Argo Springer

[LarryW]

Not been hard at all, I think all or at least most of my points were VALID. I bought an ARGO to be "STAR TREK" to boldly go where no one has gone before.
It just seems silly to add a couple of hundred pounds of steel, shocks, universal joints ect, to a machine that even though it was designed to float, does not give you that much 'FREEBOARD' at the best of times, Yes its probably a lot less work modifying one than welding a frame up from SCRATCH, but if you want a buggy for flying around on, then you bought the wrong machine. As I posted on the "LOST POST" I have had my ARGO in the ATHABASCA RIVER, in FT McMURRAY NORTHERN ALBERTA CANADA for a 30 mile run to my trapline a few times, (I love adventure). This been an ARGO site, was just my take on the situation. We (Northern Alberta Argo Allterrain, when we were in business)) had this concept years ago, its just seems silly to take away one of the benefits of owning a machine with its capabilities (Fully capable of traversing most any waterway) for the sake of ride comfort, drop the p.s.i in your tires a bit if you have a sore back. As for the statement about added traction????
am I missing something, THE ARGO still weighs the same, all you have added is a ton more weight,shock absorbers are for the upstroke mostly, what you gain with the sprung pressure is negligable, its not going to help you one bit in deep mud, muskeg ect, in fact as stated in another post, it would be more of a detriment than an asset, in the country I use mine. JUST A POINT OF VIEW, is all.
CERTIFIED ARGO NUT.

Yea, you do have some good points no doubt.

As far as traction. I imagine when you run over a rock with a tire, the closest tire to the one on the rock comes off the ground. with suspension it wouldnt. Or when climbing over a hill or bank on top part when tires are ussually in the air it may help there too.

[Roadtorque]

Yea, you do have some good points no doubt.

As far as traction. I imagine when you run over a rock with a tire, the closest tire to the one on the rock comes off the ground. with suspension it wouldnt. Or when climbing over a hill or bank on top part when tires are ussually in the air it may help there too.

Bingo More wheels would stay in contact with the ground during the teeter-totter effect when going over obstacles or up a hill giving better traction.

[George]

Just a few words from some members of 6x6World.

[Roadtorque]

We thought of this concept 20 yrs back, but due to the massive increase in weight with all the springs/ shocks/ brackets and u-joints, to gain what?

It all depends on your application of riding. Increased traction, ground clearance, and comfortable ride, in addition to speed is why most people buy atvs/utvs. If you spend very little time floating your aatv then gaining traction, ground clearance and a more comfortable ride is probably more than worth the decreased ability to swim.

4 inches of ground clearance, while at the same time seriously jeopardising your River/Lake/Swamp crossing ability due to said weight increase, said to hell with it, it looks great and all, but my winch will deal with most everything an extra 4 inches of ground clearance would do for me,(barring deep snow, but thats what tracks are for)

Well not all people enjoy exiting their vehicle and stepping into the conditions that got them stuck. I would much rather have the ability to drive through it because of additional ground clearance than have to walk through it to winch myself out...but that's just me

I don't make a habit of straddling logs length ways. Very interesting concept, i fit had any merit I'm sure ODG would have put it out years ago,as we would have at Northern Alberta All Terrain when we were open...

I'm sure if there were any merit to the argo HDI then ODG would have put it out years ago right? Listen, even if the technology exist for your product any smart business is going to release numerous upgrades to keep their customer buying their product.If Northern Alberta All Terrain understood business so well, maybe they wouldn't be out of it

NO-ONE is trashing this machine,It all boils down to WHY you got an ARGO in the first place (You can see in GALLERY why I did).To see the concept put in practice is awesome, but there are plenty of other machines out there you can tear around on

Bushpig, your argument is not very valid when looking at people and machines. People buy trucks and lift or lower them. People buy ATVs and put on snorkel kits. People buy UTVs then spend twice as much altering them to their type of driving. No one bought the wrong vehicle, they just made the already great vehicle more suitable for their intended use. If you dont like the idea of a springer for you application that is fine, but it doesn't make it a poor idea.

Designing a one terrain vehicle is feeding a need for a very specific,and small, market and your bound to never making any money. All terrain vehicle makers understand this concept and build their product to please the majority and design accessories so the buyer can make their vehicle fit the intended application better

if a Cadillac ride is what you want. SPRUNG suspension will do absolutely nothing to increase your speed, if that's what your looking for, buy a QUAD

. Adding suspension my not increase your speed, but it does allow your vehicle to handle faster speed.

You can only "Power Up" a CHAIN DRIVEN rig to a point, after that your just destroying it, chain stretch, bearing wear, snapped/broken axles ect.
Go back to the Gallery Section and tell me how much ground clearance I would have gained with them Moose I have in MY FACTORY RIGS in a SPRINGER ,NONE.

Not many people drive continuously drive around with a moose in their argo. Moose carrying argo driver's probably weren't the ones to invent and install suspension for their machine.

Humans always have a habit of trying to re-engineer things that don't need it. You can "SPRING" your ARGO all day long and actually believe it will take you over ROCKY TERRAIN faster, you still have ARGO rims and tires on, what about popping beads ect. I have been running these rigs since 1976 and after the first trip or two cannot remember a time when I've come home with my teeth rattled or a sore spine. Bent/Broken axles, I've had more than my fair share, back when I was 13 -16 and using them as a great 'TOY" commonly known as driver abuse, Each to their own is the way. For me, Ontario Drive and Gear did it right, getting rid of the roll pinned axle sprockets for Splined shafts ect.

That's right, and for others ODG will have done it right when they offer suspension for their vehicles. Still for others ODG will have done it right when they increase top speed on land, for others on water.

I'm More than happy with my 83 and 84, 8 wheelers, and would take this RIG "on" in my home turf any day. Your approach speed to crossing/climing over anything would still be the same unless you want to be over the hood, ground speed, no difference, probably slows you down somewhat, So unless your a die hard out in the bush geriatric patient with severe spinal problems, save your money.
CERTIFIED ARGO NUT.

You could say the same thing about any accessory that argo currently offers. Unless your santa clause, or his neighbor, dont buy tracks, save your money right? I'm there are some people that will never buy tracks from argo's accessory line that would instantly buy a suspension kit. It all depends on your application and driving style.

Not been hard at all, I think all or at least most of my points were VALID. I bought an ARGO to be "STAR TREK" to boldly go where no one has gone before.
It just seems silly to add a couple of hundred pounds of steel, shocks, universal joints ect, to a machine that even though it was designed to float

Well it also seems silly to add a couple hundred pounds of track to a machine designed to float. Not to mention you are now inhibiting the only part (tire tread) of the machine designed to push it across the water. But people still buy tracks, the just stay out of the water. Just like the people who add suspension to argos

does not give you that much 'FREEBOARD' at the best of times, Yes its probably a lot less work modifying one than welding a frame up from SCRATCH, but if you want a buggy for flying around on, then you bought the wrong machine. As I posted on the "LOST POST" I have had my ARGO in the ATHABASCA RIVER, in FT McMURRAY NORTHERN ALBERTA CANADA for a 30 mile run to my trapline a few times, (I love adventure). This been an ARGO site, was just my take on the situation. We (Northern Alberta Argo Allterrain, when we were in business)) had this concept years ago, its just seems silly to take away one of the benefits of owning a machine with its capabilities (Fully capable of traversing most any waterway) for the sake of ride comfort, drop the p.s.i in your tires a bit if you have a sore back.

You keep saying you thought up the concept of aatv suspension. I agree with RD who mentioned you seem a little jealous on a missed opportunity. Surly you dont think you were the first person to have that idea do you?

As for the statement about added traction???
am I missing something,

Yes you are

THE ARGO still weighs the same, all you have added is a ton more weight,shock absorbers are for the upstroke mostly, what you gain, traction wise, with the sprung pressure would be negligable at best, in fact as stated in another post, it would be more of a detriment than an asset, in the country I use mine. JUST A POINT OF VIEW, is all.

Yep it is just your point of view, and that doesn't make it right for everyone else. That's whats important to remember.

The only thing I've found that improves the performance of mine, ie in swamp, deep mud ect
is one of them DAMN BIG MOOSES that you can see in gallery, doesn't matter if I bottom out, is like the energiser bunny, keeps going and going.
CERTIFIED ARGO NUT.

If I understand you right you say a few hundred pounds of moose meet in the back of an argo improves performance but a few hundred pounds of suspension decreases performance?

[whipper-ag]

That was great, George.

Unless I see something really , really STUPID, I have always thought it's best to not knock it until you try it.

I wish I had a 1300 lb MOOSE laying around. I promise you it will carry it & haul it out in 1/2 the time. In fact the extra weight will make it a softer ride with no added stress to the drive train, & I'm still waiting to bend my 1st axle.

Whipper

[LarryW]

I dont have a 1300lb moose laying around here either. And if I did, I would run like heck the other way.

As Whipper stated, That was great George!!!

[George]

I dont have a 1300lb moose laying around here either. And if I did, I would run like heck the other way.

As Whipper stated, That was great George!!!

Thank you Whipper and Larry. I only wish I had the camera running everytime I let somebody drive it.

Larry, I don't remember your exact words after you drove it but I do remember they were positive.

I've never (honest) had anyone climb out of it dissapointed.

[LarryW]

Larry, I don't remember your exact words after you drove it but I do remember they were positive.
.

Well with a huge grin I stated, holy %@$#%@$#^@%^ thats @$%$^@^@ cool! Glad you dont remember. I dont want to be remember as a dirty guy.

[Model Citizen]

Larry, I think it's called earthy. Nothing like a good expletive to express yourself sometimes. That's why you guys invented those words.

I guess all I have to say is I enjoy all the bright innovative ideas people come up with when they work. But then I can't forget that someone once said, "If man was meant to fly, he'd have wings". Imagine if we all believed that. Go figure.

Bridget

[LarryW]

words of wisedom!

"If man was meant to fly, he'd have wings". Imagine if we all believed that. Go figure.

Bridget

Thank Bridget, That is a good expression. I hate it when people say "trying to re-invent the wheel". Such a negative expression. Might as well say." Dont try to make anything better. Its already good."

Good thing John Gower didnt think that way.

[lewis]

Great video George!!!! Brings back good memories and fun times

[martwell]

argo suspension

Hi guys,

I talk to the guys that invent this suspension. We met at an ATV show in Québec, Canada this summer. I was sceptic at first but when i saw these pics, my jaw drop to the floor... High quality job done wright.. After we met, he send me pictures and vidéos that were posted on my site. My membres were crazy about that new suspension for Argo.

The new heigh helped the owner go through more places than before even in snow with only the tires. There is one 6x6 Frontier and one 8x8 Response made at this time. The 8x8 is intended for work application, so it will be tested on real conditions.

The goal of this suspension was to be abble to have a softer ride, save our back from bumps and holes, keep the machine as narrow as they can to keep his agility and ability to go in tight and nasty places. It`s tracks friendly because here we use them all winter long in deep snow trails. At last this kit doesn`t need any other holes to be bolted on.They didn`t try a moose in it for sure and at this point and i don`t think this was one of the intended goal.

I folowed all of Whipper`s and Bridget`s springers build-up on this site. The result is a hell of a job and his rigs are still running high and strong. My hats- of to those guys who try to innovate and create something better for our one of a kind amphibious beasts

Martwell
The French AATV connection
sentier 6x6 forum

[Mike]

That was one of the best videos posted on this site. Hydromike's comment was the best though. "Everything else is stupid"

[mightymaxIV]

This idea dawned on my the other day, I thought this would be just as good a place than any to ask you guys what you think about the idea.

These ATV track system like this LiteFoot ATV Rubber Track Conversion Systems
Has anyone every thought about installing these on a 6x6. It can only be done on a springer, I think this would give added hieght and comfort to a springer. Just an idea I wanted to throw out there. A 6x6 with 6 of these tracks, I think, would be a heck of a machine.

Now who will be the one to protype it Whipper??

You can't skid steer them!

Here are my thoughts on the matter: Ground clearance is King, and a smooth ride to boot is great. This system was designed to keep the A-arms and drive system away from the mud and snow as long as tracks are used. This system would probably be more be more durable with tracks than stock axles. As long as you are using tracks I see nothing but advantages since the tracks would displace any extra weight. As far as performance in mud and snow i doubt that any other machine would beat this system. If your intention is to swim with it than you probably would make a bad mistake with this system, but for every other form of off road performance this system looks like it is tops!

[6X6]

I was told about this thread, and wow, did I miss a lot in my absence. I like this system in that it does not add significant width, for trails that's great. And it looks to be quite heavy duty. Like everyone else has been pointing out, to each their own. I personally am not looking to go Argo, I like the lighter quicker Attexes, but I drove Cole's and Lewis's 8x8s at Busco and they are AWESOME machines, like mini-tanks, their close to unstopable. If I get into hunting or deep woods trips its ARGO TIME (Boy, do I need cash ).
Now, I drove George's springer a while back, just for a couple minutes, but HOLY #)&@)%&!!! IT'S SWEET! Steers great (Takes getting used to but better response and less "tippy"), and FLOATS over the ground! I am officially addicted and I don't even have one(WHAT DID I JUST SAY ABOUT $$$?? )
If I'm riding in my back-yard swamp ( "Putnam Pit" videos are here somewhere and "The Pit 6x6" on Youtube) NO springer will make it through the swampy narrow trails, even that argo will snag and have a heck of a time. BUT on the 140 acres of logging trails behind me, they'd be awesome. Speed is limited only by how hard you dare hit the ruts and bumps, with a springer, who cares? It's wide open so floor it and feel the smile grow

So you simply need to ask yourself: How do I want to drive?