Two Hour Job

[Laird]

SOOOOOO, what was supposed to be a two hour job (in my mind) ended five days later. I came on a deal that gave me four splined axles, for my Vanguard, one for a Bigfoot, three bearing extensions, aluminum bearing retainers, flanges, cork gaskets, two complete brake units and some other goodies. I decided to put the tracks back on and discovered a bad bearing, hence the two hour job. However, I figured that the bearing extensions would be a good upgrade because of the tracks. This turned into a bit of a nightmare. It also ended up that when all said and done the extensions are on, along with five more new bearings, couple of seals, center axle on one side had a bad bearing. Being retired I should have had the job done in a couple of days but being retired I couldn't seem to find the time. Any one who is retired can relate to that one.

[Facemelter]

Lol been there before... actually I'm in the middle of doing it again with a mid 80s 6x6 i/c I picked up at the start of this summer. The bearings can be a real MF sometimes. But it's nice when it's all done.

[john swenson]

you know what they say .. '' once you retire you never have a day off '' . sounds like you did a good job , and it's satisfying when done . have fun riding . jboy va.

[Laird]

The area where I live has been screwed up pretty bad for atvs due to high powered quads and people who have no respect for private or public property. Most places are fenced or private property and the one thing I use the Argo for is to get to a hunting area. I could walk in but dragging a deer out is not much fun. The trail used to go from one concession to another, but again due to idiots that trail has been fenced off. I am allowed on a property to hunt and to take the Argo back to retrieve an animal but have to walk in and then out to get the Argo. Better than having to drag a deer out. I am afraid one of these days the area that I have hunted for 25 years will be fenced off from any vehicles of any sort and if so there will be an Argo up for sale. So my riding is very limited. In the winter with the tracks on it is a different story.

[Facemelter]

Yea we have the same issues up here with the souped up side by sides with 6" wide 40" tall tires tearing everything up. Trail ruts have gotten ridiculous in some places over the last couple years. I don't understand why atv tire options changed to dig down instead of stay on top

[ARGOJIM]

Yea we have the same issues up here with the souped up side by sides with 6" wide 40" tall tires tearing everything up. Trail ruts have gotten ridiculous in some places over the last couple years. I don't understand why atv tire options changed to dig down instead of stay on top

Trust me a video of a guy creepin through everything smoothly isn't as cool as guy slinging mud everywhere. Lol

[North Country Tough]

Yea we have the same issues up here with the souped up side by sides with 6" wide 40" tall tires tearing everything up. Trail ruts have gotten ridiculous in some places over the last couple years. I don't understand why atv tire options changed to dig down instead of stay on top

Not being too far from your location its got totally out of hand i see units with just ludicrous tall tractor style tires on the trails are ruined and any hill sections now have wash outs that stick even the tallest tire trails that i have used going back to the seventy's are totaled and then they move over and start again, after the covid dealeo property up here changed hands and the newest (part time)northerners have bought land with existing trails and one look they closed no trespass signage cropped up like dandelions and the amount of wheelers sxs and all manner of off road units Argos included tripled so trespass has become a huge issue i fear our snowmobile club is in serious trouble as whats good for the goose is good for the gander thinking so our trail system that passes thru most private land is gone even local long time landowners have had it, and once more the few ruin it for all it is a shame that in a place like Ontario we have so few areas that ATV clubs have got together with landowners and the local snomo clubs to designate atv areas and maintain and regulate the use those areas that turn a blind eye to rake in tourist dollars and do not address the growth in the off-road industry are setting themselves up for failure of year round trail use years ago i switched out to dual wheels for the spring and fall hunt to limit damage and ride basically spanning huge deep ruts it worked xlnt and actually helped roll down a lot of damage but others looked at a machine with 16 wheels and thought OMG that will destroy our land no win situation. CT Cheers

[Facemelter]

Trust me a video of a guy creepin through everything smoothly isn't as cool as guy slinging mud everywhere. Lol

Yea that's true lol

[Facemelter]

Not being too far from your location its got totally out of hand i see units with just ludicrous tall tractor style tires on the trails are ruined and any hill sections now have wash outs that stick even the tallest tire trails that i have used going back to the seventy's are totaled and then they move over and start again, after the covid dealeo property up here changed hands and the newest (part time)northerners have bought land with existing trails and one look they closed no trespass signage cropped up like dandelions and the amount of wheelers sxs and all manner of off road units Argos included tripled so trespass has become a huge issue i fear our snowmobile club is in serious trouble as whats good for the goose is good for the gander thinking so our trail system that passes thru most private land is gone even local long time landowners have had it, and once more the few ruin it for all it is a shame that in a place like Ontario we have so few areas that ATV clubs have got together with landowners and the local snomo clubs to designate atv areas and maintain and regulate the use those areas that turn a blind eye to rake in tourist dollars and do not address the growth in the off-road industry are setting themselves up for failure of year round trail use years ago i switched out to dual wheels for the spring and fall hunt to limit damage and ride basically spanning huge deep ruts it worked xlnt and actually helped roll down a lot of damage but others looked at a machine with 16 wheels and thought OMG that will destroy our land no win situation. CT Cheers

Yep I've seen the sled trails change quite a few times up here over the years because they keep getting torn up
. I used to help keep the sled trails clear of trees around my town but now I don't dare ride those trails lest the new land owner stop the trail completely. It sucks. realy is the beginning of the end of an era.

[Facemelter]

Also 16 wheels sounds wild! I gotta see a picture of your machine!

[North Country Tough]

Also 16 wheels sounds wild! I gotta see a picture of your machine!

New phone new laptop old guy it will take me a year to figure out how to upload LOL but go into the gallery section of this site and go to my pics u would be able to see a few pics of the olde Avenger.NCT Cheers Lad

[North Country Tough]

SOOOOOO, what was supposed to be a two hour job (in my mind) ended five days later. I came on a deal that gave me four splined axles, for my Vanguard, one for a Bigfoot, three bearing extensions, aluminum bearing retainers, flanges, cork gaskets, two complete brake units and some other goodies. I decided to put the tracks back on and discovered a bad bearing, hence the two hour job. However, I figured that the bearing extensions would be a good upgrade because of the tracks. This turned into a bit of a nightmare. It also ended up that when all said and done the extensions are on, along with five more new bearings, couple of seals, center axle on one side had a bad bearing. Being retired I should have had the job done in a couple of days but being retired I couldn't seem to find the time. Any one who is retired can relate to that one.

Got to say Laird it takes commitment to work on these machines nothing much is easy and i hear ya on the retired thing i have zero clue how i found the time to work and still found time to cottage/aatv/sled/play with classic cars and the honey do list seemed easy at the time now the days fly past thats some good work u have done there and not easy by any means congrats.NCT

[Facemelter]

New phone new laptop old guy it will take me a year to figure out how to upload LOL but go into the gallery section of this site and go to my pics u would be able to see a few pics of the olde Avenger.NCT Cheers Lad

Found it! Looks incredible. Must be terrific to drive in the swamps

[North Country Tough]

Found it! Looks incredible. Must be terrific to drive in the swamps

Its pretty much unstoppable best thing ruts are meaningless and on the water it is so stable and load capacity at least doubles. CT

[North Country Tough]

But one pile of work to break it all down for track install a bunch easier now i have went to the latest spec axles and rim combo no more stud extensions and spacers but still shop time with a air gun.NCT