[kopeck]

My club has a '03 Bear Cat T660 Wide Track. First off I would like to say that when it's right it's a dream machine for work. It pulls like nothing we've used before, it's got all kinds of grunt, really a nice machine.

We use this machine primarily for grooming. This year we've had nothing but trouble with it grooming on cold nights, ie hard snow. The track doesn't seem to be capable of getting snow up on the heat exchanger, all of it shoots right out the back. I think it's a combination of track width and design coupled with slow speeds and of course the drag on the back.

It's getting VERY frustrating, last night we did about 15 miles of trails and I had to stop around a dozen times to let it cool off. With my T660 turbo I can get of the side of the trail to pick up some fresh snow when this happens but the Bear Cat just rides on top and doesn't really pick anything up.

All that being said we're not talking about running on ice here. We also run a Pantera 550 and it's had no problems what so ever picking up snow to keep it cool. I went for a ride with my turbo after getting done last night it it ran like a champ.

To me this seems like a pretty serious design flaw, I mean this is a work machine!

Anyone else have this problem?

K

 

[monkers]

This is the exact issue I was concerned about. I`ve asked on a couple diff. forums about grooming with liquid cooled Bearcat and yours is the first I see mentioning anything. I would like to get the 570 to groom my local trails, I have a 05 660 Turbo and hate to go back to listening to the two stroke, but dont want to overheat while grooming. That is all I will be using the machine for and will ride my turbo for trails. Could you tell me what type/size drag you use? Any pics of the setup would be great. I have no info on how to help your problem, can you maybe put an extension on the snow flap to keep some more snow under there? Good luck with your problem.

 

[Ammoeater]

Someone else said the Ice Scratchers from www.royaldistributing.com worked really well on a T660 overheating on packed trails...

 

[Ammoeater]

www.royaldistributing.com

Part #12-17201 $65

 

[kopeck]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (monkers @ Mar 8 2007, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

This is the exact issue I was concerned about. I`ve asked on a couple diff. forums about grooming with liquid cooled Bearcat and yours is the first I see mentioning anything. I would like to get the 570 to groom my local trails, I have a 05 660 Turbo and hate to go back to listening to the two stroke, but dont want to overheat while grooming. That is all I will be using the machine for and will ride my turbo for trails. Could you tell me what type/size drag you use? Any pics of the setup would be great. I have no info on how to help your problem, can you maybe put an extension on the snow flap to keep some more snow under there? Good luck with your problem.[/b]

I haven't heard much about it either, so that why I posted.

Anyway, it's really to bad that the machine has this problem because I bet I could pull that 570 around in circles, not that I don't think the 570 is a bad machine but the torque that the T660 with that wide ratio secondary is just awesome. I have some pics at home I can post. It's a home made pipe drag but I think it's about as good as the "pipe drag" style of drags can get. It's 4' by 10' and does a pretty good job. I would like our club to move up to something a little bit more aggressive (think Mogul Master) some day. We need something with a little weight, something that can really cut into the moguls. I've got a few ideas on paper but haven't had the time to really get into the idea of building one.

One of the local dealers installed a radiator in their Bear Cat which I guess helps a lot. I may go visit them tonight and take a look. The only down side of the radiator was price, I think they quoted us over $1000 bucks...

K

 

[kopeck]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ammoeater @ Mar 8 2007, 12:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Someone else said the Ice Scratchers from www.royaldistributing.com worked really well on a T660 overheating on packed trails...[/b]

I saw those in that other post. I don't think it will help though. The tracks on these things are really long, and the pattern is really something that you would find on an early '90s machine, not something that really holds onto the snow.

K

 

[monkers]

I know what you mean about the 660, I love mine. When the snow is good I can putt around with no problems. A lot of times I will putt around on mine and trim some small limbs, mark things with survey tape etc... Its just so nice and quiet. I am looking to get a Bearcat for grooming our local trails and would love to hear of a cure for the overheating so I could get the 4 stroke. Torque isnt the only plus, the car alternator is a big plus for running groomer control, lighting etc... I will probably build a Mogul Master copy, a friend of mine has built a couple and would let me measure it up. Let me know how you make out with the radiator. How its mounted etc.... I wouldnt think it would be that expensive, even being custom built, it cant be that big. Good luck, keep us posted please.
Craig

 

[kopeck]

Here's the deal. In order to fix the problem you need to install a radiator. Cat offers one for $529.00 for 03'-05', I didn't ask about '06 and ups price. The dealer I talked to has installed a few of them and he said it was black and white, he joked you could groom in June if you really wanted to.

I asked him why Cat would release a machine that was for work that had this problem. He said that Cats response was that it's a utility machine as in get you in and gets you out maybe with a tag sled being pulled, if you want to do more then that then we offer this cooling kit...


I guess the '03-'05 kits are not all that hard to install, it just takes a while to do it (4 hours). The radiator sits down by the chain case, so I guess you have to move a few things to make it work hence the time to install. The 06' and up kit is easier to install and the radiator sits under the seat.

He also said studs would probably help but wouldn't be a solution.

Hope this helps, oh and I'll get some pictures of the drag up soon.

K

 

[monkers]

That sounds better than the $1000 price before. :beer_cheers: I would probably be inclined to get the 4 stoke then, must be a stump puller. Thanks for the info.

 

[Green_Streak]

it overheats because you are not supposed to use any liquid cooled snowmobile for grooming.

 

[Redd]

Not supposed to use a liquid for grooming?? It's a Bear Cat. That is probably what 50% of them are used for. Only Cat would put a motor in a work machine, that didn't work!

Redd

 

[dewalt17]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Redd @ Apr 26 2007, 09:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Not supposed to use a liquid for grooming?? It's a Bear Cat. That is probably what 50% of them are used for. Only Cat would put a motor in a work machine, that didn't work!

Redd[/b]

It's not Cat's problem to tell people what sled they need for their purposes!!

Redd,

Is it Cat's fault for the global warming as well??? LOL

dt

 

[Green_Streak]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Redd @ Apr 26 2007, 09:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Not supposed to use a liquid for grooming?? It's a Bear Cat. That is probably what 50% of them are used for. Only Cat would put a motor in a work machine, that didn't work!

Redd[/b]

tell me something genius,while grooming you have to go slow right?so tell me,how much snow is getting on them heat exchangers at those slow speeds?i'll tell you....none.thats why every small towable groomer i have ever seen,was being towed by a fan cooled sled.i groom the 2 mile trail from my house to the state trail.i use a old twin track Ski Doo Alpine.its a fan.it never overheats.

 

[Redd]

I guess alot of people buy Bearcats for high speed lake racing! Genius!

You do make a good point that a work machine will most likely spend most of it's time going slow and pulling hard. If you are going to put a liquid in it, then it better have a rad and fan to assist in cooling.

Don't sell a work machine that can't be used to work. It's that simple! Even you should be able to understand that, genius!

Redd

 

[dewalt17]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Redd @ May 9 2007, 08:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I guess alot of people buy Bearcats for high speed lake racing! Genius!

You do make a good point that a work machine will most likely spend most of it's time going slow and pulling hard. If you are going to put a liquid in it, then it better have a rad and fan to assist in cooling.

Don't sell a work machine that can't be used to work. It's that simple! Even you should be able to understand that, genius!

Redd[/b]

Last time I checked..... the Bearcat 570 was a fan-cooled!!!

Poor judgment by buyer, once again how can Cat be held accountable for that??

It would be like you buying a F1000 and expecting a top speed of 65mph and then being pissed off when you realize it does 115mph. Let's not blame Cat for trying to offer something for everyone. Should they be expected to pick which one will fit our needs best?

 

[Green_Streak]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Redd @ May 9 2007, 08:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I guess alot of people buy Bearcats for high speed lake racing! Genius!

You do make a good point that a work machine will most likely spend most of it's time going slow and pulling hard. If you are going to put a liquid in it, then it better have a rad and fan to assist in cooling.

Don't sell a work machine that can't be used to work. It's that simple! Even you should be able to understand that, genius!

Redd[/b]

when they called it a work sled,they meant it would pull a tow behind trailer full of chainsaws,axes,shovels and other equipment.NOT a big heavy groomer.read a bearcat(liquid models) manual,if you know how to read,"genius",it says"this snowmobile is NOT aproved for trail grooming.grooming trails will cause overheating,which will result in catastrophic engine failure"

 

[kopeck]

when they called it a work sled,they meant it would pull a tow behind trailer full of chainsaws,axes,shovels and other equipment.NOT a big heavy groomer.read a bearcat(liquid models) manual,if you know how to read,"genius",it says"this snowmobile is NOT aproved for trail grooming.grooming trails will cause overheating,which will result in catastrophic engine failure"
[/quote]

Wow, I think we need to calm down.

The Bearcat can pull a groomer, there's a lot of them around here that do. We've installed the radiator, but obviously there's not a lot of snow to try it out...

Not a shot or anything, but if you read any manual for a vehicle you would be surprised what you're not suppose to do.

It is a work machine.

K