By Gord on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Gentlemen,

What experiences have you had with ARGO track segments breaking? Are these things durable? I have a set of regular width ARGO tracks for my conquest but I am somewhat concerned with the durability of plastic tracks on rocks or stumps.

I know snow and marsh are soft on tracks and that is what the company recommends. I beleive they recommend this to prevent loads of warranty claims. The truth is, I wish they would make rubber tracks which would take more punishment without a doubt.

I am waiting for enough snow to be able to use the tracks for the first time. Where I live tends to get rocky in places along the narrow trails. How much should I worry?? Do you take extra segments in the woods??

For those of you with these tracks on your machines; I would like to hear your experiences. Any advice on terrain choices with tracks on the machine would be helpful as well.

By argogeru on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Gord,
My tracks (standard argo) have never broke and I have bashed them on stumps and rocks hard before. For my uses I only use them in deep snow or in marshy areas. They, in my opinion are not worth having on in any other terrain.

As far as having extra links on hand in the bush, I carry two half links in my storage box under the seat with 2 extra pins and collars just in case. they fit in their so i dont have to have them bouncing around in the back of the machine. two have links together make one regular link. the only problem though would be getting the tracks hooked back up after you replace the link. A rachet scrap and a hour later You could be rolling again.

the tracks are a big help in marsh and mud, and I have mine off and on alot depending on were i ride. these tracks from odg are very durable but everything can break. I cannot say for other brands of hdpe plastic tracks.

Rubber tracks are better in my opinion, and matt on this page has designed tracks that will smoke any other track system. I have had them on my bigfoot with the 25' tires and they are awsome. you can check them out at www.maxatvs.homestead.com then click on matts tracks icon.

By Kevin V on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I have abused mt Tru-Trax tracks and not had a failure yet. The are knicked up, gouged, etc. but I feel they spread the load over such a large area that the rocks, logs and such really don't provide the pounding you might think they would.

By Gord on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks ARGO GERU. I appreciate your telling me of your experiences and your tips. I'm hoping to get some serious snow to be able to put them to the test this year.

I find the traction of eight tires is prerry good in about six inches of snow so it hasn't been worth the labour to put the tracks on yet. It was an eye opener to learn that the tracks take an hour to put on though...... I'll have to keep the tips here in mind when I try it. From what I read it should be possible to install the tracks without having to use the half segments. Though I will put them under my seat for sure now!

Thanks again!

By Tim Wheeler (Tnmwheel) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I just bought my first Big Foot it came with a top and super tracks. Can any of you fellow Argo owners tell me if youre machines tend to pull to one side or the other with the tracks on? I noted when I put the tracks on the one one the left side has more slack than the right track when I have it blocked up. They both still have the the half link in. Should I remove the half links?
Thanks for any and all help.
Tim

By argogeru on Unrecorded Date: Edit

tim,
take the half links out. make sure your tire pressure is the same, I run 4 lb. this should solve the pulling to one side problem. if the trail you are riding is uneven, the machine will tend to run to the low side of the trail also, this is normal. half links are bad, tires slip inside the track and the track can bang the body if any tire pressure is lost.

By Dave johnston on Unrecorded Date: Edit

If you get the super tracks, they can dismount your tire if you go over rocks or stumps...Check out the manual..But if your machine is pulling to one side on the level...check your tire pressures to see that they are equal... if that is OK..check your chains...they do not stretch at the same rate. A loose chain can jump the sprocket so tranmitted power will not be equal from one side to the other. It also helps if someone in another machine is along with you to see what is happening...Get extra parts to fix in the field...

By Tim Wheeler (Tnmwheel) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks for the advice I took out the half links and it made quit a difference. I think I need to replace the right front chain its pretty loose, the machine just turned over 100 hr. every thing else is in good shape. Ive been running the tires at 3psi. As far as haveing another machine along as far as I know I'm the only one in 125 miles with something like this that runs. Hopefully once some pepole see me in mine some else will see what a great machine AATV'S are & get one so I dont have to travel so far to find fellow ridders.
Thanks agin Tim

By oncecoot on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Gord I bought a new argo response six months ago.I live in Mt Shasta Ca and we get alot of snow.I did not get the track kit because of the price.But after the first three foot storm,well I guesed If I was going to make payments on the argo for 35 years why not add another two thousand dollars to the bill.I will probably be dead before I pay this thing off.I can honestly say In fresh snow over a foot they were worth the money, BUT they do suck alot of power! And I only got the standard tracks.I went from two crack coots(I say crack because I was always bent over working on them) sold both and had enough money to buy maybe a argo sticker.Dont get me wrong I love It, but for ten grand I do think the back seets could be alot nicer. Doug

By Doug Barker on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Doug,
I am in the market for a coot...maybe.
After seeing your post I'm concerned that they are high maintenance. Can you tell of the problems you had with them.
Thanks, Doug

By Ted Stanfield (Ted) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I love my coot which I am restoring. I went for a ride last week with a new coot (A-TAV). I would put up either against a 6x6 in the desert rockcrawling. We were in Afton Canyon off I-15 near Barstow Ca. All machines need maintenance once in a while. Coot owners SAY NO TO CRACK!

By oncecoot on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Doug, first let me tell you I had two coots four seven years. I road and worked on them almost every weekend. One coot had the prop the other did not. A coot without a prop Is as good as a dead fish.There is only two good things about a coot. One, the articulation and two they are metal. Now In my opinon these are the bad; Slow,loud, and takes a football field to turn around. You sit on the motor, great in the winter, hot as hell in the summer. Tranny gets hot,leaks,blows low gear,very hard to get parts,rides rough. The only place my old coots would out do my 8x8 would be on big rocks. No way would my coots keep up In the snow with the argo. But you can't realy compair a old coot to a 2001 argo. Now Ted, rockcrawling you are right,you win, but snow,mud,steep hills,water,speed,turning,dependability,any time any place! Dont get me wrong Ted,I miss my coots,when Im fishing In the middle of the lake on my argo,with my wife,dog,and beer I'll need a good anchor.

By Gord on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks for the tips opncecoot!

I figured the tracks would take more power during turns. I hope the 20HP Kawasaki can handle the power requirement. Did yours slow down significantly in top speed on a straight away?

Have you compared your standard track performance to the supertrack by any chance? I think the standard track could be easily enhanced to make them wider using angle aluminum cleats bolted to the outer edge of the standrd track but then I think the additional width would be a hinderance in the woods.

Let me know how you make out in various terrain. Thanks for the info!

By Bruce on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hey oncecoot, That was a very funny post about the coot, and most of it true too!! But as a loyal coot owner ( I have three) and I have a Attex Superchief, I must defend our coots!! They are almost indistructable. Steel bodys take a lot of abuse!! And they do go just about anyplace that you point them. I just upgraded my four wheel steer with 18 horse Van Guard, I now have speed, power and way less noise. (heat is another issue) but after all it is a coot. I think with the proper tires the coot will do just fine in the snow, though you won't get it to float in the snow like you will with tracks. Ground clearance goes to the coot, body strength goes to the coot, ease of maintenance goes to the coot. Six wheelers have their strong points, coots have theirs, but in the end, I think ( and this is just my personal point of view) that the coot is a better all round treat it rough, abuse it, run over trees, hit rocks, atv. Not looking for a debate here, just had to defend my coots and give Ted a hand. ( us coot guys have to stick together)

By balduc2t on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I am going to change the subject but i was wondering if anybody has or could take some photos on how the argo canopy mounts on to the machine. you can email me at balduc2t@yahoo.com

Thanks Troy

By Ted Stanfield (Ted) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi everyone. Thanks for the coot votes. I wont choose sides as to who is best,I hope everyone enjoys what they have. In the photo gallery at Images/pg242.jpg I hope this is right there is a picture of a coot with 31x15.5x15" tires that looks like it is doing fine in the snow.

By Alan on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Mine does pretty well in the snow.

http://www.industrial-magic.com/coot.html

By Dave Johnston on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Have been out several times alone. KEY POINT...make sure you take whatever small parts you need to fix in the field. For the tracks....small #10 allen screws are a must. Loose one and your connector rod can come out, you can lose a track and then are stuck. Argo also shows a modified 7 Vice grip for chain work...Highly recommend you spend the time and effort making one, in case you got chain problems in the field. I have found the Argo can go places no tow truck can go, no Jeep Wrangler or Land Rover Defender can go, so if you do not have a buddy with the same type of machine, you had better be able to repair in field. The only problem I can see with an Argo is it is front heavy, so distribution of weight on hills and in wavy water is a key factor to safe travel.

By Russell Lee (Bigkodiak) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Dave
You aren't kidding about field repairs. I apparently turned into a rock with my rear axle today. I bent the axle, shattered the outer bearing, and the force pushed the inner bearing out of the flange and broke the chain. I had to do field surgery to get her home.
Still can't figure out what I hit!
Russ

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I took my max iv out for a 4 hour run with my homemade tracks. There isn't much snow but i wanted to see if they would hold up. I didn't have any problems. I'm not sure what the psi on the ground is with these tracks but i know it isn't much. I was going to a place to get gas and the snowmobile tracks led me around the edge of the lake do it not being very cold lately. That was a long ride so on the way back i wanted to cross the lake. there was one snowmobile track that went accross so i followed it. i forgot that they had speed and could cross thin ice with speed. about 3/4 of the way accross i came to a see through section of ice that was very thin. in fact i came within 5 feet of open water. i just kept the throtle steady and went the rest of the way. a little scary.

By tim holt on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Help!! Anyone w/ARGO supertracks experience in deep snow.......

Wife and I just got back from failing to get into my camp due to the inability of my ARGO Bigfoot w/super tracks to get through the deep snow.

I have already taken the half-link out and tire pressure was @ about 3.50 all the way around. Snow depth was about 36" and powder that has settled for about two weeks with temps @ about -12 below zero F. I put about 200# in the back as well and was in front (I weigh about 170# w/heavy winter stuff on).

I was just plain having trouble and especially getting up grades when I finally got to the lake and got out on the ice. Thought I was home free and then realized I was traveling on slush under the deep snow and it was rapidly filling my tracks to the point of slowing me down so that I wasn't sure I was going to get back. I managed to turn around and head back over new ground(ice) to avoid the previous track which was soaked from the slush that was wetting it after I went over it.

Finally got back to the track and trailer, but the tracks were filled with solid ice by this time and every maneuver was difficult. I was obviously beat.

Bottom line is during all of this I just got the distinct impression that there was more going wrong than simply conditions that were too tough for even the ARGO.

I noticed there was a mention of chains being too loose, etc. in the 6x6 web site? My machine has over 100 hours now and the belt looks good.

Do you have any experience with this? Is there something?? I'm missing that I could be checking?
I realize that I have to get the ice out of the tracks for optimum performance, but there seemed to be more to my problem navigating through the deep snow even before I ever got to the ice and filled the tracks with slush. I was a bad day!!

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Snow travel can be difficult at times, but very rarely will you ever have to turn back becasue of it. Ice in the tracks is a definite problem, but just keep going and it will break off or chip off. In some ways, ice can help turn you on harder ground. Trust me, I have done some pretty amazing doughnuts with the argo and icy tracks.

By Barry Smythe on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Earlier in this thread, someone mentionned the difficulty
of re-joining a broken Argo Supertrack. I found a really
easy way to do it , which is also good for installing the
tracks after being on rubber for the warm season.
Under the seat I carry a couple of 2 foot lengths of 3/8"
rope and a couple of 1 foot lengths of 1x2. That's all
you need. Just pull the track ends as close together as
you can by muscle power, make a loop of the rope after
threading it through the holes near the end of the track,
and twist both loops, tourniquet-style until the tabs
come into perfect alignment. The ropes pull in such a
way as to make alignment very easy. I carry an extra
pin, and collar,as well as a ton-grip and a hammer, all
under the seat. The tracks have gone on and off each
year this way with very little difficulty. Hope some of
you can use this.

I also found the Argo turning a bit to one side with the
tracks installed. Tire pressures checked OK. What
solved the problem was to interchange the tracks. Dont
ask me how - but it worked.