1100 RTV/Mattracks BEWARE!

[ttowne66]

Guys

Just a notice. We recently bought a RTV 1100 for our snowmobile club and we are having issues with the driver side rear track rotating up and hitting the mattracks guard, stalling the track then getting stuck. Second issue was that the rear leafs were getting severe spring wrap which caused the driveshaft leading to the front to hit/rub on one of the motor bracksts. We are working with Mattracks right now and they are sending us different length components for their system to limit the track systems rotation on the driver side. We had to work with a local leaf spring house to add two extra leaf springs to each rear stack. This addressed two issues. 1) gave a 5/8 suspension lift which kept the driveshaft from rubbing by eliminating the spring wrap. If you currently own an 1100 with Mattracks I strongly suggest you address these issues or 1) you'll be getting stuck a lot 2) You'll be having issues where the driveshaft rubs. Just put a 5in log or something in front of the rear driver side track and go forward until the system rotates up to go over it and you'll see the tracks hit the guard that goes over the area where the radiator is. This is when the track stops rotating. I understand there is no issue with the 900 because the radiator must be in a different location which doesn't interfere with the tracks.

Also, I wish this thing had some more ponies. Seems very sluggish. I have been reading quite a lot here and will make sure the dealership put SUDT in instead of UDT. I'll be checking the spark arrestor for build-up as well. Strange because the unit slows down to a creep but the motor doesn't drop in RPM. This unit has the hand throttle and you can get a couple hundred more rpm this way but it goes unused as the tranny seems to be the limiting issue! Perhaps a pop off bypass set wrong or something? Kind of lost here so if anyone has some suggestions here it would be very welcome. Thanks.

Tom

 

[Deerlope]

I have a 900 with Soucy tracks and I have not seen any of the issues that you are seeing. However I do not groom. I have trails thru my sugarbush and I have been dragging a wooden pallet to knock down the center. I run in Med range most of the time with the differ locked and hardly ever use 4x4. If I have to climb a small hill that has a lot of snow in the trail then I will shift to low and go to 4x4.
How much do you tracks weight each and how much plastic in their construction?

 

[ttowne66]

Deerlope

Aside from the rubber wheels it is all aluminum construction. We had our local mechanic do the install and he is extremely complete with everything he does but I'll have the track tension double checked. Yea, apparently the 900 does not have the massive radiator behind the driver door which has caused Mattracks to make modifications. Regardless.....I would have a look at the front driveshaft (under the box right near the firewall at the engine) to make sure the shaft is not rubbing on one of the brackets there. When the front of the rear track system encounters a bump the force being so far from the centerline of the axle causes severe spring wrap which does not allow the travel limiting bump stop to function properly. This allows the suspension to overtravel in compression stroke. This can cause the front wheel drive shaft to rub. Something to look for!

 

[Deerlope]

Can this problem occur regardless of who's tracks are being used? I will check this out tomorrow.

 

[ttowne66]

deerlope

More than likely you will have the same issue on 1100 with soucys or others unless they have a way to limit the lifting of the front of the rear track when encontering an obstacle or bump. I just got confirmation that the third solution Mattracks has sent to us did not work. They kept sending us longer length links to attach to the torsion levers they include with their kit. Our guys in the club have 3-4 full days work on this unit trying to make mattracks solutions work to no avail. They just called me and said they fabricated up a solution of their own which ended up with an adjustment bolt to allow the tracks to lift up just below the point of making contact with the sheild covering the box for the radiator.

After all is said and done, we are obviously not impressed with Mattracks engineering department at the current moment. They were basically guessing on each new resolution to this issue with no solution. We kept getting different length links from 3 to 6in long. After further analysis the guys said working with the mattracks torsion set up the link would have nearly needed to be scraping on the ground in order to keep the track from rubbing. They will need to come up with a solution similar to ours or they will be getting calls from every owner of this combination. I am sure they will eventually come up with a solution but they will still have to address the issue of the spring wrap with extra leafs for the spring pack included with their kit.

 

[Skipholiday]

This is the 1st problem I have heard of with tracks and the rtv.

This problem may be unique to this rtv's conditions and use.

ttowne66 have you heard of this happening to others?

Can you post pics of yours?

Any links to similar problems?

 

[mikeyd]

When I first saw the 1100 I wondered how they were going to address the radiator with tracks. Can't say I knew it was going to be a problem but did think it was an issue that would have to be dealt with. I don't like that you need 2 extra springs in the rear. The travel is next to nothing in stock form and the ride is stiff enough already. I hope you get this resolved.

 

[ttowne66]

skipholiday

It is likely that owners of this combination 1100/mattracks may not notice an issue till they encounter an obstacle large enough to cause the track to rub. The issue is most likely to be found when traveling at slow speed and in snow. I'll try to explain the sequence where we noticed it the earliest. Lets say you are on a snow covered trail and approaching a plowed road. At the moment you proceed off the trail and on to the road the front of the machine tips downward and the tracks drop down on to the road. At this point the front of the machine might be a foot or so below the rear tracks. This angle will cause the rear driver side track to contact the mattracks supplied guard to cover the housing for the radiator. This is where I believe the speed issue comes in, since you are just barely moving at this point there is no momentum to carry the machine thru the extra load of having the track contact the guard. What happens then is that now not only does the machine loose this track to move the forward but the remaining drive tracks are now trying to pull this locked track. What happens is the passenger side rear track and either of the front tracks spin out and you are stuck. I can also see this happening while traveling over a log or other obstacle at slow speed. It is likely that if you are traveling fast enough the momentum would carry you thru this locked position but you'll still be rubbing the track on the guard. Hope I have explained this well enough.

 

[Skipholiday]

Hope I have explained this well enough.

RTV 1100's with tracks need to stay on flat ground?

 

[Deerlope]

I do know that the Soucy tracks for the 1100 had to be made shorter in length because of the radiator issue. The rear track for the 900 is 46" long and I think the 1100 is 38". I will say this and that is I am not having any issues with the Soucy tracks and the RTV 900.