What snowmobile to look for?

[idaho guy]

Maybe I will get really soft and put in a heater this year maybe even a radio!

there's a guy up here running around with a tracked rzr, 
I was sure glad when he couldn't go no further, the snow was a lot nicer to ride on without those huge trenches those tracks make 

snowmobiling in tire or track ruts sucks just a bit 

 

Yes they do

[bearpaw]

For a very long time I was going to get tracks for my Kodiak.  Then more and more hound guys and trappers on several FaceBook pages were selling their tracks and going back to snowmobiles.  Lots of them said after using both for a while they were going back, go further quicker and a lot less gas. So I started to reconsider.  I think I'd like to try a sled designed for what I want to do instead of using a sled that is not designed to trap or haul dogs.

We own a yamaha viking on tracks and snowmobiles, we use the snowmobiles 90% of the time. You will get things done 2x or 3x faster with the snowmobile than a tracked UTV. However, when you have a lot of people or gear to haul, or if there are a lot of bare spots on the ground, then the tracked UTV will shine.

I wonder if a guy had double ended skis on a hound trailer (or any trailer for snowmobiles) and a tongue that flipped over, so you could tow from either end.   

Stop, unhook trailer, toss tongue to the other side, go turn around your sled, drive past your trailer, pull trailer to your sled hitch or back sled up, take off back the way you came. 


I know wet or crunchy snow its hard to turn them skis if you had to drag the trailer around to aim it back the way you just came. 


I use a toboggan, but I don't have any need to have a trailer on suspension for dogs.  The toboggan is easy to spin around.

We rarely have to unhook to turn around with the tundras pulling a dog sled, just know in advance where you want to turn so you don't have to stop and keep it moving. But if you aren't sure where you'll need to turn around, yeah, it's probably a good idea to unhook then turn around.

[bearpaw]

Running a trapline it should be no problem to keep the sled in tow when turning around on a trail that you've been up before.

[Machias]

Great discussion!!  Really enjoy threads like this!!

[bearpaw]

Great discussion!!  Really enjoy threads like this!!

  I've never had a chance to actually see a skandic or talk to anyone who has ridden them. I had sorta been thinking about getting an Expedition in the future, it's also available with the 20" track, but I want to hear what you think of the skandic you get?

[Machias]

https://lewiston.craigslist.org/snw/d/kooskia-skidoo-tundra-ii/6929640216.html

[Tracker0721]

Well last week I picked up the skandic! Might get some new skis for it, new visor, definitely need a new belt and to clean the clutch as it’s all dirty and looks like the guy might’ve sprayed some carb cleaner and had it overspray on to it. Runs fantastic though!

[KFhunter]

If the belt has fried to the point they needed carb cleaner to get the melted rubber off most likely there's something wrong.   Not a deal breaker to be sure.

I would check clutch alignment but also check the motor mounts, a loose/broken motor mount will let the engine roll over under torque to the point the clutches are out of alignment and you'll continually fry belts. 

In fact I think I'd pull the engine and look for frame cracks and put in new engine mounts, rebuild the clutches, scotch bright the clutch surfaces good and put in new jack shaft bearings.  Then I'd install new drive chain in the chain case and do some research on the gearing, some of them are too tall geared for wet/heavy snow so droping a tooth or 2 on the drive sprocket can do wonders for low end. 

Then I'd carbon burn the pipe to clean it up, some of them get an inch or more of carbon in the pipe and you loose a lot of power and retain heat, or rather the heat isn't effectively used in the way a 2 stroke needs (needs pressure pulses, a dirty pipe subdues that)   


You got time before the snow comes and the things suggested don't cost a lot of $ and might save you a massive headache right in the middle of trapping season.

[Tracker0721]

Oh my bad! No the belt isn’t bad, just dirty. Oily. And he didn’t spray the clutch on purpose. He said when he got it it had a bees nest in there so he cleaned it all out but it’s sat in his shop for 3 years and now the dust is stuck on it like it does to oil and grease. So I’m assuming he got carb cleaner or something on it when he cleaned it out. Hasn’t registered it since 2017 and said since he bought it he’s only used it to do laps around his place. Never wanted to trailer it out of Lewiston to find snow. Retired guy with a mechanics shop. The skis both have cracks in the plastic but since I’ve got the time and money why not fix em.

[bearpaw]

Did he have non-ethanol fuel in it? If it had old fuel, I'd get rid of that no matter what fuel it was.