first trip in ST4 + pics

[mtmogs]

My wife and I took the first real trip in the snow trac today, a 14 mi. round trip to the cabin and back. About 2 mi. of that was snowpacked "county" gravel road, another 2 mi. of forest service road covered w/ about 1 foot of powder, and the rest was m/l "virgin" snow over forest service roads generally about 4' deep plus another 2' or so in some drifted areas. Stepping out the back door would find you crotch-deep in snow but the tracks only sunk not quite a foot deep at the deepest and the undercarriage left only an occasional exhaust pipe mark. Flotation was good, about what I expected given the other's experiences.

My first impressions? Until I decided to brace open the roof hatch it was #*&@! HOT in there! Today was warm, around 25ish, but I couldn't imagine ever needing the optional gasoline heater. Maybe in Antarctica I suppose. Remember this ST4 doesn't have the sliding front/side windows.

On the plowed roads and on broken trail on the way back we cruised along in 4th speed pretty easily until sometimes overshooting a turn and getting a track into deep snow and losing power. On the way up, especially on hills in deep snow, we were down to 2nd and 3rd most of the time, generally slow going.

Anyway, it was great fun and the ST4 lived up to my expectations . It got us and a bunch of stuff up to the cabin comfortably, and we didn't have to dig out the snowmobiles or turn back to pick up crap that fell of the sledges, etc. It's a real good tool for the job. Enjoy the pics that follow!

 

[mtmogs]

First batch of pics:

 

[mtmogs]

Next batch:

1.) Crap piled high on the inside.
2.) Cruising back.
3.) Carla moving a tree while I man the controls

 

[mtmogs]

Last batch.
1.) Heading home.
2.) A stop at the Polebridge Mercantile. The NW'ernmost entrance to Glacier N.P. is here.
3.) A$$ end of a good sized moose.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

You need the snow deflectors. You can build up so much snow that it will break your front axle housing tube. Lyndon knows best on how to make them since he has probably made more than the factory ever did!

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Nice pictures,

 

[mtmogs]

You need the snow deflectors. You can build up so much snow that it will break your front axle housing tube. Lyndon knows best on how to make them since he has probably made more than the factory ever did!

Thanks Snowmaster. I read a recent post by Lyndon about the snow deflectors that got my attention . The stock style would not be difficult to make using the parts diagram (below). I think I recall Lyndon saying that the older "mud flap" style work better though. Maybe because it shields the entire track forward of the rear bogies, and not just the bogies themselves? I'll scout out some truck flaps and hang them on some brackets like the original design.

 

[Polar]

Great pics and congradulations your new toy. It seems quite capable. Oh yeah, about the heater...no it was not good enough in Antarctica when I rode in the New Zealand Antarctic programs unit in 1986! Glad your outting was toasty though.Cheers, Mate

 

[Snowcat Operations]

The mud flap ones described by Lyndon are indeed the best. You are correct about them keeping snow off of the forward section which is the most important.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

I will make my own as well. I have a slightly diffrent idea on the material I will be using though. I will post details when I get to that.

 

[mtmogs]

Great pics and congradulations your new toy. It seems quite capable. Oh yeah, about the heater...no it was not good enough in Antarctica when I rode in the New Zealand Antarctic programs unit in 1986! Glad your outting was toasty though.Cheers, Mate

Thanks Polar! Yep, it was toasty. How cold was it when you were in Antarctica? Were you in one of the Porshce powered snow tracs?

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Those Porsche powered snow tracs were very cool looking.

 

[teledawg]

Re: Mud Flap Snow Deflector Setup?

The mud flap ones described by Lyndon are indeed the best. You are correct about them keeping snow off of the forward section which is the most important.

Do you have any pics of the mud flap setup? I need to add these to ST4 #163 and would like to see what they are supposed to look like. The brackets are intact with a little bit of the original material attached.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Yes there are some pics floating around here somewhere. I will try and find them.

 

[Bobcat]

I was at the Polebridge Mercantile last summer after installing a seismic station north of there. They sell baked goods and I bought a bakers dozen of their cookies. Thought I'd have some left by the time I got back to Missoula. Nope.

 

[mtmogs]

Do tell Bob. Was the station you installed part of the USArray network? If so, you were ~ 1/3 mi. off the NE corner of my old place up at Trail Creek. Luckily, we sold the place before it burned! Yes, the merc makes great baked goods. We just can't seem to pass by without stopping.

What agency do you work with? Why don't you schedule a visit to the seismograph station next winter and we can take the snow trac up to check it out!

Cheers - Paul

I was at the Polebridge Mercantile last summer after installing a seismic station north of there. They sell baked goods and I bought a bakers dozen of their cookies. Thought I'd have some left by the time I got back to Missoula. Nope.

 

[Lyndon]

Your Machine is an Ex Brittish Military. An Army Truck collector in Washington brought it and 2 more like it along with a Volvo/Haglund early model. He shipped 2 to Bill Guthrie in Idahoe. Yours got sold to a guy that didn't like it and sold back to Bill, it was then fitted with the Alloy diamond plate cab and sold to another party. In the meantime another guy in central Wa bought the the other one and used it to access his cabin. He was also missing the "Snow Throwers" that keep snow from building up in the track. His track got so tight that it busted the front axel housing. The replacement cost him a fortune, like to the tune of 900$. It took him a week to put it in. After various conversations I noticed that he lived in roughly the same area of Washington that the Army Truck collector lived in. Eventually they met, and he was going to purchase the 3rd of the 3 original machines.

 

[Lyndon]

*!X# Computer failure! Well anyway, the ST 4 owner spied the Early Aluminum bodied Haglund/Volvo and tried it out and ended up getting sold on it too! I have pictures somewhere of the Volvo unit crossing a lake at the Army Truck collector's place, and looked at your machine various times, between when it arrived from Brittan and you procuring it. I used to make yearly pilgrimages to Bill's place in Weizer, and Earl and I made ton's of photo's of everything in his yard as well as some video footage. Needless to say I have lots of pict's of your machine. I once knew how much it cost to manufacture the alloy diamond plate cab, it was very reasonably priced.

 

[mtmogs]

Thanks for the info Lyndon. That's basically the same story I got from the seller a while back. Also, Ice Queen was able to identify the production run in '75 and posted some nice photos of its kin from the same run on duty with the British Royal Marines in Norway. The seller, a forum member "Tortoise" kept one of the military units but with a newer canvas top at his place out near Leavenworth. If I'm ever out your way, I'd like to see some of the old photos you have of these machines.

 

[mtmogs]

$900 for an axle housing...OUCH! Mine is missing the snow throwers too, but I'll be sure to have them on before next winter.

 

[mtntopper]

Re: Mud Flap Snow Deflector Setup?

Do you have any pics of the mud flap setup? I need to add these to ST4 #163 and would like to see what they are supposed to look like. The brackets are intact with a little bit of the original material attached.

Below is a side pic of my TracMaster with the snow flap in place. Hope this helps.

 

[Bobcat]

Yup, USArray. I work with IRIS on the transportable array component of the project. I'm seeing the country 42 miles at a time. Below is a picture of the turnoff to our site near you, and then a picture of what it would look like if we have to go visit it in the winter. I hope it won't need a service visit, but then again, maybe I do!

Do tell Bob. Was the station you installed part of the USArray network? If so, you were ~ 1/3 mi. off the NE corner of my old place up at Trail Creek. Luckily, we sold the place before it burned! Yes, the merc makes great baked goods. We just can't seem to pass by without stopping.

What agency do you work with? Why don't you schedule a visit to the seismograph station next winter and we can take the snow trac up to check it out!

Cheers - Paul

 

[BigAl]

Re: Mud Flap Snow Deflector Setup?

Do you have any pics of the mud flap setup? I need to add these to ST4 #163 and would like to see what they are supposed to look like. The brackets are intact with a little bit of the original material attached.

Will these help . I took them at Lyndons shop ,last year .

 

[teledawg]

Re: Mud Flap Snow Deflector Setup?

Will these help . I took them at Lyndons shop ,last year .

Below is a side pic of my TracMaster with the snow flap in place. Hope this helps.

Thanks guys. This is exactly what I was looking for.

Fred

 

[mtmogs]

What a great job you have then. I spent a summer installing seismograph arrays for the USGS. Was fun but Parkfield, CA was not as scenic as the North Fork and a lot of places you must see. I was looking at the IRIS website and see that one of my old roomates sits on the board of that outfit.

I recognize the sign you posted in the pic. Was just up the lane from us. There are an abundance of Grizzlies up there. In fact, that's where FWP relocates many bad bears. They probably scratch their backs on your solar array! Anyway, give me a buzz next time you are up in this neck of the woods. We can have a few cool ones at the Northern Lights Cafe in Polebridge and talk of P-waves, snowcats and such.

Yup, USArray. I work with IRIS on the transportable array component of the project. I'm seeing the country 42 miles at a time. Below is a picture of the turnoff to our site near you, and then a picture of what it would look like if we have to go visit it in the winter. I hope it won't need a service visit, but then again, maybe I do!

 

[Bobcat]

What a great job you have then. I spent a summer installing seismograph arrays for the USGS.
<snip>

I also worked for USGS, installing and servicing seismo-gear all over the world. Was never in any one country for more than a few weeks and would be out for 6 months at a time, back for two weeks to resupply, then out another 6 months.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Small world!