What would you like to know? How much snow do you get? What do you hope to pull a phat implement with?
Sorry,
Forgot about this then i couldn't seem to find the thread again
We are in an area that is just getting going with grooming and i'm interested in learning some about what other areas are doing. The only narrow trail grooming currently here is being done i believe with a skandic and roller resulting in about a 33 in width. The local club is investigating a broader grooming program.
The areas the trails are in is in NW montana so normally a fairly long winter with usually a fairly long snow period and highly variable snow densities, depths and precipitation type.
Average annual snowfall for most of the potential trail areas would likely run between 90-150in, frequency of snowfall is quite high . Large snowfalls are uncommon, drifting is not a significant issue in most of the lower elevations these would be at.
Seems like fat bike grooming is in its relative infancy with 2 basic grooming methods- snow machine or larger towing a drag/roller or a tracksled usually with just a pan. Seems to me that the advantage of the trickled is a potentially narrower trail with perhaps better compaction? I know that ski resorts till the snow for better compaction and i wonder if some type of tiller could actually be driven off the main track? Is a towed pan the best way?
Looks like snowdog is the most popular tracksled but Trail tamer seems to be making some inroads
I found the following post from Rossland BC which has both machines
Anonymous asked:
Good morning, I have a question regarding your 2 groomers. How do you like the Trail Tamer compared to the snowdog? I groom with a 10hp snowdog and the complant I have is with the clutch. Mine comes with the Comet 40 series and the Trail Tamer comes with the 44 Magnum series. The 40 series seems under sized and can't handle the load, it requires constant maintinace, how is the 44 Magnum handling the job?Thanks Erich
The magnum clutch seems to be doing OK it engages maybe a bit early not allowing the engine rpm to go up.
But the difference between the 2 machines is the standard snow dog with 13 hp moter is faster and more agile. It turns a bit easier but on steep soft snow climbs it can get stuck and just digs in.
And the taimer with stock grooming plate is hard to stand on.but the machine it self just chugs up soft snow climbs. And it is very sturdy feeling machine. But its longer and is quite hard to turn with deep lug track we speced it with. We are still trying to figure out mods to make the new machine the best . But there isn’t anything that super user friendly yet.
But if your terrain is simple thetaimer works