Mighty Max's new 650 Argo 650 HD with swimming tracks

[mightymaxIV]

Dan thats one hell of a nice machine you have there.As a potential buyer of the same model of machine is there anything you have been unhappy with performance
wise or any other characteristics of the machine.By the way great vids
Mitch

Fitz, the only thing I don't like is the counter rotation is activated by the low range. I would prefere a separate switch for the counter rotation. My belt squeal problem seems to have been fixed by an upgraded drive belt but this is something Argo needs to deal with on future HD's and a concern if Argo doesn't upgrade the belts.

[teddybear894]

Hi Dan,

I have also experienced the draw backs of the counter rotation when trying to maneuver in mud. I found that while in low range, the machine will move through the mud much easier if you just barely move the handle bars when attempting to turn the machine. By just moving the handle bars slightly, counter rotation will not occur.

Ted

[Roadtorque]

What seems to be the negative issue with counter rotation in the mud, or other areas?

[mightymaxIV]

What seems to be the negative issue with counter rotation in the mud, or other areas?

In really deep bad mud the counter rotation takes to much power. The counter rotation is better for light mud or tight trails. When you are in deep mud you need all the power you have to keep the machine moving forward and the counter rotation actually works against you (see my Big and nasty videos)

My experience with really bad mud is to use high range, nail the throttle and keep the machine moving. You can make slow turns in low range in deep mud but the slower speed gives the machine more time to slow down and bog in the mud, where the high range and faster speeds keep you on top the mud and moving. I am sure that a lot of this has to do with the tracks.

The driving technique is different than any thing I have experienced with wheeled AATV's, perhaps teddybear can give us some of his experience.

I would most interested in hearing from anyone with an HD in regards to thick mud and low range.

[mightymaxIV]

Adair Tracks vs the Rawhide III tire

I have been wondering about the performance of the Frontier with and Admiral transmission and the Adair tracks. Are the tracks really that good or is the Frontier with the Admiral just a great machine? To answer these questions I drove the Frontier through my pond and up a couple of muddy slopes with the tracks. No problem as usual.

Now the fun started, I took the tracks off to see what the machine felt like with just tires. The first thing I noticed was the machine rode a lot rougher. I ran over a small tree that I usually just glide over and took a severe jolt to the back-wow I thought, that is some difference in ride quality.

Then I tried climbing a couple of muddy slopes. At first the machine would not climb the slope. I backed up got some momentum and the Argo climbed the slope but I couldn't control the direction and the the machine walked to the less steep side of the slope and I COULDN'T KEEP IT GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE.

After that I went down into my pond which only had about 18 inches of water with a very soft muddy bottom. No sweat I thought, been through here with my Max and the ASX tires. Within a moment the machine was stuck. What? No way I thought. I just went through here with tracks. Just hung up.

Nope I was stuck. I started to rock the machine, it didn't help. I looked to see if I could winch out but the mud only got worse in front of me. I got out of the machine (yuck!) and pushed while giving the machine gas. It worked it started moving-wheeewwww!

Now I had to climb up the slippery muddy slope and this wasn't easy, finally I got the machine moving up the muddy slope (Same one I had climbed with tracks a few minutes earlier).

By now I had seen enough, I have had my machine though every nasty hole I could find at three ATV parks running the Adair tracks and never got close to being stuck (one high center-I don't count that because I was testing the limits if the machine).

So the morale of the story boys and girls: there is no contest between Adair tracks and RawhideIII tires, the tracks are going back on and staying on.

[Noel Woods]

The Adair tracks are good as gold. Its like the difference between a set of 6 worn out Rawhide tires compared to a set of 6 brand new ASX tires, with a better ride thrown in.

[mightymaxIV]

Tracks vs Rawhide III -part two

I just installed the 24" Argo tires and the generation 10 Adair tracks on the frontier. As soon as I had everything on I took the machine back into the same areas I drove through yesterday with RawhideIII tires. The first thing I noticed was the machine rode a lot smoother and turned a lot easier. I drove over the same tree and didn't see near as much commotion as I did with the tires alone. Then I drove down into my pond into the same muddy area where I got stuck yesterday with tires. The Argo cruised through this area with such ease that I drove back and fourth a couple times just to make sure. No problems with tracks. I remember the helpless feeling I had yesterday stuck in the same area with tires. Then I climbed up the steepest muddy slope I could find and tested the machine by turning while it was climbing this impossible slope. The machine steered and climbed without a problem. (yesterday the machine climbed this area but I couldn't control or steer it) I tried it a couple more times to make sure it wasn't a fluke. The machine responded by doing everything I asked.

What a difference the Adair track system makes, it takes a great machine and makes it a least 50% more capable and gives you confidence to go into places where you wouldn't venture before.

[JohnF]

How about the frontier tires by themselves too?

The ride over the log is smoother with tracks because the tracks fills the spaces between tires. Doesn't matter which tire or which track.

[mightymaxIV]

John, I have seen the performance of the frontier tires and they are impressive in their element. They climb out of mud holes, swim and ride very well. This mud and water is not their element and I would have been hopelessly stuck. I thought about it a moment, but I remembered how many times I saw Heath's frontier stuck in this same type of mud and wasn't willing to take the chance.

[JohnF]

Fair enough, thanks.

[mightymaxIV]

To resolve my belt squeal issue Argo has sent me a new self cooling HD belt. I installed it this morning and drove the HD around for awhile just to make sure everything worked. It did! There was absolutely no sign of slippage or belt squeal. Now the big test comes this weekend when I take the machine to Creek bottom ATV park, Doles Georgia.

[Noel Woods]

Good deal! Finally a manufacturer that stands behind what they sell. It did take Argo awhile to get this out. Hopefully their engineers have resolved this issue on what is otherwise a fine machine. Please advise on how the ride goes.

Noel

[radar]

Dan I hope this means more videos...........

[jwiereng]

Enlighten me on the design of the self cooling belt.

[mightymaxIV]

Enlighten me on the design of the self cooling belt.

It has ridges on the inside and out side of the belt, as the belt turns the outside ridges catch and blown air like a fan producing a cooling effect that keeps the drive belt from getting hot and slipping under extreme conditions. Extreme is about where my machine is 60% of the time. Tomorrow I will be at Doles going through some awful mud giving the machine and the belt a complete workout. If it works at Doles it will work almost anywhere.

The Argo engineers have been very responsive and are anixous to get this issue resolved and are waiting for feedback.