Monthly Archives: November 2005

CTEKâ„¢ Multi US 3300 Battery Charger

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All of us own some sort of seasonal vehicle that has a battery. And, most of us have learned (the hard way) what happens when these lead-acid batteries sit unused for months on end; they’re dead when we go to start the vehicle and they don’t last very long. Do you replace batteries earlier than you should? This is a problem with ATV, PWC, marine, motorcycle, lawn equipment and snowmobile batteries. You use them for a few months, then they sit.

All of this can be avoided by connecting a “smart” battery charger to the battery, either on a scheduled basis or for the entire storage period. The latest battery chargers can extend the life of all of your batteries and save you a ton of cash and headache in the process.

And, chances are you still use a “stupid” high-current charger for your boats and cars and trucks. Get with the program! Everyone who owns a vehicle with a battery needs a “smart” charger. We’re not talking simply getting a charger with “float” maintenance; that’s a start, but there is so much more “intelligence” now available.

Over the past few years SnowTech has introduced you to a couple of excellent small battery chargers that are well suited for use on recreational vehicles like snowmobiles; first, the Battery Tender Jr., and then the outstanding Optimate III desulfator/charger offered through all Yamaha dealers.

Here is a new battery charger that is also worthy of your consideration; the CTEK line of chargers. CTEK is the best-selling battery charger in Europe, claiming to be “The smartest battery chargers in the world!” They’re from Sweden, and are just now introducing their chargers to the U.S. market.

The CTEK chargers are smart in that they carry a sophisticated program sequence in testing, charging, and maintaining your batteries. They offer chargers in three “sizes”; the US 800 with 0.8A of charging power, the Multi US 3300 with a switchable 0.8 or 3.3 amps of charging power, and the top-of-the-line Multi US 700 that can handle pretty much any 12V lead-acid battery you throw at it, along with most any other kind of 12 V DC battery. All of these chargers feature a “desulfation” mode that recovers, or “wakes” a sulfated battery that no longer accepts a “normal” charge.

The one we tested was the Multi US 3300, as it can be switched from a low current charge that is ideal for smaller (<14 Ah) to a high-current charge for batteries in the 14-90 Ah range (this includes all but the largest automotive and marine batteries).

The Multi US 3300 utilizes switch mode technology, a 4-cycle intelligent process for battery maintenance and charging:

1. Desulfation:Recovers or “wakes” a sulfated or under-charged battery
2. Bulk Charge: Begins charging at 0.8/3.3A
3. Absorption:Applies peak charge at 14.4/14.7V until fully charged
4. Pulse: Sends out current pulses for charge maintenance

You pretty much hook it up to the battery you need to charge or maintain, select the mode (small or large battery for proper charge current) and the charger fires up and analyzes the battery and decides what to do. A large number of batteries that one may have previously discarded because they were “bad” can actually be recovered and kept in service for even longer. While the chargers can’t fully recover every single old battery there is, we’ve been impressed with the speed and capability of the CTEK Multi 3000 in its ability to recover and maintain the snowmobile, watercraft and marine deep cycle batteries we’ve tested it on so far.

Its patented technology protects against sparks, short circuits and reverse polarity, and it does not damage sensitive electronics with “dirty” charging; you can leave the battery connected in the vehicle. You can pretty much leave it hooked up for months on end, the battery will be kept in tip-top shape and be ready when you are.

Another benefit of the CTEK 3300 is its weatherproof construction; its fully-sealed design is dustproof, splashproof & weatherproof, allowing it to be approved for outdoor use.

A unique feature is the addition of a higher-voltage charging mode, said to be better suited for use in colder temperatures. This “Cold weather boost mode” enables faster recharging in the coldest winter months by increasing the charging and target voltage to 14.7 V, making it ideal for our winter vehicles.

The unit is sleek and compact in size, and is lightweight (1.1 lbs.) and easy-to-carry. You don’t need a small charger for your sleds and other toys and a larger charger for your cars and boats, this one will do them all.

A quick-connect option eliminates need for reconnections in hard-to-connect applications. You can clamp onto the battery with the spring-clips, or you can attach a wiring harness to each battery you own and simply use the quick-connector plug to plug into any of them.
They work with virtually any lead-acid battery: Flooded, Maintenance-free, Gel, AGM. The higher-voltage Cold Weather Boost Mode is also recommended for many AGM batteries like Optima, Maxxima and Odysses, while many Gel batteries prefer the lower 14.4 V of the standard bulk charge mode.

The smaller US 800 only charges at the lower 0.8 A, so it is best suited for use on smaller recreational batteries and isn’t as good as the 3300 for the lager dual-purpose of also charging automotive and marine batteries.

The larger Multi US 7000 adds a “float” charge sequence to the pulse maintenance, as well as an automatic recondition mode to recondition deep-discharged batteries. This unit is best suited for the largest batteries found in RVs, larger boats and trucks with a full 7 A of charging power.

Sold at specialty retailers, the Multi US 3300 battery chargers are now available throughout the United States for $69.95. For more information about the CTEK Multi US 3300, call (330) 963-0981, e-mail usinfo@ctek.com or visit www.ctek.com.

 

Ski-Doo Pro Gear Bag

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One of the finer pieces of gear we got our hands on last season was the new Ski-Doo Pro Gear Bag. The Ski-Doo accessory people took some time to demonstrate all of its neat features to us, and we must admit we were impressed. You could instantly tell there was some thought that went into the design, more so than the run-of-the-mill gear bags most of us used to use. Things like a roll-out mat to stand on while getting suited up and changing from shoes to boots. Or the boot compartment with drain holes so the bottom of the bag isn’t holding the water. Or the fleece-lined helmet compartment so your face shield or goggles are in contact with a soft fabric, not getting abrasion from a rough nylon. There’s even a slick tool compartment, ready for you to fit your essential tools into. Very cool.

The Pro Gear Bag is fairly huge, with ample room to fit your boots in their own place, the helmet in another, and the jacket and pants in the main middle “cavernous” center compartment. While not the largest gear bag available, it is fitted with large diameter inline skate wheels, so it is a “roller” bag that also meets FAA rules for airline luggage. There’s even a telescoping handle so you can be stylin’ through the airports, or at least rolling your bag through the motel hallways instead of having to lug it the whole way.

Just because it says “Ski-Doo” on the side doesn’t mean it can only be used for sledding, it serves double duty as an excellent gear bag for ATV and dirt bike riders as well. We’ve rarely ever seen a better-designed gear bag from anyone, if ever.

The Ski-Doo Pro Gear Bag is available at any and all authorized Ski-Doo dealers and retails for $189.99 USD ($209.99 CDN).

 

Vintage Rider – First Tracks, The First Snowmobile

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By Steve Pierce – Antique Snowmobile Club of America

There has been much ado concerning the first powered flight of the Wright Brothers in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903, marking the beginning of air travel, but what about snow travel?

No, Joseph Armand Bombardier did not invent the very first snowmobile. Nor did the Hetteens or Carl Eliason. Who actually first traveled over the snow in a tracked, motorized vehicle may forever be a mystery.

The first U.S. patent awarded to a power sled came on March 24, 1896, to Moses, William and Joseph Runnoe of Crested Butte, Colorado. Their power sled had an endless track of chain and eight steel crossbars supported by spring straps. The cleats had spurs on the outer edges for traction. Bear in mind that 1896 was only one year after the first U.S. automobile patent was issued to George Selden in 1895. This was 21 years before U.S. involvement in World War I and merely 20 years after Custer’s Last Stand!

In October 1921, Charles H. Young of Norway, Maine, filed for a patent on a motor- driven sled. His machine had an endless belt on an independent rear suspended power unit and a curved front with skis for steering, forerunning Eliason and others. He received his patent on March 17, 1925.

In the early 1900′s, Ski Kits, chain-driven paddlewheels and track conversions of various configurations were appearing on various automobiles and motorcycles.

In 1914 Frank and Howard Sawyer of Jackson, Minnesota built a snowmo-cycle with skis and side-by-side seating. The rear wheel was positioned between the passengers and it was powered by a twin cylinder Excelsior motorcycle engine.

In 1917 Iver Holm of St. Paul, Minnesota built a similar machine powered by a four cylinder Henderson motorcycle motor.

Carl J.E. Eliason of Saynor, Wisconsin began experimenting with his idea for a motor toboggan in 1924. His vehicle used a front- mounted, water-cooled outboard motor for power. He obtained a patent on November 22, 1927 on a vehicle for snow travel.

In 1928, while exploring the Antarctic, Admiral Richard E. Byrd left his base on the Bay of Whales, Little America, in a converted Ford Model T. It was later abandoned about 75 miles out of camp. He did not fare much better in 1939 when, on an expedition from Little America III, he abandoned the “Snow Cruiser”, a very large twin-tracked vehicle designed expressly for Antarctic travel.

The late 1920′s and early 1930′s saw the Tucker Motor Company of California develop a most unique method of over-the-snow propulsion – an auger! The “Spiral Over-Snow Vehicle” was sixteen feet long and steered with one ski. (The auger concept was resurrected years later by Polaris, with little success.)

Bombardier moved from wind-powered machines to large tracked transport vehicles. It would be late in the 1950′s before he would produce the light and nimble front-engined sled that became Ski Doo.

Eliason had metamorphosed from wooden, front-engined toboggans to rear-engined steel models by 1951, influencing later manufacturers.

Roseau, Minnesota saw Hetteen Hoist and Derrick become Polaris Industries in 1954, and they began work on their own rear-engined design. It would be 10 years until the ill-conceived Comet, their first front-engined offering, would cause financial disaster and nearly bankrupt the company.

Howard Schraeder’s single ski rear-engined Snowbug emerged from Sudbury, Ontario in 1957.

There were a flood of manufacturers from Quebec who stormed the snowmobile scene. In 1958, Hus-Ski, from Pointe Claire began testing an unusual design. A twin-tracked front-power unit towed a passenger sled behind it. Not in production until 1962, the company was purchased by Food Machinery Corporation in 1965. The Hus-Ski became the Bolens Diablo Rouge.

Bouchard started Moto Ski in 1962 and produced 10 machines in La Pocatiere.

Rejean Houle of Wickham made 20 Skiroules in 1963.

Thetford Mines was home to Sno Jet and 25 units in 1964.

In the United States, Edgar Hetteen would leave Polaris and found Polar Manufacturing in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. In 1962 Polar became Arctic Enterprises and would produce the first front-engined sled in America.

Trail-A-Sled of Crosby, Minnesota also made a front-engined snowmobile in 1962. From a plywood and fiberglass prototype, the soon to be Scorpion design was unique in that the hood and tunnel were fiberglass, and one piece at that!

Mick Rupp, experimenting with an aluminum tunnel, would produce about 200 sleds in 1965.

By 1966, most of the rear-engined snowmobiles had melted away like the spring snow, giving rise to a sport-minded era of prosperity in the industry that would create nearly 200 snowmobile manufacturers by the mid 1970′s.

 

Ontario – Canada’s “Must Ride” Snowmobile Destination

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By Craig Nicholson, The Intrepid Snowmobiler

For most riders, it’s hard to get your head around how big snowmobiling is in Ontario, Canada. Each winter, I sled about 5,000 miles there and still haven’t seen it all.
Usually, I take off for a ten-day tour and never ride the same trail twice. That’s because the Province of Ontario is almost twice as large as Texas and much of it is criss-crossed with 25,000 miles of topnotch snowmobile trails. In fact, Ontario’s snowmobile trails rank as the world’s largest recreational trail system, with more miles of snowmobile trails than there are miles of highways in many States!

During my years as a snowmobile journalist, I’ve visited most popular snowmobile destinations in North America and frequently had the opportunity to compare them. For my money, Ontario tops the list as a “must-ride” destination. Here’s why.

I’m a high miler who loves to ride. It’s easy to put on 200 to 300 miles day after day in Ontario, without feeling beat or riding after dark. My personal high has topped out just over 400 miles on several occasions — once with my wife, so this isn’t a guys only kind of place!

If you share my passion for distance, head for Northern Ontario, where you’ll discover an endless trail network comprised of old logging roads, mining routes and utility corridors that will far surpass anything in your previous experience.

Regardless of how often I ride in Ontario, the thrill never seems to end. During a normal riding day elsewhere, I may have a couple of really memorable moments, where the trail was spectacular, that make me wish I could ride like this forever (or at least the rest of that day). That’s the feeling I get continuously in Ontario, day after day— and just when I think it can’t get any better, it usually does.

Part of the reason is that Ontario’s trails are under used. As anyone who rides regularly in the other popular snowmobile havens knows, they can be way too crowded. So it’s hard to imagine riding trails that are virtually empty — no traffic, no gas line-ups and no waiting at pit stops.

I guess their lack of traffic is because Ontario’s so vast and has so many trails that thousands of sleds simply disappear, absorbed each day by a network that’s much, much bigger than the number of sleds it attracts. I’ve stayed at lodgings where a hundred or more sleds are parked overnight, but when they leave next morning, I never see any of them again.

One analogy for this phenomenon is that in many other destinations, riding is like driving during the day in a bustling city; in Ontario, riding is like day time driving in that same city— but with the much lower volume typical from midnight to pre-dawn.

Season length and snowfall are two more good reasons Ontario is a snowmobiling standout. Throughout Southern Ontario, a 12-week season is the norm, fed by lake effect snow coming off the Great Lakes, especially in the areas of Grey Bruce, The Georgian Triangle, Muskoka and Parry Sound.

In many parts of Northern Ontario, normal season length can be up to 16 weeks, with snow that comes early and stays late. Personally, my choice for the best time to ride the North is during March, when daylight hours are longer, temperatures moderate and trails well set up. Besides, March riding is a great way to extend my season, long after many other riders are putting their sleds away because the ground is bare where they live or normally ride.

Trail riding is what Ontario’s all about, thanks to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC). That’s the provincial association whose 240 local clubs have been operating the trail system for almost 40 years, investing a total of more than $365 million into trail development.

The benefit to visiting riders is that OFSC trails are connected and consistent. They are also mapped and marked for touring, and maintained by a provincial fleet of about 330 heavy industrial groomers. The OFSC trail system was well planned to connect hundreds of friendly snowbelt communities, so that fuel, food, service and lodging stops are frequent, findable and accessible for visitors.

The OFSC system consists of two interconnected networks, their trails equal in quality and ridability: Trans Ontario Provincial (TOP) Trails and regional trails. Over 11,000 miles of TOP Trails are the main thru routes that link each of Ontario’s nine major snowmobiling tourism regions. Within these regions, OFSC clubs operate over 14,000 miles of connecting trails. Together, these two networks deliver an unrivalled opportunity for visitors in search of great riding.

Ontario also welcome touring riders with state of the art information and planning tools. The OFSC produces a TOP Trail Guide that provides a provincial trail system overview. Each of 17 OFSC districts also produces a snowmobile trail map that shows comprehensive detail. Meanwhile, the Ontario government produces a booklet called “The Ultimate Snowmobiling Tour Planner” (also available on line), written by snowmobilers for snowmobilers, that answers every question you might have.

Like any product, you get what you pay for. As a snowmobiler, I’m more than willing to pay for the exceptional quality and quantity that Ontario offers touring riders. Unlike in the U.S., where trails are mostly funded by government gas tax or sled registration rebates, OFSC snowmobile trail operations are funded by permit revenues. So I buy a Full Season Snowmobile Trail Permit for $230 CDN ($180 if purchased on or before December 1. Seven day permits are also available.)

Remember that in Ontario, the U.S. dollar is worth more, so your real permit cost would be closer to $200/$155, with a similar saving on everything else you purchase there. The math works out to as little as $15.50/day for one ten-day tour to ride some of the best trails anywhere. The permit is good for unlimited use anywhere in Ontario at any time during the winter, so the more I ride, the better value it becomes.

Ontario borders on three States with easy highway access to border crossings — Minnesota, Michigan and New York. From these, American riders can be on the snow in Ontario in less than an hour or two, or can trailer on four lane highways to points farther north. Thanks to this proximity, many Americans already make long weekend getaways to Ontario a regular part of their snowmobile plans each winter. They especially like Grey Bruce (near Detroit), Muskoka & Haliburton (near Buffalo) and Eastern Ontario (near Ogdensburg, NY).

Best of all, you’ll quickly discover an easy familiarity with this Province. Ontario is more like traveling into another State than entering a foreign country. You’ll feel right at home with most of the major fast food and retail chains. Meanwhile, communicating in Ontario is no problem. Unlike in Quebec, English is the primary language. So all you have to do is get used to metric measurements for fuel and distance — and folks who seems to end every sentence with “eh?”

If the main objective of going snowmobiling is to discover the best trail riding possible, Ontario is THE place to go — just don’t expect to ride it all in one trip! The only downside is that Ontario has raised my snowmobiling bar so high that I’m not satisfied riding anywhere else!

Craig Nicholson’s syndicated column “The Intrepid Snowmobiler” appears in newspapers throughout North America. He also hosts “The Intrepid Snowmobiler on Radio” and appears regularly on Snowmobiler Television.

Who to Contact
1-800-ONTARIO or www.ontariotravel.net/snowmobile

 

DNE Quad 1560

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This four-cylinder 2-stroke – the DNE Quad 1560 – produces nearly 375 HP and 200 foot-pounds of torque. Built by Don Emery at DNE Performance in Ontario, it is based on Rotax 800 triples welded together with stroked Ski-Doo crankshafts. Last winter the sled ran 172.6 mph, consuming between 3 and 4 liters of fuel per pass through the 52mm carbs.

Emery tells SnowTech they have a 1750cc engine in the works that is expected to produce 400+ HP and should run in the 180+ mph range. DNE has built a number of these wild 2-stroke Rotax engines over the years, using either bored stock cylinders or custom cast cylinders, depending on the desired displacement.

 

Arctic Cat Snowmobiles Left Hand Control Block

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Many 2006 Arctic Cat snowmobiles are fitted with a new left hand control block, delivering easier access and control of various functions as well as cleaning up the handlebar layout. This new control block features integral connector headers rather than potted wire harnesses, reducing the amount of wiring that hangs off the handlebars. The controls were made to be easy to use (day or night) by placing the switches within easy reach (notice the master cylinder clamp has been moved to the inboard side), making the switches large for gloved operation, having the warmer switches and push-to-talk on the LH (non-throttle) side and including switch backlighting. The e-stop switch is now backlit as well.

 

Proto Snow Bike

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In search of a smaller, less expensive, and lighter snowmobile, here is one person’s vision of such a vehicle. Built by James Alexander of Niles, Michigan, this “prototype” snow bike is quite a departure from what you typically think of when you say “snowmobile”. It is still under development, and right now there is only minimal shrouding, but is said to be really exciting to ride and it only weighs 300 pounds! It is intended for an aggressive stand-up riding style, as the rider’s feet are only 11 inches apart. The twin tracks are independently suspended and their 44-inch stance makes the machine extremely stable in turns and jumps.

The front suspension travel is set at 13 inches now, but could be set for more or less travel, depending upon the sled’s height. Lower is obviously better for high speeds and fast cornering, higher for deeper snow and obstacle clearance. The manual shift transmission, combined centralized mass and extremely light weight give the machine “immediate response”. The rider has a greater sense of control and confidence in their riding.

Currently, the machine has a 6-speed, liquid-cooled 250cc 2-stroke engine, giving it about 40 HP. In a 300-pound sled, it gets around with plenty of zip and is pretty fast (7.5 pounds per horsepower). Ideally, a larger-displacement 4-stroke would be utilized, perhaps something like a newer motocross 450 engine. Alexander had an older 550 Yamaha 4-stroke in it originally, and although the throttle response and engine braking were wonderful, the engine was just too heavy.

Again, this is a rough prototype, and a more refined version is underway. Improvements include more protective shrouding, a super-precise steering system which absolutely eliminates “bump-steer”, and a steering-activated low-speed track biasing system for exceptional low-speed steering.

The US patent number is 6,708791, and the Canadian patent has also been filed.
Alexander believes there is new breed of riders wanting to enter the sport who want something different than what the industry currently offers.

 

Carb Icing – Carb Heaters for Snowmobiles

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A number of the newer sleds are now fitted with “carb heaters”. Many of these route warm engine coolant through the carb body in an attempt to prevent icing of the carbs (and the resulting safety concern of a stuck throttle).

Sleds equipped with these systems typically have a valve to turn the flow of warm coolant to the carbs on and off. Normally you want the valve off for maximum performance (colder air intake temperature), but Ski-Doo tells us anytime you’re riding where there is snow in the air (riding in powder or behind a sled creating snow dust) or when the relative humidity is quite high and the air is rather warm (-5 C to 5 C, or 23 F to 41 F) you want the valve ON. Be sure to turn the valve OFF once the riding temps get any warmer than this.

 

New Snowmobile Oil Seizures

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A fairly common oil-related failure happens when a 2-stroke sled is brand-spanking new. Sometimes, even if there is plenty of injection oil in the oil reservoir, there is air in the oil lines and the pump cavitates for a while, purging the air out of the system. Sometimes this condition will pass, sometimes it won’t, but it can cause a period of time where insufficient oil is reaching the engine internals. With a brand new tight engine, this is not a good thing. This is why you’re (almost) always told to run some oil in the first tank of gas at a ratio of 100:1, so the engine gets lubrication during this time period (and why set-up technicians are supposed to bleed the air out of the lines before delivery). With 128 ounces to a gallon, this means one ounce per gallon and you’re fairly close. We figure 13 ounces per ten gallons of fuel, or 15 ounces per 12 gallon tank.

So when you take delivery of your new 2-stroke sled, you want to know if any oil has been added to the gas, and how much. Some dealers don’t add any; some add a gas and oil mixture that is at the specified 100:1 ratio (but not a full tank) and some will add a splash of gas, but a full 10-15 ounces of injection oil so when you fill the tank with gas you will be close to the 100:1 ratio. In this case, if you didn’t know what they have already added and you add yet another 10-15 ounces you’ll have a smoking machine for that first tank! And, quite possibly, a gooey set of spark plugs.

Bottom line, you do want this oil in the first tank of fuel to help smooth the internal engine surfaces during engine break-in, as the moving parts get used to each other and take off the high spots of the surfaces. Typically, using synthetic oils during this period tend to lengthen the amount of time it takes an engine to “loosen up”. Each engine acts different; some don’t change that much, some really are tight to begin with and the difference is quite profound after a few hundred miles. 4-strokes seem to take even longer to break-in that the 2-strokes.

 

Snowmobile Trail-Head Etiquette

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How many times have you pulled into a trail-head parking lot, only to find some bonehead (or two or three) has double parked their tow rig and trailer, making it almost impossible for you to safely park your rig? This happens not only in snowmobiling, but with all forms of recreational vehicles including boats, ATVs and bikes. Sometimes it is ignorance (they simply don’t know any better) but often it is a matter of being lazy or arrogant; not caring about anyone other than themselves.

Anytime you pull into a trail head or parking lot, even if it is empty when you get there, try to park with the mindset that there will be others coming behind you looking for somewhere to park their rig. It is common courtesy, and good common sense.