I have a very less then ideal snowmobile for trapping but for this year it's all that's in the budget , it's a 1995 Yamaha vmax 600 , does anyone have any ideas to improve floatation in powder I've got 3 feet and need to break trails , I can get 10 inch wide ski skins would they help ? Right now it's stock size skins , it seems to plowing snow and then start digging in and then I get stuck

The wider skis should help but with a budget like that I dont think theres much you can do to the machine to help. Bring a shovel and clear a runway when you get stuck. Push from off the machine to get it on top. Putting your weight on one side of the track helps to get going again sometimes. If you get sick of digging out you can roll your machine over 360 so it sits on fresh snow(this will do a number on your windshield but effective). Last thought, bring a pms(pull my skis) buddy. Good luck

Yes I kinda figured that all was standard sop , that was what I did last trip lol , I'm hoping the wider skis will help

I don't know how flat the front of that machine is, but you might could bolt a piece of UHMW or something as a 3rd ski under the front of the machine. This is a poor picture, but the UHMW is bolted under the tub and extends forward past the bumper. It helps keep the machine on top. I also cut some hand holds into it to make it easer to move the front end. The snow on top of the machine is from brush hanging in the trail.




The pictured machine is a 91 Polaris Supertrak. I was also going to do this to my 96 Yamaha Venture (they still had the pogo stick suspension with relatively flat front end) but the way the hood is hinged the front of the cowling goes under the machine. I couldn't figure how to make the big body ski with the UHMW without hindering the hood.

If your front skis float too much! Then your track sinks in more, and you get stuck even quicker . There is a balance that needs to be met. My Tundra 11 has 8inch ski skins and that is as wide as I can go before having more problems in deep snow .
Some times you just have to let the snow settle for a couple days before going out.

The modification that AkNative talks about is a good one. I did that on my old 89 Tundra 1 and it helped keep the machine floating on the snow with out raising the front to high.It also helps when you hit some old stump or rock hidden under the snow

If skis are floating to much tighten limiter strap .it will flatten your sno go out and allow you to float the sno go across the snow .yamahas come with the limiter all the way out

Could someone post a picture of this limiter strap ?

First year for sleds and I can say with great confidence IT BLOWS getting a machine unstuck.

02 mountain cat 600 144" paddle
03 ski-doo 600 136" paddle

Both will defiantly get buried in deep powder. Powder in the bighorns of Wyoming and everywhere has a slope to it.

Tim

If you've got 3' of powder and it's anything like up here where you have to go slow because of turns, trees or exploring, it helps to break out the snowshoes and tamp down a trail first. I know that's not a mod, but I thought it worth mentioning.

youtube is your friend lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YVTnkjkbgs

That's what I've been doing for the last two weeks !!!! Lots of fun huh !!!

Here you go
When it is adjusted right the track should be pulled up in the front a little if not it will walk all over and be hard to control in deep snow

Get a good pair of snowshows like was said and walk your trail first(with your brushaxe in hand of course)When you get tired of walking and brushing-backtrack your snowshoe trail to your machine,and ride it to the end,repeat.This In my opinion is the safest way to work when alone and far in the bush-I don't take risks anymore.You will be able to pick a better trail this way too.If you pick your way a good tack,without too much cutting you can do several miles in a good day.I used to love the old elan for this kind of trailwork.

If you break a limiter strap it will be a wheelie machine,
They work in conjunction with your shocks, shock springs, coil springs....everything should be adjusted for the rider and the conditions. .they prevent or limit the amount of weight transfer/torque from lifting the skis off the snow... Too tight and it will be very darty with a lot of ski pressure...

If you want the straps tighter than you can get them as it sets not he floor, use a chunk of wood, like a 4"x4". Place it up between the limiter strap and the front idler wheel...

The max is a triple cylinder if I recall....right?? If so, they are heavy machines... Something that might be difficult to overcome. The ski skins may help..

Have owned 3 yamaha mm 6 and 7s all had to be adjusted to the rider all had to have limiter strap taken up but when you get it dialed in they will go we're others dream . The triple has a broad power band 7200 to 9000 the only way to ride them in the deep and steep is to hold it to the bar .others will disagree with what I say but It is what work for me .get a attac kit for it because triples are finicky .if you are going to tow reinforce the tunnel

Mine is still the old twin cylinder , but power is not short , it has lots of power just no flotation , boco that's what I ended up doing breaking trail with my shoes first , thanks for the tips I'll play with my limiter strap to see if I can get it set better for me

Decided to do a slight modification to my old sled to help it along , working on putting a 144x1.25x15 under it to replace the old 121 track

Buy a Powderjack. I have 153 inches of track on a very light sled and this has still saved my butt several times. Worth every penny.

http://dev.powderjack.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z59yAl681w

Here is my sled with the mods I did. The sled was not finished when I took these pics, but I did something similar to you and put a 153 inch track from a mountain sled in an Indy sport 440. When I mounted the track, I made a lower mounting hole to drop the suspension down lower. It helps the running boards clear when you drop into the bottomless stuff.

Also the tunnel extension is tipped up a few degrees to help the snow clear also. This year I got a new windshield, finished off the rear box, and am ordering 10 inch wide skins for it. Not a deep snow mod, but the box under the seat is nice.

Might I suggest carrying a "Come-Along" with you? You can loop it around a tree and get a work out. Been stuck in the deep stuff many times. That is a LOT of shoveling. Pace yourself, bring extra gas, a change of clothing, good energy snacks always ....and always a shovel and matches, too. I agree with the other reply, standing on one side of the sled often helps greatly, but not always. Shoveling can be exhuasting and take "forever". Some sort of cell phone is a good idea, too. :-) Ooh, another thing we do is have a different track put on our sleds, a track with larger paddles. that GREATLY helped us in here (we live off the grid and have 8 miles of snowmobile travel to our truck). The larger paddles have made a huge difference. Costly, yes, but worth it for us and how much we use our sleds.

Added ski skins and the UHMW plastic to the front..............