Atv with tracks advice

[blucoondawg]

Hello everyone, just joined recently, haven't posted much yet. I am considering an atv with tracks for ice fishing, a buddy has a forman with tracks and the thing goes anywhere and will tow a ton. I was considering a utility sled but it doesn't make sense to me to spend that kind of money they get for a big longtrack machine that I can only use for a short time out of the year, plus I believe the atv track system has many advantages over a sled, personally from what I have seen a track atv will go places a large snow machine will not.

Do any of you have the track setup and if so what atv have you coupled with which track setup? Is there a different atv you would prefer whether it be suspension or engine size?

I just bought the wife a new foreman last spring, Ive got an older Suzuki Eiger I'm planning to offload and pick up a new 4x4 with tracks.

[mr ducks]

Have had both an atv and utv with these and worked great. As with most things they do have their limitations but all in all work very well.
Good luck and enjoy!

[3M TA3]

For 2 years I had a Can Am Commander XT that I contemplated putting the Tatou 4S tracks on because I kept bottoming out the Commander frame in the snow and getting stuck. I couldn't justify the cost. Plus putting them on and off for the different seasons and storing those parts not being used just seemed like too much PITA to me. Since I always seemed to have parts left over when I do mechanical things anyway, it just seemed simpler to sell the UTV and go back to a sled.

[wellpastcold]

I have had both a quad and a side by side on tracks. I also have traditional snowmobiles. I don't use the snowmobiles much since I got my enclosed cab on my side by side. I am extremely happy with the tracks.

[Plotman]

I don't have tracks although I researched them at 1 time and decided that tire chains (studded logging diamond pattern type) would work for me here in Iowa due to moderate snow during an average winter. The one thing that was brought up by several I spoke to was that when using tracks, power steering was priceless on any machine they were mounted.

[Paul H]

FWIW - there is a small company over in the UP, (not all THAT far from you) that has installed tracks on a lot of everything. Including an old FJ Jeep - a newer Tacoma and a lot of ATV.

PM if you want more.

[hawg]

I have a friend with a Can Am and he's replaced 3 axles and a steering system since the tracks went on 2 years ago. Can Am stood behind him for zero and it was under warranty.

[blucoondawg]

Originally Posted by hawg

I have a friend with a Can Am and he's replaced 3 axles and a steering system since the tracks went on 2 years ago. Can Am stood behind him for zero and it was under warranty.

Yes tracks are hard on the steering and front end of a atv, as are oversized wheels and tires. My buddy with the Honda foreman has the tracks on it and it is a 05 or so and his front end is thoroughly worn and sloppy, he hasn't replaced any of it yet. I only plan to run the tracks on the ice and deep snow conditions, I won't be using them on dry ground I imagine that is even harder on the components.

[blucoondawg]

Originally Posted by 3M TA3

For 2 years I had a Can Am Commander XT that I contemplated putting the Tatou 4S tracks on because I kept bottoming out the Commander frame in the snow and getting stuck. I couldn't justify the cost. Plus putting them on and off for the different seasons and storing those parts not being used just seemed like too much PITA to me. Since I always seemed to have parts left over when I do mechanical things anyway, it just seemed simpler to sell the UTV and go back to a sled.

I don't mind putting them on and off in the fall and spring, its no different than changing out tires once the initial setup is done.

If it were just me running around the lake maybe pulling a pop up shelter then a sled would be fine but I am going to build a skid house next summer, trying to keep it as light as possible but they still always end up heavier than you plan. The track atv's do much better dragging these around in bad conditions than a snowmobile in my experience.

[blucoondawg]

Well I planned on doing some more looking around but I stumbled across a deal on a used grizzly today (lightly used demo unit) basically get the tracks for free so I had to pull the trigger. Driving down in the morning to pick her up.