# Snowmobile questions



## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

I read the previous post in this section already..

viewtopic.php?f=48&t=21489

We're attempting to earn our junior novice snowmobile knowledge badges...so have a few questions for you who own a snowmobile.

We want a snowmobile for ice fish'n thats it.

We're not going to climb any steep grade hills like the PV narrows, we're not going to be riding it down a trail or touring for hours. We don't have the need for speed except to keep the machine from sinking into snow when there's fresh powder on the trail to the ice or on the ice.

So does one go 'fan cooled or liquid cooled'? Does it really matter as we won't be driving the machine for say hours on end or have the throttle wide open.

Next, size track and the size of the knobs or whatever they're called does that make a difference say 1", 1.25" or should you have a larger type hacksaw tred track?

Again plain and simple we're going to use the machine for ice fish'n get'n on, moving, and get'n off the ice.

Thanks in Advance,
K2


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

I would go with something with a 500 motor or bigger, The longer the track the better..... most of the time it really wont matter , but if you get into deep snow or slush, the bigger motor & longer track is nice. I would also go with a liquid cooled machine. I noticed that Daniels summit lodge had some of their rentals on sale that were Polaris 550's, probrably 2003 to 2005 with a 144" X 1.25" track. They only wanted $1500, not bad for a newer machine that was probrably well maintained as a rental!!! 

Oh yea, the snowmobile makes a world of difference when you ice fish. You can move to another spot if yours isnt producing. You will soon learn that WALKING IS FOR SUCKERS :mrgreen:


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

STEVO said:


> I noticed that Daniels summit lodge had some of their rentals on sale that were Polaris 550's, probrably 2003 to 2005 with a 144" X 1.25" track. They only wanted $1500, not bad for a newer machine that was probrably well maintained as a rental!!!
> 
> Oh yea, the snowmobile makes a world of difference when you ice fish. You can move to another spot if yours isnt producing. You will soon learn that WALKING IS FOR SUCKERS :mrgreen:


Are these 2-up machines?...that's what we'd really like to get.

The ones we've looked at with the longer track are basically for one rider...I'll need one that two of us can ride on. Yea we can scrunch...but I don't want to worry about the passenger falling off or holding on to the driver for dear life with a death hug :shock: :mrgreen:

Also from my junior novice knowledge research...fan cooled vs liquid cooled...meaning the liquid cooled uses snow being thrown up on the engine to keep it cool vs a fan that cools the engine. Is this correct a assumption on my part?

I take it the fan cooled would possibly add more weight to the sled not much but probably would...is this also a correct assumption on my part?

Thanks for the Reply STEVO...greatly appreciated...


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

I think they are just one up machines. A 2 up sled would be pretty nice for you guys. I dont think all of the liquid cooled machines run through the track, but I know ours do. The antifreeze runs through the edges of the floor boards to help cool (and also get the snow off the running boards). there is also a small holding plate that is above the track that is cooled by the snow in the track. Me & orvis had a bad experience last year down by Mill meadow. We rode from fishlake, to mill meadow on the snow packed road. You have to keep snow in the tracks to keep it from overheating. That might be mostly on the mountain sleds. If you are looking for a 2 up machine, those are mostly touring machines. Usually air cooled. The newer 4 strokes are nice but they run $$$. Another nice feature of the touring machines are most of them have reverse. I think that would be a HUGE help for you ladies(depending on what kind of trailer you have) If we use our normal ATV trailer without a front ramp, its a pain to get the machine back out of the trailer without reverse. Takes 2 big guys to pull it out of the trailer. If you get a drive on/drive off trailer then that probrably doesnt matter much


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

STEVO thanks so much for the first hand intel report including the out'n with orvis. You're spot on for us gals what we've been look'n at...just trying to get as much research done and help from snowmobile owners.

Here's what we're possibly look'n at. Whatcha think?? I know the 1" hacksaw trac may not be ideal but a potential upgrade in the off season.

http://www.newgatemotorsports.com/new_v ... lYear=2010

We've looked at used machines on KSL and well without maintenance records...it's a shot in the dark. Including all the machines that have had top and/or bottom engine rebuilds...WTH have they been doing. Ahhhh red lining and climbing the slopes plus running the engines for hours on end.

As I've posted you get what one pays for. Learned through the school of hard knocks that for the price and if one can afford it...get what one wants...creature comforts and bottom line it's what 'WE WANT' don't settle for 'regrets' after the purchase is how we see it especially when dropping potentially this kind of money. We also 'TAKE CARE' of what we have that's high dollar...sooooo

Look'n at a new machine but what we've found out.... while earning our junior novice snowmobile badge...a vast majority of Polaris dealers in Utah thus far only cater to performance 1-up machines. If we can by chance find a dealer willing to get us the machine we want I'm hoping we can have it by the end of the month first week of Feb...as you're so right WALKING on the hard deck sucks...being two ole 50 yo plus gals...we can hang...to a point. :wink: :wink:


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I think finding a used one with all records will be very difficult as many people just don't really take that much care, I guess. Here is the nearly identical one to that new one you listed above http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad ... =146&lpid=
With only 60 miles on it....can't go too wrong there, can't imagine too many sellers would have a problem with you having it checked out, especially if you are spending that much. I think they are way overpriced based on nada.com by about $1,000, of course having only 60 miles on it would make it worth a lot more than the average two year old machine with 1,500 miles on it. 
Here is the same one in a 2007 model with about 2,500 miles, being rentals, they should have records... http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad ... =146&lpid=
I think Stevo covered the rest of your questions. Good luck!


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

If all you are going to use the sled for is ice fishing, you don't need the longer tracks, you don't need liquid cooled, and you don't need the paddled tracks. Most of these features are designed to get you through the steep and deep, none of which you really need for ice fishing. A simple sled will do you fine.

As far as having a reverse, a lot of the newer sleds have an engine reverse that reverses the direction of the motor to make you go backwards, but reverse in the older sleds required a gear box that added $ and weight to the sled. Consequently, most sleds pre 2002-2004 were not equipped with reverse.....so they might be hard to find.

As far as dependability, snowmobiles are a high maintenance vehicles. They have made improvements, but expect to replace clutches, belts, hi-faxes, wear bars, and spark plugs every few hundred miles. When buying a used sled, you want to check the conditions of all these items. 

Maintenance records are only of limited use on a snowmobile IMO. Other than changing the chain case oil and hitting a couple grease czerts on the suspension, there's not a lot of maintenance you can do on a sled. The engines are two stoke so oil is added with the gas, and most of the bearings are sealed. Having records might be nice, but it wouldn't be a big hang up for me if everything else checks out okay.


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