All UHMW Escargo-style track available soon

[Obsessed]

Beaver Dam Argo is the dealer of Escargo track systems in the USA and can custom make the UHMW track to fit any tire, in any width, with spacers or without. The tracks weigh about 85 lbs for an 8x8 and will climb you out of the open water and up onto the ice if you fall through with your Argo. They make MAX tracks, Mudd-Ox tracks etc.

Hello all! ...I've been enjoying following this new thread as I do with anything that's new, unique, or relates to tracks...appears that there are a lot of pretty loyal fans on all sides :-). I just wanted to congratulate Chris on a great looking product and to throw in my 2 cents...

I think that this is a pretty good looking track and should be a huge improvement over just tires....Chris at Beaver Dam Argo is a good friend of ours and is a great guy to deal with...he has been around these machines the better part of his life, knows a lot about them, and is passionate about whatever he sells...I think that this new track is going to work well in his swamps and marshes and I think it will be good for his dealership...im looking forward to seeing his videos and hope to get a chance to ride with him up there again soon.

Several people made a good point "that competition is good" and I agree...without others willing to take the risk and develop their own ideas none of us would have the opportunity to see what really works and to enjoy all of the new technology that we do. I truly believe that every good product out there is a special blend of unique ideas and past proven concepts ,and with every generation of a design, the product should keep getting better if we are all paying attention to what we and others are already doing.

Anyone thinking of trying a set of these new tracks should do so with confidence as Chris is a great guy and a good dealer and am sure that he will stand behind anything that he sells.

Keep up the good work!

Tim

[mudbug3]

I'm sure that if they are making a claim then it must be true. Looking at the picture of the track again got me thinking...if an Adair track and and ESCargo track got together and had a baby I suppose this is what it might look like.

[Buzz]

Keith thanks for the good info...and thanks to all others who remain positive. More testing and more options are a good thing, and it proves again that it is very difficult to have 1 single track that does it all. I wish I had several different machines each with 3 sets of tracks.

[kghills]

... I wish I had several different machines each with 3 sets of tracks.

Now your talkin!

[Noel Woods]

I've read through this topic start to finish several times. What I see is that a new track is out there from Beaver Dam Argo, I'm glad to see more interest from the private sector and a little competition as well. I wish there was more people stepping up to the plate and delivering what America is known around the world to be the best in: Innovation. There is no ideal track system that works for everybody and indeed no ideal machine.
Amongst the machines and tracks I have they are all different, perform in different manners and even are quite distinct in set up and the way you perform maintenance. I really look forward to seeing the new track in action.
What I think we as members need to do as well is to refrain from personal attacks. To call a fellow member a "drone" is an offensive term and appears to be thrown out there as venom. I think a more professional way of expressing an opinion is to say: "I disagree and here is why...,". I think we need to circle our wagons and conduct ourselves professionally and show respect to one another even when our positions are different.

[Buzz]

I agree with you...and I"m guilty as charged. I never would have guessed that members would have dismissed a new set of tracks the way they did. I am guessing videos might do a better job of showing the qualities of a track. I should have known. What I won't do is "diss" everyone else's machine and everyone else's tracks. I'll always call it like I see it, and if that means calling b.s....b.s. then so be it. Fair objective information is what helps people. We are all responsible for our comments. It always sparks good conversation regarding the topic at hand. We're all adults, and I'm not easily offended. I'll throw in my two cents and then I'm over it...no sugar coating necessary. If we can be one thing, it's honest. For example, "KgHills" had excellent input, and I appreciate his tact in doing so....

[gearhead]

going back to route6x6

[Buzz]

[kghills]

I have had 2 sets of Escargo tracks , argo plastic tracks , argo rubber tracks and a friend who owns R.S. Bolduc 20" rubbers. imo for snow the rubber tracks flat footprint cant be beat plastic is way too slippery, swamp tracks no matter how wide you make them or add to the width of them will never offer floatation on snow like rubber.With swamp tracks the bellypan drags on the deep snow and yes the tracks drag it through slowly but turning becomes a chore, making deep snow travel no fun; where a nice flat footprint of rubber will keep the belly off the ground the wider the better pending on weight.In the mud and swamp the open design swamp tracks are king .

Good information here. What kind of snow depths are you running in. The big SnowCats I see pictures of do not seem to run a fully closed rubber track. Maybe it's because manufacturing limitations but you would think if it was advantageous that is all they would use. On my Max IV with the Adair 18.5" tracks over 25" tires my floatation on snow seems every bit as good as the factory waffle rubber tracks. I have only been able to run in about 20" of new snow though. At that snow depth the belly pan would only drag occasionally and turning did not seem to be an issue. These tracks also work good on dirt, mud and swamps plus they swim OK. Glare ice sort of sucks as does frozen hard packed dirt hills. Tim at Adair is sending me bolt on cleats to install on every other grouser. I plan on exploring the frozen marshes and lakes in my area with the new cleats installed. If they work as I hope, even though I know there is no perfect machine or track I honestly feel for all the things I want to do I will be close. Spring, summer, fall, winter, trail riding, hunting, fishing, exploring, logging, hauling, dirt, gravel, sand, mud, water, snow, ice 110 to minus 30deg F works for all of it for me.

...That said; no matter what material they are made of ,the real inventors of all these track designs can be flattered
-Bombardier!

You might want to check out this link on Bruce Nodwell Northern Tracks.com - Bruce Nodwell, An Inventor With Drive

This is a quote from the article: "Instead he used conveyor belting with an overlap splice. He also invented a double sprocket which made it possible to drive this wide track and also keep it in place while using a single row of wheels." I know the Nodwell's use a sprocket to drive them but the grousers are also arched for tires to ride in and guide them. To me this is what you guys are calling an "Escargo" track and is from the 40's. You are just not using the drive sproket. Were there Bombardies before this?

I am still very curious about the "escargo" design as you call it. The steel grousers design sort of scares me a little for general riding. The first time I saw a set in real life at Beaver Dam Argo my mind flashed the image of Edward Scissorshands. They sort of seemed for ice only to me, but with a UHMW grouser I would think it would open up many more options. Would really like to see them in use in riding conditions besides snow. Maybe when it melts eh?

Keith.

[brebett]

Hi, I would like to see videos with the chanel track, the adair. the escargo and rubber tracks ( rs bolduc, argo or others) side by side to see how well they perform in the same conditions and the same machine. Chanel track are very similar to escargo ( but a lot lighter) and adair with uhmw ( about the same weight) grouser but are a lot cheaper in price. Is it the quality materiel and if so it would be nice to know the reliability of the chanel track. So far and sold to chanel because of the price.

[kghills]

Hi, I would like to see videos with the chanel track, the adair. the escargo and rubber tracks ( rs bolduc, argo or others) side by side to see how well they perform in the same conditions and the same machine. Chanel track are very similar to escargo ( but a lot lighter) and adair with uhmw ( about the same weight) grouser but are a lot cheaper in price. Is it the quality materiel and if so it would be nice to know the reliability of the chanel track. So far and sold to chanel because of the price.

Hey Jack, I would like to see this also. Hopefully as time goes on more people will have them and more videos will be posted. Can you explain the big difference between the channel track and the escargo besides price? I am not really seeing it. is it just the grouser is a piece of U shaped steel and not an L shaped piece?

THanks, Keith.

[gearhead]

going back to route6x6

[brebett]

Hi Keath, the chanel track are a lot lighter ( 94lbs each)and for an avenger and $2,100.00 for the avenger. They are U shape.
Jack

[kghills]

kghills heres some reading for you http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_Inc. 1930's
as for quote "The steel grousers design sort of scares me" you really should try to conquer your fears.lol

I found this address: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombard...ional_Products and love the B12. Tracks look just like the Nodwell's from what I can see but might be different according to this quote: "Each track is composed of 2 or more rubber belts that are joined into a loop. The loops are held together with interior wheel guides and exterior cleats, commonly called grousers." If I understand this correctly the Nodwell tracks have no interior track guides while the Bombardier tracks do. If the Escargo style or channel style tracks have no interior track guides they are then just like Nodwell tracks. Am I correct in this? Very cool stuff.

Yeah, just seeing those escargo tracks at Beaver Dam made me curl my toes back up in my boots. I know this weekend I ran over an extension cord in the garage when I parked the Max. Probably would have 3-4 if I ran over it with a blade style grouser. I still think the UHMW offers a lot of versatility for the tracks and all sorts of different types of traction aids can be attached to them to fit specific needs and removed when the season changes. Although I bet a UHMW insert could be attached to the metal grouser the same way giving them the same options.

Hi Keath, the chanel track are a lot lighter ( 94lbs each)and for an avenger and $2,100.00 for the avenger. They are U shape.
Jack

Thanks Jack. That is not really a very bad price for a big machine like an Avenger. Weight isn't bad either.
Keith.

[kghills]

Found this picture of a Bombardier track.



Not what I expected. It looks like what a Nodwell track looks like. I do not see any interior track guides like described on the wikipedia page.


Here is a Nodwell


Now I'm confused.
Keith.