# Skidozer 302



## Birch Boy

Hi guys.  Just picked up a 73 Skidozer 302 with wide snow tracks and 6 way u blade.  It has both power steering and long lever steering but the long lever steering isn't hooked up.  A guy told me that some of them came from the factory that way which left me scratching my head.  Secondly the entire brake system in the machine has been removed leaving only the rotor on the drive shaft.  Again the guy told me that this isn't needed to stop .... start'n to think the guy is nuts.
Need advice and maybe a complete brake assembly.


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## Alaska Snow Cat

I don't know about the steering other than I know some came with some sort of power steering assist. The rotor on the drive shaft is the parking brake assembly which like the guy said is not used for actual breaking. It is nice to have in certain situations but you can defiantly live without it.


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## Birch Boy

Thanks Alaska Snow Cat.  The power assist levers are attached to the front of the drivers seat and I've been told the idea is that you can use one hand to steer with these while the other hand can work the blade joy stick.
- re brakes.  So to be clear the brake pedal is more for a park brake or last ditch emergency then for normal use?


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## Alaska Snow Cat

Sounds like the power assist is a very nice feature. I've spent many hours grooming with a Bombi and Spryte using the left arm to pull levers and running the blade and groomer with the right arm. 

If all the foot brake does is activate the driveshaft brake then yes it is for parking and emergency only. It has been my experience that brake will stop you dead in your tracks as it is very aggressive.


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## MNoutdoors RIP

Birch Boy said:


> Hi guys.  Just picked up a 73 Skidozer 302 with wide snow tracks and 6 way u blade.  It has both power steering and long lever steering but the long lever steering isn't hooked up.  A guy told me that some of them came from the factory that way which left me scratching my head.  Secondly the entire brake system in the machine has been removed leaving only the rotor on the drive shaft.  Again the guy told me that this isn't needed to stop .... start'n to think the guy is nuts.
> Need advice and maybe a complete brake assembly.



the long lever runs off a master cylinder and seperate slave on the differential the short ones use a hydraulic source and they are much nicer to use the master cylinders on allot off them get taken off they are there for backup. you really do not need them. if you pull both levers at the same time that is your brake. the driveline brake is nice to have. we have the units that go on those if you need it.


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## MAD

do you have any pictures? I bought what iwas told was a similar 301 and am now finding out I may have a 302. Thanks


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## Birch Boy

Thanks Boggie.  Spent this weekend crawling around the machine with a parts manual for SV301-501-501S.  I am now not sure what I have.   The machine has a 460 V8 in it,  no transfer case at all,  A really big differential which doesn't match anything in the book - Is a solid casing with no bolts on the side and a lid with about 34 bolts.  The lid contains a breather, filling cap (with 1/2" sq) wrench size to open and a dip stick.  The differential also has a temp gauge on it.  Looks like it might have come out of a swamp machine but it is bigger then the original because they modified the back end to accomodate.  The front tires are solid but the bearing cap is perfectly round and not hex shaped with the other wheels.  I am missing this cap so if you have one I need it.  The gauges runs accross the ceiling of the cab and say SV302.  There are 2 additional rads in front of the engine rad; one is for the tranny and the other is for the differential.  I measured the track width and they stand at 53 inches each.  I am thinking I have a modified SV 501S.
Please advise your thoughts.


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## MNoutdoors RIP

Birch Boy said:


> Thanks Boggie.  Spent this weekend crawling around the machine with a parts manual for SV301-501-501S.  I am now not sure what I have.   The machine has a 460 V8 in it,  no transfer case at all,  A really big differential which doesn't match anything in the book - Is a solid casing with no bolts on the side and a lid with about 34 bolts.  The lid contains a breather, filling cap (with 1/2" sq) wrench size to open and a dip stick.  The differential also has a temp gauge on it.  Looks like it might have come out of a swamp machine but it is bigger then the original because they modified the back end to accomodate.  The front tires are solid but the bearing cap is perfectly round and not hex shaped with the other wheels.  I am missing this cap so if you have one I need it.  The gauges runs accross the ceiling of the cab and say SV302.  There are 2 additional rads in front of the engine rad; one is for the tranny and the other is for the differential.  I measured the track width and they stand at 53 inches each.  I am thinking I have a modified SV 501S.
> Please advise your thoughts.




Sounds like a SV302  but if the differentail was modified ? then ? it sounds like a 302 but there were a few 500 series not many ..... way more 302's 
we do have that round aluminum cap( some were cast steel )


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## Birch Boy

Hey Boggie.  How come the parts manual shows a 6 cylinder in the 301/302 series and V 8's in the 501/501S series?  The cap for the front solid wheel bearing is round (like a bowl) and fine threaded.  Do you have one of these?


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## Birch Boy

Hi MAD.

I am not that good with posting pics on a thread but if you send me your email address I will forward some pics for you.


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## MNoutdoors RIP

Birch Boy said:


> Hey Boggie.  How come the parts manual shows a 6 cylinder in the 301/302 series and V 8's in the 501/501S series?  The cap for the front solid wheel bearing is round (like a bowl) and fine threaded.  Do you have one of these?



we had a SV 302 with a 460 here a while ago we do have the Bowl cover style  in aluminum


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## Birch Boy

Boggie.  I am interested in the cover.  You can email the details to rob@shipnai.com


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## Birch Boy

Hey Boggie.

Give me your number and I will call you.


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## swixb

I just bought a 302, with the 460 ford....have not picked it up yet...a mear 1700 drive each way (ouch) mid Feb for the trip.    will be pulling the tracks in order to travel under DOT limits, any advice how best to do so? pop them then winch onto the deckover trailer? Then roll/coil them up onto the rear of the trailer? also I'm sure I 'll be needing a service manual, know where I can get one?  I'll post a pic soon.
Swixb


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## Birch Boy

Depends on your flatbed.  If it runs I might be inclined to drive onto the flatbed and then jack it up on blocks and remove the tracks and then drop back down and chain.  I have a manual that covers 301's and 502,s and the experts tell me that the 301 and 302 are pretty much the same.  I just had mine out this weekend after rebuilding the tranny.  One thing you have to know is that 460 sure is thirsty.  It is no problem to drink 6-8gallons in an hour but I am grooming a ski hill.

What year is your machine.?  I recommend changing every filter you can find;  fuel, hydraulic, oil, air before running to much and change the tranny fluid.  Also remove and clean out the tranny rad and lines and reinstall.  I didn't do that which resulted in rebuilding the tranny.
Where abouts are you located?


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## swixb

The cat is in NewYork..I am in Denver. I have a 20' deckover trailer, bumper pull. 2500hd Duramax as the tow rig.  Year is unknown at this time, I have not even seen a pic of the interior so do not know how the controls are set up or what options is has.  I'd pay you for a copy of book. I'm sure I'll need it!   
it was running last week, but some wire melted on the manafold while he was driving it back to his house...the seller is not a mechanic, so i dont know if I'll be able to do a quick fix or will just have to winch it onto the trailer.  Plan A was to pop the pins and roll out of the tracks on the way up the ramps, then coil the tracks up behind it.  Question on the track removal procedure...can I get by with a handyman jack to take the pressure off? how do you let the grease out of the tentioners?
was thinking of making "poor mans" track jacks: take two beefy trailer jacks, side winder type, and welding arms to the head and foot to grab the grousers.  I'd rather make them after I have the tracks so I can make the arms fit right as I do not know how long to make them.


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## swixb

Pic of my Skidozer 302.


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## Birch Boy

Looks clean.... I can see that a tire appears flat.  I figure that machine is mid 70s by it's appearance.  the tensioners are a bitch to get at.... especially in the winter so if it is possible to get running then do so.  The front plow set up reduces clearance at the front quite and the machine is around 8500 lbs with most of the wt at the front.  bring some heavy duty jacks or some bottle jacks.
- find out how wide that machine with including tracks.  there is a chance you might be able to get away with not having to take them off.  By the pick they are not as wide as I thought.


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## swixb

115"  the outside belt has been cut off on both sides, so now it is asymetric. I may be able to flop every other grouser and add the belt, but then cannot transport. Here in Colo we can get a wideload permit for 10 and under for 32 bucks. So I'd like to run it at 9.5' and see how it does in the powder.   Yea the blade is nice for cutting a slope, but I'll probably take it off while exploring the mountians.  Goal to haul skiers. Will build a box on the back.  
It has one flat on the other side too.


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## swixb

The blade is 8.5', yea the pic is decieving as it looks like the blade and tracks are the same.  The 302 with the 460 does not have a t-case?  The factory figured it has enough TQ to grunt around in first gear?  What is top end speed? 15mph?
Any hints for poping the tracks pins?  Have never done it on a Skidozer.
 I paid $2800 for it.


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## Birch Boy

look for permits for 9 ft 7 inches wide. Might save you time and hassle.  I am running 53 inch tracks on mine with 2 steel slide clips on each grouser and even on a 45 degree pitch it is clawing like hell to get up..... well 45 degrees is pretty steep ).  Anyway too things to think of... one is that if you don't have those slide slip clips on the track then coming down a steep hill can be scarey.  When the machine starts to slip on the slope you need to step on the gas and steer like hell to keep the nose downhill.... found that out this weekend.  The other is to ask that guy for the belts he cut off so you can use them in the powder.
Really good purchase price.  1st gear has lots of grunt.  I've gone up a hill so steep that it buried itself in the snow still spinning the track. 15mph is about as fast as you would want to go (and maxing out the rpm)... personally I run it in 1st speed up the hills at around 3-3500 rpm... doing maybe around 3mph.
Nope on the transfer case - juse a C 6 trany


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## longbed454

Birch Boy said:


> look for permits for 9 ft 7 inches wide. Might save you time and hassle.  I am running 53 inch tracks on mine with 2 steel slide clips on each grouser and even on a 45 degree pitch it is clawing like hell to get up..... well 45 degrees is pretty steep ).  Anyway too things to think of... one is that if you don't have those slide slip clips on the track then coming down a steep hill can be scarey.  When the machine starts to slip on the slope you need to step on the gas and steer like hell to keep the nose downhill.... found that out this weekend.  The other is to ask that guy for the belts he cut off so you can use them in the powder.
> Really good purchase price.  1st gear has lots of grunt.  I've gone up a hill so steep that it buried itself in the snow still spinning the track. 15mph is about as fast as you would want to go (and maxing out the rpm)... personally I run it in 1st speed up the hills at around 3-3500 rpm... doing maybe around 3mph.
> Nope on the transfer case - juse a C 6 trany


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## swixb

can you take a close up pic of the Ice picks you have on your tracks? I may ( being the cheapskate i am) try to fab my own. do you think the ALM grouisers in the pic are original? Have seen so many diffrent types...he does not know where the original belting went, bummer, he bought it that way.  No t-case, good one less thing to break.  In the Jeeping world, as long as you can spin all four under max traction, you have enough power to gears.  If this rig will spin the tracks when climbing (at 13,000') then I have enough power.   Speaking of climbing steep angles, how do they have the oil pickup configured?  V style or just a rear sump?  Starving it going up or down steep slopes should have been addressed form the factory, but...    What about the carb? ever stick the floats and starve it of fuel? (another Moab problem)  being a "standard" Ford engine, one could bolt on a EFI system and correct the "tilted carb" problem.


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## Birch Boy

It's a rear sump confirmation.  My carb was put on before I got it and I am having some sputtering issues while climbing the steep grade.  It is an edlebrook 4 barrel but I have to do some research on the jetting etc....  Note that the manuals do not include any info on the motors, carbs, tranny etc...  Let me know if you are going to do the EFI thing and how you will do it.


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## swixb

Where are you? what altitude are you running at? I will start at 7k' and go up from there. Yes as time goes on I'll post all kinds of stuff, love the idea of shariing with "like minded people"


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## Birch Boy

In Muskoka Ontario Canada at approx 1000 ft.  I will get pictures of the clips and machine posted asap.


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## swixb

Holly pro-jection kit is a grand.   old forum posts sure did not like it though, maybe it has improved over the years. I'll go there only if I cannot get the 460 to run at altitude.  Many other places to put my money and time first.  Like a nice "OEM look" passenger box on the back.


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## Birch Boy

Try Ron @ midwestrack@aol.com for info on passenger boxes.  Tell him Rob sent you.
Also note that you will need another gas tank on that machine if it only has one if you plan on driving for more then a few hours.


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## Snowtrac Nome

if you are planning on incorperating efi my vote goes to the factory eec-4 system if you have to buy parts you can g to the local parts store and get them


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## swixb

Was planning on buildign my own, steel frame with alum skin, with sound deadening material between.  May repurpose the two windows in the back of the cab in the sides of the box, as I want to be able to hear/comunicate with them.  Will try to insulate the engine noise too. I'll route the exhaust out & up  Will need to figure out how to vent the engine compartment, dont want the cabin filling with blowby and carbon monoxide....Want to build in a beefy ROPS as well, but the cab and my box will need to be removable just in case one has to pull the engine...but the roll bar I'll weld to the frame behind the stock cab and inside my box.
Yea I have a 50 gal tank earmarked for this already...may mount it on top of the cab, fill it when needed. Or put it under a seat in the back.
Question, do passengers prefer to sit facing the sides or forward? Bench seats along the sides with storage under them would be a good use of space, but if not comfortable then I'll go with something diffrent.


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## Birch Boy

there is lots of space for the fan air to travel if you decide to close up the back of the engine area but you can always add a boat type engine compartment exhaust  fan system. Might consider running the engine exhaust under floor of the passenger cab in the driveshaft well (will have to bump over the differential) and out the back and then straight up the center back of the cab. I think your current system is straight up the back of the driving cab anyway so it would be useful.  Based on my limited experience I can only see the passengers facing forward.


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## swixb

I'll find this out as soon as I get teh rig, but do they use pusher fans, out through the radiator or normal like a car? if 'normal' where does the hot air go? Exit down the tunnel and out the rearend? on rigs with a box directly behind the cab, should one install a fan to encourage the air flow? Whichever way it is traveling? That 460 is going to require a lot of airflow...and I rather not have it sucking the warm air out of the cabin.


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## Birch Boy

It is a puller fan like the car.  Can't exit the rear end due to the differental so you have a point.  maybe raise the whole passenger cabin up 4 -5 inches and let it blow out under the cabin....


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## swixb

Or have a boot like between a pickup shell and cab.  Allowing access to the stock fuel and hydro tank, and air to flow out from under the cab w/o poluting the cabin.


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## swixb

One of my options is to ship the via comercial truckline, the problem I have is seller is not willing to pull the tracks, either befor the truck arrives or during the loading process.  Any of you near Cazenovia New York?  15 miles soiuth of I90.   He has the ability to haul it a short distance....as I'd need a dock to bring it up to semi trailer height.    Any ideas?  Otherwise i plan to pick it up in early Feb.  Gee, anyone need anything hauled from Denver East? I70 to I80 to I90.


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## Birch Boy

I own a logistics company.  Where are you in Colorado and I will look into a step deck for you.  The only way I figure to load this thing is to hire a tilt and loader and have him winch it onto his truck and then back up onto the step deck.  I'll have to measure mine because the max high on a regular flat deck is 102 inches and a step is 124 inches.


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## MNoutdoors RIP

One thing you might ask is how badly worn the inside of the aluminum cleats 
are they wear inside and they are no longer available, they can be welded up
last time those cleats were available the outside portion was over 100 each 
and the inside was not far behind.  we use rollback towing people to load right at the site. usually not more that 100-150 even if they have move it a ways. check with me we have loads coming out of the Denver area back east 
sometimes.


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## swixb

Haul from Cazenovia NY to Arvada CO.  ~7500# 1700 miles.


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## Birch Boy

I have a flatbed carrier (Bill @ 574-721-3116) with a flat deck and will pick up your machine on Thursday and deliver to you Monday Tues.  Your seller will need to help you locate a towing company with a tilt and load.  Call the towing company about how they can block and tackle the dozer from their truck onto the flat bed.  Bills rate to Denver area CO is $4500.00 US including permits and fuel which is pretty good.  If you are interested then call Bill and work out the details.... you would pay him COD.


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## Birch Boy

Also note that his max height capability is 102 inches to check on the skidozer height.


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## swixb

4500?  That is almost 2x what I paid for it.  I can pick it up for 1000 in fuel and tolls,  not including costs of the miles on my Duramax.  I'd consider it for 1500.  As that is likely unrealistic, looks like a roadtrip is in my future.


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## swixb

Skidozer is 92" so would ride on a standard deck semi w/o being over height. It is currently 115" (9' 7") wide so the tracks will need to be removed, cannot imagine a wideload for 1700 miles across several state lines would be cost effective. God forbid that it snows or the wind blows, DOT would have a great time delaying the load.


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## Birch Boy

Undrerstood.


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## MAD

On our 302 I just used a come along to take the tenson off and removed the bolts but mine has over lapping belts not lacing as my 200 has lacing harder. The tracks are way heavier than you think I have been rebuilding mine in the garage and they are tough to move around. I roll them up and use the skid loader with forks to move them around. I haul my 302 without a permit 9' wide the 200 is 10'6" and I do get a pemit for that one


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## swixb

I will assueme they are pinned/laced, as I cannot tell from the pic's I have.  How do i release the greased tentioners?  Or do i just put a come-a-long on both sides and pull it?  Should one have the joint in the midpoint or near one end? Should I have a long punch in my tool box? 3/8"? What dia are the pins?


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## pixie

On my 252 you just use a socket on an extension and unscrew the grease fitting... think it's 7/16 ? The splice should be at the front or rear > where ever you can get at both sides (inside between the tracks and outside edge).
I find ratchet straps helpful.


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## MAD

If you want I am west of loveland and you can stop by I would be happy to show you what I have. Not sure how much it might help but your welcome anytime.


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## swixb

What track setup do you have on your 302 that makes it 9' wide? Asymetrical ?  Have a pic posted anywhere?


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## swixb

Anyone know if a late 70's Ski-Dozer 302 has the same cog spacing as the late model machines?  Will a set of tracks off a BR series or a PB fit? (can adjust total lenght)  Used tracks are available here in Colorado. Just dont know if they will fit my rig.


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## red ram

call adrien at b gravel & fils he will tell you they ar in valcourt quebec he is the king in my op he ben in biz since the 50 and new parts  and use


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## swixb

just got the 302 home...Denver to NY back to Denver, 3500 miles, 101 hours total.  I need a nap.   
The rig will need a bit more TLC than I thought..has cracks in the frame under the back of the cab.  hour meter shows 5024.  Have not started the 460 up yet...looks like it could use a complete rewiring as it is a mess. 5k hours on that 460 may be all it had in it?  Will see if it smokes once i fire it up...Will remove the cab and weld in plate where needed, to bolster the frame under the cab.  That cab looks really heavy!  Disconnected the instrument pannel, and have seperated the hydro lines out the front, just have to thread them out the hole in the back and pull the lines from the "short stick" steering levers. Just a few bolts along the front edge to remove... any guesses at the wt of the cab?
  Step one make it structurally sound, two mechanically reliable, third creature comforts.  Plan on building a passinger cabin on the bed area. will be sweet when done. 
Plan to document the restoration/transformation of this ex-groomer into a Colorado mountian crawler, "jeep on tracks" to explore the mountians and haul friends to powder skiing hot spots, for feul and beer...lol.  more to come over the next few months.


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## pixie

Glad to hear you finally got it home !

I'll be looking forward to your restoration thread !!

How did you deal with the tracks ?


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## swixb

pulled the zerks, no grease oozed out...then once we got it to move, as it was firmly frozen to the ground, by chaning my trailer to a tree and winching the cat backwards we aliged the pins to where we could tap them out...then winched it forward off the tracks. they wrinkled up so we had to chain them back to the trailer and continue...
rolled them up, put a ratchet strap around them, and the seller had a bobcat, so we picked them up and got them out of the way.  then winched it up onto the trailer, the blade got hung up on the ramps...loaded it tail first, as we figured it would put the bulk of the wt on the trailer axles that way.  then dumped the tracks on the front of the trailer. it filled the 20' trailer. I'll post a pic of the loaded trailer.
my wife is not happy about losing the garage for a few months...have to pull the cab off, as it will not fit under the standard door frame.  
Pixie that is a "cute" Muskeg... my dad has one in AK, he just installed a Ford 351/automatic in it with a v oil pan and remote oil tank to keep it from sucking air on steep climbs.  just now completing the driveline brake setup.  Does your Muskeg have old school manual steering?  his does, was thinking of trying to duplicate the "short stick" hydro setup the Skidozer has for him, or at least set up slave cylinders...


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## northeastheavy

Travelling to New York!!!  Make sure you are DOT safe, and within proper weight, binders and on and on!!!  Its spring and DOT in NY will redflag and ground you for an unsafe bolt!!! They get read hardnose in spring!!! 
Looks like a solid machine.  From the background in the photo, looks like you are in western,NY and quite far away.  If you are picking up in eastern, NY and need help, may not be far away. Best of luck!!! Its a long ride!!!!
Tom


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## northeastheavy

Just learned to not read posts before having a big cup of coffee so I don't reply before I get to the end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad your trip went well!!!!!


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## Birch Boy

Happy to see it back at your place.  Let me know how the cab removal comes along.  I am going to do that in the spring.  I broke mine again this weekend; I broke 3 cogs on the rear drive sprokets in deep wet snow.  Honestly did not think that was possible but I am now on the hunt for a replacement drive sproket for an SV302.  In fact I think I will buy 2 of them.  Let me know if anyone has some for me.


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## pixie

Thanks, swixb. I think it's 'cute' too. It has the short stick/hydraulic steering just like a Skidozer.

BirchBoy, sprockets are usually available from Minnesota Outdoors http://www.mn-outdoors.com/


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## Birch Boy

Thanks Swixb.  Pulled the sproket off last night and needed a 4 ft long Johnson bar to do it.  I could not believe how tight those nuts are.  I think I need a ski hill grooming manual because I have buried mine more then a few times pulling the hill grooming drag around.


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## swixb

Lifted the cab straight up with a forklift...the hardest part was un-plumbing all the hydro lines that ran out through two holes in the back of the cab.  you have to scoot the cab forward about 1.5 inches to not hook the lines on the steering cylinders, so lift slowly and have a friend or to to watch. electrical, I just removed the gauge panel from above the window, marked and cut wires for lights & wipers...
stupid design on the fold down panel....folds right into the window, yep two spider cracks where it made contact at some ealier time.


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## swixb

have it in my garage...step one weld up the deck as it was cracked under the back of the cab, note the cab is really heavy!   step two will be to grind off all the surface rust on the deck and coat with some affordable brand of "Rhino Coat" material.  Then rewire the engine, as it is a mess. no factory cover behind the cab, time and weather have made all the wires brittle.   then on to the cab...extend it to accomidate a bench seat, or go all the way back?   had the idea of making it air ride like a semi cab, as zero suspention travel in the very back would make for a very harsh ride.   a wild idea would be to scrap the factory cab and build a totally new cabin out of 2" DOM steel like tube buggy rock crawlers use...wrap it in Alm sheeting with foam between the pannels. glass would be easy, doors that would be tight will be the hard part.  air bags w/ shocks on all corners, and seating mounted to the cabin not the floor.   Anyone need a factory cab?  Could help finance the tube frame...
Pics will come of the restro...


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## Birch Boy

Looking forward to the pictures of your restoration.  I am doing the same thing this summer.  I think the toughest thing is going to be the dis & re assembly of the tracks because I need to replace a bunch of the tire guides and a good number of the nuts/bolts that hold the grousers on the trackr.  I also need to weld/patch up a few of the aluminum grousers.  This track work looks tiresome.


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## swixb

update:  have engine running, have removed all wheels and adjucted spindle angles on most, a few were welded in place, so played musical axels, and am as close as I'll get to th progressive pattern.  have sanded the rust off one side, and repainted. Have designed the cab extention, and will start building that in a few weeks. have some pic's I'll post in a few days.   Rewireing this will be a challenge, but it is required.


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## swixb

cab extended, raised 14" to allow for a average person to be able to stand in the back...


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## 300 H and H

That is going to make you a nice snow cat!  I have alot of repect for the old ski dozers, having put in my share of stick time. Well built, sturdy machine if used as intended.... Love the cab extension, great work so far!

Regards, Kirk


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## Birch Boy

RE: 302 Skidozer.  I need another driver sproket.  I am sending one to Fall Line to get refurbished but I need another one.  Doesn't have to be in good shape as I can get it refurhished as well.


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## snowbird

I like what you're doing to modify your passenger space.  I'm just now getting in touch with our local search and rescue folks with a proposal to volunteer bringing my SkiDozer to snowbound emergency situations and I've forwarded a copy of your design to them.  I'm think cold and/or injured folks might want to be in that enclosed area.


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## swixb

How wide is a strecher & how long?  My rear door is a bit small, only 30" wide...  
Have sides all built out with 30x60 windows and access panels that flop open to reach into the compartments under the bench seats.  Fuel, tools, gear...
planning on wraping it in red .040 alum skin in early Jan.


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## snowbird

I'm now on the search and rescue resource list.  I think I'll make a square tube frame for the rear of the SkiDozer and cover it with tarp material with a rear door and some windows.  Good thought to make the door big enough for a stretcher!  I plan on a heater for that area also.


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## Birch Boy

Good job on the machine.  If I remember from earlier pictures I think you had 3 rubber pieces on your track with the drive sprocket on the outer drive space.  You might consider spreading your grousers and adding a 4th rubber section.  I have 4 sections on my 302 and even with that additional floatation and grip I can still bury it on a good incline and it would be awlful if you can't get to the location of an emergency.


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## swixb

makes it 12' wide though...and then you cannot transport it w/o pilot cars..
plan on running mine with three belts, 2 in 1 out with a wheeled guide rail inside to support the saging.  see how it does in the Colorado powder....
I bought a dual fan heater from a RV, should crank out some heat. got to love eBay.


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## swixb

Pic of the 302HD almost fully wrapped in .040 red alum skin.  still need to cut out the 6 factory windows and the rear door.  The large side cutouts are for a 60x30 window on each side and access panels under them.  Fuel on one side and general storage on the other.


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## swixb

Been a long time coming...but it is finally starting to get close...
put one track on...then unrolled the other only to find is was in much worse shape than the other, had a bunch of track guides bent/smashed. Wonder if it was run with a flat tire? I have removed them and welded on new guides.
The problem i now have is cracked Alum grousers, some of the inner square grousers are cracked. Was wondering if anyone has slid steel inside the ~1"x.75" hole to give the alum grouser additional strength right where the drive cog applies pressure? Build a internal steel bridge?


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## Birch Boy

I replaced the square tube aluminum with square tube steel and it worked well.  I turn the grousers around where necessary but my tracks are wider and not symmetrical with respect to the drive line.


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## MNoutdoors RIP

swixb said:


> Been a long time coming...but it is finally starting to get close...
> put one track on...then unrolled the other only to find is was in much worse shape than the other, had a bunch of track guides bent/smashed. Wonder if it was run with a flat tire? I have removed them and welded on new guides.
> The problem i now have is cracked Alum grousers, some of the inner square grousers are cracked. Was wondering if anyone has slid steel inside the ~1"x.75" hole to give the alum grouser additional strength right where the drive cog applies pressure? Build a internal steel bridge?




Those aluminum cleats are no longer available we have thought about producing 
Them but the demand is not there to justify the tooling costs. The last time they 
We're available they were over 100.00 ea.


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## swixb

update...the Skidozer is up and running.  Plan on keeping it in Montezuma CO this winter to run up to "Little Alaska"  a nice ridge to hit some deep Colorado powder.
 I insalled a pusher fan for the main radiator and mounted the trans and rear diff coolers in the tub with their own dual fans. figure that aught to keep it cool.  I also installed factory EFI on the 460, now it will run at 7-12k and keep the proper fuel/air ratios.


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## Birch Boy

Great news.  I look forward to seeing some pics of the finished product and how it takes to the powder with your track set up.  Keep me posted.


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## undy

Swixb,

Nice Cat!

Montezuma!  Below A-Basin and behind Keystone?  I lived in Silverthorne for a while, back in the late '80's, and worked at Antlers.  We dropped off the top of A-Basin down that way a few times.

So, any chance you ever take riders?  I've got a pair of HellBents that have yet to see deep powder.  Best they've done is about knee-high at Mt. Bohemia so far.  I hope to be in Winter Park (Mary Jane) later this season.


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## swixb

Yes. Entry fee is a five gal can of gas and a sixpac of good beer. The goal is to run it on Saturdays Feb through April. Will see how it goes.  have a few things left to do on it..just takes time and money!


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## undy

swixb said:


> Yes. Entry fee is a five gal can of gas and a sixpac of good beer. The goal is to run it on Saturdays Feb through April. Will see how it goes.  have a few things left to do on it..just takes time and money!



Sounds more than fair!

Out of curiosity, is that public land north (I think it's Swan Mt.) open for snowcat use?  We used to camp there years ago, but the last time we stopped the camping had been disallowed.


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## clairpierce

I am building a sv300, doing the same build as you. I would like to know more about how you did your track guide on the inside of the track for sag and is it needed. pics would be great. thanks Clair


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## swixb

will have my rig home in a week or two, I'll take some pictures.   It is basically a set of 3 bogie wheels supported by 2" angle iron giving the mini axles support on both sites, with the wheels holding the inside edge of the track about level.  I used ~6" solid rubber wheels from Harbor frt. with bearings & zerks.   I chained the guides in place with beefy chain. One does not want one to come loose...it would make a mess of things really fast. I set them on the smoothest inside track surface I could find, so bolts will not hit the wheels. I did not weld them in place...not yet anyway.  Pneumatic wheels might ride better, but hard to find small beefy ones with bearings.  
 I look forward to any pics you can post of your build.


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## Birch Boy

Finally took a moment to snap a picture of my SV 302

20150115_140527 (2).jpg


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## swixb

Looks nice!  it was 2 years between when I removed the hydraulic manifold up front and reassembly...can you describe how the joy stick is supposed to function? Moving the handle:  front/back = _________blade movement.  left /right=_________ and twisting it=_______?   My current setup does not seem intuitive...


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## swixb

Have a hydraulic leak in the valve manifold, appears to leak out from between the bottom two levels, I took it apart and replaced the O rings, but did not solve the leaking...any ideas?   Could not see any cracks, did not appear to have water damage. 
 Cat is ready to go...except for the leak...


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## Birch Boy

I can't help with the leak as I tend to farm those issues out to others.  The T bar style joy stick for the front Hydraulics is pretty simple.... back is up and forward is down and you twist to the right to dip the right side of the blade and to the left to correct the dip.   Maybe the hose hook up on the front was incorrect?


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## Birch Boy

Whoops.  Just realized I made a mistake on the joystick.

 Back is up
 Forward is down
 to the right dips the right side
 to the left removes the dip on the right side
 twist to the right rolls the blade forward
 twist to the left rolls the blade back.


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## swixb

update on my 302 HD...gave up on the carb and went full EFI off a 93 Ford F250.  works great...well it did till I lost oil pressure...not related to the EFI system, but just kept going back to the trail head.  Made it but now the 460 has a tick...so I'm going to put in a Cummins 6bt & Allison 4sp auto combo.   It will go a bit slower, but will go forever.  I'm also restoring it to full 12', 2 belts per side.   the asymmetrical works fine on hard pack, but out in the fluffy it digs on the outside...down hill side and down you go.  Cats don't side hill very good anyway...so full width is the ticket.  The Cummins will add a bit of wt but not excessive compared to the big block 460 that was in it.
 The EFI system and new heads is for sale...computer and all.


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## Snowtrac Nome

I think you would find a 4b with sme tuning and a Allison 545 would work real well you would have to go with a 1000  with standalone computer for the 6 b


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## swixb

6bt's are more common, thus less expensive. I already bought the motor. 93 with turbo, complety mechanical, trying to keep it as simple as possable. Less to go wrong. The Allison is a 545 out of a school bus. Low first gear.  Will need to mount a pull your on the drive shafts to run the difference oil pump, as the C6 had it built into the tail. If anyone needs the C6 let me know it works just fine.


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## Snowtrac Nome

caution n the 545 I talked with an allison professional once about a 545 that trans was never intended to have 400 ft pounds of torque applied against it the 1544 used behind the cat in the a3 duce is barely rated for the kind of torque the 3116 can make and as such hasn't had a great track record that is why I suggested the 4-b over the 6-b


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## swixb

Finally have the 6bt installed.   Have to move the diff pump back, does anyone have a diagram of how the plumbing is supposed to flow?  Mine seems to go in circles...
 I also relocated the trans and diff coolers to under the drive shaft with their own fan.
 I have forgotten how to post pictures.


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## labradorshooter

the 545 Alison should work good with your engine. 93 cummins from a dodge (assuming thats what you have) is 160hp and they put the 545 behind the 190hp motors in buss's many many times. I have that combo I pulled from a bus with high millage and the trans  was good, I know it was on the motor for a long time because the bellhousing and flywheel housing corroded together so bad I broke the trans housing trying to separate the two.


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## Crudge

looks like my SV 252.......
we are rebuilding looking for advice on changing out brake lines....pretty rusty..any advise helps. Got new motor tranny, all fluids being done, filtres as well.


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