Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.

When you register for an account you will see the following message -Due to the amount of "spammers" trying to get on the board all registrations must be approved by me. What this means is that after you register your registration must be authorized. Also your email address has to be verified, you will receive an email with a link YOU MUST CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VERIFY YOUR EMAIL OR YOUR ACCOUNT WILL NOT BE APPROVED. I check the message board several times a day and approve registrations as they come in. Sorry for the wait but it is necessary to keep the spam off the boards.Thanks,Koz It is very important that you click on the link in the email to validate your email. Please check your spam folder as the email message may be sent there by your email provider. IF YOU DO NOT CLICK ON THIS LINK YOUR ACCOUNT WILL NOT BE APPROVED !!!


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
another new guy needs sled advice
Topic Started: Jan 3 2009, 08:39 PM (615 Views)
TFox
Member
[ *  * ]
Warning, Yet another new guy needs advice,
Here is the skinny...
Live in Central Wa
Grooming around mine and neighboring orchards for skate skiing
I cannot afford paying the huge bucks for the manufactured groomers so we are making our own so far its looks good of course wee will have plenty of tweaking to do!

My ques is about the tow vehicle, the snowmobile.
I have an 01 Ski Doo 700 summit that was purchased very cheap that I have been using for packing the track. works well for that but I know it won't as a tow rig, liquid cooled, way to fast etc.
I have been trying to find a wide track 500cc+ type sled to use for the tow rig... not having any luck at all!
I have run across a few 380cc Ski Doo tourings and polaris sled but no 500cc units and especially none of the wide tracks to be found around here.

Ques is how would a 380cc unit work towing a 6X3 groomer?

unit is not yet complete or I would post pics, but picture a 6X3 with the leading edge at 20 inches up that will give you the angle of attack with a 5 foot long tow bar. It is a cross in design to the Tidd Tech and the very nice ones at Snowgroomers.net
Thanks for the help
Travis
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
couchsachraga
Advanced Operator
[ *  *  * ]
One quick clarification question - is it 6' wide or 3' wide? That will make a BIG difference in what will pull it.

Either way I would highly recommend building a roller - they can be built VERY cheaply and still work great. Mine is two 55 gal. plastic barrels with a pipe run through them, bolted to wooden frame (metal would be MUCH better, but I had wood lying around). Culverts have long been considered the preferred method, but I've found the barrels work just as well...and were A LOT cheaper (free in my case). Consolidating snow first, then "finish grooming" makes a better trail (esp. for skating...I'm primarily a skate skier as well), and is easier on equipment.

I wouldn't worry about displacement as much as gearing. Look for an old Skandic or Nordic (80's / 90's (particularly for the Skandic)), or an old Alpine.

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
TFox
Member
[ *  * ]
Thanks for the response, I do actually have a roller of sorts and have been towing that behind the 700.
With the combo of the culvert and the sled I have been able to layout and get a very good start (packing) on our "trail".
I am building the "groomer" to "finish" the product.

It is a 6 foot wide by 3 foot tall
I guess I should clarify it has a 6 foot long grooming edge. picture a 6X3 rectangle, long edge on the ground

I did find a couple of mid 80's Skandics but they are 380s also no reverse or e-start which are luxury items I know. So I was thinking that a 380 of late 90's to early 2000 vintagge would be better, esp considering they were the same $$ amount and mileage. Another consideration I had was parts are easier to find for a newer machine vs an older one.

Given that are the old (80's) Skandics better than the newer machines?
Thanks
Travis
Edited by TFox, Jan 3 2009, 09:55 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
couchsachraga
Advanced Operator
[ *  *  * ]
The newer machines are definitely better. Back in the 80's the Skandics were a lighter duty machine. In the early 90's they were redesigned, and in '95 essentially replaced the Alpine (then called the Alpine II, made from '88 to '94 or '95).

For pulling a 6' Tidd-Tech Tenderizer like implement, assuming flatish terrain (you mentioned orchards and fields) I'd look for anything that is a wide track (Polaris, Yamaha, and especially Ski Doo). IIRC one brand also had a "long track" utility sled that would likely work well for you too. I can't remember which brand that was right now though.

If you can find a Skandic SWT (super wide track) that would be ideal, but really I think any WT will do. Don't worry about the HP as much. Definitely stay away from anything liquid cooled.

FWIW around here older (late 90's) Skandic WT's seem to go for 1-2k, depending on condition and luck. Alpine II's seem to go for 1.5k, and I know of at least one Alpine I (an '84) for less than a grand.

Good luck!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
tolson
Member Avatar
Advanced Operator
[ *  *  * ]
My expereience - buy the best snowmobile you can possibly afford - wide track/twin track, low gear, etc. You can pull almost anything behind it to smooth and level the trail (even a piece of chain link fence will work), but if the snowmobile doesn't run, even a Ginzu or G2 can't groom the trail... You can always build or buy better groomers in the future. :myopinon:

I enjoy designing, building, and then modifying all my grooming drags, but I'm not a mechanic and I don't want to be screwing around trying to get a snowmobile to run...I did too much of that in the past!

With the snowmobile you have, you can pack the trail with just the snowmobile or the snowmobile pulling the roller, and then probably pull the groomer you're building to finish the trail. That's an effective method for grooming - the only problem is it takes multiple passes to get a finished trail.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
TFox
Member
[ *  * ]
Thanks Guys for the replies
I will keep using what I have until something better shows up. (I'm dreaming of an 550 SWT)
I am worried about the 700 as it is liquid cooled.

That is one of the reasons I am looking at the few Ski Doo 380 touring sleds that I have seen. They are not a wide track but neither is the sled I have now but it is a fan cooled motor.
Do you guys think that one of those would work (ie would it have enough torque/power maybe re-geared) or should I pass???

I can always sell the 700 for what I paid for it (bought it in the summer for a song!) if a WT or SWT shows around here (they are very very rare in WA state!)
Thanks
TRavis
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
couchsachraga
Advanced Operator
[ *  *  * ]
I'd stick with what you have for now, but only because it's the beast you know. Others may have experience with using touring sleds to groom...but I do not (pull a roller, yes, but that's light duty and you can do that now).

I've seen at least one Skandic come up for sale in Seattle this year (to look for sleds I do what a lot of folks do - type "skandic craigslist" in to Google, and then look through all the results to see if any are near me. A lot easier than looking through all the individual pages, though it's often a few days late finding new items.

I know there is one SWT for sale from Birkie (up on the Tidd Tech page), but it's newer (and likely more expensive) than you are looking for.

Good luck, and keep us posted on what you find!


Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
TFox
Member
[ *  * ]
Thanks for the suggestions.
I have been doing the craigslist/google search 1-2X a day no luck... well except for the early eighties versions
if I see any near you I will send a note
Thanks
Travis
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
couchsachraga
Advanced Operator
[ *  *  * ]
Depending on how far you are willing to travel, and how cross-border purchase of older sleds works (I have no idea):

http://www.sledswap.com/class/index/listings/page11441.htm

You'll see on the side it has 'Skandic II' which is the 90's redesign (first one anyway), and likely has the 16.5 x 139 track.

I know nothing of this particular sled, but it popped up in a search.

I know a few folks around here that have purchased sleds in the midwest and had them shipped (Skandics and Bearcats). Equipment usually appears at the end, or beginning of the season.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
TFox
Member
[ *  * ]
Thanks for the pointer to the website!
I did find a Bearcat in OR not to far ... ahh but they are liquid cooled
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Cross Country Talk · Next Topic »
Add Reply


Find more great themes at the IFSZ