By BALDUC2T on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I WAS WONDERING IF SOMEBODY COULD TAKE TWO POUNDS FROM EVERY TIRE FROM ONE SIDE AND MEASURE THE TOTAL LENGTH AROUND THE THREE TIRES WITH 22" TIRES ON A BIGFOOT MODEL. THANKS

By P.J. on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I'm picking up a set of tracks for my Argo Response today. I'm looking for tips on driving in the snow. How does the vehicle behave with tracks? How is turning affected? Is there anything I need to be particularly aware of? Most important - What should I watch out for as far as avoiding getting stuck is concerned? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

By kevinv on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Super or standard tracks?
With standard width tracks go easy on the throttle, spinning them just removes the snow from under the tracks. Flotation won't be a problem with either width, IMO. It will just take some learning curve to get the feel for how they respond.

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I finally got around to adding the "Flexi-Cleats" to my tracks on the MAX IV. Today was the first time we had enough snow to see if it made any difference. Still nothing like last year yet but we got about 10" of soft powder with a good wind to create some drifts. I put a total of 68 cleats on. 34 on each track staggered in two rows on the outside edge of each track. Being that I have a bad cold and feel like crap today and its 10 degrees and pitch dark, I didn't feel like driving too far. So I headed to a hill about a mile away that I knew would have some good drifts and which gave me some trouble last year at times. Going down the hill I was pushing a huge wake of snow in front of me. I turned around and headed up a new path so as not to run in the same tracks. The hill is a couple hundred yards long and gets steeper near the top. It bogged down some but kept churning along until I hit the biggest drift at the top which was several feet deep. I let off the throttle and it rolled back a couple feet. I hit the throttle again and it went right up and over, no problem. I seriously doubt it would have without the cleats. I will test it more when I feel like driving to some of the worse hills.
One problem I am still experiencing even worse than last year is Ice buildup on all the aluminum track guides. The noise is absolutely terrible from them going around the tires and I can see wear on the tires from it. The ice builds up to softball size clumps and is hard to break off even with a hammer. I have tried spraying them with Pam and silicone oil but neither helped at all. Even though its 10 degrees out there is still a lot of small streams that are still open that I cross. I suspect that running through the water starts the process and the ice just keeps building up. Anyone else have this problem and more importantly found any solution to it or have any suggestions?
Tim

By Dan Harriger on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I have a '99 MaxII that I bought tracks for, but last winter we didn't have enough snow to use them. Now I'm now trying to install them and need any tips or tricks that anyone knows. I installed the brace and axle extensions, installed the 21" tires front and rear only, and removed the valve cores per the instructions. But I still can't get the tracks to "walk on" the rear tire as instructed. Does anyone know any tricke to get this done? Is it easier to disassemble the tracks (remove the keepers), lay the tracks over the tires and then use a ratchet strap to get the two ends to meet up to reassemble the track connectors? Is there a way to take off the rear tire, set it inside the tracks and then get the wheel back on the bolts? How about breaking the bead on both, and then trying to walk them on? Any methods that anyone else has used that works would be greatly appreciated!

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Dan
Definitely don't take the track apart, as you will never get it together around the tires. The biggest trick is playing with the air pressure back and forth between front and rear.
Here is a previous post from Fred that lays out the procedure. Following his advice I was able to get them on this year by myself in a tenth of the time it took last year.
Tim

"By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max dealer on Monday, February 7, 2000 - 06:44 pm:

Tim, you will love them and the price only hurts for a little while. Be sure and put on the bearing cages. If
you don't do it at first, make sure that you install one each time you break an axle (if you are just on snow
and watch your air pressure and make sure you turn easy, you can get by without the bearing cages - but
they should be installed for trouble free operation).

Have the machine blocked up in the air about a foot, solidly. I put about 1 PSI in the tires and drape the
track over the front tire going in reverse, I use the engine to walk the track on the rear tire - as soon as
the track is on 1/2 of the tire (or more) I air that back tire up to 5 or so PSI and use the engine to get the
track completely over that tire. As soon as it is on the back tire (front tire will be 1/2 off, probably), reduce
the air in the back tire to about 1 1/2 PSI and put 5 or so PSI in the front tire. Use the engine to run the
track forward until the track is over the front tire. As long as the temperature is warm enough, spraying
some water on the tire you are working with makes the track slide on a little easier. As soon as the track is
on both the front and the rear tire, deflate the tires completely and put on the middle tire. Inflate all three
tires to 2 3/4 to 3 PSI. It is easiest with two people, but if by yourself, you will need something to hold the
steering lever in reverse (I use a reversed wood clamp). The left side of the machine is harderst for me (So
I always do it first)."

By steven (Walleye713) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

i have an argo conquest with super tracks and never let air out of the tires or mess with the tires when mounting or removing tracs. i can pull or mount in a few mins by my tricks developed on the trail when they decide to come off (and they do).
pull a hitch pin at the front or rear of machine where there is body clearance to beat one out. i use a home made pin of smaller diameter as a punch then pull that one back easily by hand. then drive out.

to mount lay tracks out toeing in on each side. drive on and grab track end as it comes by and use a ratchet strap to bring them togeter a bit at the end of machine, then with strap in place walk joint to middle of wheels as you tighten strap. it will pull the slack out. insert pin, drive to an end wheel put in set locking screw (with loktight!).

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Dan, With the Max II, you need to start with the track just past in the middle of the front tire, everything else is as in Tim's post. The shorter wheelbase of the II makes it just a little harder to get the track to walk on. I think it is important to keep enough air in the tire so the bead doesn't break - it is practically impossible to set the bead with tracks on. The warmer your tires and tracks are, the easier they are to mount. Be careful that you don't knock your machine off the blocks.

By Jimmy (Jimmy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

If you have a shop vac, go to Sears and you can buy an adapter for the end of the hose. The adapter is actually meant to be used to inflate pool toys when used on the exhaust side of the shop vac. However, you can place the adapter on the suction side, remove the valve cores in the front and rear tires, remove the air with the shop vac, and place the valve caps back on the tires to hold the tires deflated (the tires will actually deflate into a square shape). With the center tire removed, the track will go on the front and rear tires easily. Reinflate the tires, install the center tire, and your done.

By RON on Unrecorded Date: Edit

WHAT`S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRU TRAX AND ARGO TRACKS FOR THE 8X8 CONQUEST THE TRUE TRAX ARE ALOT CHEAPER HOW DO THEY WORK ALSO WITH A FULL TOP WOULD A CAB HEATER BE NEEDED IN SUB ZERO WEATHER OR WILL THE ENGINE MAKE ENOUGH HEAT IS A ROLL BAR A GOOD IDEA OR DOES IT TAKE ALOT TO ROLL ONE? DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE TO GET AN AFTERMARKET SOFTOP FOR THE CONQUEST

By Dan Harriger on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Reference my earlier request for help on installing tracks on a Max II, I tried Fred's method, but couldn't get the tracks on more than 3/4's on either the front or rear. The temperature was in the mid 20's and no heat in my garage. Obviously Fred's method will work, but probably with warmer (more flexible) tires and tracks. However, I took Jimmy's advice and used my Sear's vac to further deflate the tires. I didn't need to make the "squares", just enough to suck in 2 sides at a 90 degree to each other. The track then "walked" over the rear tire easily even in the cold. I then let air back into the rear tire and walked the track back over the front tire as it had come partially off. The vacuum deflated middle tire went on with no problems. I can now see how the shorter wheel base on the Max II makes putting on the tracks more difficult than one with a longer track. Thanks for all the advice.

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Dan, Glad you got them on OK. I keep forgetting about the Krims making it very hard to break a bead - remember the olden days! Still I would encourage all with tracks to keep an eye on your air pressure because if you break a bead out on the trail, it is pretty tough sledding. The other reason is as the temperature rises or you go up in elevation, PSI in your tires will increase and pressures over 10 PSI (with normal, unstretched tracks) puts tremendous strain on the axles in a turn. Reverse is true when it gets colder - 3 PSI at 40 degrees turns into about 1 PSI at zero, getting less yet at minuses. Stiff tires with very little air are very prone to pop beads (at least rims prior to the Krim).

By rick laplante on Unrecorded Date: Edit

i have a agro vangard 11 with wide tracks my problem is it will not climb a hill i have ice clets installed on it, i would like to know if their is any thing that i can install on this track to get more traction for deep snow.
thank you for any help
rick

By Gary O'Brien on Unrecorded Date: Edit

What are Flexi-Cleats? Are they available for MaxII? Where?

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Flexi-cleats are plastic cleats for snowmobile tracks. Available from Dennis Kirk and other snowmobile mailorder stores