Ride comfort with tracks

[rickf]

I bought a MAX II and I was hoping to use it to get around in the woods since I am disabled and I can't hike like I used to do all the time. The problem I am finding is that with the lack of suspension even with the tires at only 3 lbs. it is brutal when going over a stump or log. The drop between each tire on the log throws my back into spasms. I was wondering if I put a set of True TraX tracks on it if that would even out the ride over logs and larger obstacles? I remember when I used to run dozers it was not the smoothest ride but going over large obstacles was a lot smoother that with a wheeled vehicle. Just had to be careful with the over center drop and that is something that can be controlled with speed. Any advice would be appreciated, If I can't even out the ride I am afraid I will have to sell it.

[2xmax]

can't answer about the tracks. Wish I could as i'd love to have a set. Seems it would ,and I was just reading about a fella that put 16" tracks on his max 4 and he loved it as he can climb logs and brushpiles that he otherwise wouldn't with just the tires., It was a thread in this forum, probably page 70 something. You could probably search tracks on here and get all sorts of info.
You might want to consider putting a suspension seat in the max as i:m sure it would help reduce the spine jarring and be way cheaper than tracks

[rickf]

I thought about the suspension seat but the problem I see there is if I mount it in the middle which is convenient for the controls then the wife has no room to sit and if I mount it to the left the controls are very uncomfortable. I can easily modify the controls but what happens when I want to swim with it? Then I am on one side and I am 215 lbs. I am thinking I would have a serious list to the port side. LOL. Damned if I do and damned if I don't.

[john swenson]

hey rick...i run tracks on my max 2 and have found going over logs and large rocks is smoother than just tires. you don't have that '' drop '' in between the tires . but there of course will still be a drop coming off a log with tracks. but riding on rocky terrain i feel the tracks are smoother .. but that too depends on the type of track i would think. just some thoughts . hope others with tracks will chime in . johnboy va.

[2xmax]

ah ya, max 2 space is a bit more critical. You wont be listing port ,you'll be circling!
Not sure how or if tru trax would swim? Some tracks don't swim worth a darn so ya might need alternate water propulsion if ya go that route? Don't get me wrong I'd be the last person to try to talk someone out of tracks. I don't need em but i'd sure like to have em! Maybe I do need them! Anyway I'd think it would smooth out the log crossings. I have a max 4 and have considered turning my front bench seat into a suspension seat somehow. Might be worth figuring out for a max 2 even more so given the already limited seating?I considered that maybe I could mount my front seat onto shocks either industrial ones like are used on machines that I work on or light atv shocks or even air cylinders with a small reserve/expansion tank mounted to the bottom of the seat to make the whole bench seat a suspension seat so I wouldn't lose that passenger space for my wife. In my case its her that has the bad back and I would like for her to be more comfortable in the max. Guess if it was easy someone else would have already done it. I also considered a Polaris partly for the suspension but they don't float and they were all missing a couple wheels!

[john swenson]

check out '' wes industries '' web site , looks like they sell some pretty '' cushy '' bench seats for atv 's . johnboy va.

[Madtrapper]

I have the factory rubber tracks on my Max iV and there is no comparison in how much better they ride over logs compared to tires. Also you will not get hung up by a log with a tire on each side of it, only thing is they dont swim worth a crap lol .

[Sparx]

Comfort is more based off tire psi rather then tracks or tires. I try to run my tires as low as possible even in tracks, even if it means I have to cut them shorter. On an 8x8 I'll keep my 4 corners higher and the center 2 track tuners as low psi as possible unless it's winter then let the snow be my suspension and air them all up for the tightest tracks to reduce the chance of slipping within when full of snow.

Most specs require you to run more tire psi which kills the ride quality, depending on the track setup you can run much lower. I try and target 3-5 psi in my corner tires rather then the 5-7 psi recommend and pull the center link out on the rubber 18" tracks as an example. There's no reason this can't be done on any track setup out there.

I'm not sure why the specs run more pressure as well as certain people other then to prevent tire slippage within the tracks or tub slap. There is other ways around it. I've been spoiled with no track slippage in my Escargo tracks as I have noticed with my Rubber tracks in the past especially with the track tuners, you had to be spot on the tire psi.

I always notice everyone running the metal extension in their 18" Rubber Tracks and I took that out within the first ride or two when my tracks stretched and never ran them again. While they ran higher psi to prevent tub slap I ran 3-5psi and rode like a dream in comparison. On these Amphibious machines the tire pressure is all we have for suspension, do yourself a favor and keep them as low as possible, hense the new beadlocks on the newer Argo's...

[fornarog]

can't speak to tracks on the MAX as I drive an Argo, but I do have TruTrax and they not only smooth the ride in rough terrain, but the keep deadfall from puncturing tires. Where we use our Argos, you simply cannot operate effectively without them.