Track Tuners ?

[Noel Woods]

Per Tim's earlier quote regarding the driven wheels:

"It will work in areas where there is not much lubrication or heavy loads, but will frequently fail throughout a typical days ride.... Fail meaning simply start uncontrollably slipping the remaining driven wheel or wheels inside of the track so that the machine essentially goes nowhere."

I once sheared an axle pin on a machine which took me down to one wheel driving an Adair tracked machine. I was far back in a swamp with two other machines without tracks. Yes, I noticed the one side wasn't pulling as well as the other, but I managed to keep going until I found a side trail out and in fact towed the other machines out of several obstacles. It would be a much simpler machine to have one driven wheel per side. I just wonder if a machine with one powered tire per side operating with a track system with maybe an automatic track tensioner might be the ticket.

Simple in design, cost effective, etc. Maybe not quite as capable as a machine with all driven wheels, but probably good enough.

[Buzz]

yep, you can limp along but as soon as you hit a spot where you need a lot of driving force to turn the track (like a steep climb)- you're done. You just gotta have both corner tires driven to stand a chance. A couple of us up here have driven for several hours (tracked) through nasty swamp conditions with middle tires missing/removed (broken axle or broken older-style track tuner) without a problem at all. But, remove power from a corner wheel and you're screwed if you're loaded, towing, or have to do any climbing.
I have long schemed to bolt on a sprocket set-up with bouyancy added while letting the remaining axles idle. But, I'm concerned that the factory axles/bearings/frame would not be up the task, and as long as you leave both corner axles "driving", you'll never have problems driving your track...as long as it's open grouser style.

[plott hound]

good info guys,if these argo tracks give me a rash I might have to borrow some coin from NCT and get a set of channel tracks.

[thorn]

It looks like I am finally going to be able to test out my Chanels and track tuners on the annual x-mas tree hunt either Friday or Saturday. We have been getting some good snow in the high country and I am dying to try them out!!! Seems like you wouldn't have any problem selling your Rubbers in your area.

[plott hound]

sounds cool thorn,let us know how those tracks perform.

It looks like I am finally going to be able to test out my Chanels on the annual x-mas tree hunt either Friday or Saturday. We have been getting some good snow in the high country and I am dying to try them out!!! Seems like you wouldn't have any problem selling your Rubbers in your area.

[plott hound]

threw the plow on today and cleaned the yard out.right hand side track is slipping real bad so tomorrow im gonna air up and see if that stops it.if not the tuners are coming off and the experiment will continue.

[Buzz]

sounds like your track is loose and/or slippery on the inside. In certain conditions there is no way to totally avoid the slipping with rubber tracks.

[plott hound]

definitely slippery on the inside.gonna air up again tomorrow and see if it improves.

[john swenson]

hey guys, just wondering what, if anything could be fastened to the inside of the tracks for the tires to grab. maybe some 3/16 '' thick ''dimpled '' rubber strips maybe 2'' wide and as long as the track width. spaced maybe every 4-6 ''. use a bolt with a low profile head. just a thought , maybe other possibilities. maybe someone has tried something that works. johnboy va.

[North Country Tough]

good info guys,if these argo tracks give me a rash I might have to borrow some coin from NCT and get a set of channel tracks.

Would ya like a second set of them rubber shoes Plott,luv ta send mine down the road and try them Channels,never used tuners afraid too, mostly we travel to the camp when there is slush or what others call overflow and don't wanna be stuck with slippage but on the other hand chain breakage could make it a bad day too,that said hasn't happened yet but I do change out chains from time to time,