Bombardier snowmobile driver#
Bombardier snowmobile series#

Finally, it would have a factory installed heavy-duty pintle hitch and a large storage area.The testing at ABR included a combination of objective and subjective assessments: The seat configuration would be a one-up seat with a backrest that would flip down for two-up capacity. Varying traction and steering, depending on snow conditions. The ideal grooming machine would have bogie wheels that do not require loose snow for lubrication like the slide systems, and a dash-adjustable shock for The dash would be equipped with a fuel and temperature gauge, tachometer, odometer and large digital speedometer.Īn ideal machine would also come wired with a six- or eight-pin receptacle and a switched rear work light, since most grooming is done in the dark hours when the skiers are sleeping. The machine would also have ducts from the radiator and fan to the operator and windshield area. It would have a large radiator and heated floorboards without under-tunnel heat exchangers, which can drop slush on the trail that can then be picked up by the grooming implements. The ideal grooming snowmobile would come with a powerful four-stroke electronic fuel-injected (EFI) engine with a low geared transmission. The testers compared their vision of the ideal grooming machine to Ski-Doo, Yamaha, Alpina and Polaris machines.

Bombardier snowmobile series#

With the goal of finding the top utility snowmobile on the market, the groomers at ABR Trails in Ironwood, Michigan, conducted a series of tests to rate fuel economy, power, traction and steering. moving the teeth on a grooming device up or down).

Bombardier snowmobile driver#

Actuators are electric devices that allow the driver to control implements being pulled (e.g.

two or three actuators each drawing 20-30 amps and with a reversible 12-volt electric motor.

stiff rear suspensions that do not squat with the weight of the groomer but deliver adequate ski pressure for steering.

wide and long tracks with a medium-size lug that can be studded for ice.

The cooling systems must be fan-cooled or liquid-cooled with a radiator and fan.An ideal grooming snowmobile wish list also includes:

Require low gearing and low RPM clutch engagements to prevent engine belts from burning. The machine must maintain traction, steering and, most importantly, cooling at very low speeds, typically four to six miles per hour.

The job, however, is quite complex, with the snowmobile pulling a 200-300 pound groomer with up to 1,500 pounds of pulling resistance created by the teeth or knives. It might look easy as you watch your local groomer tooling around on a snowmobile, creating great corduroy and straight tracks along the way. We also think all skiers can benefit from learning more about how ski trails are prepared for their enjoyment and as a result gain a greater appreciation for this aspect of our sport. We hope these articles will prove informative and useful to this constituency. Our readership includes many Nordic center personnel and grooming staff and even home trail groomers. But as we move forward to continue to meet our mission of covering all facets of the sport of cross country skiing, this season we bring you a series of articles that looks more in depth at grooming. Editor’s note: A snowmobile review in a cross country ski magazine? Not to worry, we haven’t changed our editorial focus.