Snow Jeep

[Mr. Dean]

The cool factor is awesome, but i'm sure the wallet takes a beating. I would think a full set of tracks would take a fair bit of horsepower in the deep stuff to keep moving but I could be wrong.

They got reduction built into the wheel assembly's and aren't recommended for speeds higher than 40 mph.... I'm wondering if it's possible to shift through the gears without comin' to a complete stop when the clutch is engaged.

I'm not looking for cool factor. Just utilitarian needs being met. A set-up like this would make for some nice quality family time + some great access opportunities for hunting in the winter.

The gas thing is what it is..... Keeping 3 sleds fueled up ain't cheap either.

[Mr. Dean]

The deep snow gets anything moving slow. The videos I've seen show machines plowing through the snow untill they get enough speed to get up on top.

Tell me about your Jeep. Year? Model? Modifications?

1999 TJ. Nothing overly fancy about it; It's got a 4" lift and 31" tires. Owned since new.

[Buckmeister]

1999 TJ. Nothing overly fancy about it; It's got a 4" lift and 31" tires. Owned since new.

Very nice!!! I think TJ's are awesome rigs. I'm a LandCruiser guy myself and own/owned many models of LandCruisers.

I think that would be a great family thing to do there. I've done a bit of snow wheelin and it is a blast just by itself.

I would think a torquey Diesel would be good choice for keeping you moving but unfortunately TJ's don't come with them.
Heck, your Jeep could use some more mods right?

[Mr. Dean]

This looks interesting!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhUnV...eature=related


Check out the snow depth. Looks like powder.

[Mr. Dean]

I would think a torquey Diesel would be good choice for keeping you moving but unfortunately TJ's don't come with them.
Heck, your Jeep could use some more mods right?

Gotta say that I'm pretty impressed w/ their 4ltr. I have yet to run out of torque with anything that I've made it run up or through. It'll loose its feet 1st.

411's also help as does full articulation.

[6616]

I'm considering on converting my Jeep with a set of tracks for winter cruising the back roads. Has anyone done this or have known someone that did?

http://www.mattracks.com/Mattracks_SC_snow1.wmv


I have heard about someone runnin' a fleet of Hummers up in Whistler, offering winter "Eco Tours" with this type of conversion....

Looks like fun Dean, I wonder how much work the spring/fall conversion back and forth to normal wheels is?

I'm assuming there must be some kind of anti-rotation bars, if they over-rotated they'd tear the fender up pretty good.

I also can't help but think it might be tough on transmissions and power trains on those heavy full size pickups and Suburbans but probably just fine with a lighter vehicle like your Jeep. I would also think one might have to be careful about the snow packing up into the undercarriage and engine bay area. I might be tempted to close up the gap between the radiator and the engine with a skid plate or a shield of some kind.

I'd try to find out about overall maintenance costs, is anyone twisting off their truck axles or burning up their trannies for example?

[Mr. Dean]

[quote=6616;385704]

Looks like fun Dean, I wonder how much work the spring/fall conversion back and forth to normal wheels is?

Supposedly bolt on/off. Simple as changing a tire.

I'm assuming there must be some kind of anti-rotation bars, if they over-rotated they'd tear the fender up pretty good.

I also can't help but think it might be tough on transmissions and power trains on those heavy full size pickups and Suburbans but probably just fine with a lighter vehicle like your Jeep. I would also think one might have to be careful about the snow packing up into the undercarriage and engine bay area. I might be tempted to close up the gap between the radiator and the engine with a skid plate or a shield of some kind.

I'd try to find out about overall maintenance costs, is anyone twisting off their truck axles or burning up their trannies for example?

Yeah, I'm wondering about fender issues also. While driveline problems *could* be a problem, I find that if things are taken easy and you're not shocking the driveline, they usually aren't. I'm not a cowboy type of guy and try to keep things closer to the sane side of insanity. All I want out of this is to cruise roads.

I got nearly 300,000k on this machine and ALL the drive components are still original and tight. If a clutch upgrade and heavier u-joints are needed, I'd still consider doin it. Protection for the underside is good wisdom. I've had a cooling fan ice over before....That's plain miserable when its -30 (lived in Sask. at the time).

[6616]

[quote=Mr. Dean;385723]

I got nearly 300,000k on this machine.

Considering that makes it an easier decision, you are obviously willing to make any mechanical upgrades necessary to make the conversion roadworthy. I wonder if it's practical to convert to a 3/4 or 1 ton type 8 bolt wheel axle/hub assembly, considering the whole apparatus drives off five or six 1/2" wheel studs if installed on a 1/2 ton chassis. Since there are reduction gears in the assembly the possibility might exist of applying much greater torque to the drive than a normal 33" mud tire would.

[Mr. Dean]

Hopefully I can nail down someone with experience with these.... I'd hate to get into it only to find out I went 'cheap' and got stranded.

[Fisher-Dude]

Considering that makes it an easier decision, you are obviously willing to make any mechanical upgrades necessary to make the conversion roadworthy. I wonder if it's practical to convert to a 3/4 or 1 ton type 8 bolt wheel axle/hub assembly, considering the whole apparatus drives off five or six 1/2" wheel studs if installed on a 1/2 ton chassis. Since there are reduction gears in the assembly the possibility might exist of applying much greater torque to the drive than a normal 33" mud tire would.

I'm thinkin' the same. Stock Jeep running gear would probably twist up pretty fast when an extra gear reduction on the business end catches some serious traction! If this Jeep is your daily driver, I'd pass. Maybe a dedicated recreational toy would be worth converting. I tend to agree with Bubbles about a bad day happening when it finally does get stuck...a sled is a lot easier (and there's nothing "easy" about it) to get unstuck than a Jeep!