Snow trucks with tracks are specialized vehicles designed to navigate snowy and icy terrains. These vehicles come in various models, each with unique specifications and capabilities. From personal snowcats to heavy-duty trucks, this article explores the features and applications of different snow track systems.
Aktiv Snow Trac
The Aktiv Snow Trac is a small personal snowcat, roughly the size of a modern compact car. Aktiv Snow Tracs were manufactured in Sweden between 1957 and 1981, with additional vehicles manufactured in Scotland.
In 1954, Lars Larsson, the chief design engineer for a Swedish farm equipment company, AB Westeråsmaskiner, decided to develop a tracked vehicle to take him and his brother on fishing trips in the winter. The company put his snow vehicle into production in 1957.
It runs on two rubber tracks powered by a Volkswagen flat 4 industrial boxer style engine and is suitable for both deep snow and soft surface use. The engine developed about 40 horsepower, but that varied from year to year as the earlier models developed 36 hp, and later models developed 54 hp.
Unlike most other snow vehicles, the Snow Trac uses a traditional steering wheel instead of levers. It uses a unique steering mechanism called a variator that allows a tracked vehicle to be steered using a traditional automotive steering wheel instead of levers. The variator steplessly changes the speed of the left and right tracks, accelerating one track while slowing the other to effect a turn. Unlike traditional tracked vehicle steering, the brakes are not used to turn, increasing efficiency and reducing brake wear.
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In the standard cabin configuration, only the driver is facing forward. The interior is equipped with side-facing bench seats and there are enough seats for 7 people (including the driver). The entrance is by a door attached at the tail. There are no other entrances, but many are equipped with a large sunroof, which could double as an emergency exit.
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While manufactured in Sweden, the Snow Trac proved to be a successful export with over half sold to North America. Approximately 550 Snow Tracs were shipped to Alaska. At least 200 units were shipped to Canadian telephone utility Northwest Telephone in the Yukon Territory, Canada. Approximately 200 Snow Tracs ended up at the Canadian National Railway, and Snow Tracs were also located at each of the microwave sites along the length of the ALCAN (Alaska Canadian Highway). At least 400 more Snow Tracs were known to have been shipped to the Lower 48 states of the United States.
The ability to configure the basic vehicle in many different ways allowed it to be suitable for multiple uses. In addition to the standard 7 person cabin, the Snow Trac was also available with a two-person enclosed cabin which had an exposed cargo area. Alternately, it could be ordered with only a windshield and side wing windows and a canvas top. (Most of the military versions were equipped in this fashion).
The Snow Trac was used successfully by NATO forces during the cold war between NATO and the USSR. Military units are differentiated from civilian units by utilizing a 24-volt electrical system instead of the civilian 12-volt system. Military units also had the fuel tank moved outside the cabin area and mounted over the left (driver's side) track on the cargo ledge. Many military Snow Tracs were used by NATO forces as well as British Royal Marines forces. Military Snow Tracs were also often equipped with special hooking points so they could be transported quickly to remote regions by being carried under a helicopter without the need for special cargo carriers.
The Snow Tracs utilitzed by NATO were later replaced by the 4-track amphibious articulated Volvo BV202 Bandvagn 202, and those were later replaced by a more evolved Hägglunds BV206 Bandvagn 206.
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Snow Tracs were also called Sand Tracs and saw use in the Sahara Desert as over-sand transport vehicles. The crawler track design was well suited for either sand or snow use but was not generally suitable for rocky all-terrain use. The track required loose ground to properly function so it was able to work equally well on gravel, sand, snow, or other loose material like tall grass.
An industrial version of the Snow Trac was called a Trac Master, and later renamed a Snow Master. The Trac/Snow Master was equipped with a longer and wider track that made it more suitable for the deepest soft snow conditions. Optional hydraulic implements were available for the Trac/Snow Masters for grooming ski trails. Implements for grooming were capable of being mounted on both the front and the rear of the Snow Master and were powered by an auxiliary hydraulic pump that was an option on the Snow Master units. Shipping records show that Japan was a popular destination for Snow Masters and many are still in use by private owners in the northern regions of Japan.
The Swedish made Aktiv Snow Trac of which approximately 2265 were manufactured in Sweden between 1957 and 1981. Production of the Snow Trac ceased when VW stopped European production of the engines that were used to power these vehicles. Additional vehicles were manufactured in Scotland bringing the total to over 2300 units produced. Numerous accounts from Antarctica related successful use of the Snow Trac by research organizations such as ANARE in Antarctica.
The Snow Trac is made up largely of off the shelf automotive and industrial parts supplied by Volkswagen including an air cooled flat 4 industrial version of VW Beetle engine, a VW Bus transmission, and hundreds of surplus parts including steering wheels, shift knobs, and lighting components. A proprietary drive variator was adapted to the transmission to allow the use of a steering wheel to control the tracks.
Because of the common use of Volkswagen engines, transmissions and other critical parts, the Snow Trac is still a very popular vehicle with many 30- to 40-year-old vehicles being used daily during the winter months. Snow Trac vehicles are commonly used as personal vehicles for transport, and are often used for providing tours to tourists in remote areas. The Roughwoods Inn, located in Nenana Alaska, runs a small fleet of Snow Tracs and Snow Masters for tourists in the winter months. The fleet at The Roughwoods Inn is probably the largest fleet in ownership today. Snow Tracs in use today are often modified and it is common to find overheating problems plaguing these machines because heat shield have been removed to make it easier to work on the engines. There were 2 primary types of heat shields that were installed in Snow Tracs, a vertical heat shield that divided the engine compartment fore and aft or a horizontal heat shield that separated the muffler area from the rest of the engine compartment. In either case the function was ultimately the same, to keep the exhaust and muffler heat away from the engine. The vertical heat shield seems to have been commonly utilized on the Royal Marines and N.A.T.O. versions of the Snow Trac, it may also have been used in civilian versions.
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So popular and unique was the Snow Trac that a line of toys from Matchbox was introduced. Lesney MATCHBOX of England made 3 different versions of the Aktiv Fischer Snow Trac ST4. All were very similar in appearance, 2 of them used the same molds. All of the Matchbox toys are modeled after the 2 large wheel Aktiv Snow Trac; this version has 2 large rubber tires, one at the rear, and the third about 24" aft of the drive sprocket.
In 1967, a toy maker in Melbourne, Australia, produced a snap together model kit of the Snow Trac. The company, ROSENHAIN & LIPMANN, more commonly referred to as R&L, specialised in the manufacture of cereal premiums. The Snow Trac was part of their "Polar Base" series that took inspiration from the ANARE activities in Antarctica. The toys were issued as a free cereal premium inside boxes of cereal in Australia by the Kellogg Company. They may have also been issued as a cereal premium in the USA. They were produced in at least five colours and built up into a model 45 mm in length. In 1975, R&L produced a large order of toys for use by Aurora in the USA.
Rubitracks Snow Systems
RUBITRACKS Lake are durable, capable, and affordable snow systems for full-size vehicles, commonly used on vehicles with tight fender well clearance such as pick-up trucks and newer SUVs.
All Rubitracks snow tracks come standard with a proprietary asymmetric 6 bolt pattern. This pattern allows adaptation to almost any bolt pattern without making a vehicle-specific track.
Every set of Rubitracks is fitted with at minimum Camso Hacksaw 1'' tall lug tracks. Customers have the option of upgrading to the Camso ice attack studded track for both 121'' and 136'' track systems, designed specifically for use on ice.
Rubitracks Lake XL offer the same features as the Rubitracks lake with the addition of a 136'' rear track ideally suited for vehicles with higher fender wells in front yet have potential to carry a heavier load in the rear.
- TOTAL AREA: 2940 sq"
Cross Country 136
The X-Country incorporates new design features that either weren't possible or practical on our existing 136'' system because both 121'' and 136''' had been designed to work together on the same vehicle.
Moving this idler closer allowed us to raise the tower of the new 136'' 1.5'', which gives the vehicle1.5'' more under axle ground clearance, as well as a shallower track over sprocket angle resulting in more engagement!
- TOTAL AREA: 3420 sq"
Mountain 144/151
Rubitracks Mountain were designed for the extreme side of the hobby. for guys that want to push the limits even if it results in a little carnage. Rubitracks mountain are designed for maximum grip, ground clearance and approach. They are especially adapted to snowy terrain that has a lot of peaks and valleys.
On the mountain series we not only made the drive sprockets wider on the rear but we also made them lager in diameter for additional contact area between the track and sprocket as well as to provide additional clearance for vehicles with 'big brake' mods.
As we all know snow conditions vary greatly from powder to packed and there will always be a level of compaction that we must consider so getting the axles up out of the snow is just as advantageous as having a larger foot print.
In the case of the mountain system we have chosen the Ripsaw 1.25'' lug track simply because for their intended application, (soft deep snow) having a taller lug will increase their overall effectiveness by increasing the grip that the tracks have on deep loose snow. While a taller lug isn't always ideal due to the weight of most vehicle, for this application it is well suited.
Mountain MAX 151/151
Rubitracks Mountain Max uses all of the same features and components that Rubiracks Mountain with the exception of the high nose. Instead we developed Mountain MAX for softer terrain. The additional 7'' of track gives you the maximum foot print of any Rubitracks system though you should expect to upgrade your steering.
- TOTAL AREA: 3840 sq"
Additional Features
Rubitracks snow systems utilize UHMW - PE slides which are also generic and available almost anywhere.
Every set of Rubitracks comes standard with our chain based limiting system. This allows your tracks to have a wide range of uninhibited motion while also preventing the assembly from contacting the body of the vehicle under normal operating conditions.
Each set includes a starter kit with spare parts so that customers don't have to end their weekend early and wait for replacement parts should one of these parts happen to be damaged.
Our mounting kits include hub to track adapters as well as anti-rotation (anti-flip) links and brackets. Our standard kit will work with most common North American built vehicles, **however in some cases where the vehicle has hubs that stick out beyond 2″ from the wheel mounting surface or has brake or other clearance issues, a specialized kit will be required and may incur an additional charge.
The first installation will usually take less than a day. Once all brackets are installed and links are set, the system can then be installed in about an hour.
Steering upgrades aren't necessary with the snow systems. In fact, they steer almost as easily as tires when moving on snow and ice.
Right Track Systems
Right Track Systems Truck and Trailer tracks are the only rubber, completely rebuildable, track product on the market.
Right Track Truck Tracks 30” wide design offer customers 500-700% more floatation on their units. This added flotation prevents tire sink-age and allows our 2” heavy duty grouser/tread design to maneuver equipment in any off road application (mud, muskeg, snow, sand, etc). Due to the separate component design of our tracks we can offer different styles and depths of grousers/treads for different off road applications; this includes heavy duty ice cleats for winter and fall, or 2″ super aggressive grousers for loose mud and muskeg.
All Right Track Truck Tracks are made with 1250 - 1500 lbs heavy duty conveyor belting. This belting is 5 times the strength of your standard truck tire. This means that once installed, users can expect virtually no tire damage.
Right Tracks can be installed in about an hour and removed in a matter of minutes.
Hagglunds BV 206 All Terrain Vehicle
The Hagglunds BV 206 All Terrain Vehicle is engineered for various environments, including snow, streams, rocks, mud, and post-disaster debris. It is fully amphibious without extra preparation.
- Transmission: Auto
- Track: 2' Wide Molded Reinforced Rubber
- Electrical: 24 Volt
- Turning Radius: 26 ft.
- Height: 7 ft. 9 in.
- Length: 22 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 6 ft.
The rubber tracks deliver a low vibration ride, even at high speeds. The units were developed and tested to withstand harsh military and remote location specifications creating a reliable workhorse.
The Hagglunds BV206 trim body, along with its rubber tracks are gentle on tundra and soft dirt, thus minimizing the destruction of vegetation. The rubber tracks also allow the vehicle to travel on pavement without the typical wear and tear associated with steel tracks.
The Hagglunds BV206 All Terrain Vehicle is excellent for transporting employees or cargo because of its two-ton load capacity (up to 4,400 lbs.). The six-passenger BV 206 Cargo model can transport bulky, heavy equipment over the toughest terrain. The rear compartment can load up to three European-style wooden pallets.
The Hagglunds BV 206 all terrain vehicle is the premier rescue & recovery vehicle. The vehicle can be stored at a fixed location and because of its high speeds, and ability to travel on impassable roads, the need for a highway trailer is unnecessary most of the time. For this reason, the vehicle can respond immediately from a fixed location. The BV206 is capable of transporting up to four patients on stretchers. It can also be equipped with state-of-the-art navigation equipment including: radar, thermal imaging, GPS positioning with satellite photo overlays, night vision, gyro stabilized optics, and much more to create a high tech emergency response vehicle!
If there’s a need to transport up to 17 passengers comfortably, on roadways or trail systems, the BV 206 all terrain vehicle is an excellent choice!
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HELLTRAXX Snow Tracks
HELLTRAXX Snow Tracks are engineered for unmatched strength and performance. They are designed for conquering snowy terrains.
Vehicle Types
- Jeep Wranglers: Boasting from 500 to over 1,000 horsepower, these vehicles are unmatched in deep snow thanks to our HELLTRAXX track system.
- Jeep Gladiators: AMW4X4's high-performance Jeep Gladiators are the pinnacle of capability and comfort. Boasting from 500 to over 1,000 horsepower, depending on your selected powertrain, these vehicles are unmatched in deep snow thanks to our HELLTRAXX track system.
- RAM Trucks: Whether you are looking for a commercial application or a personal deep snow transport truck the RAM 2500 and RAM Powerwagon work hand in hand with our HELLTRAXX snow tracks.
Track Options
- Single Track
- Dual Track
HELLTRAXX Snow Tracks
HELLTRAXX Snow Tracks have been tested in extreme conditions, confirming their reliability.
Comparison Table of Snow Tracks
The following table provides a brief comparison of the snow tracks discussed in this article:
| Brand | Model | Key Features | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aktiv | Snow Trac | Compact size, traditional steering wheel, VW engine | Personal transport, tours in remote areas |
| Rubitracks | Lake | Asymmetric bolt pattern, Camso Hacksaw tracks | Pick-up trucks, SUVs |
| Rubitracks | Mountain | Wide drive sprockets, Ripsaw 1.25'' lug track | Extreme off-road, deep snow |
| Right Track Systems | Truck Tracks | 30” wide design, 2” heavy duty grouser/tread | Off-road applications, mud, snow, sand |
| Hagglunds | BV 206 | Amphibious, rubber tracks, two-ton load capacity | Rescue, cargo transport, touring |
| HELLTRAXX | Snow Tracks | High horsepower compatibility, single/dual track options | Jeep Wranglers, Gladiators, RAM Trucks |