A track comparison for Alaska specific conditions is exactly what I'm after. No outrageous claims, just honest testing. 6-wheeled tracked AATV's mud-bogging and riding in terrain parks is tons of fun I'm sure. But the factors driving track selection for a large-tired heavily loaded 8x8 in Alaska conditions are much different. This may help the Adair pro-series design if it's proven to do the job.
I'd be interested as well in seeing under-inflated tires stay in your track (is it 6 or 8 wheel?) during significant maneuvering, sidehilling, and on sticky terrain. Especially in an 8-wheeler. That's a very hard thing to accomplish, especially if your tire guides are not-fixed at the side-wall level and track-tension is lost.
I also believe it to be extremly difficult to throw a track,as I have been trying to do just that for the last couple of years. I believe that if you are not running enough tire presure in the tires,that the possiblity of this happening increases greatly.
I also believe that there is very little chance of sidewall issues,as I have neither heard of or experienced any wear whatsoever on the sidewalls.
The pro series has a shorter, heavier grosser to accomodate narrow trail use,for example, guys like RD getting thru between trees in the trail,etc.
I am still a big fan of the 18" chain tracks,and had a real hard time being convinced otherwise,but the pro series,with the addition of the winter kits,is much more aggessive not only on ice,but in the deep swamps where submerged logs are a non issue for the steel cleats.
Buzz, I think it's great that you are doing a comparison between the two types of tracks,however, if you want to do a fair comparison, either put on the winter kits on the pro series, or take off the steel grossers on your rig.
[QUOTE=Buzz;158986]A track comparison for Alaska specific conditions is exactly what I'm after. No outrageous claims, just honest testing.
foxvalley, you make a great point. During my "playing around" I've actually slotted a few different crosser shapes to sandwich full-thickness steel flatbar so as to help the traction issue. Seems like the u-channel shaped notched cleats that are added to Adair's belting are aggressive. Just wanted to try something different. I figure a cleat that easily skid turns but still provides forward/backward traction should be a good thing. I've had issues with u-shaped cleats packing with snow ice. The pro track uses deeper u-shaped cleats so it may not be an issue at all.
with any luck we'll try with and without winter kits too. I actually have some AT101's headed my way in 24x12-12. They'll go on mudd-ox 12" rims. Though not the typical 8-ply of Argo's centaur turf-tire, they still have a good weight rating in that size, have 12" width I'm looking for, and are under 24" diameter for a bit more room (twin-track). The chevron tread has a bit more utility if I use them on something else too.
Last edited by Buzz; 12-31-2013 at 11:52 AM. Reason: misspell
Well personally I don't spend my time ridding down quad trails and just pushing through mud puddles, any track can accomplish that task, I require tracks for the super extreme situations, not the more normal quad trails.
An elevated belt seems like it would have a lot less chance of de-railing, my reason for believing this is the flat tracks are too much like an argo plastic track design that have a pretty ridged side rail system, which you can easily walk out of if not very tight and very overinflated tires arnt used, and even then they can come off this observation is from 38 yrs of argo experience.
the elevated belt design is still in use by adair, escargo and channel tracks, I have not heard of any of them ever derailing even under loose or low inflated tire conditions.
That says a lot for the design. IMO
Rock
what is the weight of a pro-series track by itself (14.5" all-uhmw) to fit an avenger or mudd-ox w/25" tires, and how much does it weigh to get an overall width of 18.5 or 20.5" with traction cleats ?
Hmmm, I was going to try to help with the weight question, but read the question wrong. Can't help with those track particulars but since I went and weighed my Pro Series w/ snow kit for my conquest.....
18.5" Pro Series to fit Conquest rang in at around 146lbs. Hard to get a good weight without hanging them from a scale, did the best I could though.
Can't get a weight on them without winter kit unless I pull the tracks off my other machine or pull a winter kit off one of these others.
Not to muddy the waters, but those with conquests might be interested.
RD
I have been wondering what the weight of those were. Any tales from the North Woods with those tracks yet or are you still south RD?Originally Posted by Rock Doctor
Last edited by thorn; 03-03-2014 at 12:01 AM.
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