Subtopic	Posts		Updated
	Archive through January 9, 2001	17

By Chris on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I haven't had any luck contacting Tru-Trax either, no phone answer and no response to my emails. Anyone else know how to contact them?

By Tim Holt on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I am purchasing an ARGO Bigfoot w/ the supertracks installed and will pick it up this week. I have a camp in the Adirondack Mountains of New York and have to get back to it over two miles of unplowed road in the winter. Snow conditions are always deep and sometimes drifted w/one steep hill on the route. I hope I made the right choice of vehicle because I just sold my snowmobile. I'm looking for opinions and advice on using an ARGO w/tracks in winter cold weather/deep snow conditions.

Can anyone help based upon their experience?

By argogeru on Unrecorded Date: Edit

tim,
If you are hauling gear to your camp the supertracks were the right choice.
Putting the tracks on can be hard and it can be easy. Assuming you want the easy way to do it is this:
1. pull the valve stem on all tires.
2. buy 2 6" c-clamp channel locks
3. put the track around the tires and bring them together at the rear of the machine.
4. using the c-clamps clamp each side of the track together. this is a slow process by ajusting the clamps a little shorter each time by going back and forth from side to side.
5. once the links are together use a hammer to tap the pin through the links, and dont forget to put the collar in at the half way point in the link.
6. once the pin and collar is in put in the set screw good and tight and inflate the tires.

the tracks will seem very tight before you inflate the tires but that is supposed to be that way. I do not recommend using half links to loosen the tracks as some do becuase if you loose tire pressure out in the bush for some reason the tracks will hit the body, plus if ice and snow gets in the tracks with the half link the tires could spin inside the track. super tracks give you maximum floatation on snow and with a 200 pound load in the back the actually do better because the machine will not push as much snow in the front. Good luck it is easier than it sounds, I just put mine back on today in 70 minutes from start to finish, it gets easier the more you do it.

By argogeru on Unrecorded Date: Edit

tim,
also if you are in more than a foot of snow any six or eight wheeler is useless unless you have a plow on the front. you can haul alot of gear in a bigfoot. good choice.

By Dave Johnston on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi, I just put Tru Traks on my Argo Conquest. First thing to check out is will tracks fit on your tires? Bigfoot has different tires than the rest of the ARGO line. The ARGO tracks are expensive. Tru Traks are about half the price.
As far as putting them on, once I learned the trick, it took about an hour of actual work to put them on the first time,,,should be less as I improve in technique. The trick is: drive onto the tracks then let all the air out of the tires. Put the tracks on, using 3 inch c-clamps to make the final closure then after the tracks are locked together, reinflate the tires. If you are going where no one else is expected...the better prepared you are the better off you will be. With the tracks on, you should not have to worry about getting a flat tire, as the tracks pretty well encloses them... Good luck.

By greek on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi
I put a dab of paint on the ends of the pin that I used so i always use the same pin when installing or removing the tracks.
greek

By argogeru on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Tim,
Dave is right about the tires. Since you are buying the bigfoot with the tracks already installed make sure your dealer gives you the bigger rawhide tires. the tracks will only work with the standard runnamuck tires. you should have the 6 runnamuck tires and rims and the 25' rawhide tires with the rims. the bigfoot rims are 9x10 and alot heavier than the 7x8 runnamuck rims. make sure you get both sets of tires. the most time consuming part of putting on your tracks will be changing all six tires everytime you want the tracks, unless you have an air gun and a lift.

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

were not getting much snow around here so i can't realy see if my new homemade tracks are really working. I could drive through this snow with my tires with no problem. are tracks really as good as they say. can you drive right through 2 to 3 feet of snow and stay on top? Will they go where snowmobiles go?

By argogeru on Unrecorded Date: Edit

newmax,
tracks are not just for snow. Matt and I were riding with our tracks yesterday in a logged out woods with a lot of mud holes and small channels of a river. only the tracked machines could go through the worst of it, the machines their with no tracks didn;t even try because they new they would get stuck. I didn't think matt and i would make it either but we did. Matt was having no problems with the tracks he has designed. try yours in some nasty mud you would normally get stuck in with tires and see how the will do.

By matt435 on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Jon's right! The tracks make your machine go through some nasty sippy holes. We had a blast yesterday over at Ron's house mud bogging. Matt

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

What did matt use for the tire keepers. Mine seem to have allot of pressure on them. some of them have pulled the bolts right through the tracks.

By Ken Thompson on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The Tru Tracks will fit over a 22" Rawhide III tire with no problems. They might even fit over the 25" tire as long as there is enoigh clearance to not hit the body. I dont even use the Runamuck tires anymore.
Ken

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

can anyone tell me if the tire guides on the tracks rub on the tires all the time? and how much pressure the guides have on them

By Bill Davis (Nvbigblue) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hey guys,
Just curious if anyone who had thought about making thier own tracks had thought about this: most tracks I've seen are meant to go over a set of tires with the keepers on the each side of the tires. How about using two tires with a gap in between them and running the keepers in the gap? I know that using two wide tires and a track would be hard on the axles, bearings, etc, but you could use two thinner tires and not be much wider than a single tire. And putting them on would be a little more involved, but for the type of riding that tracks would require, it probably wouldn't be that big of a deal.
Regards,
Bill Davis

By Dave johnston on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi, just went out in my Argo Conquest with another guy (Patrick) and his machine...I had the Tru Traks..he did not...as soon as we hit powder snow in the Sierra NVs, he got stuck and I had to pull him out...On the other hand, he still did better on packed snow. bottom line..I could do great on powder or on hills but put the powder on the hills and I dug in just as bad as he did. One interesting point...some of the areas allowed tracked vehicles so I could go legally where he could not.. As far as tire pressure, my tires say 5 psi max...so I ran 3 psi with the tracks without a problem....

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

has anyone with tracks had any expirence with the tire guides rubbing real hard on the tires and bending over? Do i have my tracks to loose?

By hellonsixwheels on Unrecorded Date: Edit

ken,you stated that you no longer used your
runamucks anymore.if you have any interest
in selling them please e-mail me as i could use some for my argo.thanks.

By Dave Johnston on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi...now to the point...First, check that the tracks are OK for the size and tire you are using.
Second..make sure they are on tight, if you did have to use clamps or snap grips to get the final closure, they could be on too loose....Third, try different tire pressures. Fourth, if they are extra wide tracks, stay away from rocks and stumps...they can push the track at an angle and either bend the tire guides OR dismount your tire from the rim. Fifth, take a friend out in another vehicle so they can watch and see what is going on...Good Luck...

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Dave

You said above that if you did have to use clamps or smap grips to get the final closure, they could be on too loose. But don't you have to use a clamp or the double c clamp by ODG to tighten the ends together? If you raise the vehicle up the bottom of the track can stretch a little but in the end, because I didn't have a big enough socket on my drill and the one I had didn't fit, i had to use two clamps per track to close them. I deflated the tires and when I finished i took it out for a run and it slowed down a lot. I seemed like half the speed was gone. I think this is normal but I can't remember what it was like last year in the winter. Did I do something wrong? I am running the regular Runnamuk tires on a 8x8 MAGNUM ARGO.

By Trapper on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Does anyone have the phone # or address for Tru-Trax?

Also how do they compare to the ARGO Super Tracks?

By Jim Stiver - Western PA MAX Dealer (Viper) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Tru Trax

29098 Flanders Street NE
Isanti, MN 55040
Phone: (763) 444-9076
Fax: (763) 444-3745

By rgo8X8 on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Trapper,

I just put a set of Tru Trax on my Argo Response about a month ago. I also used to have a set of Argo Super Tracks on a 6X6.

I have found now that track choices are as individual as machine choices. That is, one answer doesn't work for every one and one track system will excel in one environment, while another track system will be better in another.

For how I use my Argo, I am very happy with the Tru Trax. The metal cleat system that Tru Trax uses really bites the ice. It is far better than Argo's ice cleat system for traction on ice. I also liked the Tru Trax price (about 1/2 the price of Argo Super tracks and 2/3 the price of Argo Std tracks). I mainly push a snow plow with my Argo in the winter. I also occasionally take trips 2-5 miles in length across snow that varies from 3" to 3' deep and can be anything from powder dry to wringing wet. So far I have found the floatation of the Argo to be sufficient for my needs with the Tru Trax on, even with the snow plow still attached and it is quite heavy.

If you want the ultimate in floatation, go with the Super tracks, but be prepare to experience some pretty noticable power loss. If you want Ice traction and economy go with the Tru Trax.

To check out some of my other posts on this subject use the keyword seach utility and insert "rgo8X8" into the names of authors field. I had a post that listed theoretical ground pressure of various AATVs with different track systems and a post with links to pics of my Argo with the Tru Trax installed if you are interested.

Any track system will greatly enhance the enjoyment of your AATV in the winter!

Happy tracking,

Neil

By David Parenteau on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Having installed tracks on both the 6 wheel and 8 wheel Argos numerous times it's become a simple task.The easiest way,of course is to drive onto them,pull the tracks over the wheels,then use two ratchet straps to pull them together.We only deflate one tire at the end where we're working.The two straps are easy to work at the same time.Pull the ends together,tap the pin into place and lock the collar.Reinflate your tire and you're done.Takes us a grand total of 20 minutes from start to finish,both sides done.This is done outdoors in the muskeg of northern BC.This is exactly how tracks are installed on big machines except that come-alongs are used instead of the ratchet straps.

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I bought a ratchet strap back in feb. but I couldn't get one that had a square hook as opposed to the rounded one (like the hook of a hanger) Where can I get one of these?

By giovanni ( - 209.193.2.174) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I was told (by an Argo dealer who could have made some money by selling me an alternator kit) that mounting an alternator on a Vanguard puts too much stress on the shaft to which the power take off pulley is attached, because that shaft is not supported by a bearing and too much wear and, possibly, damage will occur.
I have installed a 3000-pound winch on my Vanguard, and the charge of the Argo's small battery (barely recharged by a magneto at 20 amps per hour at high rpm) obviously wouldn't last longer than a few minutes.
So I have decided to carry in the back a 950 amp battery with 180 minutes reserve charge and a set of jumper cables to boost the Argo battery if I have to winch myself out of trouble. Any opinion on my setup out there?

By matt kniivila (208.181.163.113) on : Edit

hi argo fans;
I live in the north coast of British Coulmbia Canada. I am looking at a 2001 argo conquest
8x8 w/ tracks for $9000 . Will this machine really
go thru marsh and bog or im I wasting my money?
Also i want to go on soft sand etc.Anything I
should look out for ?
thanks Matt