frontier maintanence

[grit]

I will soon pull the trigger on a frontier 6x6 or 8x8,how often are you guys replaceing axle bearings and seals, when you keep them greased?How many hours or you getting out of chains with regular use.Sorry about all the questions,lastly with regular snow tracks installed are you getting a winter out of the axles and bearings.I would want to use the argo for ice fishing and bison hunting in winter.I just don't want a vehicle that needs repairs every other week.I have used quads for years and they are super reliable,looking at the argo for the places a quad can't go.
thanks

[chapy]

I have a 2000 bigfoot with tracks and just replaced my bearings at 220 hrs. the tracks have only been used for 2 1/2 seasons. Mine seem to have held up nice after this winters track use and plowing. Hope this helps!

[Rock Doctor]

I will soon pull the trigger on a frontier 6x6 or 8x8,how often are you guys replaceing axle bearings and seals, when you keep them greased?How many hours or you getting out of chains with regular use.Sorry about all the questions,lastly with regular snow tracks installed are you getting a winter out of the axles and bearings.I would want to use the argo for ice fishing and bison hunting in winter.I just don't want a vehicle that needs repairs every other week.I have used quads for years and they are super reliable,looking at the argo for the places a quad can't go.
thanks

I think you would find a very mixed bag of answers on these questions. They are very dependent on location, riding conditions, maintenance schedule, load weights, track time, Model of Argo, Axle extensions, and other factors. I will try to run through what I have to do, but other guys will have vastly different answers for some things.
Outer Brng/Seal replacement: I go through front axle brngs the fastest, probably average about 100hrs or less. Next is the rear axle brngs. Then there is the second from the front. And the then 3rd axle from the front lasts longest, I might get 200 - 240 on these ones. Inner axle and idler shaft brngs always last the longest for me, up to 400+ hrs. I usually change outer brngs as needed, and will do ALL inner and Idler brngs at the same time, when they start to fail.

Chains, I'm doing well to get 350 hrs on a set, but usually have to change front axle chains before that.

All times are guestimates, none of my Argo's have had hour meters, except for one of the ones I have now, so take this for what it is

Running tracks, I have broken one axle, and bent a few, but there is no reason not to get the winter out of axles and brngs. Again, load weights make a HUGE difference. If I start hauling loads of Propane, Gas, Lumber, out to my cabin, in 3 feet of snow, I am taking a risk, especially if I have to break trail. Once the trail is open, it's not as bad.

You might be interested in these vids. One is from a solo Bison hunt I went on. The other is an early spring trip into my cabin, heavily loaded, I had to break the trail on my first trip, then on my second trip I broke a front axle. (ended up leaving my Argo there for about 6 weeks, till I could get to it with my quad and some parts. Then I ended up leaving my quad there, untill the middle of the next winter, before I got it back)

This is the trip in with the quad to rescue the Argo

RD