By Ed Simon on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I just switched from Std. Tracks to Super Tracks on my Argo Conquest. They worked great on some 2+ foot deep U.P. Mich snow. Now that the snow is gone, can I just use my tires as is or do I have to take the spacers/extensions off? If I do, what a pain! I also use a dual wheel kit up front so that my Conquest floats level in the water. This makes it easier to climb out of a lake too. Would the extensions plus the dual wheel adapters make the axle/wheel flanges too weak? Please advise.

By steven (Walleye713) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

ed,
my conquest has never had the axle extenders removed and its 4 years old now. but not a lot of hours 35. i just take the super tracks on and off and never remove the axle extensions. my dealer asks why i dont and i say why should i? he says its narower then. i never felt the width was a problem. if i cant go around an obstical i go over it.
steve

By Mike Mitchell (Mmitch) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The manual says to remove the extenders because it is easy to bend the axle with them on. After running the tracks in the summer the cleats on the tracks tend to flaten out on the top and the snow gets traped in the groves and won't come out. When running in slush and packy snow it keeps building up and eventualy hits the body. I have been using a die grinder and grinding the cleats so the cintrifical force will throw the snow back out. It is a lot of work but it helps. A person should save his super tracks for snow only. If you could find rubber tracks that would be the way to go.

By lilchief on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Does anyones ARGO or MAX ride a weelie? I heard something about this and was wondering..
My ARGO looses power and speed going up a 30 degree incline 1/7 long buy the time I get to the top my throttle is wide open and My daughter and I are just about sitting there, no spinning no belt burning, no brakes on, just no power, what could be wrong?

By david berger (David3rdd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

lilchief, shur, my max dose wheeles, it used to do mean wheelys, i had to abort so as not to go over or fall out! but it's a little tired now and it's not so scairy anymore, i have the kowasaki 440 cc (2 cycle twin cyl.)aprox 38 hp)
eer, why do you ask ?

By lilchief on Unrecorded Date: Edit

the lack of power in my ARGO makes me wonder...
I have never had a 6 wheeler before or even driven one. till I got my ARGO and right now I am not impressed at all.. I could of had more fun with a 4-2 wheeler. I bought this 6x6 becouse I have very limited vision. I liked the max but the front was too short for me and fear of getting things in the face ia a major down fall for me... so I went with the ARGO BIG FOOT. and made sure is was yellow, with supertracks,windshield,winch,and convertable. I tryed to get cleats but no one has them. so I spicked the tract..
The first day I got it it was fun I could go up steep hills and this mechine would eat them up. and I had my Son, at 175lbs My daughter in the rear at 145 lbs, and My self at 160 lbs. and the BIG FOOT would still keep going right across fields that had not been touched with 4ft of snow of varieous conditions. It was great I even climbed a snow and Ice bank that was 6 ft high and strait up I thought I was going to roll it over. LOL. My doughter said she could see the sand on the ground and count them while she hung on the back of my seat hallering at me .. My son was hugging the windshield trying to give it weighteri the front from going over, Me I was laughing at the time and knew this little mechine would take it with no problem. and yes we made it with no problems. we then cut trails up banks that snowmobliles could not go to much powder I had snow plowing over the front of the mechine. and it still kept gong up at 50 degree hill like it didn't exist.. Boy was I happy..
The second day it seemed like I had lost half the power it was slower and poping alot out of the exhaust. everytime the govener kicked in black smoke would shoot out... now it won't even make it up a hill of 30 degrees. at full throttle it just bearly creaps at the top and I know this is not my imagination.. last week I had at least a thousand pounds of people in it and we went wright across the field in high gear didn't have much problem with power loss then .. but been getting worse every time I go out... ]
So I was wondering if anyone else has had any problems similer to this and how they solved it.
I used carb cleaner. I have changed the oil like I am suspose to. I called the rep. and adjusted the carb... still no go I even pulled the plugs out and they are black and sutty..not very nice looking... the rep. susjest put in new plugs. I think it is too soon tohave to replace plugs already ... what do you think can anyone help.....
I asked about wheelies becouse I think this mechine should have enough power pull the front up atleast off the ground it should snap your head off. I believe it sould have enought balls to spin tires and track from a stand still. if you full throttle it all the way .... .. Do the Max or any ARGO'S do this ... Tim O'k. what about your big foot will it spin the tires from go....

By davidb3rd@aol.com (David3rdd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

lilchief , sorry but since the gov. wants clean air you will not likly find factory machines with that kind of hp any more,
4 strokes only from here on out. there is a movement in that direction though, mine is an older modle w/2 stroke and you bet that argo had high powerd 2 stroke twins too!wheelys serv no perpose other than to destroy your vehicle anyway so don't concern yourself with that limitation, i saw a 440 argo at the humphrey NY. jamboree and i think it was the orrs who brought it, thay took nearly all the trophies in all the classes, hmmm, i wonder if that was the machine that did it?
still the mater at hand is not realy if your bigfoot sucks or not, nor is it wether you were duped into a poor invetment, you have a great machine! wich unfortunatly sufers from cronic "lawnmower carb & govener sindrome"
the cure is not standerdized yet but with the help of this discussion board in time it will be! hopfuly the respective factoreys will offer retrofit kits for a real world vehicle carb,
somebody pinch me!
til then you could ask around, maybe somone in the nayborhood fancy's themselfes a carb macanic and you can get them to give it the works every other week till thay do offer a kit, or until your warenty expires, then throw it away, and replace it with a micuni carb, check out branden price's site for mods he made to his vangard, among them is a nice photo of a micuni carb set up, and of course theres NO govener!!
again theres no good reason the factory (in japan ) dosent use electronic rev limeters to protect the engines,these are delivered as industreal engines, anybody who uses them gets them the same way, if you get a new vangard "still in the box" the box also contains the factory's (in japan)throdle, yes it's a lawnmore type lever, you push it to a position that you like and leave it there all the time its in use, as in lawnmowers, generators, water pumps,portable sawmills, and who knows what els, it's a good carb for that stuff but NG for our perpose,
totaly wrong aplication!!!!
.......... ok? ....?

By BobGraham on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Is it cold where you are? I ask because I had the same problem with a Gravely tractor and it turned out to be the vent holes in the gas cap had iced over. It was chugging black smoke, low power and fouling plugs. Whatever you find , you are definitely running too rich if the plugs are black and sooty.

By Douglas MacCullagh (Dougmac) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Lilchief -

Your problems sound like my Argo Vanguard2. The problem was the engine, not the Argo. I took my machine in to the local Briggs & Stratton shop. After they did some work on the carbeurator and the governor, I had all of the power back, and then some.

By JT Barleman on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Lilchief-
Sounds to me, like most of us junkies, you suffering from a chronic case of need for speed. Like you I have an Argo but to cure my occasional craving for speed I also own an old Attex 400 chief.
Sorry to tell you this ... TRUTH IS ... the only way you are going to get Attex type perform out of an Argo (or Max) is to transplant a T-20 transmission into it (Max already has a T-20 in it) and then hook it to the power curve that comes with a 400 cc (or bigger) two stroke.
If you're a "do it yourselfer" suggest you check out the snowmobile junk yards in you area for a rebuildable engine and clutch set up. Change out is actually a lot easier than you might think.
JT
P.S. I just happen to have a spare 400 cc Rockwell JLO that I might let go. It just had it professionally rebuilt by Central Snowmobile and I'm open to any offer over $375.00 plus shipping

By lilchief on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks JT ... But I'm not ready for the Speed I have limited Vision and am afraid of speed it blurs my vision and then wam right into a tree or rock or stump. ouch.
No I just wanted my argo to perform like it should , When you go up a hill, all you should have to do is twist the throttle and go untill you loose traction and spin... Not sit and listen to the moter run... When I go down a dirt road I want to cruse with turning the throttle and do 25-30 mph if I can see that fast. I just don't want to turn throttle and have black smoke shooting out of the exhaust and hesitation making me loose footing. or burrying me.
This Mechine is New and I guess I will have to reliy on my old noggin and repair it my slef. or call the rep and have him come and get it and have it repaired. It is still under warrentee..for the next 2 yrs. and then I will make modifications. .thanks for the help though.

By kevinv on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I too had this very problem with my Vanguard. Even though you have low hours, the fuel filter is probably dirty, the float is sticking due to dirt getting through. It needs to be taken completely down to to bare bones and cleaned. Adding carb cleaner will not help. I recommend finding a good B&S warranty center who will repair it. Good luck.

By Douglas MacCullagh (Dougmac) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Lilchief,

The fact that your machine & engine are new is no guarantee your engine is working correctly. My Argo only had about 15 hours on it when I took it into the Briggs shop. I should have brought it in at about 10 hours. Every Briggs engine I've owned has needed some work during break-in.

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

lilchief, I believe your Briggs is running on one cylinder. You said "half the power" and that is exactly what happens. When you are idling and you hit the gas, does it choke and sputter before it will take off? Sometimes it sounds like a lot of air blowing. Running rich may have fouled a plug. To check this, start the engine and let it warm up. At idle, use pliers to pull the spark plug wire off the #1 cylinder (the one with the oil fill cap). If it continues to run, you know the #2 cylinder is firing. Now put that wire back on and do the same to the #2 cylinder. If it dies when you pull off that wire, then #1 cylinder is not firing. If it continues to run even after that then this is not the problem. Let me know.

MaxRules

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

There is a little wire with a couple of diodes in it in the ignition system. If one of the diodes burns out it can lose spark on one cylinder. Happened to me and you certainly will notice a loss in power from it so it might be the answer.
Tim

By JTBarleman on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Sorry LilChief,
I misunderstood your posting. I thought that in addition to your current problems with your B&S engine, you wanted wheelie type performance. I whole heartedly agree that a trip to the B&S service center for some warranty work is your best approach. To satisfy my curiosity I'd do a little trouble shooting on my own ... BUT ... since it's under warranty ... why not let the B&S experts do the diagnostics and repair work and tell you what's wrong.
JT

By neil otto on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Who has Tru-Trax on a Max? I am looking at tracks for my 93 Max IV and would like to know what luck people have had with Tru-Trax since they look like about the least expensive option. I have a 20hp Kohler and 21" Rawhide tires. Thanks, Neil

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Neil, I do not have and have never seen the tru-trax, but from what I have been told you do not want to put them on your Max. I personally will recommend that you do not use any track on a 1993 Max IV. They have the old smaller bearing and all tracks put tremendous stress on axles and bearings. You would probably get by O.K. with the old style RI track if you have solid axles. If you are determined to try tracks (any tracks), get the bearing cages and outer bearing rail from RI and plan on upgrading your axles to the new splined type (and new sprockets) every time you break one of the old ones. I believe you will be many dollars and headaches ahead to trade your machine for a model that has been set up for tracks by the factory. Least expensive to start with does not often end up being the "least expensive".

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

i have a couple of questions. i am making my own tracks out of snowmobile tracks. i have the bearing cages on is there an extension i need also. it looks like when i line up the tracks there isn't much room on the inside to mount a tire guide. the outside has plenty of room. are the guides on both sides of the tracks the same size. i have the 21" tires. also does anyone know where i can get some used guides

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Yes, you need extenders, each side goes out 5". You also need the bearing rail (piece of chassis channel that ties the three axles on each side together attaching outside the bearing cages. The guides are the same on both sides. I doubt there will be any used guides available because they are so new. RI had them made specially for the new track. Don't know of any other source for them.

By weez on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Can someone please tell me what the web address is for the monster tracks. I tried to go to www.rampntrailer.com, but it comes up as can't find web site. thank you

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

do all the maxes have the rails? or is this a new item. what are they for. do they bolt on to the bearing cages?

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

can anyone tell me what the bearing rails for the tracks look like. and where exactly where they bolt on. i am going to try to make them.

By balduc2t on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Weez,
You can call the rampntrailer rep. at 1-888-670-7447. His name is Michael Hogan
Tell me what you found out dude.

By neil otto on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I called Ramp-n-trailer. They only make tracks for 4 wheelers and had nothing for a max.

By balduc2t on Unrecorded Date: Edit

i don't know the man told me he could make them for an argo. he said all you have to do is take 2 pounds of air from each tire,then measure the distance around the tires. He told me he could make them for $1400.

By neil otto on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Fix for Tru-Trax banging body: I just installed Tru-Trax on my Max IV. As foretold they hammered on the bulge between front and middle wheels. Here's how I fixed it: Ground the rivets off the underside of the body, then mounted a small lawnmower wheel on a slotted bracket on each side of the body to hold the tracks down enough to clear. This also gives a way to adjust track tension without fiddling with tire pressure. It seems to work. I will be glad to E-mail pics to anybody interested. botto@trib.com

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I sent the pics of my tracks into richard. they came out good

By newmax on Unrecorded Date: Edit

can anyone tell me how tight the tracks should be on the max 4

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Newmax, They should be taught. Tight enough so you cannot get the middle tire out with no air in the middle tire and air in the front and back tires. Tight enough so the wheels don't spin inside the track, tight enough so the track doesn't slap the body. Tight enough so they stay on when you turn.

Word of caution: If you get them too tight, you will snap axles. I had a fellow that put the splined axles in an older machine and didn't watch his air pressure. He started at about 3000 feet elevation with six/eight pounds and went to 8000 feet - was replacing his 4th broken splined axle before he contacted me and we decided it was too much air in his tires (we figured he had about 20 plus PSI when the axles failed). Haven't heard from him since.

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Not that I need them any time soon but, just wondering what everyone does step by step when they put STANDARD TRACKS on an ARGO (ARGO ONLY)

Can someone tell me step by step what to do from start to finish?

Thanks in Advance

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Not that I need them any time soon but, just wondering what everyone does step by step when they put STANDARD TRACKS on an ARGO (ARGO ONLY)

Can someone tell me step by step what to do from start to finish?

Thanks in Advance

By Wild Dog Machinery on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hello David

Part One

The following method holds true for old or new tracks.

Just keep in mind if your tracks are new, you may need to use all the pads plus the steel spacers that come in the track kit to make the tracks long enough to fit the Argo initially.

As the tracks wear, you will need to remove the steel spacer and then possibly a pad (replace it with the steel spacer if needs be) and finally end up with maybe one less pad and no steel spacer once the tracks are fully bedded in.

This may sound like a fair bit of messing around, but the reason for it is that the tracks will stretch quite a bit as the pads and pins bed in. As you need to keep you tyre pressures below 3 psi to avoid overloading your axles, you’ll need to shorten the tracks as they bed in and then wear.

The maximum 3psi figure is to allow the end tyres to flex if you drive over an obstacle, as this action will cause the track tension to increase dramatically if the tyres can’t ‘squeeze in’ to cater for it. The result can be bent axles or broken bearings.

If your tracks are old and the pins and pinholes worn, you may find that the tracks will go onto the Argo very readily, even if all the pads are used. Remember the 3psi rule and take a pad out.

NOTICE! A word of warning on using ratchet straps/tie downs. They can come off if they are not properly laced around the ends of the tracks, or if a strap is cut by the edge of the track pads, and hit you in the face. I strongly recommend that you use considerable care – do not work with your head or body in line with the straps – and appropriate safety gear such as safety glasses, or better still a full-face shield, whilst you are fitting tracks using the ratchet straps/tie downs method. Nothing stops the fun like a whack across the head from a flying steel ratchet!

By Wild Dog Machinery on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Part Two

Lay tracks out in front of the Argo
Drive the Argo onto the tracks until the machine is in the middle of the tracks
Deflate the tyres and remove the valves
Run the track ends over the tyres
Lace ratchet-type tie down straps between the ends of the tracks so that the track ends can be pulled together using the straps
Pull the track ends together, aligning them as needed so the pad lugs fit together. You may need to jack the Argo up and rotate the wheels, or roll it back and forth, at this stage so the tracks can 'work' around the tyres. Otherwise, the drive chains will carry the entire load the straps apply due to the front and rear tyres being pulled in opposite directions as the track tension is increased
Apply light lubricant to the connecting track pins
Drive the track pins partly into the pinholes in the end pads
Place the collars in the centre lugs of the pad
Drive the track pins home
Secure the grub screws with Loctite or similar
Remove the straps
Reinstall the valves
Reinflate the tyres to the appropriate pressure. Start at say 2psi and NEVER exceed 3 psi
Test drive the Argo to ensure the tracks do not pull off the tyres or rub the body
Adjust the tyre pressures as required NEVER exceed 3 psi
Put valve caps onto the valves
Go and have fun or do work

As Fred says, mind your tyre pressures if you are going to a very different elevation or ambient temperature area.

To remove the tracks, you can generally undo any collar grub screw then drift the track pin out using a smaller diameter pin punch until you can grab the track pin and pull it out. The tracks should come apart and after laying them out flat on the ground you just drive the Argo off them.

Hope this helps. Needless to say others will have their slant on this sometimes-frustrating activity but the above works for me.

NOTICE! A word of warning on using ratchet straps/tie downs. They can come off if they are not properly laced around the ends of the tracks, or if a strap is cut by the edge of the track pads, and hit you in the face. I strongly recommend that you use considerable care – do not work with your head or body in line with the straps – and appropriate safety gear such as safety glasses, or better still a full-face shield, whilst you are fitting tracks using the ratchet straps/tie downs method. Nothing stops the fun like a whack across the head from a flying steel ratchet!

Jim Deering

By argogeru on Unrecorded Date: Edit

David,
let all the air out of all the tires and pull the inside of the valve stems out, roll the tracks out in front of the vehicle, drive on them and wrap them around the top of the tires and put them together at the back of the machine. I use two large vice clamps at each side of the track to pull the ends together, it is a real mother at first but after a few times putting them on it is not to bad. and of coarse pump the tires back up.

By Tim Mueller on Unrecorded Date: Edit

David, I have a set of Tru-Trax and this is how I put them on my Bigfoot (first I have to swap to my smaller tires before putting on the tracks):

1-Lay the tracks out so they line up with your Argo's tires.

2-Backup or pull forward onto the tracks (your choice)

3-Shut down the Argo. Get out.

4-Let ALL of the air out of your front and rear tires.

5-Pull the tracks up over the tops of your tires.

6-Use a nylon ratchet strap to pull the ends of tracks close together enough to insert the connecting pin and retaining collett.

7-When the tracks are hooked together and the set screw is tight on the retaining collett, air the front and rear tires back up and you're ready to go.

It's pretty easy as long as you don't forgot to air down the tires, like I did the first time I put them on. Unfortunately my wife was there to watch my temper inspired antics and was quick to say "DUH!" when I finally figured it out!

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thank You all. One question though, Wild Doug mentioned something about pads and metal spacers. What are they. The tracks have been used every year for the past 17-20 years so they aren't new. The problem I have is getting the ends together. ODG has some clamp thing that is basically like this [----] except the c things are what goes into the holes on each side of the track and it has a large screw type thing in it. It also has a head on it for a very large ratchet bit. Does anyone know what size the bit is if they even know what I am talking about?

In an 18 Hp Kohler ARGO MAGNUM, should the vehicle speed drop a lot while in snow on flat ground or should the speed be still pretty good? What would you say the most ideal tire pressure is for temperatures ranging from -15 to +5 celcius?

Thanks for all the responses!

By Wild Dog Machinery on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hello David

The pads are the individual plastic segments that are pinned together to make up the track.

The steel spacers are sometimes referred to as half pads - they are a piece of steel sheet with steel lugs welded onto their long edges - which are sometimes used to increase or decrease the overall length of a track. You may not have them in your track set.

Contact the factory or your local Argo dealer if you want more info on the ODG track-fitting device. I just use a ratchet strap in much the same fashion as Tim by the sound of it.

As far as your snow speed/sub zero temperatures questions go, I'll leave that one to someone on your continent. Not a lot of snow in Australia!

Jim Deering

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks Jim, happy ARGO or MAXXING

By Tim Wheeler (Tnmwheel) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

David
I live in CO and used my supper tracks all last winter at 3 psi. A lot of times I went out it was -20 when I started in the mouring and + 20 when I called it quits for the day. Never had any problems.
Tim

By FRANK (Ast256) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

looking for any one who has installed a set of tru trax on a max II. I have a Max II T500 and would to try a set of tracks. The max dealer price is just crazy. So I though would try Tru Trax. Also do I need the Axle extenions. Or does any have for sale a used set of track. Thank You for any an all help.

By john on Unrecorded Date: Edit

tracking down ...
I have been tring to find the parts to the tracks..
1 track prep kit cages and frame rail..
wheel extenders. I have thought of making extenders with freewheel bearings as in trailer hub for the front 2 or 4 wheels.
I have found a kimplex snowmobile belt that looks just like it 156" long sound about right ??
now the part I am rting to figure out is :
the tire guides , are ther an extrusion,, ?
or cast,, and who makes the guides max ?
just woundering if I can track down the tire guides I could save at least 1000.00 over there price... any Ideas for tire guides..?
thanks, john