Tincup Tucker

[Aaron Tucker]

The transformation has started. going to install under-glows and inside lights next.

 

[PJL]

That came out really nice.

 

[mikemikelle]

looks great!

 

[Aaron Tucker]

The 5 points film festival was a success.

 

[Aaron Tucker]

Next we are Heading to the GoPro Games in Vail , June 7-10

 

[Aaron Tucker]

Just installed the new Rigid rock lights they gave me.

 

[rdynes01]

I'm an old guy and somewhat old school . That is a beautiful Tucker all by itself So seeing it with the blue undercarriage lights makes me think of a lowrider.......Just sayin......Bob

 

[Aaron Tucker]

I'm an old guy and somewhat old school . That is a beautiful Tucker all by itself So seeing it with the blue undercarriage lights makes me think of a lowrider.......Just sayin......Bob

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion lol. There will be alot more changes coming tho stay tuned

 

[Pontoon Princess]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion lol. There will be alot more changes coming tho stay tuned

it is all about the promotion of the product, that being Tin Cup,

the old snow cat is a traveling bill board and is intended to attract attention and to seriously promote the brand and grab attention, open up the wallet and spend like crazy to create the buzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I can see a fleet of tin cup freights, and A. Tucker is the cat herder raking in the big big big bucks, he might be onto something here, a way to pay for his toys....

 

[rdynes01]

Absolutely. Make money off them however you can 'cause they certainly can drain your wallet all by themselves. I just really like old Tuckers in original Omaha orange.......Bob

 

[Pontoon Princess]

and the color of money is green via the color orange

FYI, this tucker was painted yellow, before it became a cash cow

 

[Track Addict]

Rigid products are sweet. Been looking at a curved 42 with amber filter for mine. Once I get past the sticker shock but it is a one time lifetime purchase.

Tin Cup has the Tucker blues

 

[RRose]

Rigid products are sweet. Been looking at a curved 42 with amber filter for mine. Once I get past the sticker shock but it is a one time lifetime purchase.

Tin Cup has the Tucker blues

Rigid makes the best LED light bar product period! We’ve been running them offroad for years and they work great. A tip on the curved bars - they look kinda weird mounted to a flat/straight surface. A 30” or 40” straight bar with a 4” cube on both sides really works well in that application.

 

[Mother Tucker]

It looks Fabulous, lights and all. I am envious

 

[Pontoon Princess]

next up, you should go for a wrap on the tow rig, matching rims for both truck and trailer, lots of lights, and the trailer should get a serious upgrade on the looks and lights, oh, the lights should be done so they show off the tin cup tucker when it is on the trailer, let-r-rip, hee haw....

 

[Aaron Tucker]

Been busy lately. The GoPro mountain games where off the chain! We had a great VIP experience with the nottingham's.

 

[Aaron Tucker]

GoPro games #2

 

[Cidertom]

Maybe you should hit up the airstream ad folks. Get them to sponsor a trailer. That way your whiskycat can have a chaser.

 

[Backyardski]

Or maybe a craft brewer could set up a trailer, can't beat a beer chaser.
Coolest side job ever you've got going!

 

[PJL]

Great pics. iPhones take pretty nice photos.

 

[Mother Tucker]

That is one cool looking cat dressed in blue, how can it get any better? Get to be with your Cat all season long and get paid to boot. You win!

 

[Aaron Tucker]

Next I'm bringing the Tincup tucker to our friend Brian. He is going to reinforce the back of the tuckers frame and install a double receiver hitch for a hitch mounted step and custom ski rack.

 

[Aaron Tucker]

Heading to the Colorado convention center on Monday for the Outdoor retailer summer show. The cat will be at the convention center the rest of the month of July. come check us out if your around down town Denver CO.

 

[Aaron Tucker]

the new double hitch and custom step. Thanks Brian!

 

[Aaron Tucker]

First in for the show and will be the last out. I don't think they liked me driving over their electric cords lol.

 

[Blackfoot Tucker]

Aaron,

When I saw the way the back of your Tucker is secured to the trailer it brought back a memory, and a suggestion for you...

Several years ago I trailered a vintage muscle car to a shop in Idaho to have it professionally restored. The shop owner complimented me on the way I had secured the vehicle to the trailer (heavy nylon tie-down straps attached to suspension components below the springs).

I was somewhat surprised by his comment and he related that a few years earlier another customer had trailered a very rare Pontiac GTO to him for restoration, and had chained the car to the trailer above the springs. The fellow had driven a long distance and when the trailer encountered a significant bump in the road, the car's suspension would naturally compress with the bump and create a bit of slack with the chains. When the suspension then rebounded, the travel was abruptly limited by the chains. The result from that suspension action over the trip was some wrinkled body panels which cost beaucoup bucks to fix.

My snowcat buddy, among his talents, is a genius at securing stuff to trailers. Not just the general concept, but he knows lots of tricks, different knots, etc. Through osmosis (and embarrassment) I'm learning from him. My understanding of the "proper" way to secure a snowcat to a trailer is to use the tie downs in a "X" pattern, both front and rear, and attach the tie downs below the springs, to either the axle housings or the carriers. (On our Thundercat project we welded shackle clevis mounts to each of the four carriers for that specific purpose.)

Last winter I had the opportunity to go on a Tucker demo-ride, and naturally took a slew of photos. Apparently Tucker agrees with that tie down methodology. Here's a photo of the way they secure a machine to the trailer.



We haven't used the clevis mounts yet, but prior to that we used heavy nylon axle straps (they have rings at both ends) to go around the Tucker's axles just outboard of the spring perches. The ratting straps we use have hooks at both ends; one end attaches to the trailer, the other end's hook goes through the rings on the axle straps.

 

[Track Addict]

piggy back on that strap setup we need to add an additional strap for body roll. Here in the east we have and haul some very loose worn Tucker’s. The table spring holes and the spring bushings. Sloppy trunion is a East favorite trait also.

The strain of the cab whipping back and forth on back roads bumps turns on top of the nicely secured fixed half could weaken or break stuff. Best case annoying in the rear view.

I use heavy ratchet strap from cab frame to trailer at an angle to take most of it out.

Tight West cats probably unneeded.

 

[GlacierSean]

Not disagreeing with anyone, just a dumb question about the picture Blackfoot Tucker posted. Those straps are on the bump stops that limit the tracks from traveling too far. That appears to be the most dainty piece of metal in the picture? Is that really the best thing to hook a strap to?

 

[Pontoon Princess]

criss cross and over the axles is the best...

that was the photo of tucker inc's way of doing it, really should go over the axles

 

[Blackfoot Tucker]

Not disagreeing with anyone, just a dumb question about the picture Blackfoot Tucker posted. Those straps are on the bump stops that limit the tracks from traveling too far. That appears to be the most dainty piece of metal in the picture? Is that really the best thing to hook a strap to?

Sean,

I'd agree that the bolts look wimpy, but as I recall they were 1/2", with fine threads. Note also, while the threaded section is long, the straps are right next to the jamb nuts, pretty much as close as possible to the welded bracket, which is plenty strong.

Disclaimer: I'm not an engineer. But looking at the bolts, the brackets and the straps, the load is placed on the bolts in a way that the forces are in sheer. Bolts are typically measured for tensile strength, which you can think of as being pulled apart end-to-end. The sheer strength is about 60% of the tensile strength.

The point being, while it looks questionable, I think the setup is a lot stronger than it looks. This Tucker, and others that are used for demos get transported a bunch, and as commercial vehicles I'm quite certain they are required to stop at state ports of entry for inspection. If the tie-down methodology didn't pass D.O.T. rules, I'd think Tucker would do something else. The D.O.T. rules are very expicit as far as the number of tie downs required, the strength of the tie downs used, etc.

PP's point about the axles being substantially stronger is well made. I would say that while the axles would be better, the Tucker method meets the legal requirements, and by being secured to the machine below the suspension, does not impart forces on the snowcat above the suspension, which could potentially result in body damage.