Comments on my new Argo 6x6 700 Frontier Scout

[mightymaxIV]

Bush Tracks have been installed: Updates on my on my 6x6 Frontier: Okay so I have installed the Alaska Bush tracks with swim paddles and had a chance to test them in some pretty extreme mud and swamp conditions and these are my observations:

1. These are extremely aggressive tracks and I have not run into any deep mud that even gives them a challenge. The machine knocks down cattails and digs into mud like they were not there. Because the grousers (and belts) go down so far on the tires I can haul ass down the trails without worrying about the grousers touching the body (this was always a concern, with Adair's because the track could rock on the tire and come into contact with the tub damaging the tub)

2. The tracks are loud, they really let you know they are there.

3. They do suck up power but all tracks do; but even with tracks on I can still hit GPS indicated speeds of 20 mph which is extremely surprising to me (I never had a 6x6 with tracks that could get down the trail that fast)

4. They don't swim well, I can get about 1mph GPS indicated speed in water, that speed does not cut it the areas I go into so I plan to break down the tracks and run the track as a Half Track with the front two tires tracked and the back tires in swim position. I am hoping I can get a two MPH swim speed in that configuration. I seriously doubt that I will ever be challenged in mud conditions with this half track configuration. I am told that using this half track configuration takes very little power away from the machine and gives the machine a very tire like feel (I will let you know after I test it)

[john swenson]

thanks dan for the update ..i like the way those tracks are performing for mud etc. also that the grousers are deep and give confidence of not coming off easily . i like half tracks , so looking forward to how that works out . any videos would be great to see . johnboy

[mightymaxIV]

thanks dan for the update ..i like the way those tracks are performing for mud etc. also that the grousers are deep and give confidence of not coming off easily . i like half tracks , so looking forward to how that works out . any videos would be great to see . johnboy

\Working on it John Boy

[mightymaxIV]

I have decided to go with the Half track system, using the half track system the machine will run at a GPS indicated top speed pf 23 MPH, unbelievably fast for a tracked 6x6. Turns better with the half tracks then it does with tires and I get a GPS indicated 2 KPH in the water. Not quite as fast in the water as I would like but I can work with it. Half track system gives the machine almost as much available power as running with tires.

Seems to mud really well and is FUN to drive on the trail. I really won't be able to get a good feel for the mudding until I am around a lot of other machines.

More: Argo still hasn't got the heat issues on the Briggs totally sorted out yet, the machine has already back fired on me and got so hot coming out of my pond that the engine started to miss and then shut down. I let the machine sit a few seconds half in and half out of the water. I didn't know if the machine would start again or not. Thank god it fired missed several times for about a minute and than started to run properly again. I have had these heating conditions with the Briggs engine before, maybe I was just running the machine to hard, never the less a stalled machine on the trail is a very uneasy feeling.

[john swenson]

same with the 21 hp briggs in my max 2 highboy runs good when not to hot out ..but when running for hrs. in warm weather like at busco sometimes , i have to run the fan . that takes care of it . so are you running the half tracks on the front tires ? always wondered if front or back works any better . jboy

[mightymaxIV]

same with the 21 hp briggs in my max 2 highboy runs good when not to hot out ..but when running for hrs. in warm weather like at busco sometimes , i have to run the fan . that takes care of it . so are you running the half tracks on the front tires ? always wondered if front or back works any better . jboy

Hey John, I am running them on the front tires, I am not sure if it makes a difference

[john swenson]

thanks dan .. may run a test at some point on mine . jb

[mightymaxIV]

Got 2 KPH water speed with the half track set up and a GPS measured 37 KPH or 23 MPH top speed with the half track set up. I have never driven a tracked machine this fast but the half tracks just feel really comfortable at speed, however the Briggs gets hot fast in this summer heat and I am not sure a cooling fan is going to help a lot, but I will give it a try

[john swenson]

thanks dan ...i found that half tracks work almost as well as full ..you loose a bit of footprint , but gain more power . maybe not so good in deep powder snow , but fine for most mud . jboy

[mightymaxIV]

Because of heat issues with Fuel injected air cooled Briggs I decided I would purchase and in install an Argo hood cooling fan with the same Argo Hood scoop seen on many of the Aurora models. The effort was worth the price and the work as the machine and engine stayed cool in some very extreme swamp conditions.

The swamp is an area close to my home with water about three feet deep over grown with Lilly pads tall grass trees and every thing else you can imagine. Under the water was soft mud, logs, stumps and dirt/mud mounds that would stick any thing with out tracks. It was dangerous to move faster than 3-5 mph because you could not see logs/stumps etc. I ran the machine in low gear and the Alaska Bush half tracks preformed better than I expected with the machine and tracks pulling me through the most God awful conditions I have ever had an Argo in.

The hood fan kept the machine and the engine cool and the Briggs never faltered in some pretty extreme heat and mud conditions and the machine never got a break pushing through tall grass/water/and mud.

I would normally only run in these conditions with another tracked Argo but since no one else was available I gave me, my girl and the machine the test of its young life.