| Author | Message | ||
     Kai Dussling (Kai) Member Username: Kai Post Number: 88 Registered: 06-2002 |
http://www.mattracks.com/html/video_clips.htm Some interesting video! | ||
| Andrew Maier (Newman) Senior Member Username: Newman Post Number: 259 Registered: 04-2003 |
Why would anyone do that? Imagine having to carry spare tracks, and spare bogeys, and spare mocking-repellent. That said, I'll be camping near the 96 D1 with MatTracks @ MAR 2004!  Andy | ||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 117 Registered: 05-2003 |
In the Pismo Beach Hummer video there is a H1 with MatTracks on it, they look like a maintenance nightmare. -Jim | ||
| Read (Read) Member Username: Read Post Number: 62 Registered: 11-2002 |
here is a defender  | ||
| Andrew Maier (Newman) Senior Member Username: Newman Post Number: 261 Registered: 04-2003 |
Now see that's just dumb. (IMHO, of course) | ||
| Matt (Doc175) Member Username: Doc175 Post Number: 176 Registered: 11-2002 |
Maybe if I lived above the Artic Circle | ||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 119 Registered: 05-2003 |
Andrew that is the spare track on the hood | ||
| Andrew Maier (Newman) Senior Member Username: Newman Post Number: 262 Registered: 04-2003 |
That's what I meant -- I mean, Geez, why the hell do you have a spare on the hood when it's friggin' tracks? Question that has to be asked: Will the tracks from an '03 Disco fit my D1? | ||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 84 Registered: 08-2003 |
They would probably be good if you lived in the arctic circle like Matt said, but other than that there's just no need. I think there was a Ford at the SEMA show that had a big set of those. Matt | ||
| Jason Wagner (Wagnerjc) Member Username: Wagnerjc Post Number: 49 Registered: 03-2002 |
I used to work at a hospital in Grand Forks, ND. We can get some pretty vicious blizzards there. The hospital had a suburban rigged with tracks to retrieve necessary staff during storms. Saw it in action once. It seemed to get the job done. | ||
| Curtis N (Curtis) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Curtis Post Number: 809 Registered: 05-2002 |
For specific applications like Jason mentioned, this stuff would be a true lifesaver. However, in real-world applications it just does not work well. Notice on the site that little is compared to a wheeled vehicle. The only time they do is in a situation where floatation is key. Sand, mud, and snow come to mind. However, when you have to drive your rig to the trail and back it is just too impractical. -Curtis | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 374 Registered: 11-2002 |
the mining companies in upper migh all have at least one truck on them and they drive right over huge piles of loose shit that no standard 4x4 could even think about. in there place they are very proven tools | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 436 Registered: 02-2003 |
The Defender in the picture is most likely from Iceland, where they do winter tourist expeditions across the snowcovered tundra, so for that specific application it will work well, and have minimal impact on the fragile environment. Would I want tracks on my Disco? Not at all. It proabably isn't street legal anyway... - Axel | ||
| Mike Hippert (Mikeh) New Member Username: Mikeh Post Number: 23 Registered: 04-2003 |
Wait a second. I think it would be easier to carry a spare track (Just the track) then a spare tire. How often do you blow out a tread on a tank? I know they can be fixed away from the base. Only being able to do 35 to 45 mph on the road would suck, but allot of people trailer there rig anyway. They definitely look good in Mud, Sand, and snow, from the movies they can climb up stairs and give you a much better approach angle, departure angle, break over angle and then your track is wider so you would be less likely to tip over. I bet they cost $15,000 for a set, but then you have 1 vehicle that can go any ware! Don't put it down until you try it, I think it would be cool to be able to drive on top of snow or mud that you would sink in if you tried walking on it. Just my $.02 | ||
| Ray Gerber (Raygerber) Member Username: Raygerber Post Number: 120 Registered: 09-2002 |
Thankfully my experience with the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center was the summer package, but here is a link showing some of our Hummers with these tracks on: http://www.mattracks.com/html/military_photos.htm I'm not sure that Mike's point about working on tracks is true-I'm not a tanker but I know that breaking track is a royal pain (quite possibly a massive understatement). Now that is on an M1A1 so the comparison is not totally relevant-although with an M1 you get a school-trained crew of four to do the work-but its safe to say that how often one throws a track is dependent upon maintenence of the tracks, the driver, and the terrain. They definitly have a use, but it is certainly a specialized application and has the pricetag to go with it I'm sure. r- Ray | ||
| Blue (Blue) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Blue Post Number: 679 Registered: 04-2003 |
We had a 6-wheel & an 8-wheel ATV when I was a kid. We had tracks for both, and it was unstoppable in the snow with the tracks on. Otherwise, it was pretty much useless in the snow. There's definitely an application for tracks...(but Pismo beach is not one of them!) | ||
| Read (Read) Member Username: Read Post Number: 63 Registered: 11-2002 |
OK, so here is the story of the defender picture. It's a bit long, but a good read... http://www.maxadventure.co.uk/exped_lrge1.htm | ||
| Blue (Blue) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Blue Post Number: 683 Registered: 04-2003 |
One of the main problems was that as the Land Rovers lacked locking axle differentials, they would frequently get stuck in the soft snow. The extra height due to the tracks, along with their heavy loads, meant that they would lean over more readily, causing the two high-sided wheels to break traction. way to plan ahead folks! | ||
| Mike Hippert (Mikeh) New Member Username: Mikeh Post Number: 24 Registered: 04-2003 |
My thought was that if a tire needs replacement then you pull the tire and wheel off. with a track you just replace the track not the hole unit so you only have to carry a spare track, I could be wrong? Are Mattracks Kevlar I seem to remeber hearing that someplace maybe a 4x4 mag? I think they would be harder to brake then a tire. with the added width of the tracks I thought it would handel better? I wan't to try them but there is no way I would buy them if they cost more then new tires! | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 895 Registered: 02-2002 |
I bet they'd be great with lockers too! | ||
| mark gomez (Mark) New Member Username: Mark Post Number: 26 Registered: 05-2003 |
I saw the mattracks on t.v. awhile back fitted on a full size dodge. They were in a sand dune in California and doing a drag race type start up a sand dune against another full size with baja claws. Mattrack truck won (of-course). Then they said starting price of mattracks was low $20,000! | ||
| Richard Hardin (Rhardin) New Member Username: Rhardin Post Number: 2 Registered: 10-2003 |
A realtor @ Copper Mountain, CO has an Escalade w/ tracks to show slope side homes. | ||
| Jack Parker (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 235 Registered: 03-2002 |
If I sold real estate around here, I'd skip the tracks equipped Escalade and go straight for the PistenBully: http://www.katvpb.com/Incubator/images/downloads/pistenbully_300W.jpg And in summer, when selling the Dude Ranches: http://www.katvpb.com/Incubator/images/downloads/all_terrain_flexmobil.jpg The guys and gals that groom ski areas have some wild stories. Most grooming is done at night, in all kinds of horrible weather, and terrain that is well...challenging to say the least. | ||
| Greg French (Gregfrench) Senior Member Username: Gregfrench Post Number: 628 Registered: 11-2002 |
You can buy one of these for under $20,000 http://www.coldwarremarketing.com/OthersInven.asp | ||
| Alyssa Brown (Alyssa) Senior Member Username: Alyssa Post Number: 276 Registered: 01-2003 |
OK, now that is downright cool. Amphibious capability, too! |
