how important are bearing cages?

[patrick518]

I was wondering how important bearing cages are? I have a 1996 Max IV with tracks but no bearing cages. Ran it last winter with no problems other than it's really bad in the snow.always getting stuck.I'm trying to run it this year with only the back drive chains hooked up to see if that helps. Not getting my hopes up, can't see it making that much of a difference.

[Amphiman1]

cages.,

i can't see really having to use them unless you are doing over 20 mph over big rocks, tree stumps or jumping creavaces.....

[maxheadroom]

patrick518

How come you were getting stuck so much,??

Did you find the tracks not helpful.??

[patrick518]

I get stuck alot . it plows alot of snow and the belly pan gets hung up. I am very disappointed the way it performs in the snow. I stay mostly on lakes,it's getting on and off the lakes I have to do alot of digging and winching. Someone on here told me to try taking the drive chains off the front and center tires because of binding.I will try anything at this point

[Amphiman1]

hung up...

oh.. a max lv......

[Eldon]

I found that running in the snow is an acquired skill and the means defies the logic we think of when starting to bog down.With my Max II I found that when the machine starts to bog.to back off on the throttle increasing the torque to the tracks and allowing the machine to climb up on the snow...........increasing the throttle decreases the torque at the tracks and digs in deeper.It took me some time to catch onto this.The speed seems most appropriate when getting a run ahead of time for the hills etc. Go figure....... Removing the front chains will increase power and I learned the hows and whys from Hey Dan of this forum.

[patrick518]

thanks for the info. I appreciate any tips I can get because it does make a great vehicle for ice fishing once I get to the lake.

[Robinhood02]

when running tracks always ease through it ,if you try to power through you will invariably dig big holes , let the tracks do their job by softly "floating" you through ,and this goes for muskeg , bogs or snow , and try not to follow in the same track marks on your way back ,strattle your last track marks in the snow and your belly pan wont plow snow

[Eldon]

"How Important Are Bearing Cages".I believe they should be on every model and they are of course designed for track systems.They give you increased strength from the body to the bearing added out by the wheel as well as a place to bolt on the rails to tie all three axles together putting even pressure caused by the tracks across all three axles instead of all the strain being on the one at the point of stress.When you bolt on the 5 inch wheel extensions and install the tracks,even inflating the tires puts pressure on the axles,then add to this the strain caused driving over obstacles with the leverage point further out from the body that with just wheels and no extensions.