Tracked ATV Questions

[Wfoidaho]

I haven't seen many wheelers running around the interior with tracks and was wondering why?

I would have thought that a wheeler with a set of Tatous would be the cats meow. Great for year round use cause they'd be able to handle all but the deepest swamps. I've run them down in the lower 48 with great success. Had them in snow that was 6 foot deep and just kept grinding along; left the wheeled machines wishing for tracks crossing any of the swampy sections of trails.

Before I moved up here I had a 08 Polaris 700X2 with Prospector Pro S tracks (1200 miles) seriously thought about bringing it along but a friend wanted to buy it and I figured on buying new set up this spring. Now after getting up here and not seeing any wheelers with tracks I;d like to understand why.

Anybody have any answers for this cheechako?

[ARGONUT]

because everyone that wants to play in the snow has snow machines. The big 4x4 fourwheelers are used for hunting and working up here not so much to get out and "play" So they "play" with snow mobiles. or Argo's

[Bsj425]

My reason for not having tracks is this.

1 they are heavy and if you get stuck you are stuck and in the middle of nowhere that is not good even with a winch you may not get out. I like my machines to be small and light to get through the thick stuff that is why I have never owned anything larger than a 400 I have friends that praise their big machines and talk crap On my tiny 350' grizzly but yet I have had to pull out their 700 and 800 machines multiple times.

2. They KILL gas mileage and gas is expensive up here

3. You can Limp out and even repair flat tires on the trail. You pop a track your screwed and a new tire can be had for under 100 dollars cant say the same for tracks.

Mind you I have only ridden an atv with tracks twice so my experience is limited but mybest friend runs a polaris with trAcks and i ride with him alot and I hate his machine and he likes it less and less each time wengo
Out. So maybe he just has his set upwrong or can't adjust to the different riding style because it is completely different than riding with wheels

[hunt_ak]

They're freakin' expensive!!!

[stid2677]

They're freakin' expensive!!!

But you have to admit they are cool!!!

Track rigs rule the swamp and are slower than wheels, with that said much of the riding in the interior in on rocky ridges and tracks don't do well in these situations.

[Wfoidaho]

They are definitly slower and suck the gas. But I have crawled over and through downed timber and bogs that would cause wheeled machines to hide in fear, 4 inches of increased ground clearance makes a world of difference. I had a 3000lb winch on mine so if I got stuck I could get out; amazing what one of those earth anchors will hold. The tracks do require more maint. But I never had one even come close to falling off; you can adjust them on the trail in 5 minutes or less if needed.

Now all that being said, I get what you guys are saying, light weight and fuel milage are major factors that can really make or break a trip. I was just thinking that one machine that you could use year round, tires in summer and tracks in winter would be more cost effective ($13K) than buying two machines, wheeler and snow machine ($16-17K).

[fishingyoda]

I saw a pretty good show about them on the outdoor channel the guy had 2 identical polaris 4x4s one with tracks and the other with out and tested them on different terrain and it was amazing what the tracks could do for everything. I think if i had the money I would definately try them for a year and If I didnt like them I would switch back to tires. But from what I have seen they are amazing and I imagine they could just rip through a swamp/bog and make you much more stable with lot less spinning and bouncing on steep hill then tires would. But I do have a tendency to get myself into deeper mud then I should, so I might just be dreaming. I wonder what the difference in fuel economy a tracked atv gets from a tracked argo or mud ox?

[Wfoidaho]

The Polaris 700 X2 I had would run 10 mpg with a six gallon tank. About half compared to tires. It does take more to turn those tracks but man can you go places. The dang thing would climb a cliff and stick to the side slopes due to the lower center of gravity i.e weight of the tracks.

I always hauled a 4 gal. Kolpin packer on the front just in case. And added more if I was really into a long winter trip,

[stid2677]

I saw a pretty good show about them on the outdoor channel the guy had 2 identical polaris 4x4s one with tracks and the other with out and tested them on different terrain and it was amazing what the tracks could do for everything. I think if i had the money I would definately try them for a year and If I didnt like them I would switch back to tires. But from what I have seen they are amazing and I imagine they could just rip through a swamp/bog and make you much more stable with lot less spinning and bouncing on steep hill then tires would. But I do have a tendency to get myself into deeper mud then I should, so I might just be dreaming. I wonder what the difference in fuel economy a tracked atv gets from a tracked argo or mud ox?

I can only speak for my Diesel Mudd-Ox as far as fuel burn goes, but mine only burns 2.5 gals an hour.

That is heavily loaded with the tracks on. I'm sure I will get it stuck, but haven't yet.



Steve

[Wfoidaho]

Sweet looking Mule. I just don't think I can justify the big $$ to the lady of the house. I heard the diesels were North of $30K new is that right?

[stid2677]

Sweet looking Mule. I just don't think I can justify the big $$ to the lady of the house. I heard the diesels were North of $30K new is that right?

YES that is correct.

[ARGONUT]

WOW 2.5 gal an hour!!! the 32hp argo with tracks burns about a gal and hour that 7.5 gal tank last about 8.5 hours give or take.

[akjammin17]

We did 56 miles with whole moose and fat rat trailer full of camp gear in 10 hrs, on one tank. We came back with an extra 15 gal of diesel we didn't need.

[stid2677]

I can only speak for my Diesel Mudd-Ox as far as fuel burn goes, but mine only burns 2.5 gals an hour.

That is heavily loaded with the tracks on. I'm sure I will get it stuck, but haven't yet.



Steve

I fat fingered the key board, meant to type 1.5 gals an hour and after further thought I believe it to be between 1 gal and 1.5 gal an hour.

Sorry for the mistake.

Steve

[ARGONUT]

that sounds a whole lot better!!! About exactly what i get outa my argo. I didn't think they were that much different in the fuel economy.