Snowmobiling is a winter sport and like any winter sport taking care for proper warmth and protective gear is important.  What seems like okay weather standing still quickly becomes dangerous when moving on the sled.  Any exposed skin is susceptible to freezing.  Riding in temperatures above 20 degrees F is a nice way for beginners to test gear and enjoy the snowmobiling experience. 

Proper gear starts with a proper helmet that fits good. Some helmets will have a shield included while others are open. For open helmets a pair of goggles will protect your eyes from debris, cold, and can be tinted for glare protection. Some helmets have heated visors which require a plug-in on the snowmobile. 

A baclava that fits over the face and deflects breathing can also be helpful when using some helmets.  Snowmobile helmet shield or goggle fogging is quite common and the deflecting Baclava help as does anti-fog spray. Take the time to get your helmet/shield/googles working properly so they don't fog up on the trail. At minimum you should have a baclava that provides coverage for the neck and below the chin area. 

Next the extremities foot and hands need to have good protection. Some snowmobiles have heated grips while others do not. Even if there are heated grips a very warm set of gloves or even mittens is recommended. You can always turn down the hand warmers. Very warm means the gloves or mittens are going to have thick layer of insulation and a solid outer layer. The gloves should also overlap the outer layer jacket to ensure no draft.  Better to be safe than sorry. Feet and toes tend to get cold so proper thick wool socks and lined winter boots should be warn.  Even getting some throw away hand/foot warmers to put in your boots for those below single digit rides.

For the upper body and lower body dressing in layers and having a non-cotton base layer will ensure moisture is wicked away. The next layer should be middle weight with the final outside layer being heavier weight and offer wind protection.  It is key that upper and lower body outerware overlap so you don't get draft between the layers. This will ensure there are no exposed areas that will get cold. Snowmobile pants that are bib style ensure you have good overlap with the winter coat. Snowmobile winter jackets have a extended back which ensure there is overlap with the back of the snowmobile pants.

Snowmobiles have come along way since our 1st Generation riders. Being in a club and riding as a group was a necessity for any length of travel for that 1st Generation riders. 2nd Generation riders have seen our sleds get a lot more reliable but they are still not perfect by any means and the very nature of two stroke, continuous variable transmission clutches, and track driven systems combined with riding on a snow covered terrain in subzero temperature requires reducing potential for risks. 

Knowing key components of your sled and understanding basic maintenance items can go a long ways to ensuring you have a pleasant trail riding experience. 

Engine/Power Plant/Fuel

We will start with the powerplant/engine of your snowmobile. This is usually referred to in CC or cubic centimeters which is how much volume of air/gas the cylinder will hold. Snowmobiles have gotten a lot bigger and more powerful since our 1st generation riders. The 2nd generation rider many started out on 340CC or 440CC sleds which are considered small now.  Many of these sleds were air cooled versus a liquid cooling system. Sled CC has steadily increased and so has the use of liquid cooling. There is still air cooled sleds mainly in 550CC and lower 2 stroke models. Liquid cooled sleds usually use cooling fins/plates under the sled to transfer heat. It is important these cooling plates/fins get snow during travel. Sleds go upto 1100CC and have turbos to increase HP at higher rpms. 

Two Stroke or Four Stroke

The other term for the powerplant/engine you will here is 2 stroke and 4 stroke.  In simple terms The 2 vs 4 refers to the amount of strokes required for a full cycle of the engine. The very first sleds were actually 4 stroke engines adopted from other applications but then they quickly moved to 2 stroke due to the light weight high rpms and high torques. Two Strokes have gotten more reliable but they don't last as long as 4 strokes. Two Strokes also require oil to be injected into the gas for lubrication where-as 4 strokes use oil like a car does in the crank case.  it is important to ensure on 2 strokes you follow your manufacturers recommendations for oil and ensure you always keep adding two stroke oil.  4 strokes have come a long ways and tend to be a heavier engine designed more for trail riding. The fuel delivery systems for sleds have changed as well. Older sleds were carbureted while most newer sleds use EFI or electronic fuel injection.  You will still find carbureted sleds which will require choking for cold weather starts while EFI use a computer with fuel mapping already programmed for various operating conditions. 

More recently we have even seen new companies emerging with all electric snowmobiles. The use of batteries in cold weather and the range of electric snowmobiles is still in testing. Who knows our trails might require charging stations in the future!

Clutching/Belting and Drive Train

Your engine transfers power to the track via the clutches. There is a primary or Drive clutch and a secondary or driven clutch attached via a belt. The system uses a proven continuous variable transmission or CVT system which provides an infinite gearing system. The snowmobile manufacturers have taken care to match the motors speed/torque capabilities with the clutching/gearing to provide the best performing system. However, you will find many of "clutch tuners" and folks out there that want to fine tune their clutching. If you are one of these types then you may want to look up "Clutch Tuning Handbook" by Olav Aaen. It is one of the oft mentioned books on clutch tuning. 

The drive clutch uses a set of weights and a moveable parts which allow the belt to move in/out on the clutch which changes the gear ratio on both clutches. The weights have a certain profile and weight which can vary for different types of riding or elevations. The secondary clutch uses a spring and as the drive clutch changes diameter it causes the driven clutch to change diameter. It is important that all components of the clutch system are inspected, cleaned and working properly. 

Snowmobile belts are a common wear item and it is always good to have spare belt and inspect the belt currently on the machine. It is good to know how to remove/replace and adjust the tension on your snowmobile belt. Proper belt alignment from the drive clutch to the driven clutch is also important to ensure no improper wear. If you see black belt dust around your primary or secondary it might be a sign of improper belt wear. There is a lot of advice about belt maintenance online. 

Almost all snowmobiles use a chain/gear case to transfer power from the driven clutch to the track.  The lower jack shaft holds the sprockets that drive the track.  With tracks you may hear the term pitch. This is related to the slots on the track where the sprockets will turn the track.  There were some cases of Direct Drive but this was just another form of power transmission from the secondary clutch to the track. The braking system is also connected to the jack shaft. It is important to inspect the brake pads/disc for any wear and ensure proper operations.

Skis and Tracks

The other key component of the snowmobile is the skis and track. Ski's come in different shape, sizes, and materials for different riding styles from trail to deeper snow.  Older skis were primarily metal while newer ski's are plastic. The ski's have skags on the bottom which allow for steering and it is important to ensure you have good skags. The ski's also attach to the snowmobile with some kind of suspension. It is always good to inspect these skis and suspension and look for any grease fixtures.

The track comes in various lengths typically denoted in inches such as 121", 129", 137", 144", and longer. In general shorter track sizes offer tighter handling, reduce weight, reduce cost while longer track sizes help in  deep snow and can help ride over bumps.  For many sleds the 136' or 137" has become an ideal cross-over track length as it offers good trail performance while still giving some deep snow ability. It also rides through bumps that get created on a heavily traffic trail.Tracks will have different lug sizes which refers to the depth of the lugs which can vary from 1", 1.25", 1.75" and larger 3", 4", and probably higher. The larger lug size helps in deeper snow but can reduce the ability for the sleds to kick up snow on pack trails which can result in reduced cooling. Larger lug size also means more weight and can reduce the speed of the sled.  Some sleds will have studs put on the track for added traction, corner control, and braking. It is important to ensure all studs are secured on tightly so they do not fly off and damage your cooling system or tunnel. 

With the added power of sleds, larger lugs, and studs it is important to  keep your distance from a sled crossing a road in front of you. Debris and rocks can get kicked up and come at you at very high speeds.

It is important to have a properly tensioned track which is not too tight or too loose. Your track runs on skids which a specially formulated wear rail. These will wear down over time and it is important to replace them. Your track has an internal suspension system that may be adjustable and use different types of shocks. It is important to inspect and ensure this is maintained for properly handling and comfortable ride.

We have a saying in snowmobiling and it is "BRAAP BRAAP" as it is the sound of a two cycle engine. This whine right away speaks to how the engine must increase rpms prior to the drive engaging. This alone is a different experience and takes getting use to. Snowmobiling on a slippery surface with skis instead of wheels and tracks instead of wheels is also different then driving a car or any wheeled vehicle.

All this means is one must take a lot of care and time to really understand their sled and ease into riding.  

It is highly recommended to take a proper snowmobile safety class. They are offered at clubs all over the snowmobiling states.  Look at our Calendar/Events page to see when we will be offering our safety training.

Review the operators manual for your snowmobile to understand all controls, dials, displays and information for your sled. Some basic components of any sled will be the emergency kill switch. This is by far the first item to locate and beware of how it operates. It is also very important to always have in the back of your mind to engage this kill switch. Some sleds will also have an emergency tether which ensures that the sled will quit if the rider is thrown from the sled.

The other basic  component will be the start/stop/on switch or key. This will allow the sled to be started. Some sleds will have electric start which will be either a push button or in some cases a key switch. 

The two main operating control components will be the thumb throttle and the brake. Typically the thumb throttle is on the right hand side and the brake is on the left hand side. There are some sleds modified for left hand thumb throttle but this is not very common. 

You always want to ensure a properly operating throttle that releases when pressed. If sleds have been sitting in the cold it is always good to let them warm up and make sure there is not any icing of the throttle linkages. This was more common in older sleds with the 1st generation riders but it can happen and hence why knowing and having an operating emergency kill switch is so important. You would not know of a run  away throttle in some cases until you apply full throttle. 

You also want to ensure your brakes are fully operational and moving. Ensure when you prese the brake lever that your taillight comes on. 

The other basic controls will be headlight high beam/low beam and on carbureted sleds there will be a choke. 

Most mid to late model sleds are also going to have hand warmer controls and possibly thumb warmer controls.

About half of all the mid to late model sleds will also have some type of reverse controls. This is another creature comfort that our 1st generation riders did not have. It tended to make snowmobiling a much more physically sport tugging sleds around, not too mention when they got stuck and were very heavy. Reverse on some sleds is a handle that is pulled while newer models it is a button that is pushed.

For rider information their will be instruments or and electronic display. The older sleds will have analog displays showing speed and possibly rpm. RPM is a good indication to have given how clutching works and to understand sled performance. Also, given 2 strokes run at higher rpms but also run hot managing rpms is key. MPH is good for maintaining posted trail speeds and understanding the performance of your  sled.  Newer sleds will have digital displays or a combination of digital and analog.

Other important information that could be available is engine temperature warning or low level warning indication. These may be separate lights or indicated on the elecronic displays. Electronic displays will also have many other error codes and display information for the EFI or other subsystems. 

Again this is just an overview of common sled controls and you must read your owners manual for the specific operating instructions of your sled.