By Wes Kay on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi all. I have owned an old i mean very old ARGO for a few years. I put a 10hp honda deisel engine in it. It gave me nothing but trouble. Im a helicopter pilot and ive flown that thing out of the bush more times then i drove it out. So now im ready to buy a new machine. The new ARGOs look very impressive but i just discovered the MAX. Now what is the diference in the transmission. Power has to be removed from one side for either machine to turn so how is it done differently on the MAX. Also, brakes how do they work on the MAX. Any input to would be welcome. I wanna fully enlosed machine that can go throu swamp and muskeg without me having to fly it out.P.S ive had to walk everytiem the ARGO flys

Wes Kay

By waynew on Unrecorded Date: Edit

a max's transmision is a T-20 skid steer the diffrance is that on a argo it has a open diffrential tha same as on a car or truck. skid steering in a argo is done by braking one side and letting power go to the other. this metond works but when you are going strait and hit mud you have 3 wheel drive. a max on the other hand gets power to all 6 wheels when going stright it is a little bit more eficent in getting power to the wheels.

By Douglas MacCullagh (Dougmac) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Wes, Waynew is on the right track. Argo uses a steering differential. It is a full slip differential, and you steer by applying one brake or the other. The Max's T-20 is a planetary transmission that works, in concept anyway, like a T-drive with clutches and brakes. The Argo has two forward gears, neutral, and reverse. Max has one forward, neutral, and reverse. I've been told that Max's brakes do not work when the engine is not running, Argo's brakes always work. Both machines can be used with tracks.

By waynew on Unrecorded Date: Edit

max also has a parking brake. so she don't get a way from you

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

Douglas, The T-20 tranny brake works regardless of engine on or off as long as in forward or reverse gear. The only time the T-20 brake does not work is when the tranny is shifted into neutral (therefore, one should not shift into neutral on an incline without using the holding brake). Isn't it true that in an Argo, you have to stop to shift from low to high? What is top speed in low gear? With the T-20, you can go one Mile per hour with full power or full speed, compleletly seamless. For operating efficiency, nothing compares to the T-20.

By Douglas MacCullagh (Dougmac) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Fred -

I've always thought of the transmission as a pre-select system (like the one in the tractor) but truth be told I've never tried to shift on the fly. Usually I don't need to - I spend about 80% of the time running in low gear, but low speed is no trouble in high gear. I use the low gear both for power, and to keep my top speed down. I've never clocked the Argo, but I'd guess top speed in low gear is about 12 MPH, maybe a little less. I generaly go slower than that to keep the ride comfortable for my wife and to simplify turns around all the trees. Actually, Fred, most of the time I am running in the woods where maneuverability is more important that ultra low PSI. I find the Argo easier to steer than the Max (and yes I tried both), and I need the larger cargo space in the back of the Argo. There have been a few times, though, when I wished the engine were in the rear!