These Tracks so Much Fun

[Gunny]

I know I posted some flicks from last weeks ride, so I hope ya don't mind, but I'm posting some more form yesterdays ride ...

I never had to back up once, even in ther first pic's. Just put it in low, diff lock, & the tracks just pulled right out of that icy hole .... OH YEAH !!! ...

The melt is on & the snow is go'in fast ! ...

Enjoy .....

Later .....

 

[crazy_wheeler]

Great pic's Gunny. How well do the tracks work for crawling over fallen trees? Do the back tracks tend to want to go under the fallen tree?

 

[Summitric]

Gunny, You're Just Having Too Much Fun With That Little Monster. I'm Envious!!

 

[Gunny]

crazy_wheeler ... I haven't done a lot in the trees yet as there's still quite a bit of snow on the ground where they are. I've attached on flick which I tried & did go over the tree two weeks agao. However, last Saturday, I was in the same area & the snow had melted down quite a bit & I believe I could of got over it, but I was afraid I'd high center. So I put a strap around it & pulled it out of the way. Bad thing was, I kinda backed myself into a corner.
The bike was uphill (mind you, this was wet snow), a big pine on my right, a large quakie to my front left, some brush & a medium sized dead fall log directly behind me ... & yup, the tree I just dragged off the trail blocking my front. It took some doing, but I was able to get out of there .... anyway, I was sure the back end of the back tracks was going to either hit that dead fall & spin, or go under it. It surprised me & went right over it ..... several times until I got turned around.
I should of used my snatch block & the winch & winched that bad boy outta the way .... but I had to test the tracks some more. I did get out of my pinned in position ... so life is good ! ...

Summitric - I have to laugh ... cause I think the same exact thing when I see all you guys pic's of the mud & water you get to play in. However, I don't know if I'm hav'in TOO much fun ... but I am hav'in a blast !!!! ...

Later ...

 

[Mongrol]

Nice shots Gunny, but if you want to see a real quad on tracks, mine takes up 1/2 page photo in June 08 "Dirt Wheels Mag" page 108.

I'm still pissed that you're still able to find some snow. Double Dang!!

You post some of the most interesting pics and show other quadders a different view.

Cheers Pal.

 

[Gunny]

Oh spare me Big Boy !!!! ......... That is WAY by the way !!!! .... Ya know, I just may have to go out & buy that dang magazine ..... You know ... to see what a REAL quad on tracks looks like .....

Hey, .... Don't be pissed ....... Be Happy !!!! ... Ya know why ?? Well, cause I have to wash my bike all the time ... & you don't ! .....

Hey, I have a couple other pic's with a different view ... want me to post'em ??

Later ....

 

[Mongrol]

Please do!

 

[Gunny]

Well, I may just do that ....

Later ...

 

[Mongrol]

Great pic's Gunny. How well do the tracks work for crawling over fallen trees? Do the back tracks tend to want to go under the fallen tree?

What a lot of non-track users aren't aware of is that the angle of attack on the tracks (Tatou) is adjustable and that allows pressure to be adjusted front to rear on the tracks. If you take some of the pressure off the front of the track, that allows it to climb easier when it contacts a solid object. I'm posting a shot of my tracks with the fronts raised to let the readers see this.

I think the 4S Tatous that Gunny runs are even more adjustable and better able to avoid the "Tank Traps"

 

[Gunny]

Good point Mongul .... with my Tatou 4s tracks, I haven't really played with the angle of attack yet. I checked that the fronts were at the heigth recommend in the instructions & that was all.

BUT, the angle of attack only helps in forward .... let me explain. We had a big mount of snow piled in front of my house, I get the tracks, bolt them on & the first thing I do isrun up that pile of snow.
Now, between where the pile of snow met the ground & more deep snow, there was a low spot which use to be my sidewalk.
When I tried to back off that big pile .... I was stuck... cause the rear of the rear tracks couldn't climb out of that hole.
What I finally did was ran it UP the pile a ways, put her in reverse, & gunned it .... (When in doubt, give it more gas, right ?!) .... & the machine backed out of that spot. (See the first pic)

So going over logs forward wouldn't worry me to much .... but maybe having to back over them might not be to easy.

However, one needs to use some good judgement when pointing the machine where to go .... & maybe going around something is a better option .... Savvy ??

The second pic, you can see my front angle of attack is pretty darn good.
On the rear, there is maybe just a little.

I will say, I've pretty much ridden my tracks over any terrain I've wanted to so far with no real issue.

Later ....

 

[Mongrol]

You couldn't be more correct if you tried. lol

Everything is a compromise and thats why some "Trackers" initially keep getting stuck when trying to back out of a situation. The problem is, that they kept spinning when they first dug in. When the fronts of the tracks are up, the rears are point down. When backing up in this situation, the rear of the tracks act like the diving planes on a submarine and if you keep the power on, you might as well holler "Dive, Dive" cause thats what the tracks will do. Start shovelling.

Good discussion.

By the way, were you drinking when you parked the quad behind the house?

 

[Gunny]

"Dive ! Dive !" .... no kidding. If you look at my pic's on the other thread where I almost got stuck in an icy hole .... I have a pic of the icy hole .... you can see how the rear tracks first tried to under the ice going forward (pic of the bike) .... & when I backed up, you can see how they again went under the ice in reverse (pic of the almost icy grave) .... I was lucky for sure ... cause when I fell in ..... I just knew I was gonna get cold & wet, & then hot while I did some digg'in ! ..... Ah h*ll .... I posted the pic's here. Save ya all some time.

Now what would give you the idea I had been drink'in ?? ... And, my Fine, "No Tracks On My Machine at the Moment", Friend, How pray tell, do you park your quad ?? ....

Later ....

 

[Mongrol]

Ok, ok, I don't park it. I GET MY BUTLER TO DO IT ! ! !

 

[Gunny]

Great .... Just Great ..... Bragg'in that ya have a freak'in Butler !!!!! ....

Ya know how that makes me feel ?? ....





Later ....

 

[Mongrol]

One thing I didn't mention but should have after seeing your photo of crossing the log. The safest way (for me with the standard Tatou Tracks) to cross the log is at a 50-60 degree angle. The rears seem less prone to getting hung up on approach & once the fronts are safe and the first rear track is climbing I turn to 90 degrees and that seems to cause the last track to catch because of the less weight on it.

 

[Gunny]

Good point. When I came to that log, I thought about going across it at an angle, then thought I try it straight on just see ... I lucked out.

Also, when I cam to that same log last weekend, most that snow was gone, & I was afraid if I tried to cross it, I might get high centered .... & I didn't want to do that with tracks on. I pulled it out of the way, but most the time I winch them out of the way ... if possible. I will admit, the first thing that went thru my head was ... I need to start carrying my chainsaw ....

Mongul, I been meaning to ask .... so you can't get to any snow areas right now ? or is all your snow gone ?? If it's gone, you can go rid'in with tires now right ?? Have you been go'in ?? ..... or are you all tied up with that knitt'in ?? ...

Later ...

 

[Mongrol]

We've got more snow than usual but it is up at the 3500 ft level. One area, the Gray Pass will have snow till late June this year. I'd have to trailer to it and I'm not adverse to that. HOWEVER, I would have to put them back on and I've serviced them for next year. I took them off to accomodate family, and ride with others on tires and that was in March. That won't happen again! I've ordered new snow wear and hot grips so once it snows again, I'll ride most every day. Retired guys get do that ya know.

 

[Gunny]

Up at the 3500 ft level ?? Holey crap ... that's lower than the floorboards on my Grizzly. Are you at sea level ??

I understand the "Accomodate" the family thing .... Oh how I understand.

You wrote you serviced them ... please explain ... cause I've been wonder if I should pull the covers off all the boggies & the drive hub & if nothing else, add some grease.

I was down at my dealers the other day picking up a Dyno Jet kit & saw some of that Klim snow wear ..... SWEET !!!
I'm still think'in about a winshield ... just not sure. And I'm not sure about a snowmobile helmet either .... but I think I need one or the other for sure.

As far as trailering ... we have to do that no matter if it's summer or winter. The closest I can go rid'in is approx 40 miles one way. I've gone as far as 160 miles one way for a day ride. But I don't do that very often. (Use to though)

3 more years .... 3 more years & I hope to ride every freak'in day !!!! .... You lucky ..... Guy !

Later ...

 

[Mongrol]

My house is at 1885 ft and I ride from there to around 7,500 ft. Lots of different snow conditions.

Camoplast recommends lubricating the area between the hub and antirotation bracket withe chain lube to let them walk back and forth without binding. They also recommend stacking the tracks on their sides but don't say why. I'm assuming that drains moisture away from the bearings and race even though they are sealed bearings.

Klim gear is really nice stuff but many $$$$$$$$$. I opted for the gear from Snosuit.com but got it on sale (-20%) for $439.00 USD from thornebrothers.com. Will let you know what it looks like when it arrives.

Windshield. Once you try one in the winter, you'll wonder what you did without it.

Helmet. Don't like it for winter riding, Usually and OJ balaclava. I use a Bell Skateboard/Cycling helmet in Summer. Nice and cool and not claustaphobic.

All my ride areas, except 2, I can access from my front door and thats pretty convenient.

The only problem with retirement, sometimes its hard to get someone to ride with and a lot of they guys around here still have to ask permission to play. Candy Ass's.

 

[Gunny]

Almost sea level. I didn't realize you were at that elevation from your pic's. Of course, 7500 ft there looks like 7500 ft here ..... OK, maybe not. Here, there seems to be a lot of sagebgrush at that altitude ....

I haven't seen anything from Camoplast about
service Maintenance for the 4s tracks. I may have to ask some questions.
About laying them on their sides, what you mentioned would seem correct for the higher boggies ... but the ones on the bottom ... wouldn't they tens to retain water ??
AND, as far as "Sealed" bearings ... if they have the little rubber seals to protect the bearings, we use to get a very small pick tool, pry those out very carefully & then we could re-grease the bearings. Then worked the seal back in place. I use to do this ever winter when I put my Banshee away & never had to change an axle bearing in eight years of use.

When you get the Snosuit gear, be sure to let us know what ya think. So far, I'm very pleased with my Carhartt jacket & pants, but I'm always on the lookout for quality gear. And boots !

Yeah, I'm not sure about the helmet either, but it seemed to me when riding durning the winter, the freak'in wind was always blowning across my bow a lot .... never straight on or from behind. And that makes me wonder if a windshield would be of much benefit in those conditions ?? I have a few months to work that out in my head.

Hell, my Candy Ass friends .... all they wanta do is work ! ... or it's too cold, or it's too muddy ... ot too far .... Wah ! Wah ! Wah ! ..... So, I get me, myself, & I ... we load up & we have a great time ... every time !!!!

Later ...