snowmobiles and flooring

[GMBracing]

As I finish the snowmobile area in the basement,I am having a hard time trying to figure out what flooring to use. The skis and picks are hard on the floor, (this is a ride in garage area). and the sleds bring in a lot of snow with them. this means lots of water. Floor area is flat not sloped to door
Any suggestions?

 

[jhelrey]

I am a huge snowmobiler. Nothing will stand up to the carbides or studs.

 

[benchracer]

Maybe lay down sheets of plywood and replace them as they get ripped up?
I'm going to have the same issue once my garage and driveway are done.

 

[chadman]

It's a bit of a PITA but I bring mine in the garage with a snowmobile dolly like this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DIB4E/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Carbides and studs are hell on just about any surface.

 

[RaceDeck1]

The carbide runners are brutal on any surface. one option would be, If you are pulling straight in all winter, you can replace the few tiles scratched at the end of the season

 

[slickgt1]

Would it abuse some ultra hard porcelain tile? You might want to give it a test. Get one and run over it. Just make sure you have it on some flat surface, or it will crack as it is not set. I am hard on my tiles, but I also don't have a snowmobile, so I don't know if it is any more abusive to the tiles. And if it does get messed up, fixing it is as easy as waiting for new thinset to dry.

 

[trainer]

Get a cover and a lock and leave the sled outside.
heated storage= fuel tank condensation= iced up carbs

A vehicle full of fuel is not a good idea in the basement from a safety standpoint.

Consider using plain steel runners and lose the studs. I ran that setup for many years and tens of thousands of miles.

That said, maybe something like Rhino-liner would work

 

[c7fx]

Having a floor that doesn't drain doesn't sound good for starters.
If you could get it to drain I think vented tile like Racedeck or swisstrax would work good with ski guides attached to prevent the tiles from being torn up.

Other option is to roll them in with a dolly many options available.

 

[Garage Flooring]

As I finish the snowmobile area in the basement,I am having a hard time trying to figure out what flooring to use. The skis and picks are hard on the floor, (this is a ride in garage area). and the sleds bring in a lot of snow with them. this means lots of water. Floor area is flat not sloped to door
Any suggestions?

Have a look at our premium rib tile or the Ribtrax tile. As everyone has said the snowmobile will leave scuffs on anything. We did have one customer use strips of AC plywood. That in of itself was not that interesting. But he put small rubber stoppers on the underside and it fit down into the groves of the Ribtile and kept it from moving but it worked for him

 

[trbomax]

Mine have had thier own drive in/drive out garage and shop for 10 yrs now. Its heated and the floor is 3/4 treated plywood. In 10 yrs its still not worn thru the top ply, even on the approach to the lift.never had a frozen carb either in over 39 yrs of rideing,even when we trailered the rig was parked in a heated shop all week. Dont take this wrong,but if you know how to ride you wont have to spin the track on the shop floor.

edit) and I can back the above up with a pic if needed.

 

[saskscout]

I've had nothing but luck with these:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...0004P/Premium+Kreeper+Dolly+Set.jsp?locale=en

I drive in just enough to get the skis in, then lift these underneath and lift the back end and push it in enough to get the back one under and rolling, always done the trick for me.

 

[trbomax]

I've had nothing but luck with these:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...0004P/Premium+Kreeper+Dolly+Set.jsp?locale=en

I drive in just enough to get the skis in, then lift these underneath and lift the back end and push it in enough to get the back one under and rolling, always done the trick for me.

Great! now that its in,how do you get it up in the air to service it (suspension/track),then how do you get it back outside?

 

[Burtonrider10022]

Uhm... Carpet??? A thicker made-for-outdoors carpet...

 

[trbomax]

I tried indoor/outdoor over my door sills and a couple feet out onto the concrete approach.I drilled holes and pinned it down with landscape spikes.It was fine for the ski carbides but the studs would penetrate it and try to pick it up. I guess if you didnt run track studs it could be an option.

 

[Sureshot]

Has anyone ever tried to build a dolly in one piece?
My idea was to build it like a T where the track just started to engage the dolly as the ski's hit it so it could not shoot out. The track would pull it under the skis at which point the track would be off the floor and the whole thing on dollys. Just drive forward and the track power pushes the machine forward and off the dolly. Maybe a piece of old track on the middle section for some positive engagement.
The track section would be a flatten triangle, dolly outside the track width, and just long enough to engage and disengage at the right times. The ski section may only have a dolly on the inside of the ski. Join the two sections with a piece of square tubing lengthwise and a piece of square tubing joining the sides under the track. I may have to get the sled out and try this.
I have had this on my mind to do for a few years but never tried it. Maybe this year or someone else can experiment and post.

 

[GMBracing]

thought about a couple of horse stall mats in the "landing zone", then I have dollys from harbor freight. Use 3 of them.,
2 with 2x3 screed on for the skis and 1 under the track. ,

 

[trbomax]

Has anyone ever tried to build a dolly in one piece?
My idea was to build it like a T where the track just started to engage the dolly as the ski's hit it so it could not shoot out. The track would pull it under the skis at which point the track would be off the floor and the whole thing on dollys. Just drive forward and the track power pushes the machine forward and off the dolly. Maybe a piece of old track on the middle section for some positive engagement.
The track section would be a flatten triangle, dolly outside the track width, and just long enough to engage and disengage at the right times. The ski section may only have a dolly on the inside of the ski. Join the two sections with a piece of square tubing lengthwise and a piece of square tubing joining the sides under the track. I may have to get the sled out and try this.
I have had this on my mind to do for a few years but never tried it. Maybe this year or someone else can experiment and post.

I built 5 or 6 like that back in the 90's. I used 6" wheel and under slung the mounts to keep the dolly low. Used caster wheels in back and rigid in front.I only used them for off season storage because it allowed me to pack them in tightlyto take less space(I was running 6 sleds back then because of the kids).They were OK but they took up too much space to store during the winter when I was useing the sleds so I made engine dollys out of them.

 

[ctd]

Are you familiar with Super Glides? I'm not sure how they would stand up to picks, certainly works well for carbides.

http://www.superclamp.net/

I'm thinking if you attached these to treated plywood or that plastic wood that is used on Sled decks & lay it on your floor.

You still have to deal with the water somehow.

 

[Lkdelta]

Has anyone ever tried to build a dolly in one piece?
My idea was to build it like a T where the track just started to engage the dolly as the ski's hit it so it could not shoot out. The track would pull it under the skis at which point the track would be off the floor and the whole thing on dollys. Just drive forward and the track power pushes the machine forward and off the dolly. Maybe a piece of old track on the middle section for some positive engagement.

I had something that sounds like this. It was on casters.
I would load the sled on. Then when I went to drive off it, the clutch would engage and "spit" the cart out the back with some force

I was thinking maybe recreate a snowmobile trailer deck "on the floor" for easy in and out with some durability. The plastic ski guides and something for the track to work with that won't be destroyed.

 

[rev177]

I use these https://www.denniskirk.com/universal-black-ski-boots.p10317.prd I just wheel them in and out with a dolley. I put the boots on so I can sled them around.

I set the sled on a piece of rubber or I have used Foam before. Seems to work fine. Yes my floor has a few scratches but nothing major

 

[Blk88GT]

I'm told that using a good surface hardener will help eliminate carbide marks, but I doubt they'd do much for picks.

I had 20 bags of Diamag 7 power troweled into my concrete surface. I have yet to put a carbide on it, but I am fairly confident it will leave a mark in the sealer I used anyways.

So far I like the idea of the horse stall mats, but I'd screw some Superglides to it.

 

[Sureshot]

My floor has hardener and the carbides leave a little mark you can see here and there but not too bad. Never had pics on it though.

 

[burleyfarm]

Here's what I use for moving miine in and out of the garage.
You can purchase the optional large wheels for gravel or rough surfaces. Once in the garage I use the small caster dollies under each ski and the track to move them around.
I'm only 5'6" and 140 pounds and have no problem moving my machines by myself.

www.eazymovecarts.com/ezmove/index.html

 

[Kirkvkid]

I'm not really a snowmobiler but perhaps you could bring in some stone, dirt, or sand to put over the area the sled travels and sits. Toss some heavy plastic down, then add 4-5 inches thick so you dont wear through it. Kinda of like they do in an indoor arena when they a monster truck rally. Might be messy, but its cheap, easy to work, and easy to get rid of.

 

[kluckfab]

Dolly is the best way and then use a stand for the track and some old plywood for the skis.