New snogo use/maintenance in the wilderness.

Getting set up for retirement and some full time wilderness trapping. Lower Nowitna area. Have 2 bravos and an elan for day to day trapline use. Assumedly the wife will be there also. I want a travelling work snogo also. Will have to run around 80 miles round trip to re supply, refuel the camp. Putting 2 drums in a sled to pull back to camp is part of the plan. The bravo can pull a load, but not as much.
Choices seem to 4 stroke, 2 stroke etec, 2 stroke efi, or plain old carbureted 2 stroke.
Have been looking at the 600 ace or etec. Great mileage. More power in the etec apparently. But how about reliability, maintenance?
The expectation is to also have my small plane there once freeze up is good.
I did this once before from this cabin, 30 years ago. Same snogo, bravo/elan and the plane. No 4 strokes then. Hauled all the gas with the plane. I can only haul about 50 gal. at a time tho.
Let's hear your ideas!

I’d say get an ace. Keep up with oil changes and you should get a lot of miles out of it. 80 miles round trip will probably burn between a quarter and half a tank.

I have a 600 ace in a tundra and it’s great on fuel. I have the dealer do a fall checkup on it at the start of every season ($400) includes the oil change. Does great river running pulling a siglin with weight. The 600 can struggle on hills or if you get a dumping of 18” of snow or more. 1sled has 6500 miles the other 5500 and I have never been stranded or have mechanical issues with it. We do keep a generator at the cabin to plug in if colder then -30.

I'll have a generator, Hank. Does the ace tundra come with a heat plug in?

Might think of the WT of SWT if you are planning to be using it on unbroken trails quite a bit, especially pulling heavy loads. The low range can be really nice. I second the ACE suggestion, whether 600 or 900. The Tundra would in my opinion be a better machine breaking trail and pulling hills if it was lower geared or had the two speed transmission the Skandics do. Otherwise it is a nice machine.

Swap out the 8 for a seven tooth driver and you have your lower gearing. Wahl or Avid have them. It makes a world of difference. But if I was hauling I’d go WT or SWT. Tundra is not a great heavy haul machine.

If you only have to go 80 miles. Get one of them new 300 Yamaha Transports. Light you won't hurt yourself when you get stuck. Orgo old school and get a Polaris Star like Tom on Mountain Men.

80 miles in 25-30 minutes

Isn't the transport a 400?

No it doesn’t come with a block heater. It’s around $100 to get one.

MT, if it is pretty much flat country the 600 ace should be fine if you have any steep stuff pulling to drums you might move up to the 900 ace. I just sold a 2013, expedition sport with the 600 when I snow checked the 900. moved up to the 900 as I wanted more power in the mountains when the snow got deeep between checks. You will love the gas milage it may even do better than the bravo

I have a 2015 Skandic Wt with the 900 Ace. Just over 9200 miles on it now. I've only had tow issues with the motor.

One was the starter going out (twice now), cost from Skidoo is 400+. I found a thread on DooTalk that had found one that works on Ebay for roughly 50 bucks. I now have a spare in my box!

The second is a oil pressure sending unit that will shoot high pressure oil out through it. This then ends up on the exhaust and lets you know really quickly. Part is about 40 bucks and a quick fix. Easy access too.

If your going to be running trails to and from while freighting your stuff in and out I would look at the expedition LE...nice ride. But if you foresee using it on the trapline, then the Skandic is a good way to go.

Just my .02

Compeaus says they are out of 900 ace motors for 2022 models.

It sure seems to me that a guy could make a lot of fuel runs with the Citabria for the cost of a new machine just to haul fuel. I get it about the efficiency though. Seems like you should be able to suck a few extra gallons out of the wing and still have enough to get back to the fuel point with a bit of safety margin

I have two expeditions with the 900 ace and love them, smooth running, great fuel mileage, quiet and reliable. I don't think you can go wrong with either a 600 ace or 900 ace.

You are correct Ken. The citab would likely suffice for hauling fuel. I could even go to FAI to buy the fuel tho that is a 2 hour flight one way, but cheaper gas. However, other factors come into play. If I get the trail cut, brushed out (some of it is old trail I used years ago) then checking traps could be part of the trip. Another aspect is a camp on the Yukon which could provide another place to stay, trap out of, store fuel, etc.
Just made a deal for a very low time tundra LT, 600 ace. Picking it up tomorrow. We have one more year here in FAI so can play with it here and if I don't like it, sell it.
I have looked at, handled, ridden some heavier machines. Drove the VK540 a little today. Just can't imagine having an 800 pound snogo at a wilderness camp. Even those skandics, expeditions, other heavy machines seem like a potential for a big problem. This Nowitna line will be run on a fair amount of ice. Lakes, sloughs, the river. Overflow will be a possibility every winter. Got my bravo stuck in overflow a couple weeks ago in a pond by the airport. Had to tamp down the snow with snowshoes around the bravo, then lift it onto the tamped down area. Dang heavy with that little bravo full of slush. Let it sit overnight to freeze and drove it off the pond the next morn. Not sure how I would get a heavier machine out. Even this tundra is going to be a learning curve.

I have been running the 2016 Tundra LT with 600 Ace. A lot of good benefits but lacked power top-end when you really needed it even in sport mode.

That does make a difference if you have a half-way camp that you can use also, as well as checking traps at the same time.

What does the plane burn .......about 9 gph??


I can't even imagine an 800 pound machine........even if it wasn't stuck !!

Winches and lots of rope.
I have the 600 exec Expedition. Tons of power, 2 speed, great ride.
Great machine until it dies.

Even a small 4 wheeler is 600lbs.
I have both a tundra 550 and a skandic 600ace-both good machines,the skandic is much more comfortable ride and can break trail in 2 foot of snow at 60k/hr. And great gas milage,especially compared to the 550.
Early in the season if I have a bit of water skipping to do,I use the 550.

Would it be cost effective at all to get our mutual friend from here to bring over a Cub load ? Not sure exactly where you are but should be able to get a hundred gallons out of a trip with a Cub....including wings

I would hate to bother either of our mutual friends to come over from McGrath with fuel. (Steph, Manz) Doubt it would be cost effective. The cabin is 20 miles up the Novi from the Yukon. I have 3 possible fuel sources. Ruby and Fairbanks, with FAI being airplane only. The 3rd is the Yukon river lodge, 15 miles upriver from Ruby. Gas price at the lodge has been slightly under the cost in Ruby. The plane could equally be used from camp to the lodge or to Ruby.
But it isn't just about gas. There is an old trail from Kokrines to part way up the Novi. With some trail cutting I can intercept that trail and hit the Yukon just across the Yukon from kokrines. Then it is just 15 miles down the Yukon to the lodge. Checking traps on the way is another aspect.
Lots of opportunities in that area, just got to work to make it happen. Want something bigger than a bravo to do that.

I understand.

At least you have alternatives.

Stay away from the E-Tech whatever you do. If you could find a wide track bearcat with the 570 it should be high on your list. Bulletproof engine. The new VK540s are pretty simple machines, and really good on fuel. I've used mine enough now to know they are very close to the 4-strokes in fuel consumption. I still have my old bearcat with the 570. Its harder on fuel than my VK, but I still think its the best bush machine Ive ever had.

I have the 600 ACE in a 17 Tundra, I think if I were to get another it would be a 900 in a expedition, the 600 has been great but as others have said it is a little shy on steep hills, the expedition can be bought with high and low range like the scandic. Good luck with you decision.

Haven't you seen? JR has been posting YouTube tutorials on getting an Expedition out of water, all winter!