Part of the process of getting TUG ready for sale was dealing with the engine's cooling fan.
After we made repairs to the various issues we found during our initial inspection, and then a few modifications and upgrades such as seat reupholstery, and multiple LED light bars, we took it out for testing in Utah's Uinta mountains in Utah, before bringing it to Sun Valley 2021.
Everybody likes pics, so here’s snowcat buddy Scott (aka: The Gorilla) with TUG in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains at SV2021.
Both in our testing, and at SV2021 the engine tended to run hot. On day two at SV2021 there was an electrical problem that resulted in the alternator not charging the battery and so the electric fan couldn’t adequately cool the engine as the battery power was depleted. We stole the 1544’s auxiliary battery to power TUG’s electric fan while it limped back to the trailer. (Yes, that would be Tucker to the rescue.) After returning to Utah we found the problem was a defective voltage regulator and an NOS part was located and installed.
But, I don’t like the electric fan concept in a snowcat - unless that’s the only option. We had cooling problems with Thundercat and I did a fair amount of research at the time. The general consensus among the people I spoke with was that mechanical fans move more air than electric fans. Yes, at low engine RPM a quality electric fan outperforms a mechanical one, but at moderate and higher RPM; no way. The other issue is reliability. If the electric fan quits, you're done. True, the electric fan takes less engine power to run, but on balance a mechanical fan seems the better choice. The thing is at this point we knew we were going to list TUG for sale and it’s doubtful the selling price would be increased if we went to the trouble and expense of replacing the electric fan with a mechanical one. But as I have said before, “Our name is on it”, and delivering a quality product is important to us.
I purchased a new, aftermarket six blade mechanical fan on ebay and then the fun began. The electric fan system had to come out, and we had to design and fabricate a new fan shroud, and then install the new parts.
Sure enough, the new fan blade had the wrong bolt pattern and it was slightly too large in diameter. Not a big deal to drill some new holes to mount the fan. I got Scott to reluctantly weld up the existing holes for cosmetic reasons (his argument was “nobody can see it”) and then we carefully marked the fan for it’s size reduction surgery. Scott took measurements on the available space for the new shroud and used his CAD system to refine the design.
When people debate the respective plusses and minuses of various snowcats, one thing that I’ve never seen mentioned is ease of access to the engine On a DMC 1450, it’s less than optimal, especially in front. The new fan shroud was actually made as a two-piece unit so it could be installed (and removed later, if necessary). Of course the usual “While we’re at it…” project creep showed up and it just made sense to replace the heater hoses and thermostat.
Sadly, I don’t have any pics of the new fan blade or fan shroud. But, none other than The Infamous WBJ1 also made it to SV 2021, and he drove TUG on day one.
Here’s a pic of The Infamous WBJ1 and The Wonderful Jenn, taken at SV 2021. Note: it really wasn’t that warm... The Infamous WBJ1 is just part polar bear.
For those who may not know, TUG is actually an acronym. Here’s the story:
I bought the machine from a gentleman in Colorado and when I first brought it to Scott’s shop our mutual friend John showed up. Upon seeing the machine, he said “So, this is The Gimp”; a nice play on the original Thiokol model name of Imp. At the time, I thought it was just a regular production wide track DMC 1450. However, shortly later I found out the factory wide tracks had been replaced with a set of tracks and grousers 12” wider than stock. (A wide track DMC 1450 is 84” wide, and this one is a full 96” wide.) I started calling it "Super Gimp", but in conversation The Infamous WBJ1 suggested "The Ultra Gimp", or TUG for short, and ever after that became its name.
After we made repairs to the various issues we found during our initial inspection, and then a few modifications and upgrades such as seat reupholstery, and multiple LED light bars, we took it out for testing in Utah's Uinta mountains in Utah, before bringing it to Sun Valley 2021.
Everybody likes pics, so here’s snowcat buddy Scott (aka: The Gorilla) with TUG in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains at SV2021.
Both in our testing, and at SV2021 the engine tended to run hot. On day two at SV2021 there was an electrical problem that resulted in the alternator not charging the battery and so the electric fan couldn’t adequately cool the engine as the battery power was depleted. We stole the 1544’s auxiliary battery to power TUG’s electric fan while it limped back to the trailer. (Yes, that would be Tucker to the rescue.) After returning to Utah we found the problem was a defective voltage regulator and an NOS part was located and installed.
But, I don’t like the electric fan concept in a snowcat - unless that’s the only option. We had cooling problems with Thundercat and I did a fair amount of research at the time. The general consensus among the people I spoke with was that mechanical fans move more air than electric fans. Yes, at low engine RPM a quality electric fan outperforms a mechanical one, but at moderate and higher RPM; no way. The other issue is reliability. If the electric fan quits, you're done. True, the electric fan takes less engine power to run, but on balance a mechanical fan seems the better choice. The thing is at this point we knew we were going to list TUG for sale and it’s doubtful the selling price would be increased if we went to the trouble and expense of replacing the electric fan with a mechanical one. But as I have said before, “Our name is on it”, and delivering a quality product is important to us.
I purchased a new, aftermarket six blade mechanical fan on ebay and then the fun began. The electric fan system had to come out, and we had to design and fabricate a new fan shroud, and then install the new parts.
Sure enough, the new fan blade had the wrong bolt pattern and it was slightly too large in diameter. Not a big deal to drill some new holes to mount the fan. I got Scott to reluctantly weld up the existing holes for cosmetic reasons (his argument was “nobody can see it”) and then we carefully marked the fan for it’s size reduction surgery. Scott took measurements on the available space for the new shroud and used his CAD system to refine the design.
When people debate the respective plusses and minuses of various snowcats, one thing that I’ve never seen mentioned is ease of access to the engine On a DMC 1450, it’s less than optimal, especially in front. The new fan shroud was actually made as a two-piece unit so it could be installed (and removed later, if necessary). Of course the usual “While we’re at it…” project creep showed up and it just made sense to replace the heater hoses and thermostat.
Sadly, I don’t have any pics of the new fan blade or fan shroud. But, none other than The Infamous WBJ1 also made it to SV 2021, and he drove TUG on day one.
Here’s a pic of The Infamous WBJ1 and The Wonderful Jenn, taken at SV 2021. Note: it really wasn’t that warm... The Infamous WBJ1 is just part polar bear.
For those who may not know, TUG is actually an acronym. Here’s the story:
I bought the machine from a gentleman in Colorado and when I first brought it to Scott’s shop our mutual friend John showed up. Upon seeing the machine, he said “So, this is The Gimp”; a nice play on the original Thiokol model name of Imp. At the time, I thought it was just a regular production wide track DMC 1450. However, shortly later I found out the factory wide tracks had been replaced with a set of tracks and grousers 12” wider than stock. (A wide track DMC 1450 is 84” wide, and this one is a full 96” wide.) I started calling it "Super Gimp", but in conversation The Infamous WBJ1 suggested "The Ultra Gimp", or TUG for short, and ever after that became its name.
