New tool/toy for working in the woods

[woodman52]

Kubota RTV900 with Camso tracks. It seems like it will go anywhere.
 Just got the tracks on last week. I took it for a ride today, up and down hills, through ravines, over snow banks, never slipped. 
 

[Ljohnsaw]

Nice!  What did those set you back?  I'm thinking of doing the same on my Yamaha 550 when I get my cabin finished.  Winter access is about a mile walk in - those would make it a whole lot more fun!

[farmfromkansas]

What would be the proper name of that set up?  4 track snowmobile?

[hedgerow]

woodman52.   That's one sweet set up. I could use that around here today we have twelve inches of snow coming with thirty five mile hour wind. 

[Otis1]

Be careful going over logs. I've been stuck on small 8" or so logs that the front track easily goes over but the rear track doesn't because it sits mostly flat and wants to dig under the log. The you can't reverse off of it because the back end of the front track does the same thing. 

I've done it more than once, I won't go out without a chainsaw.

[woodman52]

Nice!  What did those set you back?  I'm thinking of doing the same on my Yamaha 550 when I get my cabin finished.  Winter access is about a mile walk in - those would make it a whole lot more fun!

They are $5k. These are the heaviest duty Camso tracks. My machine weighs a ton (literally 2000lbs)
you may not need the biggest ones. I got them through utvtracks.com. They also make tracks for atvs.

Be careful going over logs. I've been stuck on small 8" or so logs that the front track easily goes over but the rear track doesn't because it sits mostly flat and wants to dig under the log. The you can't reverse off of it because the back end of the front track does the same thing.

I've done it more than once, I won't go out without a chainsaw.

Great information, I will keep that in mind. I have an extensive trail system but you never know when you may need to get off it.

What would be the proper name of that set up?  4 track snowmobile?

Mini snow cat? I know some people use these to groom snowmobile trails.

[Runningalucas]

Kubota RTV900 with Camso tracks. It seems like it will go anywhere.
 Just got the tracks on last week. I took it for a ride today, up and down hills, through ravines, over snow banks, never slipped.  

That's a cool set up.  We bought a 2012 model just a couple months back, it's got a couple thousand hours, but we paid about 1/3 of new.  It runs great, although now that the real cold, and snow are here, it seems to have issues while idling of bogging down(fuel gelling???), then the idle will come back up in a few minutes, and wash, rinse, repeat! 
Any ways, I look forward to any updates with your tracks there; we're considering the same.

[Walnut Beast]

Hi do you feel you have enough power

[Walnut Beast]

I've had a 900 and a 1100

[Walnut Beast]

woodman52.   That's one sweet set up. I could use that around here today we have twelve inches of snow coming with thirty five mile hour wind.

14" snow ⛄️ total here

[Gere Flewelling]

Camso tracks are the best design I have come across.  The flat design of the rear tracks provide superior traction on hard snow or ice.  I have a fleet of 5 UTV's and 3 4wheelers with these tracks we use hard all winter.  We have been using them for about 10 years now.  Tried them on a variety of UTV's and ATV's and have finally settled on JD Gators and Honda ATV's.  They are not cheap to maintain, though if you are a owner operator you will more than likely have good luck with them.  It is when you have a lot of operators that do not have to fix them that you run into trouble.
Be sure to not put them away with snow in the wheel assembly's as they will freeze up and seize.  They if run that way they wear a flat spot in the bogie wheels.  Also when putting way for the season, pull the rubber plugs off the wheels and put some oil in around the bearings as they will rust up even though they are sealed bearings.  I replace hundreds of bearings prior to installation in the fall.  I think the way we use them is probably extreme compared to most.  I am quite sure you will have good luck with them in your application.  Remember "low range" is your best friend when running tracks in snow.  Do not be fooled into running them in mud.  Nothing good comes of that in the Camso world.  GF

[mudfarmer]

Wow Gere that is good info and probably steered me away from bothering. These things cost more than I paid for my RTV900 and don't have a heated place to park it nor can think of an anywhere decent method of cleaning out the tracks after each use?? In the pic in this thread it looks like the whole inside of the track is packed with snow, how do you deal with that?


Don't run them in the mud?? I am out :D

[woodman52]

Hi do you feel you have enough power

Lots of power with the diesel but not a lot of speed. This machine is meant to be a work horse. That is why I choose it. As Gere says low range is your friend. In low I can go up a steep hill in 18+inch's of fresh snow (2-4 mph actual speed) down hill or packed trail I can use high range. Still not a speed demon but I am not looking for that. 5 to 7 mph is plenty in the woods. If you want to run fast on the trails the Kubota RTV diesels are not the machine. These tracks and deep snow are going to put stress on any machine, it is good to have a machine that can take it. Plus an operator that knows enough to minimize it.
They are not cheap but I am the type to keep stuff a long time. The Kubota is replacing a 30 year old modified golf cart. No I did not use it in the winter, snow shoes did the trick. I am getting to the point where I want to get around in deep snow without wearing my self out just getting to where I am going before doing any work.

[woodman52]

decent method of cleaning out the tracks after each use??

Compressed air does a decent job with powdery snow. Have not experience wet snow yet. It has been staying cold here.

[florida]

We saw these up at Deadhorse Alaska in 2017. The company that owned them had gone under and these were all for sale but you couldn't

 afford to move them anywhere.

[Gere Flewelling]

mudfarmer-  I should better clarify what I was saying that seemed negative about the Camso track systems.  One usually only needs to break up the snow that builds up around the smaller bogie wheels to keep them free.  A grade stake or small tool that will poke the snow out from around the inner wheels is usually sufficient.  A quick look at at the wheels after you start moving will identify if they are not turning and again a quick poke with a stick will usually free them up.  The machines I maintain are used at a ski area on steep terrain that is covered with man made snow that when first made is very heavy and wet and then freezes into ice.  Not really snow.  Most of you will not run into that in your daily runs.  As far as mud is concerned, we operate until late in the spring until all snow is gone on the steep terrain.  This involves lots of mud as well as snow that has been loaded with calcium chloride to keep it soft.  All of that seeps into any nook and cranny around wheel bearings.  Plus we put hundreds of miles on them every week during the spring season.  I suspect most of you will only occasionally run them in mud.  If you keep them cleaned out with a garden hose, I suspect they will wear a little but still last for a long time.  For us up here in NH at the ski area, we could not begin to operated efficiently with out them.  They are far superior to use for a work machine in steep snowy terrain than any snowmobile we have ever had.  I would love to have a set on my 4 wheeler at home.