snowmobile & floors

[snowdevil]

I just built a new garage that will be used for snowmobiles and wheelers. I love the look of epoxy painted floors, but I am worried what the carbides will do to it over the season . any ideas or suggestions of other options would be appreciated. I have painted floors in the old garage but used plywood over them last season and it was a pain in the *** pulling them in and out.

 

[trainer]

they make a product called Ski boots that slip over your skis to protect driveway, garage and trailer.
I've never used them but they look interesting.
http://www.sno-stuff.com/503/503.htm

 

[walrus]

You can always tell where a snowmobile trail crosses the road in Maine, the picks have beat the **** out of the road. I doubt an epoxy floor can stand up carbides, I'd lay down plywood or something

 

[snowdevil]

I know that is probaly what I will have to do. I also tried rubber mats but they didn't allow for the skis to slid so I put plywood over that and it worked pretty good but alot of repositioning over the year. Walrus are you from Maine?
Trainer, I checked the ski boots out. they seem like a good idea but alot work

 

[skeletonizer]

I know a couple of guys that use a chunk of rigid foam insulation on the track and the ski boots mentioned earlier.

They just lift the sled with a dolly and set it on the foam. The studs poke into the foam and it sticks to the track when you move the sled around inside the shop.

The foam gets chewed up after a while but it will last a season.

 

[cwolfley]

snow machine dollies is what i use in my shop at work....hope this link works if not email me.. corymmautooutlet.com

www.mmautooutletmotorsports.com

 

[cwolfley]

http://snow.parts-unlimited.com/19/198/7458170?q=dollies
sorry forgot link in last post

 

[Bojans]

I personally use one of these and love it, they make a kit to add pneumatic wheels to it which could help in a transition from indoors to out. The dolly is very easy to use and breaks down to nothing for storage.

http://www.eazymovecarts.com/ezmove/index.html

 

[chevelle67]

I have ruined every floor I have owned due to studs and carbides on my sleds. The only way to make sure that you wont damage the floor is to use a two wheel lifting dolly to put the sleds onto ski and track dollies. Good luck

 

[nate379]

Dollies. If you don't have picks you can just put one under each ski and drive the sled in the garage still. Won't turn well though. The carbides will cut up the slab pretty bad, I can't imagine epoxy holding up at all.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200127324_200127324

 

[walrus]

. Walrus are you from Maine?

Ayuh

 

[nate379]

Darn southern Mainiac. Up north we would say Bein Oui! (born and raised in northern Maine)

 

[snowdevil]

we have mountain sleds with 2.5 inch lugs so no picks here just the carbide problem. I guess there is no real good solution so I will just pick up extra epoxy and recoat that area in the spring, it is only a garage floor if you really think about it i guess.....or just going to use the plywood again. thanks to all ...

 

[nate379]

Use the wheels! They are cheap and make moving the sleds around the garage much easier. The carbides will cut grooves into the slab.

 

[von zipper]

I say the dolly with the big wheels like the one''s the dealer uses!

 

[nissan_crawler]

we just used a creeper.

 

[ripsnortMN]

With my experience with my own sleds, there is no floor coating that will withstand the carbides on the skis. As the carbides dig long marks into my concrete floor.

 

[aczr2k]

I don't get how ski boots are too much work? Drive up to the door, lift the ski tip slide them under, drive in? Much easier than re-coating the floor.

 

[snowdevil]

I guess we are just lazy, use to opening the door and pulling in the machines. one wouldn't be bad but we usally have 4 or more at a time.

 

[Bojans]

I didn't think you guys had enough powder out East to run mountain sleds. If you are running a 2.5" track I assume you ride 90% plus deep snow. I know with that much track on the ground you need an aggressive carbide to bite on the trails but once you are in the powder the carbide doesn't do anything. Any chance you could get by with a Bergstrom skeg with the hard weld? Might provide the bite you need for limited trail riding and would not be as sharp on the concrete. Just a thought.

 

[snowdevil]

we get some good powder in the mountains of Maine just got to know where to go.

we doo are share of trail riding too

 

[walrus]

I didn't think you guys had enough powder out East to run mountain sleds. .

A guy I know used to like to ride the border of Maine Quebec around Jackman, no trials, tough going, tons of powder.

 

[Bubbles]

I use a dolly. One wide one It was the bottom of a bread Cart from a Grocery Store.
The wheels spin at 360 degrees. I tip up the skis and kick it under.
I don't use picks so Once its under the skis I can drive in.
I attached wood to it the width on my sled. Works great. I use a smaller one for the track to get it pushed in the corner.

I found the 2 dollies for each ski constantly fell off.

 

[nate379]

That is down around Portland isn't it?

My folks live up in northern Maine (where I grew up too)... got 17ft of snow the winter before last, made for nice riding.


Also BRRRRrrrrrrr (pic from Jan 2009)

we get some good powder in the mountains of Maine just got to know where to go.

we doo are share of trail riding too

 

[Bojans]

Good snow year, especially if is was all system snow and not lake effect. Our place in the UP of Michigan got a bit over 25 feet last year but the majority of that is lake effect so 12" compresses to 2 or 3" inches after a few days. Nothing like riding in fresh powder.

That is damn cold...

 

[snowdevil]

the snowman was in bethel maine. our place is 15 miles north of there.
yes it is all fresh snow , no lake effect up there.

 

[StealthM8]

Haven't had a carbide touch my floor in years as I use a lift on the driveway and wheel them in the garage. With a cordless drill powering the crank, it zips right up.

Rec-Lift

This one would be even faster on and off

http://www.thesledbed.com/

Over the hood powder > *.

 

[kwb]

Wheels or Skins.

Carbides (if new/sharp) will cut into the concrete and anything between them and concrete. It only takes a couple seconds to lift ski tip up and kick the wheels under the spindles. It takes lots of time to prep to get any sort of coating to stay stuck to concrete.

 

[Jokeman]

Dang, you know good riding around Bethel snowdevil? Camp for us is about 25 minutes south of Bethel. Right now I am riding an F7, next sled I buy will be a cross over. Id love a 144 with a 2 inch track.

 

[Hammerdown]

Use the dollies for snow mobiles, it is the only way to protect the floor and any coating. It takes a little effort and time to hoist them up on the dollies everytime you come in, but it is well worth it. Otherwise you'll just create a grove in the concrete and damage any epoxy or flooring with the carbide skis.

 

[foss]

carpets tiles may work for awhile and they're easy to replace, but I agree the dollies are the best way to protect the floor and it also makes it easy tomove around when its in the gararge.

 

[adam728]

These work great. We used them at the dealer I worked at in Michigan. You can slip them under the skis and ride/steer the sled into the garage. The big wheels roll over stuff easier as well.
http://www.suregripdolly.com/

 

[foss]

those look like the best ones I've seen

 

[fireball 440]

Haven't had a carbide touch my floor in years as I use a lift on the driveway and wheel them in the garage. With a cordless drill powering the crank, it zips right up.

Rec-Lift

This one would be even faster on and off

http://www.thesledbed.com/

Over the hood powder > *.

Hate to tell you but at $300 you got ripped off on that lift, same design with wheels goes for $180 on ebay.

These work great. We used them at the dealer I worked at in Michigan. You can slip them under the skis and ride/steer the sled into the garage. The big wheels roll over stuff easier as well.
http://www.suregripdolly.com/

A buddy of mine made a set like that and they work good, he can ride his sled through grass and gravel and into the shop with them on.
Myself I have a set of dollies, good enough for me.

 

[1968rsss]

i use something similiar to this I built. just some casters and round pipe. make them so the track grabs the middle before the skis touch the cart.