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Snow cat advice

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I put up a posting a couple of weeks ago there of snow cats I found for sale there were several affordable tuckers there. and by the way Wilson that cat would look nice next to your snow master
 
utahwilson said:
Tucker for sale on KSL
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=29293623&cat=&lpid=&search=snowcat&ad_cid=1
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I'm sorry but I find the cab configuration "unappealing"... and that's putting it mildly. While the mid engine Tuckers have great forward visibility, that necessitates serious compromises in cab design. The concept of completely separating the operator from the passengers, especially if they are family or friends, seems absurd. If you order a new Tucker, and want more than the standard two person cab, they make the cab commensurately larger-keeping everyone together.


A few years ago Safety One had a slightly older 1624ME for sale with a similar cab. At the time I thought it was... well, ridiculous. That machine sat for sale for a long time.


(The seller also has a Tucker 1342 for sale on ksl.com priced at $16,900 so it would appear anyway that he's in the business of buying and selling snow cats.)
 
Black foot I agree one advantage to the mid engine design is it also keep the cab nice and quiet other wise I would also have a mid machine seating position too
 
Snowtrac Nome said:
I put up a posting a couple of weeks ago there of snow cats I found for sale there were several affordable tuckers there. and by the way Wilson that cat would look nice next to your snow master
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let's get this one working first. While I like Tuckers.. that configuration seems odd with the folks in back separated from the folks up front.
 
what kind of snowmobile were you on? The new Ski Doo Summits are pretty incredible. Anything 2013 and newer. With developed skills, it's easy to punch a trail even with your wife riding squirrel (in front of you holding the mountain loop). Establish a trail and come back for a trail boggan full of supplies. Then you have a fun sled to ride too. But I hear ya, I want a cat too!
 
So there is a 400 hour 5-man A-Model Spryte for sale nearby in Cheyenne for $4500 and you're screwing around looking at diesel Tuckers. For a cabin cat. Were you dropped on your head as a child?
 
I kind of think the same way got that guy in Canada looking for a 601 when that sprite is available at a reasonable cost.
 
I took a hard look at that unit in cheyenne for 4500.00 . I am afraid that with the brake steering and lower clearance I would end up stuck in the deep deep powder i want to travel through. I know Tuckers get stuck too. But i want what I want, and a 2 track machine just isn't what I want.
 
you want what you want that is a good enough answer you might be quite surprised at ho well the 2 track preforms. I have a 2100 my winter was pretty short I did get a chance to put it through it's paces it was amazing what that 9000 pound machine did getting it stuck would be the least of my worries
 
I can keep an open mind and take another look, it just looks like going through 5' of powder with that thing i would be pushing snow like a plow with the front , and would possibly get high centered on what gets packed in below me. am i way off here ?
 
It's science.

do the math on track pressure. square inches by pounds. No mystery.

THAT is what puts you on top of the snow VS plowing thru it.

JP
 
jp11 said:
It's science.

do the math on track pressure. square inches by pounds. No mystery.

THAT is what puts you on top of the snow VS plowing thru it.

JP
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JP11, I appreciate the information and your help. and yes technically you are correct , the amount of weight support by snow can be calculated into a simple PSI number. but it would be wrong to say it is that simple because it is not. for example a given patch of snow may support a given psi of a stationary machine but would support a different psi of a moving machine therefore speed factors into it, just like when i drive my snowmobile across the pond. another example is that a given patch of snow may support a given psi moving along in a straight direction however that same patch of snow will support a different psi of an object moving in more that one direction (for example the track of a snowcat during a brake steer). Another big difference and probably the most relative in my situation is that any patch of snow will support a given psi exerted from an object after a given amount of compression of the snow. simply put .... you will stop sinking after such and such depth, in my deep power all makes and models of snowcats are going to sink a really good amount, and although a don't know exactly what that depth will be i am confidant with guessing it will be around 4 feet. there just isn't a machine made that will not sink into the soft deep powder, they all will. I am therefore looking for the machine that will continue to move after it has sunk 4-5 feet into powder. and that Spryte just desn't seem to be that machine, I believe (although i am often wrong and may be so again) that a tucker would perform better after sinking into 4-5 feet of powder due to the clearance of the tucker.

It is clearly not as simple as weight of machine and surface area of track converted psi. no snocat made is going to stay on top of the snow i want to drive in, although I may be wrong, I believe a tucker is best suited for the snow i want to drive in, although I know a tucker may not be best suited to drive in other conditions in other areas.

I wish I could just test drive a variety of different machines in the snow i want to drive through, but thats just not going to happen for me. Thats the biggest reason i started this thread is so i can gather the information i need to confirm my choice of a tucker being the best machine for my needs, however... I would compeletely like to hear any and all comment about why it may not be my best option. I have been wrong before and I could very well be wrong about this, and if I am wrong I hope someone can convince me that I am wrong before a spend 10,000.00 on the "wrong machine". as of now I still believe a Tucker is the best machine for my needs.
 
jask said:
Can somebody post a link to the Spryte for sale?



... if it is still for sale?
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http://wyoming.craigslist.org/sno/4405292890.html it is still listed, and if it truely only has 400 hours then it would have to be in really rough shape to not be a deal. when I started my search for a snowcat i drove by it but didn't get up close to it. It appears to have been simply sitting for a very long time. I wish it was what i wanted since it is so close and very affordable.
 
There is more to the story when in deep snow. In super deep snow, the tracks on a Tucker tend to rotate the front tips up as a result of the torque reaction of the sprockets tightening the track to move forward. So instead of pushing through the snow, the snow that would go over the top is now being compressed under the tracks. And it is not just the front tracks, I've seen all four doing this. So along with the non skid steering, this makes for deep snow moving. Another feature, Tuckers are easy to unstick with a shovel, dun there, been that.
 
Laramie,

All of my experience is with Tuckers. I've never driven a Sno-Trac (or even seen one up close). One of my best friends has a 4VL which was basically the predecessor of Thiokol. I've driven that machine and I suspect there were several improvements to the design prior to the Thiokol Spryte series. But when it comes to the steep and deep the Tucker does pretty well.

All that said I agree that "all snow is not created equal". I grew up in northern New England but now live in northern Utah. A really good storm here will drop several feet of dry, fluffy, bottomless "champagne" powder. It's awesome to "play" in snowmobiling. It's not uncommon to step off my sled and sink up to my waist (I'm 6'4"). I suspect your snow is closer to ours than the snow in the mid west or east coast. Snowmobile manufacturers recognize this and make machines specifically designed for deep powder such as the Polaris RMK (Rocky Mountain King) line. Big engines, long tracks with deep lugs and light weight are the key features. A short track, shallow lug machine out here would really be at a huge disadvantage.

Old heads on the forum will likely recognize this video as I've posted links to it before. I think it's worth a look for you so you can see how a Tucker performs in deep powder. A couple of things to point out: The front blade is in the fully raised position. The intermittent hissing sound you hear is the orbitrol hydraulic steering control valve. This translates steering wheel input to the steering cylinder that moves the axles. (Tucker moved the orbitrol into the cab in the mid-eighties.) Enjoy:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5xymCB2i-Q"]going up dyer big storm 2010 tucker sno cat - YouTube[/ame]

I'm not a fan of Haaglunds but contrast this video with the Tucker one. Seeing this machine in action just doesn't instill confidence in me.
http://extremehagglunds.com/spring_snow_madness.html
 
that is a good video one and it Is obviously fresh powder. had that been sugar likely that tucker would have had a bit more of a difficult time as would other rigs. I find the sugar type snow to be the most difficult to navigate through as it refuses to compact under the tracks. all the rigs have their pros and cons I'm not a big fan of all the stuff hanging under the tucker, it doesn't seem to slow it down on my 2100 the drop boxes hang so low to the ground they have guards ,again it doesn't seem to slow it down. any machine intended for deep snow should do well. one thing I like about my Thiokol is a tall seating position gives me good visibility the tucker is even higher. one thing I find important here where It can be cold as a witches hooter is ease of entry in cold weather clothing tucker looks like it is king there once you get over the first step.
 
The Two track Four track debate is interesting.

I only owned a tucker for one season.
It was excellant at driving through the snow until it lost grip in one of the tracks. I generally could back out of the throttle to assist getting a bite but many times I need to back up tweak the wheel a bit and then go again. Please realize that I was towing a significant amount of snow in a 10' wide 20+ foot long drag.
In my opinion, four track machines need lockers.

I have seen and been impressed by the climbing that pontoons do as long as they are moving they do climb. there are some photos of our last outing with two snow tracs and two tuckers. When parked they all appear to be at the same height. What you can't see is when the machines start out the tuckers appear to drop into the snow until compaction is reached, traction builds and float/climbing happens. (Like the helicopter, through horsepower at it until it goes.)

I like the tucker concept. I like the history color and steering wheel. I sold it because I want to go over the snow, not through it. I want four to six people with me with gear and there are not a lot of choices for over the snow with some buddies.

I now groom with a wide 2-track diesel powered machine. I never back up.
I recreate in a 4-5 person Two track machine that jumps to life quickly and runs cheap.

I guess put me in the two track camp.

Mike
 
you make a good point Mike, the bv 206's had the same issue hit some ice, or spin a track and you stop moving. it's not like you now have a 2 track machine its like steering a clutch ,and brake system in snow, because the 2 tracks not moving create more resistance than the other 2 can overcome, the point is well made with a selectable locker these 4 track machines may be almost unstoppable
 
I have a dmc 1450 here in co in 2007 I was up the canyon and BURRIED!! it could see about 8 inches of the top ( folage under snow gave way) anyway by pure luck there was a 1300 series tucker close the guy came over to me from the front side (untraveled unpacked) we strapped up and he drug me out (uphill) very badass took me about 30 ft to get back on the surface of the snow... I am a huge fan of the imps
but as far as go amywhere and do ANYTHING I wouldn't shy away from the tucker...
 
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