Snowmobile Tips/Tricks

[Boss .300 winmag]

Hot dog cooker (exhaust oven) can’t begin to list all the stuff i heated up back when i rode. Wrap it up in foil and viola hot lunch.
Bbq chicken with tortillas, burritos, fajitas with tortillas, steak (precooked), list goes on and on 

Reminded me of this classic

That’s hilarious, and he can ride.👍

[KFhunter]

You get the baler belt at north 40 or tractor supply, sell it by the foot. 

[Boss .300 winmag]

You get the baler belt at north 40 or tractor supply, sell it by the foot.

Learn something new every day.👍

[huntandjeep]

1. Never ride alone
2. Non ethanol fuel only
3. Always have spare part plug and belt and tools

@Caseyd
I keep hearing the " Non Ethanol fuel  only "
Why is that ? We recently got into Snowmobileing 2 years ago and fill up at the same station 5000 other guys do every weekend  . I know that station doesn't sell " Non Ethanol " . Only place in town that sells Ethanol free is all the way downtown  , and a hassle to drag a 27' Enclosed trailer down there every weekend.
Enlighten me please .

[bearpaw]

Recently purchased my first one.

Hopefully this thread can be like the wall tent tips thread.

Looking to get a pull behind sled for it. Anyone have experiences with them , and hitches?

Be careful pulling sleds unless you have a fan cooled engine. Generally when pulling sleds you don't run as fast and you don't get the snow thrown up onto the cooling panel like you would at faster speeds and therefore it's easy to overheat when towing.

I don't know what make/model you have but there are aftermarket fans for certain machines if you need/want a fan.

[bearpaw]

1. Never ride alone
2. Non ethanol fuel only
3. Always have spare part plug and belt and tools

@Caseyd
I keep hearing the " Non Ethanol fuel  only "
Why is that ? We recently got into Snowmobileing 2 years ago and fill up at the same station 5000 other guys do every weekend  . I know that station doesn't sell " Non Ethanol " . Only place in town that sells Ethanol free is all the way downtown  , and a hassle to drag a 27' Enclosed trailer down there every weekend.
Enlighten me please .

We have about a dozen sleds and when I quit filling them with fuel that had ethanol, I quit having problems. Several mechanics have told me that ethanol causes excessive deterioration of gaskets and such. Even though many of the newer sleds say regular fuel with ethanol is OK I don't use it.

We use ethanol free fuel in all our small engines, weed eaters, mowers, etc.

[KFhunter]

Not casyd, but there's a lot that goes into that question

Lot of sleds can differentiate between the two fuels with detonation sensors and adjust the timing a bit to squeeze out a tad more hp at altitude, some sleds even have a switch

Some higher hp sleds HO engines ask for higher octane in their manuals, so why not ethanol free

If you pipe a sled or do any mods, run higher octane fuel, again ethanol free is no brainer

Of course the storage issues...

Most stock sleds are fine w ethanol though, refer to owner manual for octane requirements

If you have 89 ethanol gas tbe octane drops rapidly during storage, you sled could be bouncing off the detonation sensors and reduce horsepower to keep the engine safe

[bearpaw]

Most sleds I buy have built in hitches. However, when I do buy a machine that doesn't have a hitch I order one online, they are affordable and easy to install, there are different types for different sleds.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=snowmobile+trailer+hitch&crid=1DM0J36EGH7O1&sprefix=snowmobile+trailer+hitch%2Caps%2C317&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_24

[bear]

1. Never ride alone
2. Non ethanol fuel only
3. Always have spare part plug and belt and tools

@Caseyd
I keep hearing the " Non Ethanol fuel  only "
Why is that ? We recently got into Snowmobileing 2 years ago and fill up at the same station 5000 other guys do every weekend  . I know that station doesn't sell " Non Ethanol " . Only place in town that sells Ethanol free is all the way downtown  , and a hassle to drag a 27' Enclosed trailer down there every weekend.
Enlighten me please .

We have about a dozen sleds and when I quit filling them with fuel that had ethanol, I quit having problems. Several mechanics have told me that ethanol causes excessive deterioration of gaskets and such. Even though many of the newer sleds say regular fuel with ethanol is OK I don't use it.

We use ethanol free fuel in all our small engines, weed eaters, mowers, etc.

Me too. Eliminated problems. Sucks to pay over $5 a gallon though

[Stein]

Shouldn't be that expensive, around here it's .35 - .50 a gallon more tops.  At or just under $4 is what we're paying.

[CastleRocker]

As others have said; non-ethanol gas only, (unless it's a four stroke).  Two stroke engines and Ethanol don't work very long together.   

In addition to a spare belt, (that has been properly broke in), plugs and tools, bring a Leatherman, at least a dozen or so zip ties, some paracord or mule tape, a shovel that has a saw,  a ratchet tie-down, (will work as a come-a-long with the paracord/mule tape when your sled is 12' straight down a tree well),  bring three completely unrelated means to build a fire, and use them every once in awhile when stopping for a break. 

The three most important rules...

1) Don't go by yourself.
2) Don't EVER go by yourself.
3) Don't EVER, EVER go by yourself!

20 minutes wide open in a 3+ feet of powder will take you further than anyone can walk in that much powder in an entire day. 

[bear]

Shouldn't be that expensive, around here it's .35 - .50 a gallon more tops.  At or just under $4 is what we're paying.

$5.10 a gallon last time I filled my cans in Whatcom county

[Boss .300 winmag]

Recently purchased my first one.

Hopefully this thread can be like the wall tent tips thread.

Looking to get a pull behind sled for it. Anyone have experiences with them , and hitches?

Be careful pulling sleds unless you have a fan cooled engine. Generally when pulling sleds you don't run as fast and you don't get the snow thrown up onto the cooling panel like you would at faster speeds and therefore it's easy to overheat when towing.

I don't know what make/model you have but there are aftermarket fans for certain machines if you need/want a fan.

SKI Doo 1998 MXZ 670 RAVE, no fan, trail sled two stroke.

Great tips everyone, thanks.

92 non-ethanol is all I use in my equipment.😉

[KFhunter]

Just run scratchers if its icy

[Boss .300 winmag]

Just run scratchers if its icy

Scratchers?🤔