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New pullin machine arrived!; tracked ATV
Topic Started: Dec 24 2008, 07:34 AM (4,269 Views)
Steve.M
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Well, exciting day here-just picked up the 2009 Grizzly 700 FI Auto. 4x4 EPS with tatou tracks last night. Dealer went thru the entire machine with me and we loaded it up. Over the next few days I just need to put some light hours on it and gradually start pulling our lighter implements until it's broken in. Then onto pulling the Ginzu and G2 with it.

(I'll post some pictures here, BTW)
It's set up with a fairing, heated grips and 2" receiver hitch. As I looked the rig over, we realized the gooseneck hitch on the ginzu won't work here-no clearance for it because of the luggage rack and just overhang of the rear of the ATV. We'll have to fabricate a straight hitch from the ginzu with a pindle hitch attachment. Also, we'll have to fabricate a pindle hitch onto a 2" receiver.

We're also looking at having a battery pack on the Ginzu and running a pendant switch up to the driver like we have with the G2. That way, any machine can pull the ginzu.

For a rear light, we'll start by plugging into the 12v outlit on the Grizzly and just mounting a magnetic light on the rear rack and see how that works.

It's fuel injected (with summer factory oil in now) so we'll see how it starts in cold temps.

Push button 4X4 and push button differential lock also. Automatic tranny, low, hi, N, and rev.
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couchsachraga
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Congrats!

I'll be curious to hear how you like it...and how warm / cold it is to groom with.

FWIW you can get larger Pintle hitches that slide right in to a receiver. I suspect for the sizes we're used to using you may end up just with some square stock and welding / bolting a snowmobile pintle to it.

Merry Christmas!


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brsacjab
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smeurett
Dec 24 2008, 07:34 AM
Well, exciting day here-just picked up the 2009 Grizzly 700 FI Auto. 4x4 EPS with tatou tracks last night. Dealer went thru the entire machine with me and we loaded it up. Over the next few days I just need to put some light hours on it and gradually start pulling our lighter implements until it's broken in. Then onto pulling the Ginzu and G2 with it.

(I'll post some pictures here, BTW)
It's set up with a fairing, heated grips and 2" receiver hitch. As I looked the rig over, we realized the gooseneck hitch on the ginzu won't work here-no clearance for it because of the luggage rack and just overhang of the rear of the ATV. We'll have to fabricate a straight hitch from the ginzu with a pindle hitch attachment. Also, we'll have to fabricate a pindle hitch onto a 2" receiver.

We're also looking at having a battery pack on the Ginzu and running a pendant switch up to the driver like we have with the G2. That way, any machine can pull the ginzu.

For a rear light, we'll start by plugging into the 12v outlit on the Grizzly and just mounting a magnetic light on the rear rack and see how that works.

It's fuel injected (with summer factory oil in now) so we'll see how it starts in cold temps.

Push button 4X4 and push button differential lock also. Automatic tranny, low, hi, N, and rev.
Neat machine, we use one form snowmobile trail grooming, same setup, a couple years old.

You'll never wan to get on a skandic again !

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tolson
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I'll be interested in how it works too - especially operator comfort!

Can I ask - what was the price for the complete setup - atv and tracks?

For a rear light, I've started using small round 'back-up' lights. One on each side and they cast a nice light behind the machine. See the attached picture.

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Attachments: Skandic___Rear_Lights.jpg (45.15 KB)
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arly
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Do you have the UTV or 4S tracks?? Gee it’s good to hear from someone using these in the field for grooming.

In case someone has any interest, below is a Tatou video of them changing out the track pods. It appears these cost in the $3500 range. Of course that’s just for the track kit.

http://tinyurl.com/a2c9kb

Merry Christmas everyone!! :D

Edited by arly, Dec 25 2008, 02:44 PM.
http://keweenawnordic.org/ [/url] keweenawnordicskiclub.blogspot.com [/url]
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Steve.M
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I think they are the 4S tracks, but will check and take photos of it today (since it's too warm outside!)

Here are my first impressions after a few hours on it. I'm not really pulling our usual equipment yet (G2 or Ginzu)-it's going thru it's break in period, then fluid change, THEN we can really start using it. Anyway, so far I LOVE the operator position-very comfortable-upright seating, easy to see the groomer and the trail ahead-you're way up there in the air! The windshield protects well and heated grips and thumbwarmer are good. There is a lot of snow flyin from the tracks-but, so far I've only used it in powder-maybe fender flairs would help? The fuel injected engine starts right up, even when really cold (-0 temps).

The power steering makes turning a breeze, and I could see where w/o it, turning those tracks might be hard. This thing had gobs of power-I pulled a 6' tidd tech buried with snow and it never even crossed my mind that I would get stuck. On hills where my Alpine would bog down, this thing climbs right up. I charged up a big hill that was drifted on top (nothing attached on back) and it just went right thru that deep snow, no problem. Never used low range, didn't seem to need it at all. It's pretty quiet and not smelly. It DOES go thru gas quickly-I can't say what the milage is, but after a few hrs of riding, it seems way to empty. I have to say, I love driving this thing. There is some heat coming from the engine area, so it hasn't been as cold as I thought it would be operating it.

It's warm now and turing cold tonight, so I should have a chance to pull the TT with teeth down a little and see how it performs then.

Next thing is we need to make a pindle hitch attached to a 2" receiver. The goose neck on both the G2 and Ginzu will not work, so we need to put straight hitches on the drags. Also, we need to wire up a battery pack and pendent switch like the G2 has (they charge like $600.00 for those!) for the Ginzu.
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Steve.M
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Here it is in mushy 36 degree temps-hopefully with the cool down and snow tonight, we'll be back groomin!
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Bob C.
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We have been using a Yamaha Grizzly ATV w/ Tracks for the last two years to groom business feeder trails and I will NEVER buy another Skandic again. This setup is 100% the way to go! This year we never put the wheels back on and we used it all summer. If any NYS clubs want to try this setup out, let me know because our local Yamha Dealer (Village Rentals: Click Here) has the unit on site.

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couchsachraga
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Those are definitely some nice looking units!

It does actually make me think of switching from my old Alpines. How are they in rough (uneven side to side) terrain? (not that that Alpines are that good...but I'm used to them and what I can get away with).

I'll be curious how the overall fuel consumption seems to compare after break-in, and operator warmth (esp. in deeper powder).

Is it safe to assume that the favored ATV for grooming is the Grizzly? Or are there others you considered as well?


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Steve.M
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The Grizzly is pretty good in rough stuff-better suspension than a sled, even with all the shocks at their stiffest settings. Some of mytrails thru the woods are pretty bumpy, and it is very stable compared to the alpine II or a skandic. We went with the Grizzly for a couple reasons-they have been out for a while with really good track records, the 700 cc engine for sure and power steering-I think a welcome addition when tracks are used.

Today we had hardpack (a good old thaw/freeze overnight) so I tried the Grizzly with a 6' older Tidd Tech-full teeth down and started choppin. Absolutely no problem pulling in Hi or Low...even up hills. very impressed with how much power it has.

Does anyone know how much the speedometer is off when tracks are installed? I was grooming today and my "speed" was around 18-20 mph, and there was no way I was going close to that fast. Just curious, because the miles will be off also when we keep track of that. Hours will be hours, so we'll have to watch that closely.

Couchsachraga-where did you get that box on the front-we need one!
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arly
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Folks, Is there a reason why you went with the Tatou 4-3 tracks which are all season, as a opposed to the E or UTV tracks which are snow only?? And thanks for the equipment reports! :jump:
http://keweenawnordic.org/ [/url] keweenawnordicskiclub.blogspot.com [/url]
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Steve.M
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arly
Jan 1 2009, 09:54 AM
Folks, Is there a reason why you went with the Tatou 4-3 tracks which are all season, as a opposed to the E or UTV tracks which are snow only?? And thanks for the equipment reports! :jump:
arly-
These tracks were recommended by (http://www.atvtracks.net/) They seem to have really good grip in powder and the surface area compared to the Scandic SWT is slightly more by my mesurments. We haven't had a chance to use them on icy conditions yet......
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Steve.M
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The Forestry Department mechanics picked up the Grizz and Ginzu and started work on the wiring switches and hitches, spot light and luggage box. I hope to have my hands on a fully operating rig by next week (waiting on a deep cycle battery to run the articulators). Once they had the rig in a heated shop, they decided that maybe the goose neck would work. I guess they cut a section out of the rear rack and extended the receiver hitch 6" and it has clearance. We'll see.

I groomed with the Grizz pulling a 6' Tidd Tech over the past two weeks and all I can say is it pulls that load easily chopping ice with the teeth down. We got rain on top of snow, so there was a 1/4" sheet of ice that needed to be pulverized. This set up worked well, even going up a pretty steep hill. I like the driving position a lot. Can't wait to see how it works pulling the Ginzu and G2 at Levis Mound on the big trails.
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air19
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smeurett
Jan 9 2009, 08:43 AM
(waiting on a deep cycle battery to run the articulators)
Do you really need a heavy deep cycle battery?

I've been running my G2 for about 4 years now with various portable battery packs you can buy at various car parts stores. My grooming run is about 6 hours, I am very active moving the teeth and tracksetter actuators, and I have never run out of power.

When I'm done for the day I can unplug the portable battery pack, bring it inside where it would much rather be, and charge it more easily in a heated environment. And the next day I know I'm ready to go with a fully charged battery.


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tolson
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Is there a reason to use the gooseneck on the ATV? If the hitch point is the same as a straight hitch, you don't really gain anything? Or do you want to keep the goosenecks on the groomers for when you use the Skandic?
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