By ken on Unrecorded Date: Edit

hello all there are some local ponds that i want to venture in but there are stumps under the water if i get one side of the machine on them stump will it tip me in the drink it doesent seem very stable in the water can u play hard in the water with these or are they easy to flip. in water this summer i was planing on getting some friend to help me and i whould stand on one side and shift all my weight to one side to see if it whould roll but im sure there are guys out there that tried all of this let me know thanks in advance ken

By LAWPRESSMAN on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY MAX IN THE WATER, SO I MADE A SET OF PONTOONS FOR IT. MAN DID IT HELP, NO MORE WANDERING IF IT GOING TO ROLL OVER. I CAN STAND OUT ON THE SIDE OF THE MAX 4 AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT NOT WANTING TO ROLL OR TAKE ON WATER. IF YOU WANT I CAN SEND YOU SOME PICTURES OF THEM. LAWPRESSMAN@AOL.COM

By Douglas MacCullagh (Dougmac) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Ken & Lawpressman,
I have a video version of a WWII training film for the Weasel amphibian. Weasels use their tracks in the water like we use our tires. The training films warn the troops that if one track hits an underwater obstruction, like a waterlogged tree, that track will try to climb the obstruction and can dump you in the drink. I don't see any reason for our tires to work differently. Man, do I wish we could put the tranny in neutral and use a water jet. Then the tires become fenders, not paddles.

By Motown's (Bigwolf) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

You should definately treat these amphibious ATV's very much like a narrow beam short row boat with repset to stability in water and stump jumping in water. I would not go as far as saying that they are as unstable as a canoe is in water.

The longer and wider the amphibious ATV is the more stability it will have in water.

Stumps and logs can definately cause you problems and even cause you to turn over, or dump you over board, very much like a row boat or canoe will when you run up on a stump.

The best way to provide much better stability and floatation in water for those conditions is to install out rigger pontoons or sponsons. One other possible addition for better stability would be to try installing another set of wheels, and run dual wheels. That would work also, however, the pontoon's or sponsons would probably work the best.

I may try both ways described just to see how each works!

By Billy (24.211.117.31) on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 08:09 pm: Edit

My Max11 wants to turn in circles when it is in deep water. What can I do to help? I end up just trying to get back to shore. I have used reverse, forward, slow and fast end up still going real slow and it wants to turn in circles.

By jim stefanowicz (Maxindetroit) (205.188.116.14) on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 12:11 pm: Edit

Billy, Are you sitting in the middle of your Max, to center your weight in the machine, if your sitting to one side, it will have a tendency to go in that direction. Jim

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max dealer (Fred4dot) (216.166.168.53) on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 01:00 pm: Edit

Billy, another question is what tires do you have?

If you are using anything except Goodyear rawhide or rawhide III (or tires with similar chevron type tread), you probably will not have adequate water performance. It is important to have the tires mounted opposite to the traction arrow so the "v" is open at the bottom when the tire is turning forward (the tread grabs the water). Go to RI's web site and make sure you have the same tread type and tires mounted in the same direction as the pictures on their site.