Rear axle drive for snowmobile - interesting read

This is an after market development, not one from any OEM, they are just using doo sleds.

I'm not sure I'd want all that extra belt/chain to deal with every season, never mind the extra rotating mass.
 
not sure his rotating mass would be that much more. still have a chain, still have gears, still have shafts. the rotating mass is a non issue if the efficiency claims are real.

I have been fallowing this for years and I think he is now close enough for a manufacturer to buy the rights.
Imagine if your 150hp apex that puts 90hp to the ground, now puts 130 to the ground with more track on the ground to hook it up and better braking to stop it.

the flaw I have always noticed is this system almost needs a 121 track or longer to make the front work correctly which puts alot of track on the ground. This is great other than, you have to turn the track with the skis. If you have studs and now your track has a foot more on the ground and the foot your adding is in front of skid, not in the back and at the same time, your bragging that your desing puts more force on the front of the skid durring accelleration, how the F&*&^(& are you going to turn that thing
 
I would wonder how the chain would hold up in those conditions. similar toa dirt bike I would suppose. whats the maint cost for that on a dirt bike? I know it isnt cheap on my sportbike lol! neat concept thoguh
 
i'm far from an expert, but I see two very serious issues...

approach angle. It has none. That's going to make for a really nice trench digger.

And secondly, in pretty much every other vehicle out there, you don't want suspension that is coupled to power, or at least not coupled much. That looks like it is so strongly coupled it might almost lock out the suspension under hard acceleration and collapse it under heavy braking.
 
smokingcrater said:
i'm far from an expert, but I see two very serious issues...

approach angle. It has none. That's going to make for a really nice trench digger.

And secondly, in pretty much every other vehicle out there, you don't want suspension that is coupled to power, or at least not coupled much. That looks like it is so strongly coupled it might almost lock out the suspension under hard acceleration and collapse it under heavy braking.
Click to expand...

like the "jacking" effect of a shaft driven bike
 
Looks like under acceleration it is picking up the front of the rear suspension and driving the rear of the supsension down. Under braking it is doing the opposite so I think they have done a good job of using the forces that acceleration and deceleration create in the track to make the suspension move in a way that is beneficial under each condition. The only thing that I see wrong is that the ski pressure is going to be reduced when braking and that is not a good thing when you enter a corner at high speed but you have entered too soon and need to brake and redirect the sled. Braking would reduce ski pressure and you may not be able to get properly redirected before going off the outside of the corner where the trees, ditches and other objects like to eat sleds (and riders). To get redirected with this suspension you would most likely have to hammer the throttle.
 
smokingcrater said:
i'm far from an expert, but I see two very serious issues...

approach angle. It has none. That's going to make for a really nice trench digger.

And secondly, in pretty much every other vehicle out there, you don't want suspension that is coupled to power, or at least not coupled much. That looks like it is so strongly coupled it might almost lock out the suspension under hard acceleration and collapse it under heavy braking.
Click to expand...

Agreed. What is going to happen when the front of the track hits an object like a stump? I can see the entire track and suspension laying out behind the snowmobile.

What makes most of the difference in this suspension when compared to a conventional one is the solid rear suspension arm and pivoting front arm - not that it is rear axle drive. Arctic Cat tried that on the Trail Cat.

When the sled is driven hard in rough conditions, the rear of the suspension will be all over the place - twisting and moving sideways, and I don't see how that chain is going to stay on.
 
Yamaha better pay him his millions for the system and install on all the new sleds....looks great and I am sure they have tested the system very well and have ironed all the bugs out..According to the videos braking and steering were no issues at high speeds in corners..
 
as I see it, this system won't work in snow of any depth... may work well and even as claimed, for racing only... as mentioned earlier, approach angle is not conducive for anything but racing...
 
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