With winter being here we keep getting more and more snow. It's snowing out now as a matter of fact. Last weekend we had about 3 inches on the ground and my quad was doing great, this weekend we have about a foot and I'm having problems. When I do manage to get the quad going in the snow the front tires don't move and the rears kinda just spin.

I was thinking of changing out a sprocket and or maybe putting some chains on the tires but someone told me the chains would tear up my driveway if I rode it on the drive way out with the chains on.

Anyone got any suggestions on the sprocket?

 

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When we get too much snow in my backyard (which is usually 3.5 solid months of the year), I fire up our snow blower and "blow away". We make all sorts of paths that are 1.5 times the width of our ATVs. Yes, the neigbors think I'm "nuts" but when all the paths are completed, our kids have a ball in them. They also play tag and our dog loves the paths as well.


I'm sure chains would work on the mini's rear tires. The thing to watch out for is lose of steering control in the powder snow. The front tires become a snow plow blade when turned sideways. Snow plows instead of turning the mini into the desired direction.


I found, changing the sprockets is only good for 5-8 and MORE MPH ground speed. In snow, we often drive from 0 to 10 mph. The best way to give a mini more power in snow (which has the same lack of traction of loose sand) is to install lighter rollers in the front, stronger clutch spring in the year. Thus, making the engine REV more for the same ground speed (as if on hard ground).


In thinking of this "same as sand" riding condition, how would one upgrade a 90cc to drive in loose sand? They would install paddles on the rear and narow grove sand tires on the front. Because rear paddles are often a little larger tires, one would install a small sprocket on the front, larger sprocket on the rear, clutch kit, air box, performance pipe, CDI (to compensate for a higher reving engine), performance reeds and a few other mods. Since we can't afford all these upgrades (for our snow), I fire up our snow blower and make a few paths.

Hope this helps....

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I'm really not sure if it helps much at all...my quad is a Dingo 250. This is only my second quad ever and in a matter of 6 months , I'm not too familiar with paddles or what they even look like. As far as the other mods, I have no idea what will work with my Dingo since I haven't seen too many other threads on this board concerning them. I'd love to just be able to plow some paths with my snowblower but it's probably about 500ft to the sled hill and maybe about 300 ft to the trails we ride and there are 7 miles of trails in there.

 

I have chains on my atv and i can pull the kids around in the snow with no problem. When the snow gets deeper I put them on my sons 110 and he can go anywhere. Chains help out a great deal. I plow my driveway with mine and they dont tear up the drive. You would be surprised where you can go with chains. Changing the sprocket will do nothing for traction.

 

Thanks 2manytoys, I guess the chains are the best idea. I was looking on ebay and they are like 40 dollars per wheel, does that seem right?

 

solareclipse2,

I just sent you an email for the info you requested. If you don't receive an email with the hour, please advise. thanks.

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Due to much colder weather, do keep an eye on your mini's Spark Plug color. We had our Pred-90 out in the snow earlier today. Within 10 minutes, I could smell is was running hot. I pulled its plug and noticed it was light TAN. Too light of brown for my liking. In the summer, we drive with dark brown / light black color. For my region's winter temperatures, I have to adjust its carb. It will probably need its C-Clip moved 1 or 2 more postions. Long story short, 2 stroke carbs due need to be adjusted for the lower temps. If not, they will run hot and create an engine melt down. Do check your spark plug color for your winter temps as well....

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That seems a little much. You can go to Tractor supply and they have sets for about 40-50 Thats where I bought mine. You only need a set for the rear not the front. They work awsome when used. They will dig down till they find hard frozen ground and grab great.

Spike99,

These are 4 stroke atv's but yes they also can run lean but not as important to adjust as a 2 stroke.

 

Spike, I got the e-mails. Thanks! Like I said though, I have quite a ways to go before I can get to the trails (and then alot of trails) and the sled hill is really to far away being that it is across several acres. So clearing that is probably not an option.

 

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Sorry gang. I assumed 2 stroke.

2manytoys, you are right about 4 strokes. I have an AC 500i 4 stroke and since buying it, I only changed in engine oil once and cleaned its air filter once. Not once have I ever needed to tweak its carb for my local weather conditions. If I didn't flood it today (ouch!!!!), it would have fired right up like all other 4 strokes on our summer trail.

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My friends and I were just looking at the Rocky Mountain atv book at work. They have them in there for $30 for A Honda Rancher. I thought that was cheap. My son's mini goes real good in the snow. He has snowhogs on the rear and ITP Holeshot MXer's on the front. But he has the power to really keep the tires going.