So, tonight we had the first proper snowfall this year (small amounts had already fallen, late and slight). It's a bit backward, we've already seen -29f, but very little snow. I've just been out in the neighborhood, and forecast amounts of snow have, IMO, been exceeded.
Anyway, although I have the soft full doors for my P-500, I've yet to mount them. Garage space, wot. But there's another problem: My windshield is missing the side weather seals.
In the late night, I decided to drive about the neighborhood, a steep and sparsely populated space. Normally I would not drive on public roads, but snow was heavy and traffic was absent.
I was absolutely coated with snowdust inside the cab. Never more than 25 mph, I was subjected to snow-dust forming from the front wheels, the new snow sneaking in from the side of the windshield, and what's especially annoying, steam rushing up from the engine, where the seat belt latches are, as the Pioneer hit new snow on the ground.
I should say that I have a hard top, soft back, and a hard-coat Honda windscreen, I don't know why, but that windscreen doesn't have the stock weather stripping that mates it to the ROPS tube. It has an aftermarket wiper, but it's too small, and mounted incorrectly.
I've heard testimony that the heat coming through the engine via the space made by the seat belt mount is good enough... but good enough for what?
Even if it's cold, I think I need a strong positive cab air-flow. steamy air from the engine is... er, steamy. I need clear windows, and clear glasses.
I recently saw a website extolling a soft gasket that fits on the bottom of the P-500 door in order to keep out sand. I bet it'd work for fine, dry snow. I forget where I saw it.
I can think of some solutions, but they require permanent modification. I'm reticent.
I bet the SSS skid plate would help a lot regarding steam from the engine. It would help so many ways. Ugh, alas, I'm not a man of means.
There is finally an aftermarket heater for the P-500 that claims good performance. I'm intrigued. They make bold claims regarding heating performance, but I can't see their air flow stats.
Heat is nice, but if it makes fog, I cant drive.
Wow, what a ramble. Sorry. Maybe I should have delayed my comments so that I could make a more salient point, but conditions are changing so fast just now, I felt I had to get something written down.
No... wait...
I was preoccupied by the recent snow, I totally forgot to make my original point!
Extreme cold. I don't mean "wind chill" or "feels like." Who has dealt with a truly cold-soaked P-500? It's the same engine as the Foreman, and those have been run at crazy cold temps as a matter of course in Alaska. plug-in coolant and oil heaters for cars are common here, the equivalent for ATVs has pretty much been oil-sump heaters.
Have you had to deal with a cold soaked P-500? What did you do to get it started? Why did you need it to start?
There, now I'm back n track... um... but somehow even more verbose.
Sorry
Anyway, although I have the soft full doors for my P-500, I've yet to mount them. Garage space, wot. But there's another problem: My windshield is missing the side weather seals.
In the late night, I decided to drive about the neighborhood, a steep and sparsely populated space. Normally I would not drive on public roads, but snow was heavy and traffic was absent.
I was absolutely coated with snowdust inside the cab. Never more than 25 mph, I was subjected to snow-dust forming from the front wheels, the new snow sneaking in from the side of the windshield, and what's especially annoying, steam rushing up from the engine, where the seat belt latches are, as the Pioneer hit new snow on the ground.
I should say that I have a hard top, soft back, and a hard-coat Honda windscreen, I don't know why, but that windscreen doesn't have the stock weather stripping that mates it to the ROPS tube. It has an aftermarket wiper, but it's too small, and mounted incorrectly.
I've heard testimony that the heat coming through the engine via the space made by the seat belt mount is good enough... but good enough for what?
Even if it's cold, I think I need a strong positive cab air-flow. steamy air from the engine is... er, steamy. I need clear windows, and clear glasses.
I recently saw a website extolling a soft gasket that fits on the bottom of the P-500 door in order to keep out sand. I bet it'd work for fine, dry snow. I forget where I saw it.
I can think of some solutions, but they require permanent modification. I'm reticent.
I bet the SSS skid plate would help a lot regarding steam from the engine. It would help so many ways. Ugh, alas, I'm not a man of means.
There is finally an aftermarket heater for the P-500 that claims good performance. I'm intrigued. They make bold claims regarding heating performance, but I can't see their air flow stats.
Heat is nice, but if it makes fog, I cant drive.
Wow, what a ramble. Sorry. Maybe I should have delayed my comments so that I could make a more salient point, but conditions are changing so fast just now, I felt I had to get something written down.
No... wait...
I was preoccupied by the recent snow, I totally forgot to make my original point!
Extreme cold. I don't mean "wind chill" or "feels like." Who has dealt with a truly cold-soaked P-500? It's the same engine as the Foreman, and those have been run at crazy cold temps as a matter of course in Alaska. plug-in coolant and oil heaters for cars are common here, the equivalent for ATVs has pretty much been oil-sump heaters.
Have you had to deal with a cold soaked P-500? What did you do to get it started? Why did you need it to start?
There, now I'm back n track... um... but somehow even more verbose.
Sorry