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BR 180
Topic Started: Aug 20 2007, 06:20 PM (995 Views)
MEYER
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For those of you running BR180. Tell me the pros and cons of them. Would you buy another one?
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Pekabu
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We're running 2 right now. A very early 180 (160 upgraded basically 97 I think) and a 05. Visibility and power are good for our trail systems. Things we've had problems with have been on the 97 someone took a corner too sharp or something and bent the hydraulic drive motor bracket with the drag. Light guage wiring, especially too the fuse box, and a broken frame (I think someone caught the drag on something, broke on one side and broke clean), flat tire. We haven't put much time on the 05 yet. We've also put foam filled tire just in front of the drive cogs. Parts haven't been an issue to get, and luckily Camoplast has a service center nearby. The size is nice for us too.
Southern NH Snow Slickers
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groomerguyNWO
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A few clubs around here run BR180's. They seem to like them but find the maintenance cost is astronomical when it comes to the hydrostatic drive units. Our district comprises of 10 different clubs and the district itself owns 2 BR160's they keep for clubs that may need an extra unit. The one we are operating is a 1994 model. Two years ago, it was stationed an hour away from us to keep a portion of trail open. We had a wicked ice storm that year which detroyed allot of our trails. We sent a fellar buncher in for 2 weeks to clear our portion of the trail. Those guys essentially used the windsheild of the BR160 to do the same thing in 2 days what took us 2 weeks to do. To make a long story short, they no longer have a machine to use and we took over that portion of trail. The reason being.......the year before, they had the other district br160 to use and they destroyed it to the tune of $30,000 damage to the hydrostatic drives. They got the machine we've got now the next year and basically in 3 months, caused $46,000 damage to it very quickly.

We've got a BR160 on loan to us right now that we ran last winter. We also own a Lamtrac. Last winter, when it finally came time to open up the trails, we sent the Lamtrac ahead to pack and used the BR160 to pull a drag. Once the trails are packed, the performance of the machine was quite alright. It held its own. The key to the br's is to properly maintain them by properly warming them up, working the hydrostatic drives gently when they are cold.(don't just jump in and take off full speed right away) They are quite costly to repair.

Now, advantages and disadvantages:
I like the cab comfort on the BR160 over our lamtrac aside from the steering. Ours is the stick steering type. The br turns on a dime. The interior noise level is much lower on the br than on our lamtrac. Visibility is good. Pulling power is average for a groomer based against the Lamtrac and tucker I've operated. I lilke the front blade and drag controls on it. (2 levers on the BR160 vs 5 on the Lamtrac)

Now for the bad stuff. Traction in the hills I find is lacking. Tracking in the deep fresh stuff isn't the greatest. Access to the engine is a pain in the ........ Working on anything underneath it on the trail is damn near impossible due to low ground clearance.(for those times when you have to change or tighten a hose underneath) Break a track on a BR out on the trail and you're pretty much screwed unless you have all the tools with you to repair it.(on our Lamtrack or the tucker we had before, when you break a track, you can still walk it home on the other three. Might be slow but I've done it before.) Others might like it but I perfer a steering wheel over the two sticks sticking right between my legs in the same general area as, well you know! Whick brings me to another valid comlaint. Getting in and out of the BR160 with the steering levers is a pain in the....no, not A$$ but............. Back to climbing hills. I found it very easy to stall the BR in the hills. In deep snow, I know that our Lamtrac pulling a 10 ft drag will walk circles arou the BR160.

Well, that's just my interpretation of a BR160, the BR180 with the joysitck control on the armrest might be better, I don't know. Hope this helps.
.........takin it one mogul at a time

http://trailgrooming.wetpaint.com/

http://snowmobiling.greenstone.ca/

Brian
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snowrider
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We love our BR180. We have had it for two years now and find it easy to work on and a joy to groom with. Excellent visability, comfortable, more than enough power. We can pull our 8 foot drag fully loaded with snow up the mountains. Downfall would be low ground clearance and the windows fogging up with the right conditions. Buy one you will love it, we do. :jump: :myopinon: :my2c: :flag:
BR180
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snowrider
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We love our BR180. We have had it for two years now and find it easy to work on and a joy to groom with. Excellent visability, comfortable, more than enough power. We can pull our 8 foot drag fully loaded with snow up the mountains. Downfall would be low ground clearance and the windows fogging up with the right conditions. Buy one you will love it, we do. :jump: :myopinon: :my2c: :flag:
BR180
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MEYER
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Thanks for all the input. We have just purchased new 2007 Tucker 1000HD with a MM drag.
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