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Bolt On Track Conversions for Deep Snow

For the comedy: Before starting this thread I sent an email question to Mattracks about studding/ice cleating their tracks. Long story short....the price for a set of tracks for a 1 ton type truck.....$48K!!! (starting price for the cheapest of 10 options for such a vehicle).

LOL....they must only sell these things to the ultra rich and tax feeders like municipalities/counties who don't care what they cost b/c the tax payer gets stuck with the bill.

There are a lot of other companies doing similar track set ups....I wonder if they are all as exorbitant.

Yeah, if I went this route, I'd make my own.
 

American Track Truck - Car Truck & SUV Rubber Track System

American Track Truck - Car Truck & SUV Rubber Track System Truck Tracks - Rubber Track Conversion Systems
americantracktruck.com
Screenshot_20231108_173122_Messages.jpg
 
Yeah, I can see where the steering is going to be taxed a lot harder with the tracks. It would seem the speed limitation might also help with throwing a track if you tried to turn to aggressively under power. Thanks for the links. I'm still thinking (I guess day dreaming is more accurate) about these but I'm not sure they are going to be the right tool for the job for me in particular.
 
Corey Young said:
A few guys around here run them. They stay on top better then tires. Down side is that they are slow and can rip a knuckle off or rotate if you hit a rock, stump or ditch.


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LOVE this pic BTW.....

So in your opinion, are big, fat tires/chains the better way to go?
 
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Question have you ever lived anywhere it snowed at? Are you planning on leave the house everyday or just once a week or less?

This seems like an exercise of a dream of yours. Just like all the guys who dream of being a farmer. When they finally do it realize their dreams were just fantasy’s and it really sucks irl.

With that said a Suzuki samurai with tracks on it is pretty unstoppable. My BIl’s brother has one up in houghton mi. He has a blast driving that thing around everywhere. It’s amazing what that thing will go through.

There is a guy up in the houghton area that makes cheaper bolt on tracks.

American Track Truck - Car Truck & SUV Rubber Track System

American Track Truck - Car Truck & SUV Rubber Track System Truck Tracks - Rubber Track Conversion Systems
www.americantracktruck.com
 
Really depends on what you want to do and your budget.
 
When I lived in Canada, I got to ride in a small snow groomer. Little Ford four cylinder tracked thing. It had two seats, small hatch back, heat and even a coffee maker. I think it would be perfect for the long driveway deal. The guy told me he bought it for 4K.

Want speed?

 
ThePanzerFuhrer said:
Question have you ever lived anywhere it snowed at? Are you planning on leave the house everyday or just once a week or less?

This seems like an exercise of a dream of yours. Just like all the guys who dream of being a farmer. When they finally do it realize their dreams were just fantasy’s and it really sucks irl.

With that said a Suzuki samurai with tracks on it is pretty unstoppable. My BIl’s brother has one up in houghton mi. He has a blast driving that thing around everywhere. It’s amazing what that thing will go through.

There is a guy up in the houghton area that makes cheaper bolt on tracks.

American Track Truck - Car Truck & SUV Rubber Track System

American Track Truck - Car Truck & SUV Rubber Track System Truck Tracks - Rubber Track Conversion Systems
www.americantracktruck.com
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Yeah. I'm FROM Montana originally. My 'dream' is to get back to MT. I've built buggies from scratch; I'm positive I can build my own tracks if I decide to go that route over tires/chains or something else.
 
Sean said:
Yeah. I'm FROM Montana originally. My 'dream' is to get back to MT. I've built buggies from scratch; I'm positive I can build my own tracks if I decide to go that route over tires/chains or something else.
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But will they work without the track falling off in the most in opportune time. :lmao::flipoff2: Building a buggy from scratch isn’t a big accomplishment, finishing the build is the accomplishment :lmao: :flipoff2::homer:.

With all the parts and aftermarket support is more of a Lego kit these days. Now build a monster truck from scratch and you’ll get some praise :lmao::flipoff2:
 
ThePanzerFuhrer said:
But will they work without the track falling off in the most in opportune time. :lmao::flipoff2: Building a buggy from scratch isn’t a big accomplishment :lmao:. With all the parts and aftermarket support is more of a Lego kit these days. Now build a monster truck from scratch and you’ll get some praise :lmao::flipoff2:
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Well, judging by the old PBB and the plethora of YT videos, provided you make everything square, throwing a track doesn't seem to be common.

Yeah, from 'scratch' means it's not a kit, dumbass.
 
Look into older tracked rigs. Tucker, Bombi, PistenBully, etc.

Can get then for under 20k, even under 10k sometimes
 
Lotta shit throwing from a dude with a 3 page mental masturbation thread.

From what I see, people use tracks to get to places they don't regularly go, where clearing the snow isn't feasible or justifiable.. If they live somewhere full time, they do something to clear the snow out, plow, snow blower, napalm, whatever.

Sure, the tracks you're looking at are a lot of money, but when you try to quantify their R&D time, I'd argue that its not that unreasonable. If there's an emergency and you need off the mountain top villa you're imagineering, what's the cost of a life flight? What's the cost if that home built track fails part way and you're stuck? The risk of headed to a remote camp via snowmobile, versus the risk of living full time in a place inaccessible by wheeled vehicle is very different IMO.

IDFK what kind of affirmation you were looking to get from this thread, but it's clear that anyones opinion different than yours is wrong, so just ignore the advice, build whatever contraption you want, and fuckin do it.
 
posford said:
Lotta shit throwing from a dude with a 3 page mental masturbation thread.

From what I see, people use tracks to get to places they don't regularly go, where clearing the snow isn't feasible or justifiable.. If they live somewhere full time, they do something to clear the snow out, plow, snow blower, napalm, whatever.

Sure, the tracks you're looking at are a lot of money, but when you try to quantify their R&D time, I'd argue that its not that unreasonable. If there's an emergency and you need off the mountain top villa you're imagineering, what's the cost of a life flight? What's the cost if that home built track fails part way and you're stuck? The risk of headed to a remote camp via snowmobile, versus the risk of living full time in a place inaccessible by wheeled vehicle is very different IMO.

IDFK what kind of affirmation you were looking to get from this thread, but it's clear that anyones opinion different than yours is wrong, so just ignore the advice, build whatever contraption you want, and fuckin do it.
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You might want to go back and read from where the insulting innuendo originated. Never said an unkind word to anyone prior to post #72. If you'd like to tell me exactly where I told/implied someone's opinion/input wasn't welcome or 'wrong', I'm happy to discuss it.

So far the input (from what I remember) is:...some people don't like the tracks b/c of the cost/too slow, some prefer tires/chains, some said go full snow cat, some recommended sleds/park at the pavement and others said maintain a very long unpaved road via plow or tracked loader. I haven't made a decision on which route I'll take. All of the options make sense for what I have planned ('imagineered' is perfectly acceptable to say as well) and I have some of the stuff necessary to put multiple methods into action...that's a far cry from not taking advice....it's actually quite the opposite.

Lastly, I never said their R&D was inexpensive....it's more than I'm willing to pay. If you don't think $48K is a lot of money....I can't relate to your lifestyle/income level and I'm not going to apologize for that.
 
Build yer own, try the Russian style?
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I'd let the set of tracks for pretty cheap if you're interested. Can palletize and bring to the Anchorage port.
 
We use tracks on our SXSs and ATVs for Search and Rescue here in SW Montana. They are a fireroad/groomer trail tool and a pain in the ass. We tend to break the small guide wheels on the ATVs, and they throw a lot of snow around in normal operation. We run a wheeled set of SXSs and a tracked set, then utility sleds and mountain sleds to give us year round access, the tracks are helpful in the shoulder seasons where wheels get stuck and sleds can't go. It's also a lot more pleasant for the patient to ride in a SXS cab, we'll get them down to a fire road and then transport out in a tracked 4 seater.

Most people that live in summer access cabins year round just use a sled to get back and forth to the main road and park a truck nearby. It's a tight community in those places and the chances of your neighbors messing with your shit is pretty low. I still wouldn't park a truck built in the last 2 decades there though, don't want to stick out. I've gone back and forth on the same impulse to sell my place in town and achieve my lifelong dream of becoming a mountain hermit, but I still have to work and I'm far too lazy to wake up at 4AM to ride a snowmobile down to get into my shitty old truck to drive an hour into town to make a few bucks. Power/Water/Septic was also logistically too much of a pain in the ass to figure out while still working a full time job, I don't remember the exact number but it was gonna cost a few thousand (I feel like it was $5-10k) per power pole to have northwestern energy run a line out to a piece of property. Builders were also pretty unwilling to come out to the boonies, so it was a build it yourself project. My 2 cents, buy a cheap ass mansion in Butte, you'll still have a project, Butte is a cool town and I suspect as this bubble pops you'll be able to pick something up for stupid cheap. As Bozeman grows, it's going to bring Butte with it and property values are gonna increase in the next decade.
 
DocRamsay said:
We use tracks on our SXSs and ATVs for Search and Rescue here in SW Montana. They are a fireroad/groomer trail tool and a pain in the ass. We tend to break the small guide wheels on the ATVs, and they throw a lot of snow around in normal operation. We run a wheeled set of SXSs and a tracked set, then utility sleds and mountain sleds to give us year round access, the tracks are helpful in the shoulder seasons where wheels get stuck and sleds can't go. It's also a lot more pleasant for the patient to ride in a SXS cab, we'll get them down to a fire road and then transport out in a tracked 4 seater.

Most people that live in summer access cabins year round just use a sled to get back and forth to the main road and park a truck nearby. It's a tight community in those places and the chances of your neighbors messing with your shit is pretty low. I still wouldn't park a truck built in the last 2 decades there though, don't want to stick out. I've gone back and forth on the same impulse to sell my place in town and achieve my lifelong dream of becoming a mountain hermit, but I still have to work and I'm far too lazy to wake up at 4AM to ride a snowmobile down to get into my shitty old truck to drive an hour into town to make a few bucks. Power/Water/Septic was also logistically too much of a pain in the ass to figure out while still working a full time job, I don't remember the exact number but it was gonna cost a few thousand (I feel like it was $5-10k) per power pole to have northwestern energy run a line out to a piece of property. Builders were also pretty unwilling to come out to the boonies, so it was a build it yourself project. My 2 cents, buy a cheap ass mansion in Butte, you'll still have a project, Butte is a cool town and I suspect as this bubble pops you'll be able to pick something up for stupid cheap. As Bozeman grows, it's going to bring Butte with it and property values are gonna increase in the next decade.
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I'm afraid you're 100% correct on Bozangeles dragging the rest of MT with it.

Yeah, I was going to do some sort of generator (in addition to a Miller Bobcat for the shop) and likely geothermal, thermal mass heater and back up small solar array for power/heat. Water is hit and miss....depends on location, but drilling a well can be an easy $50K if they have to drill granite and modified septic (likely in a very rocky area) is going to also be spendy. Very few builders...as you mention. I was thinking of trying to be the GC on it, but that all depends on my workload.

Thank you for the input. My diesel trucks are both older (2002) but I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving either of those especially since they are so coveted even though they are old AF. Might just have to buy a beater for the purpose, which still could make fiscal sense.
 
This thing would outpull a full size truck in the snow. It was an absolute beast. The po had to add aftermarket power steering to turn it and it was hard on front end components. Those are camso tracks, IIRC.
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Love my side by sides with tracks. They suck up a lot of fuel though when its wet heavy spring snow and your breaking trail.

Buy on a school bus route. It's what gets my dirt/ice road plowed and the occasional gravel dropped on it. It's pretty much Ice from now until April/May. Most of the road between our place and the highway is in the shade of a mountain.
 
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