Max IV Tracks

[jpswift1]

I hope we are right about the RI tracks, JP. I'm going for a moonlight New Years Eve cruise tonight in the 2 1/2 feet of snow we just got total in two back to back storms. First time I heard the name "Camoplast" does that indicate a manufacturer or the style?

Camoplast is the manufacturer. They actually make snowmobile tracks too. Those are the most recent tracks that RI offers......the ones with the big deep rubber cleats.......I think they're 1 or 1.25" tall. I rode in MaxIVMark's machine with those and it did VERY well in the snow. The older "waffle" style RI tracks are far less aggressive.

[Eldon]

I just had a two hour run covering miles of mildly rolling terrain in some of that good old "Montana" white smoke powder. LOL.. Even though I'm not in Montana. What a ride...big drifts....she worked breaking trail but never stalled out . Wading deep soft snow with tracks is about as smooth a ride as you can get. My Max II has the older waffle design with 3/8" cleat. Cardinal rule.............don't spin....... in deep snow.

[kghills]

I have only been able to run in about 20" of fresh snow. I don't think I could get my Adair tracks to spin in that depth of snow. Too much traction. The ride is awesome no doubt.

Keith.

[mudbug3]

kghills


It's amazing that the Adair tracks on your Max IV that are designed mainly for mud, swamps, and muskeg, perform as well as they do in 18" inches of powdered snow.

[Eldon]

It depends on the type of snow also. We currently have powder type,I typically like to let it set for 24-48 hours and settle. The Max II is reportedly among the better in snow by it's weight per square inch. Getting stuck in the snow isn't fun,I find if it starts to bog change direction while you still have movement back on your freshly laid tracks and re-think your approach.Throttle application is more of a science in deep snow than in mud.

[kghills]

I will need to look for deeper or more powdery snow I guess. So far the only time I have been able to get any kind of track spinning is on like a 45 degree incline and then I just back up and hit the incline with more speed. I do have quite a bit more clearance and floatation with my setup though than a standard max II. I will keep trting to find a way to get it stuck though.

Keith.

[Eldon]

We have got it here, 30 inches of powder drifting to 60 inches in places. We would have the same clearance in those conditions...zero.

[kghills]

We have got it here, 30 inches of powder drifting to 60 inches in places. We would have the same clearance in those conditions...zero.

In those conditions I would think then my slightly open grouser would be a big advantage to actually get traction while still compressing the snow a bit. We had a few drifts here but the snow was packed pretty tight in the drifts so it was not much of a problem. Sort of seemed the same as anything else. Guess I will need to look for deeper snow and try to get stuck. Actually I guess sort of the same thing I do with mud. I will say that what you are describing with the rubber tracks in snow is the same thing I found when I ran rubber tracks on my max IV in mud. In greasy soft mud it would high center itself if you weren't carfull with track speed and if you started to spin you had to quick try and back uponto your own tracks. It sort of sucked.

Keith.

[Eldon]

I find traction is good but flotation is the big one in very deep snow. I never bother with tracks for mud. I wouldn't try snow this deep with open grousers can't float as good as closed tracks. I have watched a lot of videos of the Adair tracks in snow(they are fantastic in mud) none of the snow videos was deep snow and I don't think they would be any good on ice.

[mudbug3]

I watched a Youtube video of an Argo 8x8 with 22" inch Adair tracks. These were the standard open design, 14" inch Adair tracks that have closed 4" inch extentions on either side of the track. This Argo 8x8 had no problem driving in 22" inches of deep powdered snow. I was impressed with how easily it could turn in deep powdered snow like this . Try turning in deep powdered snow with wide rubber tracks and see how hard this is.

[Eldon]

No problem turning at all, with 15 inch tracks. I watched that video as well and with the extensions it did well,no question they do turn really nice. Show me a video of that same set up in 40-60 inches of snow and I'll show you a stuck machine. I like Adair tracks,wish I had a set just not for the really deep snow.