Author Topic: Snowmobile Mods Plans  (Read 50390 times)

Offline bart

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Snowmobile Mods Plans
« on: Oct 24, 2010, 05:13 PM »
I recently purchased a snowmobile, 10' Artic Cat F570. I plan on a Auger rack up front off of the Sport Bumper. Also I plan on carry my ProTrap on a rack behind the seat. Any advice, do's and don'ts, and pics of your mods would be greatly appreciated.
I also purchased a 12' Triton covered trailer, I plan on having the whole arrangement(sled,auger,trap) left in place so I can pull on and off the trailer without having to unloading or loading everything every time in doing so.
Again any information would be greatly appreciated. Bart
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline CMMahy

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #1 on: Oct 25, 2010, 01:47 PM »
Looks like a great sled, and that sport bumper should be plenty strong to mount an auger too.

I'd like to come up with a similar setup for my Tundra, but don't quite have the necessary fabrication equipment yet. One thing to remember when you make a front mounted auger rack, is to make sure the rack clears the hood when opening, or make the whole rack easily removable for when you're checking the oil. Also, try and keep the auger as close to the centerline of the front suspension, this will distribute the weight better and prevent any issues with ski pressure and steering effort.
A bad day of fishing beats anything else I'd be doing today.....

Offline ravinerat

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #2 on: Oct 25, 2010, 08:10 PM »
i tried for a long time to figure out how to build a front rack. We have all seen the one Genz uses on a Bear Cat but it is produced for him and not commerically produced. Here is the best one I found but the guy had some machine shop skills. needed to cut some of the cowling to mount it properly.






I tried the "Sewer pipe" which worked ok but the pipe cracked and broke. The cold temps were hard on it. I fashoned it after this one here.



Here is one like your thinking of. It is inexpensive to make but the bumper could take a beating and crack with the weight. I have seen a few break the front bumper carrying a Jiffy 3 hp.



So after thinking long and hard I built a rear mount for my Tundra. I have no fabrication skills. I just cut everything with a hacksaw and bolted it together. It works great. I do have a few little things to fix to get the bugs out of it.




Hope some of these ideas help you get started.


RR
Be safe, Float!

Offline ravinerat

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #3 on: Oct 25, 2010, 08:17 PM »
Here is a few closer up pics of the rack Bart. I just read you were looking for them in another post.









RR
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Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #4 on: Oct 25, 2010, 08:39 PM »
I just picked up the sled today! The sport bumper does seem solid for a auger rack. Never gave a thought to weight distribution or clearance for removing the hood. The speed rack is not doable as a trap rack for the rear, basically junk. The tunnel rail system seem nice though.
RR, you seem like a guy that has done it all with auger racks! Do you have closeup pics of the last rack, looks pretty good for a guy with no fabrication skills. I thinking of incorporating #1 and #3 with the last one?
I do have a hitch but as for the sled rack I want it on a rack off the ice. When I picked it up the sled today, after inspecting the speed rack and tunnel rail I odered extra pins and studs for a sled rack to work with the tunnel rail? Maybe, it maybe a little too much of a challenge?
Thanks for the info and ideas!
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Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #5 on: Oct 25, 2010, 08:42 PM »
Nice! is that velcro straps that hold the auger on the motor end? Great design, removed you would ever now it was on there.
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline CMMahy

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #6 on: Oct 25, 2010, 08:55 PM »
That's the Mad Dog auger rack, it's two velcro straps on the handles and a rubber fork and bungee on the auger bit. I had the same one on the back of my old quad (now waiting for me to build a similar rack on my machine) and it works great.
A bad day of fishing beats anything else I'd be doing today.....

Offline ravinerat

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #7 on: Oct 26, 2010, 09:23 AM »
The Mad Dog  is a great holder and sure made things simple. I actually have no experience making auger racks except for the sewer pipe one. I thought long and hard. Gathered info from all over the net. Talked to the guy with the Green Grandtouring. I really didn't want to cut into the tunnel and add reinforcement. His was by far the nicest. The weight of the motor really puts alot of stress on the holder. You need something to support the power head or you could bend your shaft. Once you get going down the ice there can be lots of up and down movement of the power head depeending on ice conditions. It's all trial and error to find out what works. My design actually took me two seasons to figure it out while sitting on the ice. One day it just came to me. I have no heat exchangers under my tunnel so drilling into the cargo area was no big deal. You still have to watch the weight and stress on the cargo area as it is only rated for 50 lbs and can break.
There are some other things you could do. For the race Cains Quest some have had front racks made for gear and stuff. I'll post some of the pics I have of those sleds when I get home tonight. Some times it doesn't cost that much to have something custom made compared to all the money you spend on trial and error.


RR
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Offline ravinerat

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #8 on: Oct 26, 2010, 06:57 PM »
Hee is the pics I was talking about. They beef up their sleds for this race in Labrador. Tehy have a certian amount of gear they have to carry. I would guess it would cost less than $200 to make some of this stuff. You just need the idea and their are lots of small welding shops who could do the job. I have a few friends who would like nothing better than to practice their welding skills on my projects at my cost.






RR
Be safe, Float!

Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #9 on: Oct 26, 2010, 07:16 PM »
A little over the top, but maybe not? I do want to carry a shovel along and the tow strap. Thanks again for the info/pics.

I also dropped the seat off at an auto upholsterer to shorten the seat(remove the rear portion) to make more room for the ProTrap. Once I get it back I can start planning on how to make the rack for it, until then I'll be consentrating on the auger rack.
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline ravinerat

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #10 on: Oct 26, 2010, 07:35 PM »
Can you post a pic of your sled? It would help with ideas. There is a system out there called Ryan's Rack. Think it may be for a quad. Why not tow your trap? it's what I have always done.

RR
Be safe, Float!

Offline Mainedog

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #11 on: Oct 26, 2010, 08:08 PM »
Bart -

Check out this thread http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=153822.msg1504603#msg1504603
It may give you some ideas (or not).

MD


Offline ravinerat

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #12 on: Oct 26, 2010, 08:17 PM »
Lots  of good ideas there.

RR
Be safe, Float!

Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #13 on: Nov 03, 2010, 12:43 PM »
Finally I got some pics, I was waiting for the seat to get back. I had the seat altered to allow more room for the Shelter. Someone on another site had pics of a "L" shape rack. I really like the "L" rack idea! I'm thinking of trying to adapt that type of rack to the Tunnel Rails.
I had the track studded and a hitch in case a need to have a Otter Sled in tow also.
The Sport Bumper in the front is where I plan on working off of with an auger rack? I have a 8" Nils power auger, It's pretty long. I have some concerns of the length and the Sport Bumper being narrow? How much overhang is too much? And is supporting the power head(engine) necessary?



"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline juan arellano

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #14 on: Nov 03, 2010, 12:50 PM »
this is what I did to my sled at the end of last season right before the Orr trip.









For the 500.00 I have in to the Sled and the mod's it works great.
The more you think you know. is the less you really know

Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #15 on: Nov 03, 2010, 01:49 PM »
juan arellano, I like your shelter rack, quality all the way. As far as the auger rack, I only considered to mount the auger over the hood, yours sitting further out front has me rethinking a few things. Do you have more pics showing how the auger rack is mounted to the sled or how the auger engine is secured to the rack? Thanks for the pics and the great ideas!
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline juan arellano

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #16 on: Nov 03, 2010, 02:37 PM »
what I did is made a better bumper and mounted it to the bumper. the powerhead sits in the rack snug and them i strap it down.
The more you think you know. is the less you really know

Offline juan arellano

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #17 on: Nov 03, 2010, 02:41 PM »
I forgot to say that I will take the sled 50 to 60 mph across the lake and have never lost anything.
The more you think you know. is the less you really know

Offline ravinerat

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #18 on: Nov 04, 2010, 08:14 AM »
Nice sled Bart. There are tons of things you can do with that now the seat is shorter. Are the heat exchangers under the tunnel or the running boards?

Nice set up you got Juan. Does the trap placed that high change the triangle of stability much. How about crossing pressure cracks. We basicly have to jump them here.

The reason I ran my Auger length wise was for accessing the back lakes on narrow trails. If it were across the front of the back it may be too wide for some of the lakes I get into.

RR
Be safe, Float!

Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #19 on: Nov 04, 2010, 11:02 AM »
Nice sled Bart. There are tons of things you can do with that now the seat is shorter. Are the heat exchangers under the tunnel or the running boards?






Heat exchangers? I'm new to snowmobiles, I don't have a clue? I do know it is fan cooled and there is nothing under the running boards. I plan on incorporate the tunnel rail system for securing the shelter rack, just as Artic Cat uses it for other accessories.
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline CMMahy

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #20 on: Nov 04, 2010, 11:38 AM »
Liquid cooled sleds have aluminum coolers (Heat Exchangers) mounted in the tunnel or running boards to cool the engine by contact with the snow thrown up by the track, they do the same thing as the radiator in your car. Fan cooled sleds like yours just use a fan driven off the crank shaft and shroud to cool the engine, much simpler and keeps the weight down.
A bad day of fishing beats anything else I'd be doing today.....

Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #21 on: Nov 04, 2010, 12:29 PM »
CMMahy, Thanks for the info. I was told fan-cooled engine would be better for sleds on ice often, any opinion on that or advice with the fan-cooled sled while on ice?
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline CMMahy

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #22 on: Nov 04, 2010, 12:54 PM »
Yes, for the most part, fan cooled sleds are better as ice fishing machines, especially in low snow situations. About the only time it's better to have a liquid cooled machine is when there's lots of deep snow and slush, and the temperatures are well above zero. A liquid cooled machine will remain cool, using the loose snow/slush being thrown around inside the tunnel for cooling, but a fan cooled sled can over heat due to the higher air temps and large load on the engine from trying to power through the slush.

On the flip side, on a cold day with little to no loose snow on the lake, the fan cooled sled will run like a champ, but the liquid cooled sled will start to overheat. I've run my studded, fan cooled Tundra on almost glare ice last season several times, and the only issue was the lack of snow to lubricate the sliders. Any of my old liquid cooled machines would have overheated before I got to my fishing spot.

I'm sure you'll be very happy with the new sled!
A bad day of fishing beats anything else I'd be doing today.....

Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #23 on: Nov 04, 2010, 01:06 PM »
thanks for the info, it's a great help.
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline ravinerat

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #24 on: Nov 05, 2010, 06:23 AM »
cmmahy is bang on. I have run both liquid and fan and my liquid would always over heat in low snow condiitions. Even driving from patch to patch of snow really didn't help. You also need the speed in the liquid to throw the snow up on the heat exchangers. The old fan cooled can run slow and still keep cool providing the temps are cool. The only reason I was asking about the exchangers is I have seen people drill holes in their tunnel and right through the exchangers. A costly mistake. Your sled will do you fine for icefishing. So why to you want to put it up on a rack instead of tow it? Lets see some pics when you get your setup done.


RR
Be safe, Float!

Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #25 on: Nov 05, 2010, 11:35 AM »
I want a rack to reduce wear on the tub and it is suppose to be better for the equipment being carried in the tub. Also and the main reason is, I plan to have everything loaded(shelter and auger) on the sled and able to drive on and off the trailer without all the loading and unloading everytime. That's the plan anyway?
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
  Keep America Godly...

Offline ravinerat

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #26 on: Nov 05, 2010, 04:18 PM »
With a good pair of runners on the bottom there is no wear on the tub. My tub just pulls of of the truck, attach the bar with two pins and away I go. I can be rough on the gear but I have gotten around that with rod cases and my Vex usually rides on the sled with me.

RR
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Offline bart

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #27 on: Nov 10, 2010, 06:33 PM »
Yes, for the most part, fan cooled sleds are better as ice fishing machines, especially in low snow situations. About the only time it's better to have a liquid cooled machine is when there's lots of deep snow and slush, and the temperatures are well above zero. A liquid cooled machine will remain cool, using the loose snow/slush being thrown around inside the tunnel for cooling, but a fan cooled sled can over heat due to the higher air temps and large load on the engine from trying to power through the slush.

On the flip side, on a cold day with little to no loose snow on the lake, the fan cooled sled will run like a champ, but the liquid cooled sled will start to overheat. I've run my studded, fan cooled Tundra on almost glare ice last season several times, and the only issue was the lack of snow to lubricate the sliders. Any of my old liquid cooled machines would have overheated before I got to my fishing spot.

I'm sure you'll be very happy with the new sled!







I read earlier on another thread about, scratchers? I was thinking of getting them for lubricating the sliders? Can they help some on cooling a fan-cooled engine?
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline Fisherman 1

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #28 on: Nov 10, 2010, 08:06 PM »
No, all they do is kick up ice chips and a bit of snow onto the track sliders and cooling fins on the heat exchangers or under the tunnel and/or under the side foot rests for the liquid cooled motors.  The engine mounted fan takes care of air cooled motors, never had any problems with the small sled I had.  The do help on the sliders on any machine.

Offline CMMahy

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Re: Snowmobile Mods Plans
« Reply #29 on: Nov 11, 2010, 09:04 AM »
Quote
No, all they do is kick up ice chips and a bit of snow onto the track sliders and cooling fins on the heat exchangers or under the tunnel and/or under the side foot rests for the liquid cooled motors.  The engine mounted fan takes care of air cooled motors, never had any problems with the small sled I had.  The do help on the sliders on any machine.

Exactly! I'll probably be installing a set on my sled as well, depending on how much snow we get in the next month or so.
A bad day of fishing beats anything else I'd be doing today.....

 



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