Snowmobile skidding

[buildmyown]

Why I havent thought of this before I have no idea. We just got our first little snow storm and just enough to get the machines out and blow the cob webs out. While sitting here looking at tractors and such I just got the idea to try and use one of my machines to pull some wood out that normally I wouldnt be able to get at. Nothing crazy less then 16" in dia. im thinking of using some type of plactic sled to pull behind. I do have a small trail system behind my house that is private. Im thinking of making a few passes to pack everything down first then start hauling. There is a lot of little stuff back there down from all the stroms we had this last year.

Does anyone have any ideas suggestions or pictures if simialr setups.

 

[4b316]

snowmobile

We took a pair of skis and spindles from a snowsled and welded up a 3x4 frame to take a wooden box.We break a trail with just the sled one day driving around the trees we want to pick up then a few days later when the trail is froze up,we hook up the trailer and go cut wood.Makes a nice enjoyable riding and cutting.Probably cut 20-30 cord like this(4x8x16) just for play

 

[timbrjackrussel]

View attachment 219065
See my Raidtrac thread. Not as fast as a snowmobile but it can carry 800lbs. and pull over2000lbs. About .4lbs per square in ground pressure.

 

[timbrjackrussel]

Old truck hood behind snowmobile

It was a hood off of an old army truck, 40's about 5 ton. It was like a small boat with no transom.
Pulled it with a Moto Ski. Very stable and would bounce off trees and was hard to tip over. Wish I had it now.

 

[Bushmans]

Why I havent thought of this before I have no idea. We just got our first little snow storm and just enough to get the machines out and blow the cob webs out. While sitting here looking at tractors and such I just got the idea to try and use one of my machines to pull some wood out that normally I wouldnt be able to get at. Nothing crazy less then 16" in dia. im thinking of using some type of plactic sled to pull behind. I do have a small trail system behind my house that is private. Im thinking of making a few passes to pack everything down first then start hauling. There is a lot of little stuff back there down from all the stroms we had this last year.

Does anyone have any ideas suggestions or pictures if simialr setups.

I use human power but it is somewhere to start.
View attachment 219068

I would build a small platform with two snowmobile skis attached to it. Make the set up just big enough to hold the end of the log up and just wide enough to keep it stable.

In fact two skis with a steel bar connecting them would be perfect especially if there was a cradle or u shaped bend in the middle to hold the log. Chain it down and away you go.

 

[schaaed1]

Back in the day, we used to cut all our wood with sleds. We had a couple of the 'dog-sled' type pull behind that were popular in the 70's and pulled them with an old 'bubble nose' Ski-Doo and a big honking Evinrude. Neither sled was fast, but both were torque monsters (the 'Rude in particular).

We would get a trail packed down and then load the sleds with small rounds or splits. Haul them out to the truck and repeat. Dad and another guy cutting & splitting ... me and another kid hauling.

Not sure if these new fangled speed sleds would be up to the task or not.

 

[CJ1]

I have a pull behind tub sled that is about 1/3 of a face cord. My 08 800 renegade pull it great loaded and my 11 800 does great also. When we are in Canada going to the cabin I hook 3 sleds behind the 11. Obviously they are not loaded with wood, about 1 loaded sled with wood is all I want to pull off of a trail or lake. CJ

 

[hearnoevil]

This...

oR

two of these, one on the front one on the back connected by a chain

 

[zogger]

Times must have changed a lot. I remember way back in the day snowmobiles were way more used for real work, as opposed to aimless "trailriding" and racing. From what I remember, all the folks I know who had them, they were primarily used for a few things, deer hunting (getting in with gear and out with the deer), ice fishing(same deal, drag the shanty and stuff out, all the tipups, etc), and wood gathering (either hauling logs directly, or using a sled behind it), then some like hauling hay to stock critters, etc, fixing fences, etc.

Basically they were used as snow tractors. Stuff got hauled in sleds behind them all the time.

I honestly don't remember anyone who owned one who didn't use it for like real work. Not that they didn't go joyriding, but they were bought and used as working tools primarily.

I don't remember the model, but one of my bosses had one I used sometimes when the snow was bad, it had a single ski in the front. I mostly used it to go fix fences with it, or drag in calfs if the mommas decided to go way the heck out in the woods to have them.. Less damage to stuff and easier to use than trying to go out with a tractor in the winter, cheaper too, considering wear and tear and fuel usage, etc. Loads easier to start in the colder weather as well. Also could go when a 4wd truck couldn't, when the snow was too bad, etc.

 

[buildmyown]

Hmm some good ideas in here. Since all the snow we got has just about melted or will in the next few days and were having an early mud season I have some time to think about this.

 

[timber_horse]

index

 

[buildmyown]

timber_horse that is very nice.

 

[timber_horse]

Yes that's a very nice sled. It's made up in the north of Norway. By this guy Sledespesialisten
Based on the principles the laps have used for centuries in their sleds.
You would need some very fine wood for such a nice sled.

 

[AK Steve]

In AK we haul all sorts of stuff with snogoes. I hauled my entire cabin in, and it's 82 miles one way on the machine. Look up Siglin sleds on Google, and then incorporate a log arch. Works good. I intend to build a log cabin and plan to do all my logging behind my old Polaris widetrak. Put er in low range!!