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
X-Country Trail Groomer Recommendations; X-Country Trail Groomer
Topic Started: Jan 13 2009, 12:31 AM (4,978 Views)
mogmen
Newbie
[ * ]
Hello all,

I'm thinking about purchasing a toe behind cross country ski trail groomer, equivalent to a Tidd Tech. This is for my home use, so I don't need anything fancy. I wouldn't be opposed to buying used either.

I'm new to this, so am hoping to get some information from experienced users. Thanks in advanced for the help!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
couchsachraga
Advanced Operator
[ *  *  * ]
As someone else who grooms "personal" trails (albeit that used to work at a few ski centers), here are my thoughts in general. If you let us know where you are, and what sort of trails your grooming (how wide, for instance) folks may have some better ideas:
1) Figure on a budget. For $1k-$1.5k you can get a used tidd, or a new groomer (Trail Plane, Snow Razr, etc...) For half that, you MAY be able to find an old leveling drag, luck out on a tidd tech, or do what I did last, purchase a "small" (4' wide or so) snowmobile trail groomer and retrofit it for XC with some snow comb. For less than that, bed springs work wonders, as do home built rollers. I started out with bed springs, then added a piece of snow comb from YTS (Yellowstone Track Systems, makers of the Ginzu Groomer, which arguably is the best, or one of the two best, snowmobile-towed XC groomers out there).
2) Assume you'll need to repair things....
3) What are you planing to pull with? This impacts how wide an implement you can pull.
4) Used equipment seems very hard to find...but if you keep a sharp eye out, or call around, you may find something.
5) If you're looking for just a track setter, YTS sells a "light weight track setter" for under $400, which is the cheapest I've found, other than building your own (which is not hard...the track "shoes" that make the grooves can be purchased at Fall Line, or make your own (I know folks that have used hard wood)).

Welcome...and good luck!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
mogmen
Newbie
[ * ]
Thanks for the information couchsachraga. I'm in Scotia, NY just west of Albany. I have about 6.5 miles of trails that are roughly 10-14 ft wide. I am planning on pulling the groomer with a snowmobile. I was looking at getting a used 550-600 cc, 2 person sled. What do you think?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
couchsachraga
Advanced Operator
[ *  *  * ]
Nice trail width! I'm jealous! I'm north of you by about an hour and a half- 2 hours.

If I were you I'd look at a good work sled (particularly Skandic SWT - I talked to a fellow down your way earlier this year who thought a few local clubs (not sure which ones) might be selling theirs at the end of the season. A cheaper alternative (initially anyway) would be an Alpine II - a number of them have been for sale locally for us recently for under 2k.

If you have an ATV you might also want to consider just purchasing tracks for it, depending on what it is. As much as I like my old Alpines, when funds permit it I'll be picking up an ATV and tracks - too many folks prefer them for grooming for me to ignore that fact.

I'd build a roller (cheaper, and easy)
Then look for used equipment, or a snow razor or Trail Plane (more info how well the Trail Plane works as an XC groomer in a few weeks when I receive mine:) ).

FWIW, you could get by with a smaller snowmobile with a 4' Tidd Tech or Snow Razor type implement...but I suspect with your trail width you'd be better off going with a bigger machine so as to make less passes.




Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
semntrails
Advanced Operator
[ *  *  * ]
A lot will depend on your budget and how handy you (or your friends) are. If you have a small budget but can weld/build things you can do a lot. I learned to groom using a home made 'ladder groomer' track setter, and a home made packing pan (I didn't build any of it, I just got the experience from learning from someone who had been doing it forever), behind a mid 80's Yamaha VK 500(? not sure size but close to that). We had limited courderoy after grooming and it took a little longer to get them nice but we had excellent smooth trails to ski on.
Now I get to play with a Skandic 550 & 800 and Ginzu groomers - they are definately a great improvement, you can get a nice trail and track in 2-3 passes. But when the snow gets deep, rock hard icy, or late in the season where we don't want to risk damage to the Ginzu's we turn to the home made ladder drags and packing sleds.

If $ was an issue I'd buy a good reliable work sled then build the drags. If you know how to weld and have a source of either scrap iron or wholesale cost iron you can build the ladder drag for ~$100, buy a large otter sled as a packer for $100-150, then build or buy a track setter. If you happen to have ~$16K+ you can buy a new 800 and Ginzu or Tidd Tech G2 with track setter.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Nordicskee
Newbie
[ * ]
Mogmen -
It's hard to believe that there could be two members of this forum from the tiny town of Scotia NY!?? Im actually shocked. You should email me at rodbustergs@gmail.com. Perhaps we could help each other out with grooming tips etc. I currently groom with an 01 Skandic SWT 500.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
couchsachraga
Advanced Operator
[ *  *  * ]
Please count me in, too - my trails are in Johnsburg, but I live down in Queensbury these days (15 min north of Saratoga Springs).


Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
mogmen
Newbie
[ * ]
Thanks to all for the helpful information. I'll let you know what I end up doing. Feel free to contact me, my email is eta1131@google.com. Take care.
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