12 inches of snow-what can I expect?

[ezryder]

Well we got about 12 inches snow here in good ole So IL, with bad drifting in places three times that. I'm itching to get the Hustler 950 out and see what it does in the snow. I'm a snow virgin when it comes to 6x6. Kinda leery about the ground clearance, I know it's not 12".
Anyone in snow country tell me what I can expect? Running GBC Gators.
How well do Hustlers go in the snow?
Been -10 deg but its gonna warm up a little in the next couple days. Gonna try it out then I hope.

[jpswift1]

With the GBC Gators you should do well in a foot of snow. Keep on the throttle and be easy in the turns by not trying to lock one side up, rather feather it in the turns and you'll be good. I know my Hustler 980 BIGFOOT is nearly unstoppable in the snow with the 26" Vampire ASX tires. They're so wide they almost seem to float on the snow like having tracks. The only way to find out is to try it.......you'll have a blast!

[ezryder]

Well, now I know. Not worth a darn in heavy snow. Did OK in level 10"-12" snow, but high centered the tub on the first drift I hit. Had to dig it out, although it did dig out easily enough. Not really much fun in the snow. I goes like a tank across level snow, but any drifts and I may as well figure on digging.
Guess I need tracks, but probably not gonna pay the $ for tracks and tires in this area. This much snow is uncommon these days.
I garaged it and got the Rhino out. NOW we're havin' fun!

[msafi65]

We get to play in the snow for months here and I tell people without tracks that traveling one body length in snow over a foot is good. tracks is a different story. Enjoy your snow while it lasts.

[MaxRules]

The Argo Frontier is the only 6x6 I've found to be fun and go well in deep snow with only tires. The lower body design makes the vehicle perform like no other. Years ago we had a big snow here in Missouri. It was 12 to 20" of snow everywhere plus drifts. The Max IV w/26" tires would go through most of it but it would work hard to do it. The Max II and Conquest 8x8 was basically unusable, they could only travel in existing tracks. The Frontier went like a snowmobile and this was with the factory 24" tires. It would literally do anything and not even bog down, it had very little drag on the body. I drove it across fields were I measured snow 20" deep across great distances plus drove it up and down hills in the woods. The thing was a beast and I only wish I could have camcorded the action.

FTsnow2.jpgCQsnow1.jpg

[ARGOJIM]

Think the Hustler would have done better with 25's or 26's, with 22's the Hustler hump will kill you in the snow acting like a plow.

[ezryder]

Absolutly agree Jim. I'd love to have a 980 and bigger tires. I think that would make a world of difference. Of course everything is a trade-off. More ground clearance= higher center of gravity. But I'd take that trade-off. Anyhow, always lookin... maybe one day a 980 will pop up that I can afford. I have a complete 950 that runs and drives that I'd be willing to do some trading on if anyone has a 980 or even a 980 lower tub. I'm assuming the upper tubs are interchangeable?

[ARGOJIM]

Most guys have been able to get the 25's on a 950. I think the 880's are the only Hustler limited to the 22's. another option is tracks if you wish to play in the snow.

[ezryder]

Well, in hindsight, I'd be running 25's right now but for the fact that I couldn't find 25's to fit the 8" wheels I originally had. I was trying to save some money and not have to buy new wheels with the new gators, so I went with the biggest tires I could find for my 8" wheels.
After mounting the Gators I started having a problem losing a bead, so I ended up buying new wheels anyway.

[bushhawg]

Tracks

Anybody got an estimate of how much tracks are for a Hustler 980? What kind of snow could I expect to get through?

[amphibious drew]

Anybody got an estimate of how much tracks are for a Hustler 980? What kind of snow could I expect to get through?

I would imagine pretty much any kind of snow wouldn't be an issue.

[bushhawg]

Thanks!

[jpswift1]

Max IV tracks would fit the Hustler because they have the same wheelbase.

[bushhawg]

It's a 980 would that matter?

[jpswift1]

It's a 980 would that matter?

You've got the tall tub Hustler 980. I heard that Hustler designed them with a higher tub, compared to the shorter tub 980 and the standard tub 950, 945, and 900 models, so they could run tracks over the 26" tires. If you're going to run stock Max IV tracks on a Hustler 980, you'll need to use the smaller 21x11x8 tires like Goodyear Rawhides or Carlisle AT101.