School me on sleds

[leadpillproductions]

I want a sled for trapping and wolf hunting , I'm buying used 3000 tops . I'm a big guy needs to pull my fat ass and pull a trailer lol. It doesn't have to be something to climb mountains , rds trails lakes kinda thing

[reddeerguy2015]

Used Ski-Doo Skandic.

[bezzola]

Also look at the tundra

[ROA]

One word.

Reverse.

[Desert Eagle]

I went the wide track route, and Skandic route. Not my thing.... I don't use my machine as much as most, but I prefer the early 2000's mountain sleds for ease of maintenence and cost to purchase.

[fordtruckin]

An older tundra sounds like it would fit the bill. Light nimble and fairly easy to fix if something breaks. Problem is finding one. You’ll find plenty of mountain sleds, a few trail sleds and almost nothing utility wise. I foresee people hanging onto them as most people that get a utility sled aren’t upgrading every other year like mountain riders tend to do. You may also find a Polaris Indy voyager out there which is their version of the tundra/skandic.
Oh Yes and make sure it has reverse. Such a simple device makes a world of difference.

[dgl1948]

Our club has two Arctic Cat Bearcats. These two have been great sleds, and maintenance has been next to nothing and that is with multiple operators.

[lmtada]

Skandics. Not cheap. Good luck finding good used one. The black one was $15,000.00 OTD with attachments.

[huntinstuff]

I just went thru what you are

Skandic. I found it impossible to find one used under 7k that wasnt ready to blow up. I traveled a lot looking at them.

I bought new

Its still new btw. No snow here. Lol

[Dog_River]

One thought and I don't mean to be rude but if you are inexperienced and out of shape and get one of the big machines mentioned above stuck back in the bush you could have a heart attack trying to get the thing out. I had a big powerful machine with a wide track and reverse, you do and will get stuck in deep snow. I sold it because really it was not my cup of tea.

Just something to keep in mind.

[KBF]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

An older tundra sounds like it would fit the bill. Light nimble and fairly easy to fix if something breaks. Problem is finding one. You’ll find plenty of mountain sleds, a few trail sleds and almost nothing utility wise. I foresee people hanging onto them as most people that get a utility sled aren’t upgrading every other year like mountain riders tend to do. You may also find a Polaris Indy voyager out there which is their version of the tundra/skandic.
Oh Yes and make sure it has reverse. Such a simple device makes a world of difference.

Read a few reviews on the Indy Voyageur, pretty positive from what I saw.

[nube]

I bought a Skandic with a 600 ACE 4 stroke. It doesn't use hardly any fuel. Is quiet. 2 Gears for heavy pulling for my wolf baits. You don't stink when putting snares out. No mixing fuel. Tons more positives but $3K isn't going to cut it. I didn't want to spend the money on mine either but I am glad I did

[KBF]

Not wanting to hijack original posters questions, but I am always hearing how machines have had new top end done or such things, granted most of them are high hp mountain machines. But what are the key maintenance and operation practices to achieve maximum reliability and life expectancy of snowmobile engines?

[lmtada]

Noticed all our Skandic are from Finland. As for maintenance, change oil (gearbox) annually, new plugs, clean your clutch annually. Check belt, add fuel stabilizer for spring storage. Good for 20,000 km. These big four strokes are low revving, high torque units. We average 2500km/yr. Good for 8-10 years. 20,000-25,000 km. We always run them in low for xc ski trail track setting. I don’t think we have ever driven them faster than 50 km/hr. Yes they are heavy. We have wide track at 24” across. Amazing flotation. The 600 ace is twin cylinder four stroke. Very good unit. However all our latest sleds are 900 ace. The 900 burns a little more fuel (triple). However quiet, fuel efficient compared to my 900 Polaris RMK. Yes the skiddoo is a solid unit.

[Jack fish hunter]

One thing to look at is weight. A great big 4 stroke utility sled seems great until you get it stuck. I bought my gf a 1993 Polaris Indy trail 500. Inpaid 1100 bucks for it. It's very light weight and reliable. It's fan cooled which also makes it lighter and it can run at high ambient temperatures like a liquid cooled machine. It'll also drag just about anything you put behind it. It also doesn't rev as high as other sleds. Maybe you may want to look at something like this but newer.

[4thredneck]

If you have a quad put tracks on it.

[Jack fish hunter]

Originally Posted by KBF

Not wanting to hijack original posters questions, but I am always hearing how machines have had new top end done or such things, granted most of them are high hp mountain machines. But what are the key maintenance and operation practices to achieve maximum reliability and life expectancy of snowmobile engines?

Ummm not much really. Sometimes guys change there pistons out as a preventitive measure. If it's an older machine make sure it's jetted right. Running too rich is better then running too lean, check your carb boots for cracks.thatll make it run too lean. And honestly keep it stock. But in my opinion that last one isn't much fun. 😂

[nube]

Originally Posted by Jack fish hunter

One thing to look at is weight. A great big 4 stroke utility sled seems great until you get it stuck. I bought my gf a 1993 Polaris Indy trail 500. Inpaid 1100 bucks for it. It's very light weight and reliable. It's fan cooled which also makes it lighter and it can run at high ambient temperatures like a liquid cooled machine. It'll also drag just about anything you put behind it. It also doesn't rev as high as other sleds. Maybe you may want to look at something like this but newer.

They don't get stuck. I have never come close to getting stuck with my sled and as a trapper who uses it I can say I have gone into some pretty crazy situations with it

[Flight01]

Originally Posted by bezzola

Also look at the tundra

I went this route. But I’m not sure how big the OP is . I’m 5’8 180 pounds

No reverse. But have never been stuck.

[ROA]

Originally Posted by nube

They don't get stuck. I have never come close to getting stuck with my sled and as a trapper who uses it I can say I have gone into some pretty crazy situations with it

"They don't get stuck" LOL ya ok


Seriously though now that we are all done making jokes. Your limit of $3000 puts most of these suggestions out of your price range. Best value for dollar is going to be something like a long track Polaris or Skidoo with a fan cooled engine 340 to 550cc. Just to throw a number out fan cooled engines last around 5000kms before needing a rebuild some much less some much more. The classic "trapper" Skidoo tundra and Yamaha bravo in the 250 to 288cc are quite over priced and while you can get them for $3000 you could have gotten larger more capable machine in mint shape with reverse and low Km for the same money or less.

[mac1983]

Electric start and reverse have become necessary the older i get.

[boonedocks]

Originally Posted by ROA

"Don't get stuck" LOL ya ok

That maybe a stretch, although I haven’t got my machine stuck in 3 years due to the fact of there not being enough local snow to do so in!! I don’t haul overly large loads so I went with the Skidoo Tundra with the 154” articulating track and 600 ACE four stroke with reverse. When I do eventually get it stuck it’s ginna be messy as this unit seems to just crawl threw whatever I point it at!

[nube]

Originally Posted by boonedocks

That maybe a stretch, although I haven’t got my machine stuck in 3 years due to the fact of there not being enough local snow to do so in!! I don’t haul overly large loads so I went with the Skidoo Tundra with the 154” articulating track and 600 ACE four stroke with reverse. When I do eventually get it stuck it’s ginna be messy as this unit seems to just crawl threw whatever I point it at!

And that is with a 16 inch track you are using. Try a 20 or bigger. I havn't met anyone yet with one that has got stuck. You might for a bit till you put it in revers and then go forward again but I really don't call that being stuck..
These machines seem like they just workhorse through everything.

[Jack fish hunter]

Originally Posted by nube

They don't get stuck. I have never come close to getting stuck with my sled and as a trapper who uses it I can say I have gone into some pretty crazy situations with it

I'll bury it for you if you want 😂. Fair enough as a trapper your also running the same trail and not always breaking trail everywhere you go.

[lmtada]

Originally Posted by nube

And that is with a 16 inch track you are using. Try a 20 or bigger. I havn't met anyone yet with one that has got stuck. You might for a bit till you put it in revers and then go forward again but I really don't call that being stuck..
These machines seem like they just workhorse through everything.

I have been stuck with 24” track, going up a hill, pulling 1000lbs. Was hard to see the trail. We slipped off of it. Unhooked load, then pulled sled out with second sled. Sometimes glare off the snow is hard to see trail. This usually occurs when fresh snowfall and grey conditions.

[double gun]

Im not a sled guy, but I've run a 700rmk, Indy 500, 4stroke phaser, and a old tundra. I now run a bravo and I'm happier with it than any of the others I've had. It's a low investment, slow, light and dead simple - perfect combo for me. Lol

[Drewski Canuck]

These are older sleds, that have been re released this year by Yamaha. New version is 10 Kish.

However, even if you rebuild a wrecked VK 540 it will be worth it.

VERY reliable 540 fan cooled two stroke.

Electric Start with reverse.

2 Speed forward (YES!!! A low speed for very heavy loads!!)

20 inch wide track, long track as well, with a special cantilever rear sprocket that backs you out of holes by changing the angle of the rear of the track.

This was the sled used all over Alaska and European Ski Hills for a decade by the way.

Drewski

[mac1983]

I picked up a 2010 ski-doo expedition for $1000 2 years ago. Surveyors sled, rebuilt the top end and some maintenance, great sled. 550 fan cooled, electric start, reverse, heated hand grips 136 inch track, 2 up seat. Have put on a about 1500 miles since with no trouble.Would recommend it to anyone.

[lmtada]

Yamaha not a bad sled. New < 10K. Find a good used one. The Yamaha VK has not changed to much since the 80’s. Probably find one in good shape.

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

These are older sleds, that have been re released this year by Yamaha. New version is 10 Kish.

However, even if you rebuild a wrecked VK 540 it will be worth it.

VERY reliable 540 fan cooled two stroke.

Electric Start with reverse.

2 Speed forward (YES!!! A low speed for very heavy loads!!)

20 inch wide track, long track as well, with a special cantilever rear sprocket that backs you out of holes by changing the angle of the rear of the track.

This was the sled used all over Alaska and European Ski Hills for a decade by the way.

Drewski

[NCC]

Buy a 6-10 year old Summit. Lots of track, reverse, electric start. Put a good hitch on it and you're in business. I've pulled a skimmer loaded with a dead horse in 3' of snow with my 2009 600 Etec. I had a Tundra and you couldn't run fast enough to give me another one. It handled like an aircraft carrier.