TEST RUN SUPER IMP IN DESERT TODAY

[wakeupcall]

Took the Super Imp out for its maiden "test" voyage today in the desert. There was about 15-18 inches of snow. I wanted to stay somewhere where if it broke down or had troubles I could go get it with the truck. Everything ran great, and it was fun to travel around in. Received alot of looks from passerbys as they do not see sno cats in use over here. A couple of the photos are climbing a fairly steep hill and it seemed to go right up it. It is going to be a great cat.

 

[Thiokol2track]

Nice job, seems to perform as well as it looks !!!

 

[wakeupcall]

Thanks! So far so good. The real test will be when we take it out in the deep snow. Maybe next weekend.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

great pics!

 

[weatherby]

Very nice looking IMP, look's like you did a great job congrats

 

[pixie]

Looks great

Good pictures !! Thanks !

 

[Ice Queen]

Looks super, lucky you to have snow.

 

[snowbird]

I like your pictures. Is that trailer a bumper hitch or fifth wheel? I might have to build a trailer to take my snowcat to where there's snow. Like Ice Queen, I'm jealous of your snow. Do you have any special surface on the ramps for the tracks to bite into going up?

 

[wakeupcall]

Hi Snowbird The trailer is a 25 foot Gooseneck. The only reason I use this trailer is because I have not got time yet to repack wheel bearings on the Snow-Cat trailer yet. The ramps and beaver tail are made of angle iron and seem to work very effectively for traction loading all of the cats in my "Fleet". Here is a picture of truck/trailer. Can hardly wait to try this Imp in much deeper snow.

 

[snowbird]

Thanks for the 5th wheel picture. I'd like to see a picture of your "regular" snowcat trailer when you have time.

 

[mtntopper]

Do you have any special surface on the ramps for the tracks to bite into going up?

I have a similar goose neck trailer with the metal cleat type ramps and beaver tail deck. If my cats tracks are full of snow/ice and the ramps are icy or snowy the cat tries to slide and will spin on the metal to metal surface. I modified the ramp on the back of the trailer with treated 2X6's spaced to allow the metal cat cleats to bite. I can load very slowly, safely and easily now with this setup on my Feathelite trailer.

 

[Mainer]

Maxey has rubber on deck to prevent slippage but it needs a redo to prevent the metal carriage bolt heads from adding slippage... full width rubber with wide-spaced bolts but the center channel helps straighten out if things get crazy. Maxey undergoing surgery to beef up the tilt deck to handle a 12K winch. Time for Maxey to 'sack up!'

 

[MNoutdoors RIP]

Maxey has rubber on deck to prevent slippage but it needs a redo to prevent the metal carriage bolt heads from adding slippage... full width rubber with wide-spaced bolts but the center channel helps straighten out if things get crazy. Maxey undergoing surgery to beef up the tilt deck to handle a 12K winch. Time for Maxey to 'sack up!'

Is this actual First picture of Mainer working on something......... I f it is we best preserve it.

Is this inner workings of mainers work cave? hmmmmm study the picture
tape on the hammer handle, must have been his fathers..... engine on the floor ............. what kind of welds did he do? need more data.

 

[Mainer]

ROFL
You guys... always teasing the poor mainer!
I go hide in man-cave now...

 

[cabinboy]

Great pictures !!!!! keep them coming.

 

[snowbird]

I like both ideas for the trailers: cleats on the ramps for grousers to bite into and a center channel on the deck just in case the machine wants to slide sideways while on top. As long as the trailer were used primarily for snowtracs, I wonder if a generous "channel" for each track would be a good idea? Maybe the channel idea would be good for the ramp, too? Also, it appears so far 5th wheel trailers are the choice (because of snowtrac weight?) Thanks for the pictures and the ideas!

 

[Mainer]

As an aside, the Maxey is a dedicated snowcat trailer and designed as a bumper pull where most of the 5th wheel/deckovers are general purpose and ready to haul really heavy weight so I think there's variability depending on purpose. Maxey sells to PB dealers and usually are a default in a sale to the new owner of a $350K PB as a bumper pull. Some folks will bolt down 4"x4" onto the flat of a deckover to simulate the channel which works quite well and is removeable. I really enjoy a dedicated tilt-deck for the snowcat...pull a lever and drive right on and then you get to go for a ride on the way down to a level position...and this was the nature of Thiokol trailers as well. The Maxey is a bumper pull and I have it on a 1-ton dually (a bit overkill but what the hell)... I didn't want to install a ball in the bed and it does quite nicely as a bumper pull. If I were hauling more than one cat or a beef-cake cat like a 3700 or a big Tucker (600's are about 6K lbs), then I'd go with a deckover goose as the Maxey can't even handle the weight given the 12K limit. If you ALSO want to haul other equipment like Bobcats (or a Mr. Bobcat sitting in a Kristi), front loader, etc... then a deckover goose is definitely the way to go. The stability of a deckover is superior to a bumper pull as is, obviously, the loading on the truck suspension. Deckover goose's are also generally less expensive because Maxey figures that Mercedes/BMW/Range Rover/Audi people like Boggie are buying and/or big ski resorts where they are lugging around their $350K investment so $10K is chump change. I got mine slightly used and saved up cereal box tops and sold a kidney.... also depends on how much luv you have for the tilt-deck vs. ramps. The photo shows how nicely a 6 fits on without a lot of excess length, etc...

Also, for enjoyment, a Mr. Bobcat video loading a Kristi onto a Thiokol tilt-deck single-axle trailer (is that sick and wrong in some way????) [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W_4i3mATHU"]YouTube - Kristi KT-3 SN 00145 Loading 150k[/ame]

 

[Snowcat Operations]

I too havea Maxey trailer and love them. PAINER... You should weld up some ratchet 4" wide strap ratchets on the front. Angle them so they are pointed at about 45 angles to the horizontal deck. This way you can simply run a 4" wide 10K rated strap to each outer corner of your cats. This will give you an X crossing on the straps. Do the same off the back as well and you will have that cat secured!

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Oh yah and done in under a couple of minutes.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Also the Thiokol trailers were built by Maxey.

 

[Mainer]

I too havea Maxey trailer and love them. PAINER... You should weld up some ratchet 4" wide strap ratchets on the front. Angle them so they are pointed at about 45 angles to the horizontal deck. This way you can simply run a 4" wide 10K rated strap to each outer corner of your cats. This will give you an X crossing on the straps. Do the same off the back as well and you will have that cat secured!

Yup, I thought about that quite a bit... and thought about that X pattern and the 45 degrees... considering it but I like to use chain more. D-rings are moved in for that X-pattern. I was also thinking about a clamping system that simply locks the cat onto the trailer with swing arms but then thought it was too much modification. First things first...get the thing beefed up and then the winch on there then get the 601 sitting beside it up and running.

I'd like to eventually have a front and rear hydraulic arm that locks it down that is operated by remote. After this 601 gets up and running (not cherried...that's later)... then comes the highly modified fun 601... twin vertical stacks with the flappers, auto tranny, diesel into an OC15. I want some big-ass plumes of black diesel sulfur pounding out of those flappers that bellow loud enough to wake the dead 601's rotting off the coast of Alaska! Hydraulic access cab, heated leather seats, walnut dash, etc... it'll make Boggie WISH he were spending time in the man cave! AND inspect each weld and weap over the beauty!!!

 

[fogtender]

Also, for enjoyment, a Mr. Bobcat video loading a Kristi onto a Thiokol tilt-deck single-axle trailer (is that sick and wrong in some way????)

I don't know about that trailer, seems to have way too much of an incline for that Krusti Kristy... Maybe a large winch to drag it's carcass up onto the trailer would be more effective or a longer run to get up enough speed to make it up the grade....


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W_4i3mATHU"]YouTube - Kristi KT-3 SN 00145 Loading 150k[/ame]

 

[snowbird]

Thanks for the trailer video, pictures, and info. I like to build stuff, so I could probably make a trailer, but I'm not sure if the single axle in the video would be OK for a 4400 pound snowcat? I like the simplicity of the tilt bed and the single axle (but quite a jolt when it's over top dead center?) I did notice the other bumper-hitch trailer had two axles (maybe a heavier machine to be transported?)

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Thiokol had a real problem with the single wheel trailers. It seems when someone would hit a curb it would cause the trailer to bounce and actually turn over. It was a combo if the single tire and short wheel base. IF you decide on a single axle trailer you have to make sure the tires and axle are rated for a fully fueled and loaded snowcat. (much more than 4400 lbs if thats the dry weight now) Plus the weight of the trailer itself. That could be from 1200 to 2000 lbs. Most E rated tires are in the 3000 lbs range. I really like the idea of dual axles. This gives you two tires per side and will help if you have a blow out. My maxie trailer towed my Super Imp like it wasnt even there.

 

[Mainer]

I really like my dual axle and my dually truck and a dual generator system on my house. 8) I have issues. Anyway, the dual axle Maxey rides like no other trailer I've had... it's just fantastic. Maxey (the company).... pptttthhhh! Whatever. I got hosed by them on something but never mind. The axles are upgraded from standard to 12K capacity and the tires are E-rated....golden...I've not had to put an ounce of air in them for 3 years. Y'all have probably seen this many times but here's the IMP loading on/off a Thiokol tilt. Snotrans has these trailers at great prices so nab one... if you are putting an imp on go for it (with cautions SnoOps listed)... but less expensive by quite a bit than the dual Maxey... I'd go for single if I were putting an Imp on board.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbOWsYqtJ34"]YouTube - The SnowCat Video[/ame]

 

[wakeupcall]

Here are some photos of the trailer I have been working on lately, I think Snobird was interested in building something simular to this. Deck on trailer is 14ft. by 8ft. will work very well for an Imp transporter!! Just finished with new bearings and races, seals and dust caps. Also worked over wiring on lights, new grommets and all new lights. Replaced mud flaps and bought new tires for all 4. Will take it up this weekend for first long tow.

 

[snowbird]

Thanks for the pictures. It definitely looks like something I could build. It appears you've used mobile home axles. It's been a long time since I've checked them out, but as I recall they had electric brakes, but it appears you've used hydraulic (I think I see a line in your frame). I like your having a hydraulic cylinder to slow down the tilt bed. I'd wondered how big a "thump" you'd make as you drove over top dead center. I also like the channel you built into the center to guide your tracks. I don't know if they're too slippery, but expanded metal coated with plastic (for hog flooring) could help protect your grousers?
Good work.

 

[Mainer]

Here's a maxey update...
I think these shots narrow down more on the work and less about the man-cave.

Getting there... 12K winch up front now on the tilt portion of the deck (the trickyness to installing on the tilt is of course bulking up the frame to handle the torque on something that's just supposed to bear the weight of the cat during load with limited lateral force / torque on the front). Hence, Iron-man build up on the front... no torquing this thing off when winching a 601 up at full tilt. So, when loading, the front portion of the tilt is up in the air with winch up there at nose-bleed altitude.

A 601 shown for good measure to see pre-surgery. Post-ops to follow when complete. New double lock clamping mechanism going in to replace relatively lame Maxey-created hand-cranked bolt version (lame-o!). You can see the hand-crank version in the 601-shot.

Welds included to keep Boggie happy in his critiques. Come on... Bring it! Tape measure and a different hammer added as props.

 

[dlmorindds]

Mainer--very nice welds--mig no doubt. Thanks for the call the other day

 

[weatherby]

The engineering & workmanship that went into that mount is A+