----------



## Lyndon

Correction: My mistake, it looks like "A Snow Cat Tour, with 18,247 views, and Thiokol 601 Restore, with 12,372 views hold the top spots. Still, only a few threads ever exceed 2000. This one certainly has been a winner. (It's a Mathematician/Statistician "Thing")


----------



## NorthernRedneck

That was my original intention for this thread.  For everyone to share stories and pictures of their snowcatting adventures.  After all, that's why we're here, isn't it?  Because we all share a passion for snowcats.  The way I see it is that even though my snowcatting experiences are different than most on this forum, it all boils down to one thing we all share.  And that's a love for snowcatting.  Just spreadin the love.....

meanwhile.......while you were sleeping........

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/bcdlavis/?action=view&current=MVI_1314.flv



(please ingnore the majorly cracked windshield,  we kinda gave up on changing it as every new one we've put in came back cracked)


----------



## NorthernRedneck

This video was taken last year when opening up the same trail I did last night.  We came through that same spot at around 4am this morning.

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/bcdlavis/?action=view&current=100_0344.flv


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Went out bright and early this morning for a 30 mile run(one way) heading north. I took a bunch of video's as I was alone on this run.  This run has a couple rough spots.  One being along the side of the highway where there's a bunch of rocks and stumps everywhere that makes it slow going.  Then, there's the hill.  It's a short hill but steep with very little snow on it which makes a lack of traction a big issue for us.  I had to unhook the drag and make a pass up to pack it first.  No problems the first run up but it was a different story with the drag on behind.  I made it up but just barely.  Spun right down to the gravel.  Nothing broke which kinda surprised me the way it took a beating going up.  Here's a few pictures from today.  Video's to come once they're done uploading to the computer.


----------



## mattfidaho

wow, 
Wish I was out right now... but I had to do valley tower work today.  Great pictures though.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPA6Rk9jdCg"]YouTube - Lamtrac Trail grooming1[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2gq0Y4gvm0"]YouTube - Lamtrac trail grooming2[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd52NS5_wM8"]YouTube - Lamtrac trail grooming3[/ame]

still more to come.....I had a mile stretch at the end of our part of the trail where the snowmobiles have to follow a bush road.  I used my front blade to carry over snow from the bank on the side of the road while at the same time dragging it to make a base for sleds to ride on.  

We've got a big poker run going on this weekend linking three different communities and clubs together.  So, I wanted to make sure my part of the trail system is in top shape in time for the run.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

I filmed a bit going down the hill....

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEsMcCyH050&feature=channel"]YouTube - Lamtrac trail grooming 5[/ame]


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Here's a couple short clips showing how I rolled the bank back to make a trail on the shoulder of the bush road.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V76Q9u8gdYk&feature=channel_page"]YouTube - Lamtrac trail grooming4[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_eRxKmcaWg"]YouTube - MVI 1338[/ame]

And finally.....heading back to the clubhouse.  This trail gets done lots so it's nice and flat.  Smoother than most highways.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJHayGqapWc"]YouTube - Lamtrac Trail grooming6[/ame]


----------



## pixie

Very pretty trail in the last video ! Thanks for posting these


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Yes, that is a very nice trail.  Allot of our trails are like that.  Smaller rolling hills and tighter twisties on some sections, other sections like the pipeline I groomed last weekend are wide, flat, and straight.  Fun on a sled but boring to groom.  Try going for four hours in a straight line without falling asleep after you've already done 7 hrs of tight twisty trails.  Thank god for tilt steering, cruise control, satellite radio, air ride seats, built in jerky dispensor, and a good cup of coffee.


----------



## weatherby

I like those videos, your trail systems are some of the best maintained, smooth, & flat trails you could ever ask for. We road from the Soo to Wawa & back  last week


----------



## NorthernRedneck

When you got to Wawa, you shoudla trailered a few hours north till you hit Highway 11 then came over and rode some of my trails.  I'd be glad to show you around.  Here's a link to our website should you ever decide to come up this way again.
http://snowmobiling.greenstone.ca/


----------



## weatherby

groomerguyNWO said:


> When you got to Wawa, you shoudla trailered a few hours north till you hit Highway 11 then came over and rode some of my trails.  I'd be glad to show you around.
> http://snowmobiling.greenstone.ca/



Thanks for that offer, You can bet if I'm ever up that way snowmobiling or hunting, I will let you know.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

groomerguyNWO said:


> Okay....this isn't really snowcatting related but I'll put it here anyways since it has to do with my marathon snowcatting adventure last weekend mentioned in a previous post.
> 
> Today, I got a chance to do some snowmobiling with a few guys who work for a television show called _SnowmobilerTV_ and a popular magazine up here called  _Snowgoer Magazine_.  Each winter, they tour different areas of the country and do some filming and take pictures for their show/magazine.  I rode with them a good part of the day today over the trail I groomed last weekend.  Before parting ways, they interviewed me for an upcoming episode on their tv show which will air next winter sometime.  They appeared to really enjoy themselves and basically told me that my trails were some of the best they've driven on this winter.



Just got word that they are doing a two show episode of my area over the next couple weeks.  Looking forward to it.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Have I mentioned how much I hate hydraulic leaks.  Well, I hate 'em. Hate 'em!!!!  We went out yesterday for a few hours with the lamtrac and drag over to a local sawmill to pick up a bundle of wood for a family sliding day this weekend.  We are holding a poker run and a family sliding day as part of our towns winter carnival.

So anyways, everything went smooth yesterday but today was another story.  Went over to fire up the lamtrac at my borther's place where we had it parked.  The wood is still piled up on the drag so I had to unhook that drag, walk the machine 7 miles back out to the clubhouse and pin up to the 8 ft drag.  That part went ok.  On my way back to town, the machine started chugging.  I knew right away I had a hydraulic leak so I stopped and started to fix it.  Trust me, crawling around in the snow under the machine with hydraulic oil dripping all over you ain't no fun.  There's two lines going from the main pump to each drive motor.  These lines are 1 1/2 inch thick going into a 3/4 inch 90degree elbow into the pump.  This is perhaps the only major complaint I have with the hydraulic setup on the lamtrac.  The hoses aren't an inch longer than they need to be.  So if you have any kind of ice buildup on the lines, they pull down away from the frame and bend the elbow creating a hairline crack.  This happens about once a year and when it does, there goes 50 bucks for a new elbow and around 80 bucks for another pail of oil to add to the tank.  Real pain in the A$$.  I took a few pics today but forgot my camera in the lamtrac so I'll have to get them later.


----------



## mattfidaho

dang that sucks.  I guess at least your out side today.... I am recovering from a PITA cold. and just working in the office today.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Here's a quick video I took today heading back to the clubhouse to pick up the 8' drag.  No sound on this one as I used the cheap camera today.  It doesn't record sound.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE4k7OWsNmI"]YouTube - Trail grooming in Geraldton Ontario[/ame]


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Here's a few pics I took out at the garage when I picked up the spare drag.


----------



## weatherby

Nice pics.... I think you guys up there might be getting some new snow in a couple of days. That LamTrack still looks as good as it did when it was crawling around these parts


----------



## ve3otk

groomerguyNWO said:


> Have I mentioned how much I hate hydraulic leaks. Well, I hate 'em. Hate 'em!!!! We went out yesterday for a few hours with the lamtrac and drag over to a local sawmill to pick up a bundle of wood for a family sliding day this weekend. We are holding a poker run and a family sliding day as part of our towns winter carnival.


 
Just be glad the temp. was nice and warm, not the usual -25C when this stuff happens!


----------



## NorthernRedneck

I know exactly what you mean.  I had the same exact thing happen to me last season only it was -30 at midnight 30 miles from town.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

What a storm we got last night.  40mph winds, blowing snow......very cold.  I went out this morning with the Lamtrac but didn't get many trails groomed due to the blowing snow.  So, I went to the local sliding hill a mile or so out of town and groomed it for this weekend.  Grooming a hill with a drag is different, to say the least.  The hill has a little trail that loops around the side to get to the top.  I decided to drag the hill going up and loop around the little trail in back to come back down.  Then, I did my best impression of a Kristi snowcat at the bottom of the hill.  Had to pack the whole area so I just went round and round in circles and never really got anywhere.


----------



## mattfidaho

groomerguyNWO said:


> What a storm we got last night.  40mph winds, blowing snow......very cold.  I went out this morning with the Lamtrac but didn't get many trails groomed due to the blowing snow.  So, I went to the local sliding hill a mile or so out of town and groomed it for this weekend.  Grooming a hill with a drag is different, to say the least.  The hill has a little trail that loops around the side to get to the top.  I decided to drag the hill going up and loop around the little trail in back to come back down.  Then, I did my best impression of a Kristi snowcat at the bottom of the hill.  Had to pack the whole area so I just went round and round in circles and never really got anywhere.



LMAO, well it wasn't a very good impression if you made it back home under your own power.    I thought you were going to say you leaked more oild again...


----------



## NorthernRedneck

No oil leak today but *&^*&^* cold when I was unhooking the drag this morning and hooking it back up.  Thankfully the wind died down now so I'll be good to go in the morning.  Then, when I was backing up to the drag to pin up, one of the steering pins broke on the passenger side.  Not a big deal though as I had just ordered 2 new ones a few weeks ago and had them with me in the cab.  Because the lamtrac articulates in the middle, there's a cylinder on each side connecting from the front to the back.  The pins wear out and break from time to time.  Kind of a pain in the A$$ to line up the cylinder with the mounting brackets with only one person.  Luckily, when it happened today, my other operator showed up on his sled at the exact same time so he gave me a hand to line it up.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Yup!  I hate hydraulic oil!!!  It's messy.  Doing anything involving the stuff usually entails getting covered head to toe in it.  That was the case tonight.  I was out on a short run along the side of the highway tonight on what was supposed to only take me 1/2 hour to get out there.  With all the snow we got the other day, it's like starting fresh all over again grooming the trails for the first time.  There was very little base on a couple of short hills.

I spun out on the first hill and had to unhook the drag to climb it then hook a chain onto the drag and pull it up once the lamtrac was on level ground at the top.  Only the second time I've ever had to do that.  Not a big deal.  Just took a little time.  when I went to reconnect the hydraulic lines from the drag to the machine, one of the lines was still pressurized with hydraulic oil which made it nearly impossible to reconnect to the quick coupler.  The only way I know of to depressurize the line on the drag is to tap the fitting on the end of the drag against something hard.  I did this which resulted in oil spraying out everywhere covering me head to toe.  Got in all over my face, in my mouth, up my nose, in my ear.  Yup!  That wasn't fun.  Out there at -30 with the wind howling covered in hydraulic oil.  So I finally got the lines hooked back up.  I go down the nest low spot and climb another short hill.  Spun out again.  So, I disconnected the drag again, climbed the hill, hooked a chain up to the drag, then hauled the drag up the hill and reconnected it.  Had no problem hooking it up the second time.  So what was supposed to take me a half hour ended up taking 4 hours. 

I left the drag out at our clubhouse then had to walk the machine back to town.  That only took about 20 minutes.  In the morning, I'm heading back out to fire it up first thing and hook up to the bigger drag that's already in town.  Then I'm off to unload the wood we picked up the other day.  After that's done, I'll head out and redo that mess I made tonight.  It's no problem heading west the first time with the drag behind.  Tonight, I was heading east.  The first hill is sort of a sidehill where the machine and the drag want to slide sideways while going up.  It's a bad spot but we've got no other place to put the trail in that one section.

Hope I'm not boring you all with my grooming tales.  Just need to vent a bit.


----------



## mattfidaho

dang you really are trying to be a krusty,  

that sucks, I hate when nothing goes as planned.. better luck tomorrow.


----------



## snowbird

I'm not sure if snowcat and drag hydraulics are the same as when I used to farm, but before unhooking an implement, I'd set it back down on the ground, shut off the tractor engine, wiggle the hydraulic control lever back and forth a couple of times, and then finally unhook the hydraulic hose to the implement.  I do know what it's like having to tap the hydraulic tip to release pressure:  not a fun job and one to avoid if possible.


----------



## ve3otk

Our guys never turn off the ignition unless we are going to leave the equipment in the bush (for overnight, or repairs to be made), or we are parking the equipment in the barn.

The BR-160, the accessory hydraulics are electric over hydraulic. If the ignition is turned off, there is no power to operate the solenoids. Might be the same for the lamtrack. Don't know. Tucker 2000 is straight mechanical, so the hydraulic levers can be operated to equalize the pressure. I do this with my little JD 455 garden tractor when changing implements.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

snowbird said:


> I'm not sure if snowcat and drag hydraulics are the same as when I used to farm, but before unhooking an implement, I'd set it back down on the ground, shut off the tractor engine, wiggle the hydraulic control lever back and forth a couple of times, and then finally unhook the hydraulic hose to the implement.  I do know what it's like having to tap the hydraulic tip to release pressure:  not a fun job and one to avoid if possible.



Sounds like the same type of hydraulic setup as on the Lamtrac.  I know what ve3otk is talking about though.  The district BR160 is the same where you can't operate the hydraulics without the engine running.  On the Lamtrac tough, you can still lower the drag with the engine not running.  Usually. I do what snowbird describes.  Last night, I was in a bit of a rush and neglect to raise the back wheels on the drag before disconnecting.  So, when I went to hook up, the rear of the drag was still in the air and the lines to that cylinder were still pressurized.  The only way to releive some of the pressure in the line is to tap the end of the fitting against something hard.  When you do that, hydraulic oil sprays everywhere very quickly.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

What a long night!  I was supposed to leave at 4am on a, get this, 22 hour run in the lamtrac by myself.  I tried to get to bed early last night but couldn't sleep so I decided to leave at 1am instead.  Good thing.  Temps were hovering around -15C.  Good grooming temps......or so I thought.  Everything was going smoothly and I was making good time.  I was within an hour of my turnaround point.  Temps were rising fast.  Okay, so maybe I'll have to leave the Lamtrac at the turnaround point 97km's away and make the return trip tomorrow.  No big deal!  Then, I looked in my mirror and noticed my drag slowly dropping.  I stop.  Raise it all the way and notice it dropping again.  I get out to check things out and find a busted hydraulic line going to the front cylinder on the drag.  Not a big deal.  I've got a spare in the tool box.  I haul out the spare hose and find that it has no fittings on the end.

Everything's covered in hydraulic oil at this point.  I tried for a half an hour to break the fittings loose on the damaged hose so I can put them on the good hose.  No luck.  So, I figure I can still keep going if I steal a hose going to the rear wheels on the drag.  So, that's what I did.  Swap the hoses around and try it out to check for leaks.  Dang it!  Now the coupler on the drag is leaking.  I take the hose back off, change the coupler, and try it again.  Success!!!

Temps are still rising!!!!  It's now, get this one, +9 degrees.  I should have been there by now.  I get going and now the snow is sticking like crazy to the drag and won't roll.  It's just packing up like crazy.  Feels like I've got 5 drags full of snow behind me but I've got to keep going as I'm almost there.  I have to keep stopping to let the engine cool down.

I get to a highway crossing and realize....."How am I going to cross this highway now that I can't use the wheels on the drag?"  Oh well, no other choice.  Gotta drag it across the highway with the butt plate down.  I get across the highway and look back.  $h-t!  All that snow that was packing up in the drag is now a nice 4 inch thick layer of packed heavy wet snow on the highway.  I get out and get the shovel and start shovelling while trying to not get run over by transports.

I get going again and now the snow is so sticky that it's packing up in my cleets making traction a near impossibility.  I'm in a hilly stretch of the pipeline right of way now.  With the snow we got last week combined with wind, I can barely make out where the hardpacked trail is.  I keep slipping off the hard packed into the soft stuff and, as you know how snow gets in the springtime in warmer temps, you sink right to the bottom.  I finally make it to moose mountain.  It's not really that steep and is usually no problem except I've got a drag full of wet snow I can't get rid off and my cleets are packed solid with wet snow.  I get a quarter of the way up the hill and spin out.  I've got the front of the drag as high as it will go but I still can't lower my wheels to back up.  I decide to back up a couple feet anyways and make another run at it.  I make it a few more feet.  Back up and try again.  Only two sleds have been over this trail since it snowed.  Usually that helps to pack it and provide my with traction.  Nope!  Not this time.

After five tries and a half hour later, I finally make it up the hill.  I go down the other side and there's another highway crossing.  I'm only 10 minutes from my destination.  So, I decide to unhook the drag and leave it there.  I'm roasting now.  I dressed for -15.  Got the one piece insulated coveralls on, long underwear, two pairs of wool socks.  Yep!  I'm hot!  Got the heat shut off, doors open, fan blowing full force.   At this point, I've been up for 36 hrs straight and been in the groomer for 12 hours. 

I make it to the town garage where I fuel up.  I've pretty much decided that I'm not going any further so I call for a ride.  Gotta wait three hours till my ride comes.  I start peeling off the layers.  A guy who works for the town shows up and moves a truck out of the garage so I can pull in and park it there for the night.  I start backing away from the fuel tanks and one of my ice breaker idlers flies off and rolls down the parking lot.  I quickly chase after it and catch it just before it rolls out into traffic.  I guess the bearing let go on it from overheating as the snow usually cools them down a bit but not today.  The idler shaft is also junk.  I look around in my stash of spare parts I keep on the groomer.  Yep!  There's the idler, there's the hub, there's the shaft.  But, Where's the bearings?????  Got no bearings to fix the broken idler.  Now, I have to go back tomorrow with the bearings and get the idler put back on.  

At least I don't have to make the return trip now.  The other operator that runs the groomer volunteered to go with me tomorrow and help get it fixed then get it back to town.

Once it's back, I have a feeling that our grooming season it done unless we get a major cold spell and a bit more snow.

Pics to come...........


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Ready to head out at 1am.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

On the trail around 4 am.  Things are going good.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

First highway crossing around 6am.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Grooming the pipeline.  30kms of straight, open, boring.  Trying to stay awake.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Took this one for Lyndon.  Pipeline compressor station.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Finally made it up moose mountain.  See what I mean about the cleets being packed with snow......on the way up the hill, they were rounded right off.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Let the fun start!!!!  No......I didn't do it!

Yes.....it's out now!!!

Under it's own power.  No chains involved!  No tow needed!  Let's see a Kristi or Snot trac get out of this mess by itself without a pull...

I wasn't involved in the rescue since I was out of town when it happened but I'm told the operator was able to cut away the ice behind the machine and back up.  Sounds simple but after 3-4 hrs of cutting away the ice with a chainsaw, he was able to put it in reverse and back right out of there.  The outcome wouldn't have been the same if had the drag on behind.  Another machine would have had to hook onto the drag and pull it out of the way so he could back up.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Here's a bigger picture.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

One of the hole after he backed out.


----------



## mattfidaho

wow, bet he is a little gun shy next water crossing he come too. glad it worked out


----------



## NorthernRedneck

I was joking with him earlier telling him I was going to put a lifejacket in the Lamtrac.....you know.....just in case.

Earlier in this thread, I described one incident in which I was supposed to meet the same operator at the halfway point of a run and run the machine back when I got a call at 4am because he had broken through a creek.  I ended up taking the BR160 to go haul him out.  I never did get the pictures from that incident.  But it was pretty much the same as this only he had the drag on behind the other time.

No damage to the machine.  We rarely if ever have track problems now since installing the new tracks/cleets before last season.  New winshield is installed now.  The machine is ready to go only wish we had more snow.


----------



## MNoutdoors RIP

so how thick was the ice in the middle? edge looked about 7" ?


----------



## NorthernRedneck

He said it was around 14" where he broke through.  That creek is usually only a couple feet deep but beavers have built a dam downstream raising the water level.  I guess after the ice froze, the water level dropped making an air pocket between the water and the ice.  This is the same creek where the back of the drag broke through last season.  It's the one with a short but steep hill on the opposite shore that we need to crawl up.  It's a bad spot.  Nice trail but that creek and hill has been a thorn in our side since we started grooming that way a few years ago.  Plans are for this summer to go in with ATV's and cut a detour around it and avoid it totally.


----------



## Snowtrac Nome

groomerguyNWO said:


> Let the fun start!!!! No......I didn't do it!
> 
> Yes.....it's out now!!!
> 
> Under it's own power. No chains involved! No tow needed! Let's see a Kristi or Snot trac get out of this mess by itself without a pull...
> 
> I wasn't involved in the rescue since I was out of town when it happened but I'm told the operator was able to cut away the ice behind the machine and back up. Sounds simple but after 3-4 hrs of cutting away the ice with a chainsaw, he was able to put it in reverse and back right out of there. The outcome wouldn't have been the same if had the drag on behind. Another machine would have had to hook onto the drag and pull it out of the way so he could back up.


 first off a snow trac dosn't weigh as much as my first wife so it wouldn't have fallen through the ice in the first place how ever having your engine high is a good thing i had my own water incedent this fall while crusing accross what appeared to be some swampy tundra i found a sunken mine shaft and nosed over into it i got the snow trac into reverse and started backing out but it was to late water  got into the distributor cap nnd killed it had to get the jeep and pull it up on to high ground the nextmorning when things were frozen.no pics i was on private property i did take out a drain pan drained the gear boxes put in new oil pulled the plugs and swaped out dist caps and it fired up and drove away.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

In all fairness to the Krusty comment made earlier, I've rethunk it a bit and now think that a Krusty might actually do well in that situation.  They are essentially bathtubs on tracks anyways.  So it stands to reason that they should do quite well in the water providing all the holes are sealed up.

Yes, the lamtrac is one heavy machine but it does have an advantage in that type of situation with it being higher.  I'm just glad it was the lamtrac and not the br 160.  I'm thinking that had it been the br160, we would have had major problems with the engine and hydraulic system.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Looking forward to the first run of the season.  Still no snow yet.  I figure by mid December, we should be ready to open the trails providing we get snow.  

Anyways, we finally have our brushbar installed on the drag.  I'm anxious to see this thing in action.  We have one trail in particular that is full of tag alders sticking out from the side of the trail.  This thing should make quick work of them.  The knives on that thing are razor sharp and can be removed and sharpened.  They are also double sided and can be flipped around when the one edge gets too mangled.  We're also thinking of a way to mount a similar brushbar horizontally at the front of the drag to reg rid of those tag alders that grow up in the middle of the trail.


----------



## Bulldog1401

Nice looking drag. Do the cut branches fall and get pushed to the side of the trail, or do you have to pick them up later?


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## NorthernRedneck

I'm told they fall and get packed into the trail.  We shall see.  Talking with other clubs who have used a brushbar, they say that they have to stop every now and then to clean it out since allot of the branches get jammed into the blades and don't fall off.


----------



## Thiokol2track

Is that something you fabricated for the drag ?   Are the support arms pinned and adjustable ?   any chance of some close -ups??     


  looks great !    Please report as to how this addition works !  Thanks!


----------



## 300 H and H

Looks like it only cuts on half of the vee's in the frame though, as ever other one lacks the cutters. Correct me if I am wrong....

Regards,Kirk


----------



## mbsieg

300 H and H said:


> Looks like it only cuts on half of the vee's in the frame though, as ever other one lacks the cutters. Correct me if I am wrong....
> 
> Regards,Kirk


Other side of bar....


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Thiokol2track said:


> Is that something you fabricated for the drag ?   Are the support arms pinned and adjustable ?   any chance of some close -ups??
> 
> 
> looks great !    Please report as to how this addition works !  Thanks!



No.  We didn't fab it.  You can buy them from different dealers.  I believe ours came from THE SHOP INDUSTRIAL if I'm not mistaken.  The support arms are pinned to brackets welded to the drag.  When we ordered it, we had to give the make and measurements of our drag.  They send different brackets and arm lengths depending on the brand and size of drag.  I'm also looking forward to seeing how this thing works.  As I said before, we have one trail in particular that has a 30 mile stretch that's always full of tag alders sticking out.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

300 H and H said:


> Looks like it only cuts on half of the vee's in the frame though, as ever other one lacks the cutters. Correct me if I am wrong....
> 
> Regards,Kirk



Mbsieg is right!  It has blades on each side of the bar.  The blades are all removable and reversable.  They are very sharp.  Gonna have to make sure to wear think leather gloves around that thing.  I made sure to keep my kid well clear of it since it would without a doubt remove a finger.

I'm told it will cut branches up to 2" think.  We shall see.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

groomerguyNWO said:


> No.  We didn't fab it.  You can buy them from different dealers.  I believe ours came from THE SHOP INDUSTRIAL if I'm not mistaken.  The support arms are pinned to brackets welded to the drag.  When we ordered it, we had to give the make and measurements of our drag.  They send different brackets and arm lengths depending on the brand and size of drag.  I'm also looking forward to seeing how this thing works.  As I said before, we have one trail in particular that has a 30 mile stretch that's always full of tag alders sticking out.



Had to come back and correct myself.  Our brushbar came from ebert welding.  They have a website with picks and such.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Well, it took a while but I finally got my hands on the pics from when I had to go on a rescue mission a couple years ago instead of meeting the other operator at the halfway point of our 97km (one way) stretch of trail.  I couldn't find the post to quote it so here's a recap:

I was supposed to head out to meet the other operator at the turnaround point one morning when I get that dreaded call at 4am.  They had broken through a creek and couldn't go forward or back up due to the drag being hung up on the ice.  I headed out and fired up the br160 to go on a rescue mission.  Here are the pics of what I found when I got there.

It took me 6 hours to get there and 10 minutes to haul them out.  No damage done.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Just a little something to get us all in the mood....

These were taken 3 years ago when we were out with both machines breaking trail at the beginning of the season.


----------



## Mtn-Track

More reason to keep working on my cat. Thanks for the positive mood swing!

In the pic of the cat in the water, it looks like they were able to keep it running. Is that the case? Lucky if they did...


----------



## Snowtrac Nome

groomer guy where is your krusty they are missing in your photos


----------



## mattfidaho

dds said:


> groomer guy where is your krusty they are missing in your photos



I bet it is in the creek as trail base   I hear they do good for creek crossing.... the bath tub look,  it just floats there and you can pack snow around it


----------



## NorthernRedneck

dds said:


> groomer guy where is your krusty they are missing in your photos



Now why would I want one of those.  My house already has a bathtub.


----------



## Snowtrac Nome

groomerguyNWO said:


> Now why would I want one of those. My house already has a bathtub.


did you paint it orange and put side pipes on it and a bar in the back seat


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Mtn-Track said:


> More reason to keep working on my cat. Thanks for the positive mood swing!
> 
> In the pic of the cat in the water, it looks like they were able to keep it running. Is that the case? Lucky if they did...



That's one nice thing about the Lamtrac (and tucker) is that with the machine being higher, it often can be left running when it breaks through a smaller creek.  If the creek is deep enough to sink the engine in the back though, it's going to take something bigger than another snowcat to get it out.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

dds said:


> did you paint it orange and put side pipes on it and a bar in the back seat



Actually, I think I do have a krusti.  It's pink!  It holds water.  And it doesn't move under its own power either....

Must be a krusti I have in the bathroom


----------



## Mtn-Track

JERKS!














Just throwing Al's 2 cents in for him because he's AWOL on this thread....


----------



## Snowtrac Nome

Mtn-Track said:


> JERKS!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just throwing Al's 2 cents in for him because he's AWOL on this thread....


 Hey i resembel that remark


----------



## couchloafer

I spent the New Years weekend at our cabin in the woods on the East side of Lake Pend Oreille. We had gotten about 14" of snow Wednesday night and Thursday the temps dropped to below or near zero for several days. It was clear and cold and beautiful. To cold for the wife to make the trek so I spent it with the dog! Our cabin is 26 miles from the nearest maintained road so take the US Mail boat across to the county dock, walk the mile to the cabin, start the fire, drive the snowtrac to the dock to pick up the supplies and then enjoy 5 days of piece and quiet with the wintering elk, deer, turkeys, cats, and wolves!

Hope everyone's New Years was as good as mine!


----------



## muleman RIP

Man that is serenity. Great pics after a nice snowfall.


----------



## snow dog

great photographs, nice cat


----------



## Snowtrac Nome

love them pics i have been up here so long i forgot what it's like tohave all them trees around


----------



## snow dog

dds said:


> love them pics i have been up here so long i forgot what it's like tohave all them trees around


 
you could plant some and in 50 years you would be in a forest


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Nice pictures!!!  Nice to see machines out in the wild where they belong instead of being trailer queens looking all purdy in a nice heated barn while the would be operator sits back with his feet up drinking Dr. Rums he poured from his wet bar.


----------



## MNoutdoors RIP

couchloafer said:


> I spent the New Years weekend at our cabin in the woods on the East side of Lake Pend Oreille. We had gotten about 14" of snow Wednesday night and Thursday the temps dropped to below or near zero for several days. It was clear and cold and beautiful. To cold for the wife to make the trek so I spent it with the dog! Our cabin is 26 miles from the nearest maintained road so take the US Mail boat across to the county dock, walk the mile to the cabin, start the fire, drive the snowtrac to the dock to pick up the supplies and then enjoy 5 days of piece and quiet with the wintering elk, deer, turkeys, cats, and wolves!
> 
> Hope everyone's New Years was as good as mine!




Kevin, I looked real hard but could find no pictures of you water skiing?


----------



## snow dog

groomerguyNWO said:


> Nice pictures!!! Nice to see machines out in the wild where they belong instead of being trailer queens looking all purdy in a nice heated barn while the would be operator sits back with his feet up drinking Dr. Rums he poured from his wet bar.


 


Got anybody in mind ?


----------



## Snowtrac Nome

that guy ain't even got tracks on the kt-4 the yetti is likely sitting in panama being used as  a consession stand for tourist who need to wet their whistle


----------



## NorthernRedneck

What a weekend!!!  I spent the day yesterday splicing a track back together on the BR 160.  What a pain in the A$$ that thing is to work on.  Absolutely no room anywhere to access anything underneath.

After a few hours and a few choice words, I finally got the track put back together.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

So the plan today was supposed to be me running ahead with the BR packing and cutting trees and a buddy running the lamtrac behind with the drag.  I figured I'd get about an hour head start since the lamtrac with a drag hooked up plowing through 3 feet of fresh powder will walk circles around the BR without a drag on behind.  All ready to head out.  Machine's all warmed up and running good.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

So, I head out and start down the trail when I get a phone call.  The other guy can't make it so looks like I'm heading out alone.  No biggie.  There's about three feet of snow on the level.  Our snow this year sucks.  It's very crystal-like and doesn't pack worth a damn.  Absolutely no base to it.  I stopped to take a quick picture to show how much I was sinking in.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

I'm making good time.  I had to push a few fallen trees out of the way with the blade.  No big deal.  Do it all the time.  One tree had a branch buried under the snow that sprung up and hit the fan shroud bending it slightly.  I didn't know it till the warning beeper inside the cab started going off.  I quickly shut the machine off and discovered the fan was now hitting the shroud and would not turn.  The engines overheating.  Great.  I'm now 20 miles down a trail in three feet of snow.  I get out, raise the cab, grab a sledge and a peice of wood and have a few choice words with the fan shroud.  I fire up the engine and the fans turning again.  Awesome.  I'm not stranded and only lost a half hour.  I get going again and put a few more miles behind me.  Things go great for a few hours till I go to lower the front blade to grab some snow to fill in a creek.  WTF???  The blade doesn't go down all the way.  I get out and discover a nice pool of hydraulic oil.  One of the hoses blew going to the front blade.  I check in the tool box.  CRAP!!!  I don't have the right hose.  So using the blade the rest of the day is out.  I can still keep going as long as I don't touch the blade control.  I topped off the hydraulic oil to replace what was lost when the hose blew and got going again.  It was slow going today pushing 3 ft of powder.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Things are going slow and I lost time with the blown hose and bent fan shroud.  I finally make it out of the bush portion of the trail before heading 7 km's down an old unplowed bush road.  I'm only halfway to my destination and I've been at it now for 8 hrs.  I decide I'm gonna leave the machine at the end of this old road where it meets the highway and call for a ride to come get me so we can get a new hose for the blade.  I get going.  The wipers are going steady to clear the windsheild.  All of a sudden, SNAP!!!  The wiper on the drivers side flies off.  I get out to check it out and find that the arms snapped off.  So now I have no wipers.  I only have one light on the roof working since the other one blew and I couldn't find a spare bulb in the machine.  The lights on the bottom of the cab are working but are pretty much useless since the front blade is all the way up and I can't lower it.  Snow is flying up on the windsheild.  The inside of the windshield is fogging up.  Can't see a friggin thing.  It's starting to get dark now.  I only have one light that's actually pointing where I want it to.  I can't see out of the windshield now.  I spent the last few miles stopping every couple hundred feet to wipe both the inside and outside of the windshield so I could somewhat see.  

Overall, not a great day.  Not a bad day but not great either.  The way I see it is that a bad day of snowcatting is better then a good day at work.


----------



## Melensdad

A nearly 12 minute circle around my property and some of the neighbor's houses:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qfbMG8BkBo"]YouTube        - Snow Trac ST4 in the fields of northern Indiana[/ame]

Oh, and I didn't run out of fuel.


----------



## pirate_girl

Melensdad said:


> A nearly 12 minute circle around my property and some of the neighbor's houses:
> 
> YouTube        - Snow Trac ST4 in the fields of northern Indiana
> 
> Oh, and I didn't run out of fuel.




Good golly Bob!!
That's a first for me!
Thanks for the video.. I didn't know they could move that fast.
That was fun to watch.
Reps!


----------



## pixie

You had an adventure, Brian !
Woohoo! Bob actually drove his Snowtrac !

Skidozer in some rare eastern powder.
Check out the pile of snow it's pushing with the tracks.


----------



## Melensdad

pixie said:


> Woohoo! Bob actually drove his Snowtrac !



Hey . . . I actually drive it whenever I can . . . I was delayed this year by construction on my new garage expansion but I get it out frequently.


----------



## NorthernRedneck

pixie said:


> You had an adventure, Brian !
> Woohoo! Bob actually drove his Snowtrac !
> 
> Skidozer in some rare eastern powder.
> Check out the pile of snow it's pushing with the tracks.



  Nice picture!

Looks like about the same amount of snow I was pushing all day yesterday.


----------



## weatherby

Thanks for the mile by mile story Groomerguy. I think a lot of us can relate to situations like yours from time to time (I know I can) frozen fingers & all.

Melensdad......Thanks for taking us for a ride in your snotrack, very nice  I felt very warm and comfortable....er....er...wait a minute...maybe that's because I'm sitting on my couch in my warm living room


----------



## JimVT

not sure if this works . This is one of my first trys at posting a video.
My snow trac race near white pass. my green one  is 1200cc  lyndon and earl have 1600cc
http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/stude/movies/?action=view&current=NewMovieall.mp4


----------



## Snowtrac Nome

cool vid jim now get a take the ham tech test and get rid of that chicken band antenna and get a 2 meter radio installed than you can learn about the wonderful world of irlp


----------



## fogtender

Neat video, looks like someone was having way too much fun.


----------



## fogtender

Melensdad said:


> A nearly 12 minute circle around my property and some of the neighbor's houses:
> 
> YouTube - Snow Trac ST4 in the fields of northern Indiana
> 
> Oh, and I didn't run out of fuel.


 
Geeze, I start watching it and I see a snot track running down the road with snow on both sides....  No wonder it took so long to get around the block...''

Should have just cut though all the snow shortcuts


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## JimVT

been thinking of that ,don
Two repeaters not far away.


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## Snowtrac Nome

contact a local ham find out about irlp with that system we are able to comunicate with out phone bills


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## Snowtrac Nome

some pics of the ice shack out on the ice today the owner claimed it weighs about 5000 pounds.


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## northeastheavy

From wide open snotrac photos in Alaska to narrow wooded trails in the Northeast. With 7 storms in a row, real deep powder has finally settled down. This is a great snow year and great to have a running machine for once!!!  I think my old snowmaster st4b would have a tough time in the woods!!!  First picture is the driveway!!!  Trail photos are on an old stagecoach road from the 1700's.  We are actually in the Taconic Mtns on the NY/VT/MA border.  Having a blast, thats for sure.


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## JimVT

dds said:


> some pics of the ice shack out on the ice today the owner claimed it weighs about 5000 pounds.


Don,what is that house for?  Real heavy little thing.
also that one pimped out snow trac is looking good.


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## JimVT

Ok,we did it again ,this time we headed out with out lyndon. Actually we didn't even tell him what we planned. (Going to catch hell for that,I'm sure.)
Earl and I decided to just take mine and leave his in the shed. We met ron with his original red one at his cabin on the east side of white pass in washington state.
We got out late friday and at 5000ft we met this groomer. as you can see by the tracks I chickened out first.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










Some of the deepest I been it. The pintal hitch was the only part that dragged and it only hit off and on. 




Earl knee deep behind the trac looking for a firm spot to step.






following day we drove up to some wilderness area that is off limits to us.
This is at the edge of it and Ron did a little hiding in the brush.


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## Snowtrac Nome

JimVT said:


> Don,what is that house for? Real heavy little thing.
> also that one pimped out snow trac is looking good.


 it has all the components for an 8 inch suction dredge


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## e2spear

Pictures of a PB with a full plow look so cool.


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## mtncrawler

Jones Pass, near Empire


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## mtncrawler

Couple of Tucker Terra's getting some exercise this past weekend. Above Ski Cooper, near Leadville


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## NorthernRedneck

Time to change the oils and get those tracks good n tight folks!  Winter is fast approaching.  I have been a little lax the past couple years in my snowcatting adventures since I took a step back from the snowmobile club I was volunteering for.  After a couple years break, I'm getting back into it this year.  I will be exploring a whole new area this year with both a BR160 and BR180 at my disposal.  I spent the evening out at the groomer barn meeting all the new people and looking over the new machines I will be running.  Looking forward to it.


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## muleman RIP

Watch out for those frozen streams...


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## Helmsman38

Let the adventure begin Snow cat Jamboree Leavenworth Washington Jan 25th ~ 30 2013  check out the fourms calander for more imformation .


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## NorthernRedneck

I haven't run the ole girl in 3 years now but I still get updates on how she's doing.  Looks like they had a bit of an adventure with her today after breaking through a swamp while opening the trail for the first time.  I know exactly where that spot is.  I've nearly had the machine break through a few times.  It's a bad spot that doesn't really get stiffened up till the machines been over it a few times and the frost sets in good.  Looks like they got er out with the use of a backhoe.


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## 300 H and H

Now that woud take any fun out of groooming trails..

It happens, just hope not too often. Bet there are some very cold hands and feet before they get it out. Lucky them....

Regards, Kirk


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## NorthernRedneck

I was always very cautious at the beginning of the season around swamp areas after I broke through once. I always enjoyed seeing the finished product after running through with the drag for the first time and seeing that perfectly smooth ribbon behind.


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## NorthernRedneck

Since I still get updates on how the ole lamtrac is doing, thought I'd share with you.  The neighboring snowclub 30 miles away from ole lamtrac's home club has a 1998(I believe) Bombardier BR180.  They had some problems with the machines electronics which fried the computer out on the trail.  Not a cheap fix.  The Lamtrac headed out yesterday to rescue the BR and haul it back to town Kristi style.

Guess things were going good till they blew a hydraulic line on the Lamtrac and had to walk 2 miles back to an access point so they could come to town and get a new hose made up.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
























Always an adventure.  Miss running the ole girl.


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## Snowtrac Nome

It's Big Al's fault he is sitting up there in the pearly gates drinking his DR rum and playing with his new found powers. I can here him now I will fix this lame track.


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## NorthernRedneck

Here's a blast from the past for me.  I used to run this tucker back in the mid to late 90's when I was fresh out of high school.  It's lived at another club 6 hrs away since '99 when we traded it for our first Lamtrac.  The club that had it was kind enough to loan it to the club with the broken BR180 for the remainder of the season.  I cut my snowcatting teeth on this machine.  Prior to this '93 tucker, our club only had a small bombi which I ran a few times.  







If you're on facebook and have a few minutes to kill, check out the link below.  Scroll down a little bit and there's some video of the rescue mission hauling the broke down BR180 and drag back to town.  Looks like they're cruising along at a good pace.
https://www.facebook.com/snowclublonglacgeraldton?fref=nf


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## Nikson

Just posted a thread on last weekends outing...

Its in the same section as this...

Video below for those whos interested...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ceIgF7EkdY"]Snowcat Adventure into Sierra Nevadas snow - YouTube[/ame]


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## Pontoon Princess

fabulous and happy to see you are still thrilling all of us with your overland adventures, happy new year


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## DAVENET

New camera Nik?  Super clear vid.


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## Nikson

Thanks guys... 

It was a pleasure to get out, I'm sure you all know the feeling... 

Video is mixed from iPhone 6S, GoPro & Canon DSLR... (mostly iPHone thou)


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## NorthernRedneck

Time to blow the dust off this thread and breathe some life into it. I never did get back into grooming when I moved to the city in 2012. I contacted the guy in charge of the grooming here to see if they could use a hand. Turns out they have 2 groomers and 400kms of trail to maintain and only 5 guys to do it. Their longest run is 40 hrs straight. 

I have to do a 3 hr online training session and give them a bunch of info then hopefully you will see me out running the groomer again in the next few weeks. Their current fleet consists of an older br180 and a newer husky.


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