Snow Attachments Snow Tracks for tractors

[Bob53]

I know this is an off the wall question and maybe a bit crazy.
Wanted to know if anyone had any experence with snow tracks for tractors or where to get them.
Attached is picture of one, not mine but an example.
What i have is a 6 foot groomer( 400lbs the other attachment) that i pull with a utility snowmobile. At times if snow too deep or conditions just not right wquestioning if setup like this might be a little better.
I know snowcat is the answer for best solution but just wondering if anyone had any experince with tracks for tractors. This is done on trails in woods for cross country skiing.

 

[Fredex]

Not crazy. Back in the '50s several Fergusons were so equipped for one of the South Pole expeditions. I believe the pulled loaded sleds for around 1500 miles.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I know this is an off the wall question and maybe a bit crazy.
Wanted to know if anyone had any experence with snow tracks for tractors or where to get them.
Attached is picture of one, not mine but an example.
What i have is a 6 foot groomer( 400lbs the other attachment) that i pull with a utility snowmobile. At times if snow too deep or conditions just not right wquestioning if setup like this might be a little better.
I know snowcat is the answer for best solution but just wondering if anyone had any experince with tracks for tractors. This is done on trails in woods for cross country skiing.

There are a couple companies that make tractor track conversions. I sent you an email.

You can get 2 track variants or 4 track variants. The tractors are often converted for trail grooming, but some are converted to tracks for agricultural use on soft conditions like peat bog harvesting. The implements you show are typical trail groomers. They are available in hydraulic ram-steer or regular hitch configurations. For tractor mount purposes, I would not recommend ram-steer. If you want to convert back to a wheel tractor in the summer, the 4 track systems are easier to convert back and forth seasonally.

 

[pekabu]

Bob got the basics. Most of the ones I have seen are for bigger tractors pulling big drags. Issue is most use Ram Steer/Split brake setup for steering. A couple of clubs in NH have this setup, but I haven't seen or heard of any switching back and forth. Mattracks has tracks for ATV's and trucks. I have heard that a 4x4 atv pulls even better than a Skandic. (I haven't pulled a drag with either so I have no experience). Another avenue may be a RTV with tracks (someone on this board was doing it) or maybe a small groomer. Our club runs a ASV track truck and it does ok with a small drag and I believe you should be able to get one for less than 10k.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Gilbert brand is now back in the US with their dual track system.

Here is a link to Snow Country Groomers, the owner's name is Dale, let him know that I referred you. He will take care of your needs or just talk to you if you want to learn. He's a summer time farmer, winter time trail groomer, and year round equipment dealer. http://www.snowcountrygroomers.com/

The 4 track systems are easier to convert back to wheels in the summer, according to Dale, its a 2 man, 2 to 3 hour job to switch from 4 track to 4 wheels.

Changing back a Gilbert or similar dual track design to 4 wheels is more like a one day project. For pulling drags, I would not really recommend an RTV, it can be done, but I've not heard any really enthusiatic reports about it. A heavy Scandic would likely be a good margin better than the RTV with tracks.

 

[pekabu]

Wow, thanks for the info on the RTV. Since ASV stopped making the TT there really isn't much in between Snowmobile and Full size trail groomer. NH Trails bureau was suppose to try one out last year, but there was so little snow up here I am not sure if it happened.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

For the same price as a new RTV with a track conversion you can buy a good used Bombardier Bombi BR100/BR110 (or similar) and end up with a much better unit for pulling drags. A Thiokol Imp or Spryte would also be in that same price range. Heck there was an Imp on Ebay in Pennsylvania that sold for just over $6000! It then resold about a month later for roughly $8500. It didn't have rear hydraulics but the Imp is set up to add them.

 

[scg]

If you plan on doing any type of pulling, I would say to look at some thing like the 4-tracks ,on a midsize 4 wheel drive they are not a light duty set up and they will pull. If you go with the rubber tracked ATV or UTV's , they are ok for playing in snow and soft soils but don't have the traction of metal cleats. A word of warning when you put tracks on any thing you will have much better traction (( and )) some thing like ATV's & UTV's just aren't built to hold up when you start to do a lot of pulling , they will pull ((but for how long)) ???
And yes to 1/2 tracks they will work but steering is a problem ! To much track on the ground and it won't steer need to use brakes . If you run the ideler wheel as high as you can you won't have the float in soft soils or snow but will steer much better ,so there is a trade off , super traction but won't steer or some what better traction and be able to turn .
On the cost about 1/2 the cost of a 4-tracks kit.

Or like Bob said find a IMP or older snow cat to pull that 6'1/2' drag
http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3389/sort/1/cat/500/page/1

 

[Bob_Skurka]

OK folks, I'm guessing here, but I'm pretty sure that "scg" is my friend Dale.

He knows what he is talking about so I will step aside and let the master be the real teacher.

I do have a question. . . can a small tractor, say a 30hp Kubota, be fitted with a 4-track system and can it be expected to pull a smallish drag? Most of the tractor conversions are BIG tractors churning out some serious horsepower. 85 to start and 115hp is probably more common for grooming tractor conversions from what I can see. So what are your thoughts about the small tractors like I play with? Can a compact utility tractor in the 30hp range be expected to pull a small drag? And compared to something even less capable like an RTV, how would a 30hp tractor perform?

 

[Bob53]

Thanks everyone,

This is what i'd be pulling, its about 400lbs with tracksetter.

http://www.tiddtech.com/g2/g2.htm

Bob S explained the difference of 4track and 2 track, my tractor being small not sure if would be worth it by the sounds of it but guess I see what Dale has to say.

 

[slowzuki]

My question is would a tracked skidsteer be of any use grooming? I'm guessing not seeing the drag would be a problem.

 

[scg]

The cost for tracks on a small 30hp tractor would dam near kill you!! I have not put tracks on any thing that small. Have bid out some tractors for park deptments for this fall , but they are going with 65 pto hp and up,What I would try is to chain the tires or if at all possible run duel wheels on the rear of the tractor, and chain the out side tire . And with the duels , if you can go with a narrow set of duels tires, we say the taller & narrower the better .Ok ! One more thing try running the tire backwards , if you don't care to chain them ,that is the tread or lug , this can be done by just flip flopping the tires , right to left , it will pull better And if that won't work I have a older Alpine twin track with high / low & reavers that could pull that drag !!

Just seen this post !!! They have tried them down here and for a small home use type may but need to set up a rear mounted drag , which skid steers are made to push more than pull , if you keep the bucket full of snow yes it would help when it came to pulling .

 

[Bob53]

Thanks SCG

I see i have a few options although most of our problems have been how to handle real deep snow when the park does not keep up with the packing of the snow. Which i guess no matter what, you need weight and HP for the deep stuff.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

most of our problems have been how to handle real deep snow

Buy one of these Mine seats 7 and can easily climb any slope you can show it!