Admiral tranny id.

[Noel Woods]

I wouldn't even consider the higher geared transmission for any application. The lower gears will make this machine a powerhorse. I recently had my Frontier switched from the 2.2 to the 3.3 transmission and its like an altogether different machine, it stays in the power band for the engine, as a result the engine doesn't overheat and spit and backfire like it did before, and the machine turns infinitely better. Even though my machine has the old style transmission, the lower gearing allows this thing to perform very similar to an Admiral transmission.
I think the dealer did you a favor in this case. The application you described will necessitate the lower gearing. I've only heard good things about that dealer over the years.

[foxvalley]

Just bought a 2013 hdi and i think i hate the 8.4 tranny. Bought my ride from Bost Argo In North Carolina. They never mentioned that it had the optional 8.4 tranny. i think they just unloaded a machine they could not sell. So i Guess i got screwed. Got Home and man this thing whines and sounds like an old 3 speed willy's. I had a 2007 Avenger 750 EFI and it was much quieter and more pleasurable to ride. Low gear in my 2013 is just about useless and uses much more fuel. In high range i can't even get to 15 MPH with the trottle wide open with no tracks. Feels more like a lawn tractor. I have owned a Argos for the past 30 years and have never been more dissapointed. I do have choices though. #1 Buy a new 6.4 tranny and sell the old one which only has 5 miles on it. Then sell the 8.4.... Option #2...Have my lawyer teach them to tell the truth. I asked for a 2013 750 Hdi with the standard tranny and got a modified tranny without them telling me. The 8.4 is not even on my receipt. What should i do?

Tracmaster

That tranny shouldnt sound like that. Did you check the site window on the tranny to see if it had gear oil?

[tracmaster]

Thanks guys for all the advise.... I never run tracks ...no swamps or mountains where I live...we just tool around from pond to pond fishing. Spoke with ODG today and yes they still make the admiral in 6.4. I have decided to buy a new 6.4 ( swap it out ourselves ) then sell the new 8.6 that came in my hdi to someone who uses tracks....I just cant see riding down a trail at 5 mph and having my engine reving at near full trottle...6.4 is my choice for my kind of riding.

tracmaster

[2014SE]

Thanks guys for all the advise.... I never run tracks ...no swamps or mountains where I live...we just tool around from pond to pond fishing. Spoke with ODG today and yes they still make the admiral in 6.4. I have decided to buy a new 6.4 ( swap it out ourselves ) then sell the new 8.6 that came in my hdi to someone who uses tracks....I just cant see riding down a trail at 5 mph and having my engine reving at near full trottle...6.4 is my choice for my kind of riding.

tracmaster

I just heard back from my Argo dealer. They are going to replace my tranny with a 8.4. There was a bit of miscommunication in the ordering process and Argo wants their customers satisfied with their decision to buy a Argo. Thank you!!! I found out that on the new machine purchase (in Canada anyway) on the receipt if your machine has a high torque transmission the machine model number will have "HT" at the end. ie, "8X8 750 HDi HT". My machine is a special edition and the receipt says "8X8 750 HDi SE" to indicate special edition. Was your machine a floor model or custom ordered? If yours was ordered I'd have words for someone!! I read you don't intend to run them but I have Escargo tracks and see no real difference. With out tracks I went out with my wife and at the end of our ride we where going back to where we parked the jeep/trailer on a hard dry road I got to 26 kph (kilometres per hour) and the gps read the same (engine screaming like a banshie). After installing the tracks and with myself and 3 passengers on the same road I got it to 26 kph and the GPS said 26 so the reasoning your machine takes more power and drives slower can be discarded, I have no experience with rubber or other tracks. In 3' of powder I got 15 kph or about 11 mph. For the guys working oilfield or seismic (theirs a lot of Argos used for that here in Alberta) hauling all their gear with rubber Argo tracks a cab and maybe a trailer high torque is a good idea but for you and me using the machine for recreation I'll take low torque high speed.

[plott hound]

if worse came to worse,you guys could have traded transmissions.

[Buzz]

Here is a link showing the differing wheel speeds with track-tuners installed.
Mudd-Ox Escargo 5 - YouTube


You can easily see how the center tires..when allowed to roll inside the track at the proper speed..the speed the track crossers want...rotate much more slowly than the corner tires. This is simply because the crossers are able to "splay out" when the wrap around the end tires...so a slower belting speed is obtained even though the corner axle tread speed is faster. For a given belting speed the crossers are able to cover a larger tire-tread distance on the corner axles while remaining affixed to the elevated belt at the sidewall level. These same crossers do not splay-out while moving under the center tires. The crossers are able to "self-adjust" to the tread speed of the end tires. This slower belting speed carries the now "straight" or non-splayed-out crossers back under the center axles...but at a much slower speed than the center tires will be "driven" if rigid wheel spacers are left in place. If rigid wheel spacers are left in place, then the center tires simply have to "peel out" faster than the track crossers moving under them. This can happen with varying levels of difficulty, depending on crosser-spacing, tire-tread type etc. But regardless, the majority of machine weight is over the lower center axles, and it requires power that is lost to friction. Proper tension is kept on the correct side of the chains, however, the primary/secondary clutches are forced to shift to provide a higher engine RPM and a slower transmission input RPM to create more power for this higher load requirement. This translates into less "machine speed" than could be obtained if track-tuners were installed. Fuel economy will also improve, as will center chain-life, tire tread life, and I suppose you could argue engine/transmission life as reduced load and operating temps will be seen.

[Buzz]

regardless of whether or not tuners are installed, you will still benefit from a gear-reduction that helps drive the track in both high/low range. It will make for a lower machine speed as the track is driven a fair bit slower than the tire-treads. All operating speeds improve, but faster speed ranges, and especially high-range, benefit the most. If that makes any sense at all. Hopefully that helps. Hopefully everyone gets their transmission-desires sorted out. Good luck!

[2014SE]

Argo replaced the tranny in my machine with the standard 6.4 low torque tranny I wanted. I had a couple chances to run it now and now I am very happy with the machine!!! With the standard tranny and Escargo tracks the machine still has plenty of power to go pretty much anywhere in high range. With 4 adults and 2 grand kids in fairly deep snow on a 3 hour run I had to use low twice but that was on a 25-30% grade. Now the engine don't sound like its revving out and going nowhere like driving a older truck without OD. I can definitely see if you wanted to run Argo rubber tracks or similar with out raised belts that you might want to go with a high torque tranny but with raised Escargo's high torque is not required.

As Buzz said before, low torque and Escargo tracks give you the best of both worlds, high torque with the track and high speed bare foot.

Here is a video I shot with the winter kit and all in high range.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NvEEPrnJeB4

[thorn]

Argo replaced the tranny in my machine with the standard 6.4 low torque tranny I wanted. I had a couple chances to run it now and now I am very happy with the machine!!! With the standard tranny and Escargo tracks the machine still has plenty of power to go pretty much anywhere in high range. With 4 adults and 2 grand kids in fairly deep snow on a 3 hour run I had to use low twice but that was on a 25-30% grade. Now the engine don't sound like its revving out and going nowhere like driving a older truck without OD. I can definitely see if you wanted to run Argo rubber tracks or similar with out raised belts that you might want to go with a high torque tranny but with raised Escargo's high torque is not required.

As Buzz said before, low torque and Escargo tracks give you the best of both worlds, high torque with the track and high speed bare foot.

Here is a video I shot with the winter kit and all in high range.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NvEEPrnJeB4

Nice vid. That machine looks unstoppable between the floatation/traction/power it has.

[2014SE]

hmmmm. Something is not right with the machine speeds. Your machine physically has to go slower with an elevated-belt track installed. There is no way around it, but it is an advantage and makes high-range more usable. You'll have to trust me I guess. You'll pick up some speed simply by intalling track tuners with your particular track set-up. Your CVT system will provide more speed via your transmission when possible if you lessen the load and eliminate the center wheels from "slipping" to match speeds with the corner axles. This is multiplied as your attempt to go faster in high range. The track belting/crossers move under the center axles-slower than the tires are turning and require constant slipping if rigid wheel spacers are left in place. This load multiplies as you drive "faster." So your top speed will be significantly limited by the CVT....and also because of the slower track-belting speed of your elevated belt track.
Your track, with tuners, will get better and faster. While track-tuners aren't a necessity with your escargo tracks, they will absolutely help your machine make better use of its power (and increase speed especially in high range) when running your track. (a bunch of us are running your specific set-up...I'm guessing 5-inch spacing crossers...up here). I would absolutely do that first before you switch gear sets. Right now that's the option I would take, and I really like your particular track set up.

I think i wrought it wrong or you misunderstood what i wrought. I know with raised tracks it reduces speed and gearing. this is why i like the higher gear ratio. Slower with tracks and faster without. This gives the best of both worlds. I did install tuners.

[Buzz]

I think i wrought it wrong or you misunderstood what i wrought. I know with raised tracks it reduces speed and gearing. this is why i like the higher gear ratio. Slower with tracks and faster without. This gives the best of both worlds. I did install tuners.

copy that! at the end of the day you're set up perfectly....
that's one of the best qualities of the elevated belt track, even for older low hp machines. Or machines that want even more grunt to do some serious climbing. Regardless of the gearing a person has or engine/clutch/tranny gear mods they do, the elevated belt will give even more of a gearing advantage. So you can kind of tweak it to best fit your machine. Most of the conquests up here are MU geared, and their low range with the escargo track crawls and climbs very well. It was a concept that I didn't really embrace until I looked at how the crosser cleats "splay out"...so that a shorter track (compared to an over-the-tread track) can actually cover the larger distance required to wrap the tire treads.

[2014SE]

Nice vid. That machine looks unstoppable between the floatation/traction/power it has.

Thanks. trying to upload another video running through the bush, may have to trim it or something to get it uploaded, I'm NOT a tekkie.

[2014SE]

if worse came to worse,you guys could have traded transmissions.

Argo swapped it out, they ordered it wrong and fixed the mistake. I have nothing bad to say about Argo service and customer satisfaction.

[2014SE]

Going through the bush in high range.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Z6Ybu-LNE

[thorn]

I think i wrought it wrong or you misunderstood what i wrought. I know with raised tracks it reduces speed and gearing. this is why i like the higher gear ratio. Slower with tracks and faster without. This gives the best of both worlds. I did install tuners.

What did you notice different about your machine running the Track Tuners? And did you experience any tire slippage with them?