As winter sports enthusiasts anxiously await the first snowfall of the season, this may be a good time to perform a clothing, gear, and equipment check. That means waxing skis, sharpening skates, and checking jackets and gloves for holes and extensive wear.
For snowmobilers, a thorough maintenance check on your vehicle should be in order, with special attention paid to the condition of your tracks. Snowmobile tracks see particularly heavy use, as they are instrumental in propelling your vehicle across the great white dunes of the Canadian North. Although made from sturdy materials such as heavy rubber and kevlar composites, years of exposure to the icy harsh winters and rugged terrain of Canadian landscapes can wear down and damage even the most sturdy set of tracks. For safety reasons, the last thing anyone wants are bald or damaged tracks, so replacing them if needed should be high on a snowmobiler’s priority list. However, replacing a set of snowmobile tracks is not an easy task and requires a seemingly complex set of measurements and calculations. Motovan has prepared a handy guide for its customers on how to measure a snowmobile track to facilitate the process.
How to Measure a Snowmobile Track
Proper maintenance of your snowmobile, especially its tracks, should be of paramount importance to snowmobilers. After all, the last thing you’d want is to keep riding on a loose or broken track, which can lead to a potential accident and injury for the rider and unnecessary damage to your vehicle.
Replacing a snowmobile track is no easy feat, and requires exact measurements in order to be adequately performed. However, before you learn how to measure a snowmobile track, there are two essential terms you need to be familiar with:
Lug: When looking at a snowmobile track, you will notice a row of protruding extensions along its circumference. These are called lugs, and their primary function is to help move the vehicle across the snow.
Drive Pitch: Between lugs is a hollow space. Measuring the center of that space to the center of the next space immediately adjacent along the track is called the drive pitch.
Now that you are familiar with these terms, to accurately measure the length of your snowmobile track simply follow this formula:
Pitch x Number of Lugs on Track = Length of the Snowmobile Track
It’s advisable to use a tape measure to do so and to take the average of several measurements along the track to get a more accurate reading. To facilitate counting the lugs, try to put a piece of painter’s tape on the 1st lug so as to assure your starting point and not lose count. Once you’ve found the accurate length of your snowmobile track, you can confidently buy a replacement.
Although tracks are an essential element to riding a snowmobile, they aren’t the only necessities. Motovan carries a wide variety of essential snowmobile gear, clothing and accessories to compliment your newly measured tracks!
If you’re planning on taking a nice, leisurely zip through some flat, snowy landscape on a midday cross-country sojourn, the Camso CROSS-COUNTRY SNOWMOBILE TRACKS are made for you. With a drive pitch that measures 2.86″ and a lug height of 2″, these tracks will make sure you’re ready for all types of speeds and depths on fairly even terrain!
There’s no greater joy than introducing your children to a beloved pastime, but if it’s something like snowmobiling, that carries within it the possibility of accident or injury, you’ll want to eliminate the risk. Enter Turbulence’s CHILD RETENTION SYSTEM accessory, which secures your child to the rear of your snowmobile with comfort and care. An intermediate cushion with grips prevents the child from sliding between the rider and the seat or banging their helmet on the rider’s back. A helmet support pad behind the neck comes with an integrated reflector for extra security, while a quick-release clip system ensures an immediate escape if necessary.
If you’re going to spend a winter’s day gripping the handles of your snowmobile as you crisscross a white powdery landscape, you need to make sure your hands are warm, comfortable, and dextrous. If your hands get especially cold due to the elements or poor circulation, maybe heated gloves are the answer! The HG1 WP GLOVES provides 3 levels of heating with an easily accessible button that is powered by two separate 7.4v Li-polymer batteries. A synthetic/goatskin mix for outer coating ensures both weatherproofing and flexibility.
Thanks for reading! If you have any further inquiries, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!