What is a snowmobile? Device, capabilities, varieties

A snowmobile is a popular vehicle for winter use, an excellent device for outdoor activities, fishing and hunting. It drives on snowy roads without any problems. With its help you can overcome slopes and snowdrifts, and ride in deep snow. Snowmobiles are not just for fun. The machines are also capable of performing purely practical tasks, for example, transporting people and cargo.

In order to successfully select a model for specific purposes, you need to understand what types of machines there are, how they are designed, and how different types of equipment differ.

Snowmobile device

A snowmobile is a type of motor vehicle that is used to move on ice and snow. He rides on tracks. At the front of the structure there are skis that give the car the desired direction. Previously, vehicles were equipped with rubber tracks. The new models are equipped with more practical and durable belts made from composite materials. The body is usually aluminum, steel or fiberglass. The performance of the snowmobile is ensured by the engine.

Assembly Features

A finished frame, welded by yourself or borrowed from other equipment, must be equipped with a steering wheel using welding. The engine is installed strictly in accordance with the drawing. It is best for it to be located as close to the carburetor as possible. On the finished structure you need to install tracks that were made in advance. When the main work is done, you can start connecting the tank, gas and brake cables, and installing the seat.

One or two caterpillars

Snowmobiles with one or two tracks are available for sale. Both have their advantages.

• Single-track. In front of such models there are two skis, in the back there is one caterpillar track. The advantages of such snowmobiles include excellent stability, proper weight distribution, good maneuverability and handling.
• Two-track. Not as popular as single track vehicles. The design of such models has two caterpillar tracks and one ski. Snowmobiles are less stable, especially on uneven surfaces.

The performance properties of the snowmobile depend on the characteristics of the caterpillar. When choosing a vehicle, you should pay attention to the material of manufacture and the width of the track. Models with wide tracks are more stable and do not sink in deep snow, while models with narrow tracks are capable of reaching higher speeds.

What are the benefits of BRP snowmobiles?

Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) is one of the oldest and best in the industry. The range covers all types of snowmobiles. BRP is also well represented in our market.

The company has been producing snowmobiles under the well-known brands Ski-Doo and Lynx for more than 70 years and this is one of its main specializations.

The 2021 Ski-Doo snowmobile lineup consists of 29 snowmobiles in 9 families: motocross MXZ, crossover SUVs Renegade, mountain models for deep snow Summit, Freeride for extreme sports, luxury trail snowmobiles of the GSX series, tourist Grand Touring, tourist-utilitarian Expedition, light utility vehicles Tundra and classic transport vehicles Skandic. Power - from 85 to 165 hp, fuel tank volume - 36 to 45 liters, vehicle weight from 199 to 356 kg. Engines – 2-, 3-cylinder, 2-stroke and 4-stroke. Plus, a wide selection of spare parts, accessories, and branded equipment are available from the official BRP dealer.

The main new snowmobile models for 2021:

• turbocharged Rotax 900 ACE Turbo engines with 151 hp;
• new Rotax 600 ACE engine;
• upgraded SilentTrack II and SilentCobra WT tracks;
• information digital displays measuring 4.5 and 7.2 inches diagonally;
• improved cТMotion suspension.

Snowmobiles are divided into 5 groups:

• utilitarian or traction (transport);
• tourist;
• sports and crossovers;
• mountain;

Snowmobiles differ in:

• engine power;
• speed;
• maneuverability;
• cross-country ability (width, length of track);
• comfort;
• dimensions.

Utilitarian snowmobiles (wydtruck) are designed for transporting goods and have high cross-country ability. These are powerful and reliable machines with wide and long tracks. Usually double, comfortable, with a backrest, rear-view mirrors, a trunk, a towbar, and have reverse gear.

Tourist ones are also powerful and faster. Comfort, necessary for long trips, and cross-country ability come first.

Sports - the main thing is speed, light weight of the car, minimum comfort. They are equipped with a very powerful engine, energy-intensive suspension, narrow and short tracks (not for deep snow). Passability is not a priority.

Mountain snowmobiles are similar to sports ones, with a powerful engine, they also have a narrow, but much longer track (up to 4 meters) with large lugs, and are light weight. Weight distribution goes to the front. Very maneuverable due to low weight.

engine's type

The performance of a snowmobile depends on the power of the power unit. The same parameter affects the price of the equipment. The more powerful the engine, the more expensive the snowmobile. To equip winter motorcycles, manufacturers use two-stroke and four-stroke engines.

• 2-stroke. Their advantages include light weight, simple and quick start-up, including at sub-zero temperatures. Such engines operate on a fuel-oil mixture. There are more disadvantages than advantages: noise, high fuel consumption, release of toxic substances into the environment.
• 4-stroke. There are separate tanks for filling oil and gasoline. Such engines consume much less fuel than 2-stroke engines. They are more environmentally friendly, their work is not accompanied by loud sounds. Cons: heavy weight and high cost.

Based on the type of fuel used, engines are divided into gasoline and diesel. The latter are more powerful and are installed on high-performance snowmobiles.

What does it consist of?

The design of any snowmobile is simple, like everything ingenious: two skis, one caterpillar and, in fact, a block with an engine, thanks to which the forward movement is carried out, will not cause any difficulties and controlling this vehicle, the snowmobile does not have a gearbox, and it is difficult to cope with such a mechanism It is quite feasible for any inexperienced driver. It is necessary to use only the gas pedal, however, you need to remember that snowmobiles are equipped with quite powerful engines, and with a sharp start, these devices can “jump out from under the saddle,” but there is nothing to worry about here - they “will not run far.” Most modern models are equipped with special devices that represent a pin. At the moment of the fall, it is instantly pulled out of the device by a loop fastened to the driver’s hand, which causes a complete stop of the engine.

Cooling system

The functioning of a motorcycle depends on how efficiently the cooling system works. It is responsible for removing thermal energy from the engine and protects the power unit from damage due to overheating. Manufacturers equip snowmobiles with air and water cooling systems.

Water:

• the engine overheats less often;
• more susceptible to breakdowns.

Air:

• increased risk of overheating;
• high reliability.

To increase the efficiency of cooling systems, temperature sensors are installed on snowmobiles. These elements are responsible for timely notification that the engine temperature has reached critical levels. In such cases, you need to stop the snowmobile and wait until the engine cools down.

Snowmobile for deep powder snow

Such a machine should have an increased support area and reduced ground pressure, about 0.03 kilograms per centimeter. In addition, a protective cover should be made to prevent large quantities of snow from getting under the track. The ski should have an increased width; it is desirable that it overlaps the track track by 30-40%. In this case, the snowmobile will run its caterpillar onto snow that has already been compacted by the ski, and the likelihood that it will bury itself will be significantly lower. In this case, the toe of the ski is made higher and steeper so that it also does not bury itself when riding.

Classification of snowmobiles by purpose

Buying a snowmobile is a very responsible task that needs to be approached as responsibly as possible. Reliable cars cost a decent amount. It is not recommended to choose cheap Chinese-made models. They are unlikely to please you with productive performance. Before buying a vehicle, determine the purpose of its use and identify the characteristics of the snowmobile you need.

Is it better to buy a used imported one or a new domestic one?

Despite the efforts of our engineers, experts do not recommend purchasing these snowmobiles for household needs or any other serious work. At the most inopportune moment, they can let you down, and you will have to get to your destination on foot, clearing your way through the thick snow. Knowing about these features of our equipment, many decide which snowmobile to choose for hunting in favor of a used imported product. Such a purchase can be made for 700-900 dollars, but even here there are pitfalls. Any used equipment will require repairs after a certain period of time, and in the case of foreign ones, replacing any part will cost a tidy sum and require significant time expenditure.

Sports

A sports snowmobile is a vehicle for driving on smooth, groomed trails. They buy it for active recreation and participation in competitions. Features of this type of snowmobile:

• light weight;
• the frame is made of high-quality light alloy metal;
• manual start only, models are not equipped with an electric starter;
• no reverse;
• only one seat - for the driver;
• The tracks are short and narrow.

Sports vehicles can accelerate to 200 km/h. The vehicle reaches speed of 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. Maneuverability is excellent. For practical purposes, such snowmobiles are not suitable at all, since they get stuck even in shallow snow. It is impossible to drive them through the forest. Sports snowmobiles are bought for riding on special trails.

Which snowmobile should a beginner choose?

When choosing your first snowmobile, you need to understand why you need it - just to ride, or to ride very quickly. Tourist or utilitarian - not so fast, but passable, powerful and heavy. It may be difficult for a beginner to control a heavy car at first, especially when cornering. Or you will quickly get tired of the monotony and slow driving. Sports and mountain snowmobiles will be more interesting for some - high speed, maneuverability. Even if you get stuck somewhere in the snow due to inexperience, such a car is easier to pull out even alone. That is, first of all, you need to decide on the type of snowmobile.

It is not necessary to immediately go into technical details - type of suspension, engine, type of cooling, what kind of transmission. The best option is to test drive different snowmobiles at a dealer or with friends. The most important thing is that you have to like it! Power shouldn't be an important criterion either. You should pay attention to the ease of control, and the price.

Crossovers

Cross snowmobiles are a type of sports equipment. They are designed specifically for use in one purpose - participation in snocross racing. Features of the models:

• rigid suspension;
• narrow caterpillar;
• two-stroke engine with a displacement from 600 to 800 cm3.

The models are able to withstand heavy loads while moving at high speeds. They are used to perform complex maneuvers. To lighten the weight and make the design of the snowmobile as ergonomic and maneuverable as possible, the manufacturers removed all additional functions (heated grips, electric starter, protective visors, etc.).

Cross models are definitely not suitable for regular rides. The equipment is rigid, uncomfortable, and will sink even in shallow snow. But here tracks with metal spikes are installed, which provides the snowmobile with excellent maneuverability even on ice. For everyday use, for fishing or hunting, it is better to choose something more convenient. It is advisable to buy a cross-country bike only if you plan to participate in competitions.

Is it possible to make caterpillars yourself?

This is the most difficult element to make yourself. The tracks of the machine play a decisive role in what speed the unit will develop and what grip it will have on the ice surface. High-quality homemade caterpillars can last for quite a long time. Most often, car tires are used for tracks. First you need to free the tires from the beads, leaving only a flexible track. Now you need to make the lugs. To do this, use a plastic pipe with a diameter of 4 cm. It needs to be cut into pieces 50 cm long, and the resulting blanks should be sawed further along. These parts are attached to the tire with bolts. It is important to maintain the same lug mounting interval, otherwise the caterpillar will jump off the roller. It is optimal to mount them at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Caterpillars are made using a similar method. To make them, you need to use a conveyor belt, which should be cut to the optimal length for a homemade unit. It is important to connect the cut tape correctly and securely. To do this, its ends overlap each other by 5 cm and are fixed with bolts. Alternatively, you can use V-belts to make tracks. They are fastened with lugs, forming a track with ready-made recesses for the gear. When making tracks with your own hands, you need to take into account the following nuance: the larger the track area, the better the device will pass through snowdrifts, but the control will be worse. In stores, finished products are most often presented in three versions, with standard tracks, wide tracks and extra-wide. To make your task easier, instead of making it yourself, you can purchase tracks in a store. Thus, you will have the opportunity to purchase tracks suitable for the terrain and travel conditions.

Utilitarian

Utility is the most popular type of snowmobile. Often in the description of such models it is indicated that these are “workhorses” capable of performing various tasks in everyday life. Transporting passengers and cargo, moving along difficult snow-covered trails, leisurely riding - this is what utilitarian snowmobiles are designed for. The equipment looks good and is equipped with all the necessary equipment for a comfortable ride. Features of utilitarians:

• The towbar provides the ability to attach a loaded sled or trolley to the equipment;
• motor with excellent traction capabilities;
• reduction gear;
• long and wide caterpillar tracks;
• two seats: for driver and passenger.

Utility snowmobiles are very durable. They combine excellent performance properties, reliability, have a long service life, and rarely break down. The equipment overcomes difficult forest routes without problems and does not weigh down in deep snow. Utility trucks are often used to pull a sports or mountain snowmobile out of the snow. Also, the scope of application of the models includes agriculture, winter fishing and hunting.

The disadvantages of utilitarian cars include low speed of movement. Otherwise, the equipment is excellent, capable of withstanding heavy loads, and copes well with the assigned tasks. High-quality, reliable utilitarian snowmobiles are produced by the Sharmax company. The line includes the following models: SN-210 Forester, SN-420, SN-550, etc.

On your own or not on your own?

In answer to the question, what is the best way to make a snowmobile? on your own or using donor equipment, rather, what is important is not so much the presence of some initial basic knowledge (today with the Internet you can learn to do everything), but rather the availability of time and patience.

In principle, the step-by-step production of a snowmobile yourself from scratch is:

• frame welding;
• production of seats, trunk;
• making skis, pneumatic wheels;
• installation of engine, brake system, drive.

And this is not even taking into account the drawing up of the drawing and the accurate calculation of all details without exception. If the snowmobile is made using a donor, then everything is much simpler. Every part that makes up a snowmobile can literally be found in the garage. [ads-pc-2]

Tourist

Tourist snowmobiles resemble utility vehicles in appearance and design features. But there are still some differences. Models for tourism are equipped with a capacious fuel tank. There is a manual start option. You can start the snowmobile using an electric starter. Advantages of tourist models:

• economical fuel consumption;
• heated grips and seat;
• additional seat for a third passenger;
• there are compartments for storing luggage;
• suspension is adjustable;
• smooth ride;
• long working life of the main units and mechanisms;
• windshield.

The tracks are narrower than those of utility vehicles, so such vehicles can sink in deep snow. The performance of touring snowmobiles is ensured by a four-stroke engine. It is more economical and environmentally friendly compared to two-stroke. The design of the snowmobile is carefully thought out to ensure maximum comfort for the driver and passengers when traveling long distances.

There were some drawbacks too. The disadvantages of tourist models include poor maneuverability and unsuitability for movement on difficult routes with slopes. Popular models of snowmobiles of this type: Yamaha RS Venture TF, Arctic Cat Pantera 7000 XT LTD.

How to make a homemade snowmobile, and is the game worth the candle?

A homemade snowmobile can be built by anyone with a little knowledge of technology. Before you start making a snowmobile, you need to understand what benefits you will get from it. Pros of self-assembly:

• Price. For some, this may be the biggest advantage. The price of a homemade snowmobile will be several times cheaper than if you buy it in a store.
• Characteristics. When making a snow machine, you control the entire process yourself, choosing the configuration, power and appearance.
• Reliability. When assembling the device yourself, you will use the best components and parts.

A well-made car with your own hands can be used not only in the city; it is quite safe to travel outside populated areas, to ski resorts and to travel off-road.

Mountain

Mountain snowmobiling is a difficult, extreme entertainment, which, nevertheless, can give a big boost of adrenaline and positive emotions. A mountain snowmobile is a high-tech vehicle designed specifically for traveling on steep slopes and overcoming climbs. The machine is not afraid of deep snow and can withstand significant operating loads. The fuel consumption of such models is quite high.

Design features of mountain snowmobiles:

• narrow ski area;
• narrow caterpillar;
• mainly a two-stroke engine (it is lighter than a four-stroke);
• energy-intensive, soft suspension.

Single seat mountain bikes are designed for aggressive riding. The equipment feels great on difficult routes and gets into hard-to-reach places without any problems. But the handling of snowmobiles leaves much to be desired. Stability and maneuverability are also poor. On the plains, such cars do not feel very comfortable, but in mountainous areas they perform well. Popular models: SKI-DOO Freeride 165” 850 E-TEC SHOT, Polaris 850 RMK KHAOS 155, etc.

In the wilderness

Here it is worth considering the amount of water on the ice. In the middle of nowhere, there is usually a large snow cover, which, under its weight, presses through the ice, and a lot of water appears on its surface. It is difficult to move through this swamp even on a good snowmobile, however, wheeled vehicles overcome it much better than vehicles with skis. At the end of winter, this water usually freezes quite strongly, the ice becomes multi-layered, there is no water on its surface, and the thickness of the snow cover is minimal. To move on such a surface, it is not at all necessary to have low ground pressure, which is required in deep snowdrifts.

It is worth paying great attention to safety. Off-road snowmobiling is one of the most dangerous forms of transport. The movement is carried out almost at motorcycle speed, but not on a flat hard road, but on a snowy surface, which in itself is already unpredictable and behaves differently in different weather, and can even be fraught with all sorts of obstacles. A snowmobile is much heavier than a motorcycle and can simply crush the driver to death in an accident if it falls on him after jumping.

It is necessary to limit the design speed of a homemade machine to 30-40 km/h, otherwise it is simply dangerous to operate it. It must also be equipped with springs to avoid compression of the vertebrae, concussions, bruises and other injuries when driving. The seat should not have a backrest so that when the driver hits an obstacle with his body, he simply flies back. Any belts and other holding devices will also be superfluous here.

A normal parent would never assemble a children's snowmobile, nor would they install child seats, etc. for transporting children - it would be better if they stayed at home. And for women it is better to avoid this type of transport. It is relatively safe to drive only on a tow vehicle, but even there the risk of injury remains.

Snowmobile frame

Most often the frame is made of metal. Wooden construction is usually not strong enough. The tree itself may have good characteristics within one piece. However, joints made from it are extremely flimsy; it is simply impossible to make a normal angle from wood that will withstand the required loads. Therefore, you should immediately discard this material.

The metal frame is made of pipes, round, square or rectangular. Usually this is a rectangular structure that runs along the entire perimeter of the snowmobile, and its parts themselves are located inside the frame. Thus, it not only performs retaining functions, but also protective ones, protecting it from various external impacts. The exception is a motorized towing vehicle, where the caterpillar practically has the largest external dimension of all the parts. When designing, you should first arrange all the components and parts of the snowmobile, estimating how it will be in practice, and only then outline the frame around it.

It is better to drill some mounting holes in it, with the help of which springs, a tank, seats, a steering wheel with a column, an engine, and other elements will be installed, then in place, since in a homemade design there is a high probability of errors during calculations or assembly, and then you can re-drill It can be difficult if the new holes edge into the old ones.

The frame must be assembled by welding. Bolted connections are, of course, possible, but they add extra weight to the structure and can become loose during operation. Gussets and buttresses are installed in all corners; if the length of the snowmobile is large, they are placed in the middle of the crossbar. A broken sprung frame at home is quite difficult to manufacture, but is found on production snowmobiles.

Caterpillar

As already mentioned, for a snowmobile it is best to use the track and rollers from a production machine. Homemade ones will be less reliable. You can install a conveyor or conveyor belt. However, here it is necessary to think carefully about two points - adhesion to rollers and to the ground.

As you know, both conveyors and conveyors use tension rollers for operation. For a snowmobile, making this will be problematic, since the tension force will vary greatly depending on the temperature and humidity of the air. Therefore, the conveyor rubber itself will be a problem. It will have to be perforated so that it adheres well to the drive rollers. Grip with the ground will also be difficult to achieve efficiently. It is necessary to secure a large number of lugs. As a result, the structure itself will be heavier in mass than a serial track and much less reliable.

A regular snowmobile belt is thicker than a conveyor belt; it has lugs and holes for rollers, which approximately correspond to the pitch of the rollers.

The drive rollers have teeth, with which they engage the belt; the rest are made smooth. It is necessary to provide the ability to adjust the rollers to ensure the required belt tension, this will make the snowmobile operate longer.

Skis

A homemade ski should have greater strength. It will not work to use ready-made plastic skis for winter fishing or for other purposes that are intended only for a person to stand on. You need a fairly thick, durable ski of great thickness. It can be cut from a thick piece of plastic, about 1 cm thick, and then bent as needed. But even a ski made in this way has a number of disadvantages.

The front steering column and spring must be attached to it so that the ski rests securely on it, and the possibility of the ski turning is excluded. The finished serial ski has a socket made of plastic into which the spring can be easily inserted. In a homemade design, a good way out of the situation would be to use two paired skis set closely together, which are mounted on leaf-type springs in front and rear, are on the same axis, and the steering column extends onto this axis.

This scheme makes it possible to make the mounting unit itself quite reliable, to avoid point torques that will act on one ski, and to make steering the snowmobile simple and convenient. The turning radius of such a machine will be significantly smaller than if only one ski was used, and even less than that of production snowmobiles with two wide-set skis, where they turn synchronously. However, in terms of strength, this design is inferior to one ski track with a high-quality socket for the steering console, so it is better to use a serial unit.

Children's

And the last type of snowmobiles is for children. Models of this type are designed for teenage children aged 9-12 years. Single-seat models attract with their compact size and well-thought-out design. An effective security system is implemented here. This is an ideal solution for those cases when you want to teach your child to ride a snowmobile. The features of children's snowmobiles include low weight, ergonomic design, and excellent functionality.