Plumber32
Go ride!
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
What the Eskimos use is what I would use.
Cuoutdoors
Executive Member
Lifetime Member
ehart814
Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
I agree with trigger. The tracks for these things are very well suited to a small niche. If you're riding just for fun, get a sled. If you need to use your machine in deep snow, regularly, to do hauling that a sled couldn't do, then maybe consider tracks. Tracks use a lot of power, make the machine use a lot of fuel, and probably add stress that would require more repairs and upkeep down the road. Plus a very rough ride on anything other than snow. Not to mention all the additional moving parts in the tracks. And the tracks really offer no advantage other than in deep snow. I don't live in the mountains, but around here the tracks are just not worth the expense. I see used sets all the time (trying to sell a set for my uncle).
My perspective would probably be different if we had pack snow for months at a time, but here in PA it will snow hard, melt, snow hard, melt.
I have tracks for my 1000-5 and it goes good through a lot of snow. My biggest complaint is if you want to ride on groomed snowmobile trails it's kind of boring because you lose half your speed with tracks. It's also a gas guzzler with tracks. I gave up snowmobiling due to back problems about 5 years ago, the Pioneer is fun for me, it rides better, it's warmer with the cab. If you like to ice fish it's an awesome machine, haul all your gear in back and have a place to sit and watch out of the elements. No regrets here, and that's a good price you got, I paid more for my Camso tracks.
J
I had tracks on a Foreman for a while. In Alaska, we get a fair bit of snow and I thought I'd try the tracks to make my wheeler more versatile. I found that tracks were very slow, since they doubled my gear ratio. The other thing that I didn't like was that even in a couple of inches of snow, it was very difficult to steer in spite of my EPS. I ride snowmobiles a lot, and sold the tracks. I still ride wheelers and my Pioneer, but in my opinion, tracks are a compromise. That said, I have a buddy with a Talon on tracks. He has a remote cabin and rides the whole way on packed trails. The Talon on tracks doesn't damage the trail the way that tires would. Just my .02
J
I don't have much experience on a sled. I did ride one last year for a couple hours tho. It was a LOT of work. I kept tipping over. I didn't realize how hard it is to ride a sled. However it had endless power!
I've got trax on my 09' Rhino 700. They're tons of fun. I did have a learning curve for them and had to modify my machine. I had a lot of clutch/belt issues but have fixed that now by gearing the clutch lower, adding a clutch blower fan and a temp sensor for the clutch. I also have to replace wheel bearings yearly.
They are geared down about 60% so if my speedometer says I'm going 20mph I'm actually only going 12mph, and if the odometer says I've gone 50 miles I've actually only gone 35 miles.
Therefore it does use a lot more gas. I carry a extra gas in the back but have only used it once.
I've never heard anybody say sleds were great on gas either tho.
I have had it stuck two times where I had to dig it out and 1 time I used my winch. Again, it's learning where not to go like down in ravines. The one time I used my winch was because I was on a groomed trail so I had it in high gear and forgot to lock my front differential when I turned down into deeper snow. Had It been in low with the diff locked I think I wouldn't have gotten stuck.
The total depth of the snow doesn't matter as you can see from my picture. A lot of fresh deep powder might be an issue but it will build up a base under it and you can stay on top.
You won't climb steep hills like a sled due to lack of power. You also won't side hill as well since you can't shift your weight like you can on a sled.
However I have gone through sage brush and rocky areas that the sleds with me wouldn't try.
I have hauled out an entire elk in the back.
I stay warm in the cab and have company.
It's time to upgrade and the Honda Pioneer1000-5 should be the perfect machine with it's transmission and 1000cc engine. I do wish it was lighter.
The tracks are the same. All I have to do is buy the mounting kit for the Honda and I can use my same tracks.
Hope this helps!
I've got trax on my 09' Rhino 700. They're tons of fun. I did have a learning curve for them and had to modify my machine. I had a lot of clutch/belt issues but have fixed that now by gearing the clutch lower, adding a clutch blower fan and a temp sensor for the clutch. I also have to replace wheel bearings yearly.
They are geared down about 60% so if my speedometer says I'm going 20mph I'm actually only going 12mph, and if the odometer says I've gone 50 miles I've actually only gone 35 miles.
Therefore it does use a lot more gas. I carry a extra gas in the back but have only used it once.
I've never heard anybody say sleds were great on gas either tho.
I have had it stuck two times where I had to dig it out and 1 time I used my winch. Again, it's learning where not to go like down in ravines. The one time I used my winch was because I was on a groomed trail so I had it in high gear and forgot to lock my front differential when I turned down into deeper snow. Had It been in low with the diff locked I think I wouldn't have gotten stuck.
The total depth of the snow doesn't matter as you can see from my picture. A lot of fresh deep powder might be an issue but it will build up a base under it and you can stay on top.
You won't climb steep hills like a sled due to lack of power. You also won't side hill as well since you can't shift your weight like you can on a sled.
However I have gone through sage brush and rocky areas that the sleds with me wouldn't try.
I have hauled out an entire elk in the back.
I stay warm in the cab and have company.
It's time to upgrade and the Honda Pioneer1000-5 should be the perfect machine with it's transmission and 1000cc engine. I do wish it was lighter.
The tracks are the same. All I have to do is buy the mounting kit for the Honda and I can use my same tracks.
Hope this helps!
Remington
POIDH Enforcement Officer
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
I have 3 sleds. Love the quickness on trail, off and versatileness they give you. Traxs are cool, thought about getting a set but in my case, we cant ride on groomed sled trails in this state with traxs so that killed it for me. If i ever need to haul stuff to my cabin, i use a deer sled on the back of my sled, there deep and u can get a chit ton of gear in there. Hauled my 2 black labs in there before lol. The Turing sleds are nice for hauling things as well. Good price you got for those traxs. One thing i always heard is taking them on and off are a pita depending on the brand you buy. The more expensive ones are easier to take off.
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C
I have Camco tracks on my Talon X4 , They are go about the same as a standard snowmobile. They take a lot of power , so performance feels like a800cc machine. I have all the toys summer and winter and my Talon is all tricked out . Getting stuck has not been to bad as I can back up most of the time, The X4 is long so you cannot turn around just any where, I suggest a rear view camera to avoid a sore neck .I had to back up about a mile the other day.
L
lowrider
Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
I love my tracks and I don’t have to insure another machine . I just use my pioneer 12 months a year big plus with the wife. I run the dog every day of the year with it and no problems 
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J
Love your ride Rubin! If my 2 grandkids weren't living with me now I would definitely get the 1000-3 vs the 1000-5.
How long have you had your tracks?
Have you had any issues with your machine running them? (ie overheating, transmission, wheel bearings, etc.......)
How tall is your machine with the tracks? (I'm wondering if it would still fit in my enclosed trailer.)
Thanks,
Jason
How long have you had your tracks?
Have you had any issues with your machine running them? (ie overheating, transmission, wheel bearings, etc.......)
How tall is your machine with the tracks? (I'm wondering if it would still fit in my enclosed trailer.)
Thanks,
Jason
Thanks had the tracks for two years had them on a Polaris first then I got the Honda last year because the differentials and the transmission are far superior than other brands. No problems with the Honda go were I want when l want . I think it’s about 61/2 feet tall. No regrets
D
Hello all,
We bought a PK5 a couple of years ago to replace our snowmobiles. We purchased it with a factory roof and split windshield. We also picked up a set of Mattracks from our Honda Dealer here in Chico Kalifornia. I have been reading this forum since before we bought the rig, but have not responded to Q and A's since most of you have far more experience than I. However, after using the PK5 with tracks for a couple of years and having experience with snowmobiles I thought I'd weigh in.
To be totally honesty, I have never cared for snowmobiles but several years we bought a cabin in a area the roads to it are not maintained in the winter. The area has gotten up to 20' feet of snow some years. Our first experience with the PK5 and tracks was during a particularly heavy snow fall. The roads had not been groomed in several days and the difference in height between the snow at the staging area and the trail was about 6 feet. It was not a totally vertical wall of snow but a fairly steep incline. The PK5 drove up on the snow with ease with the tracks sinking into the soft snow about 10 inches. We had the bed loaded with an ice chest and supplies for the week. After confirming we wouldn't just sink, I hooked up to a 6" long sled loaded with fuel, propane and another ice chest. The trek from the staging area to our cabin is 2.5 mile with a slight ascending grade. We made it to the cabin with no issues. I did get it stuck that weekend after I determined it was unstoppable, when I discovered a creek had formed under the snow and the tracks were left dangling while the rig was high centered. It actually came fairly easy with a bit of digging and a pull from the winch.
The only real downfalls with the PK5 vs a snowmobile. It's really wide, so that limits us on some trails. If you're a speed junkie the PK5 won't be your cup of tea.
So far, I have found the PK5 gets stuck a lot less than the snowmobiles (its easier to back out if it does get stopped) and I make less trips between the staging area and the cabin to haul supplies.
The PK5 uses about the same amount of fuel as the snowmobiles when the tracks are on.
When you hit patches of no snow the PK5 doesn't care. I'm sure that puts a bit more wear on the tracks but I doesn't sound like you are grinding away at your sleds major components.
That first trek we did not have any enclosures except the roof and the windshield. That made it as comfortable as a snowmobile. I since have put on Seimik front uppers, a rear fabric panel with vinyl, windshield wiper and my wife made us solid fabric side panels so now the cab and bed are enclosed (now its as comfortable as the Jeep). We installed a couple of mirrors and some rear lighting. Also a winch is a must (although, I've only used it for myself that one time). Without at least the uppers there is no way to stay dry. Soft snow fly's everywhere.
We did not install a heater and have not needed it yet as the heat put off by the engine (even after insulating) does a pretty good job of warming the cab.
One issue I've noticed if you get on a long steep incline with the tracks and soft snow the PK wants to run hot.
After the initial (learning) install, now it takes me about 45 minutes to install/remove the tracks. If I changed rims I'd probably speed that up by 20 minutes.
I've found the speedo/odometer is off by about 40%.
Hope this helps.
Dan
We bought a PK5 a couple of years ago to replace our snowmobiles. We purchased it with a factory roof and split windshield. We also picked up a set of Mattracks from our Honda Dealer here in Chico Kalifornia. I have been reading this forum since before we bought the rig, but have not responded to Q and A's since most of you have far more experience than I. However, after using the PK5 with tracks for a couple of years and having experience with snowmobiles I thought I'd weigh in.
To be totally honesty, I have never cared for snowmobiles but several years we bought a cabin in a area the roads to it are not maintained in the winter. The area has gotten up to 20' feet of snow some years. Our first experience with the PK5 and tracks was during a particularly heavy snow fall. The roads had not been groomed in several days and the difference in height between the snow at the staging area and the trail was about 6 feet. It was not a totally vertical wall of snow but a fairly steep incline. The PK5 drove up on the snow with ease with the tracks sinking into the soft snow about 10 inches. We had the bed loaded with an ice chest and supplies for the week. After confirming we wouldn't just sink, I hooked up to a 6" long sled loaded with fuel, propane and another ice chest. The trek from the staging area to our cabin is 2.5 mile with a slight ascending grade. We made it to the cabin with no issues. I did get it stuck that weekend after I determined it was unstoppable, when I discovered a creek had formed under the snow and the tracks were left dangling while the rig was high centered. It actually came fairly easy with a bit of digging and a pull from the winch.
The only real downfalls with the PK5 vs a snowmobile. It's really wide, so that limits us on some trails. If you're a speed junkie the PK5 won't be your cup of tea.
So far, I have found the PK5 gets stuck a lot less than the snowmobiles (its easier to back out if it does get stopped) and I make less trips between the staging area and the cabin to haul supplies.
The PK5 uses about the same amount of fuel as the snowmobiles when the tracks are on.
When you hit patches of no snow the PK5 doesn't care. I'm sure that puts a bit more wear on the tracks but I doesn't sound like you are grinding away at your sleds major components.
That first trek we did not have any enclosures except the roof and the windshield. That made it as comfortable as a snowmobile. I since have put on Seimik front uppers, a rear fabric panel with vinyl, windshield wiper and my wife made us solid fabric side panels so now the cab and bed are enclosed (now its as comfortable as the Jeep). We installed a couple of mirrors and some rear lighting. Also a winch is a must (although, I've only used it for myself that one time). Without at least the uppers there is no way to stay dry. Soft snow fly's everywhere.
We did not install a heater and have not needed it yet as the heat put off by the engine (even after insulating) does a pretty good job of warming the cab.
One issue I've noticed if you get on a long steep incline with the tracks and soft snow the PK wants to run hot.
After the initial (learning) install, now it takes me about 45 minutes to install/remove the tracks. If I changed rims I'd probably speed that up by 20 minutes.
I've found the speedo/odometer is off by about 40%.
Hope this helps.
Dan
I would add to Dan's post. I was skeptic and did not want to use tracks on P500, its lighter and narrower and would perform better then P1000 if it had same HP, so two years ago I bought Centaur with winter track grousers and its was nice warm ride but very slow 10 mph. So decided to sell and bought P1000 since planning to have wife and kid travelling in the mountains , P500 super nice but too small for 3 of us. I dont see perfect machine so decided still buy tracks for P500, but while waiting for tracks saw good priced P1000-5 and bought it and now waiting for delivery. Atvtracks.net Gary was accommodative and changed to P1000 track kit from P500 , they will be shipped from camso direct next week it saves 200$ . By the way if u do cash , shipping to any bussiness adress and spring rebate, 4s1 tracks are 4550$ to your door.
If I start to miss super dip snow, that I have not seen in MT for the last 2 years then I go back and get mid size snowcat like LMC 1500 , or Thiokol 1450, they perform way better with same comfort of enclosed cabin.
On another note if you have Talon X 2 seater it will perform way better then P1000, I saw how the guy on Marverick X3 with snow tracks was going like a sled 40-50 mph, but he has turbo with 190 hp. But I dont want to go talon way since i need 3 seater and rig for towing elk , any game
If I start to miss super dip snow, that I have not seen in MT for the last 2 years then I go back and get mid size snowcat like LMC 1500 , or Thiokol 1450, they perform way better with same comfort of enclosed cabin.
On another note if you have Talon X 2 seater it will perform way better then P1000, I saw how the guy on Marverick X3 with snow tracks was going like a sled 40-50 mph, but he has turbo with 190 hp. But I dont want to go talon way since i need 3 seater and rig for towing elk , any game
Just can’t beat the comfort and the power and at 60 years old l like the fact that I can listen to the stereo when I run the dog and have a coffee in comfort 12 months a year .
Agree I'm 42, and just can't get over idea to dress heavily for a snowmobile ride. Comfort above speed. May be after I broke shoulder when I rolled on a snowmobile I gave it up completely
. Not sure what reason was first Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
Here us video of argo I used to own couple weeks ago and maverick on tracks.
I could go anywhere almost compare to higher hp maverick. He could no cross any fallen tree. Solid track is way better. So if I build a cabin and need to commute in dep snow then snkwcat is superior to sxs with tracks
Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
I could go anywhere almost compare to higher hp maverick. He could no cross any fallen tree. Solid track is way better. So if I build a cabin and need to commute in dep snow then snkwcat is superior to sxs with tracks
Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
Maverick on regular all season tracks
Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
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