Sled Pulling a Wheel House w/skis attatched to wheels..?

[usmcjsy]

I have a 1800lb fish house and was wondering if I were to put some aluminum skis on it if a sled would be able to pull it through the deeper snow..? Anyone have any experience with this..? How much sled would one need etc.

Thanks

[Greg Clusiau]

Wow. I can't see that ever happening. For one thing, a sled isn't all that heavy when compared to an 1800 pound load. Another thing is I'm afraid you'd blow the motor out of it. Seems like waaay too much of a load, especially in deep snow.

[usmcjsy]

Ya I was kinda thinking that to. I am a ATV guy though, dont know much or do I have a lot of experience with sleds. I know my wheeler has no problem pulling that around however once the deep snow comes the wheeler cant really pull the house in the deep snow. So I was debating tracks for the wheeler or a sled. I am starting to lean towards tracks for the wheeler.

Thanks

[Dozer]

My father has a 6.5X14 that weighs about 2600#. He pulls it all over the lake with a old 99 600 MXZ no problem on some homemade skis. He has done it for about 3 or 4 years now.

[usmcjsy]

Really, well I am impressed. I was looking for some intel like that. Someone who actually has done it or tried it. I would like a sled just for the ease of zippin out to the fish house. However I cannot justify one if it cant do a little work as well. Thanks for the intel Dozer.

[Wanderer]

My father has a 6.5X14 that weighs about 2600#. He pulls it all over the lake with a old 99 600 MXZ no problem on some homemade skis. He has done it for about 3 or 4 years now.

Wow! That's amazing! I wouldn't have ever considered even trying to do that. Plus I would think if could be done, a Bearcat would be the one to do it.

Earlier this season I pulled a buddy's sled back through deep snow and slush with my 550 (136 inch paddle track) and that took some serious effort. Traction was the biggest issue for me.

So yeah, I'm one who has not done it either and am still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the concept. I would love to see it done though so I can finally commit to buying a wheelhouse. It'll be interesting to see if others have been able to do this.

[hambone842005]

It would be a feat in deep snow but I could see one of the work style sleds pulling it off such as the Skidoo Scandic. Those can pull quite a bit. The weakest link, in the whole system would be attaching the fish house to the sled, get that right and most sleds should be able to move a fish house on packed snow.

[slurpie]

As long as one could get the house to float good enough it should work. And traction would be another deal but in snow and not on ice it could be possible.

[Dozer]

It would be a feat in deep snow but I could see one of the work style sleds pulling it off such as the Skidoo Scandic. Those can pull quite a bit. The weakest link, in the whole system would be attaching the fish house to the sled, get that right and most sleds should be able to move a fish house on packed snow.

Most of the time there really isnt that much deep snow on the lake, most of it is fairly hard. Somtimes he has a little trouble getting it moving but if you plan it out so you pack down a spot for the sled to start on it is no problem. Once you get it moving he has no problem. Anouther thing I should mention is you have to scout out a path to avoid the slush. I dont know that he has ever been stuck in the slush but I know he take the time to scout out a path prior to moving the house.

Its really suprising how easy the house pulls once you get it moving. I would bet it is about the same as puling a dead sled.

The biggest problem with pulling it with the MXZ is belts get pretty hot pretty fast. The sled is just geared way too high. Its not really a big deal on the local lake where you only move it a couple miles, the belt gets hot but doesnt explode. He bought a used Scandic this fall and we are planning on taking the house out to Garden Island with that in March.

[broken_line]

i have personal experience with this.. for me when i tried it the skis needed to be at the right angle for it to even be possible.. another thing i did was put a 1 7/8" ball on a homemade wooden ski and use a ski rope between that and my sled (jag 340) it works untill theres more than 8" of snow.. its hopeless if theres no hard packed snow to get good traction. your best bet is a 4x4 suv or truck with chains.

[usmcjsy]

Ya that is what I used this year a truck and chained tires. I have seen guys pulling houses through or over the top of some deep snow with a Geo Tracker. The tracker had tracks and the wheel house had skis. They were pulling houses off the lake. So I had the idea which I am sure many have had of buying a 1/2 way decent sled and attaching the skis to my wheelhouse. Like I said I have only ridden a sled a couple times and dont know a whole lot about em. If the snow is not deep my wheeler can usually pull it around just fine.

[leech~~]

I think I would pay money to see a sled pull a 14' foot long #2600 ton and a qrt wheel house even on skis. Unless you have prefect packed snow and maybe a ton of studs on your track not sure how it would do it?

[Walleyehooker]

I think there is a reason you dont see many snowmobiles pulling wheel houses.Maybe a short pull in good conditions is one thing but a long run is a lot stress on a snowmobile.

[sunniewally]

do you suppose using enough studs and playing with the gearing would do it. mayby have to do some clutch work. i pulled a 550 2 up for 30 mi with my 95 xlt . once you got moving it was fine but traction was a problem at times, but no studs. be nice to see so videos of smoe tha have did it and what they did.

[pureinsanity]

Biggest thing is getting it moving. Have a few guys push while the sled is going. Once you get going you should be fine. I agree the biggest challenge is hooking it to the sled as if you are pulling in deep snow you want the tongue height pretty high. Wouldn't hurt using two sleds.

[Dozer]

Well he has been doning it for years now. 99 600 MXZ 1 1/4" track, no studs. If you are right on the ice where studs are going to help then he doesnt even bother with the skis, just pulls it around on the wheels. For the most part there really isnt that much snow on the lake and what is there is hard enough that a good set of skis has no probem staying on top. You have to have large enough skis to make sure you stay on top, his are about 10" wide and 3.5' long with a steel tube frame and a 1/4" UHMW plastic bottom.

You also cant just stop and start where every you please, you have to at least make a loop around so you have a path to start on when you go to leave. Its all about momentum, once you get it moving it is no problem at all.

Would he take off across Mille Lacs from Garrison headed for Isle? NO. Does it work just fine on the local lakes? Yes. The problem with the MXZ is it is geared way too high. Its not possible to gear it down enough in the chaincase, the belt is slipping all the time. After a couple miles that belt is really hot. That is where the Scandic comes in, I havent seen the Scandic in action but a 24"/151" track with a low gear should work great. The plan is Garden Island on the 18th of March.

[aanderud]

You guys ever slip down a slight incline in your boots? Not very often, but if you throw on a pair of ski boots with downhill skis under em, you can go 50 mph down buck hill! Ever see how far an ice skater can coast versus someone with boots or shoes? Same concept with ice houses on skis, eh?

It's all about putting that house on some really smooth and slick skis with a low drag coefficient. In the right conditions, with the right skis, you could pull that thing by hand if you had to :-)

Comparing an ice house on skis to towing a snowmobile isn't really a good comparison, because the snowmobile you're towing has a track, which doesn't slide on snow like skis do.

[leech~~]

You guys ever slip down a slight incline in your boots? Not very often, but if you throw on a pair of ski boots with downhill skis under em, you can go 50 mph down buck hill!

Wow, when you drill holes on the lake that is made on a hill, does the water and fish run out of it?

[FBMH]

My grandpa pulls his 1800# fish house out every year on his 2001 polaris. Works like a chaarm and works even better when trying to move it around the lake during mid winter when the fish arent there.

[BoxMN]

I pulled a steel boat lift off the lake, through a decent amount of snow, with my indy 400 (with studs). Lift had two wheels on front, and just the little pad skids on back, and I pulled it right to the road and up road for a bit. Only probs were going up the concrete ramp I didn't have traction, and then on the road the belt started slipping on me, and had to go rest of way with a atv. I was really surprised though how overly easy it was once I got going on ice/snow.

[NoWiser]

Way back in the day, we used to pull my dad's 8X12 all over Mille Lacs with a snowmobile and it worked great. That house was well over the 2,000# mark. We made homemade skis out of aluminum that were about 6' long and 8" wide and had a slick plastic bottom. We'd pull up to Lybaks, strap on the skis, and take off for 4-mile. So yes, it absolutely can be done. The sled we pulled it with was a 93 Polaris Indy 500 Long Track/Wide Track, and it did have a low gear in it for towing. The only thing that would stop us was slush, and we didn't even attempt it if there was a chance of hitting any. I only remember getting stuck a handful of times in all the trips. No studs, either.

[leech~~]

Well dang this is happening so much they should start a new contest for sleds every winter. Wheel house pull! Forget the boring Radar runs!

[sunniewally]

"Well dang this is happening so much they should start a new contest for sleds every winter. Wheel house pull! Forget the boring Radar runs! "

NOW THAT WOULD BE COOL!!!!

[aanderud]

Well dang this is happening so much they should start a new contest for sleds every winter. Wheel house pull! Forget the boring Radar runs!

Ha, that is good stuff. Give the tractor pull guys something to tinker with in the winter, eh?

[usmcjsy]

Well I am starting to lean towards a sled again. I was looking at a tracked RZR or something but really I only need the tracks for the winter. If the sled can pull a wheelhouse on skis over some of the deeper snow then I would rather have the sled. Anyone got any recomendations for a good sled for doing a little work and riding.? I was kind of looking at some of the touring sleds for the 2 up feature. Any recomendations would be appreciated. I dont really know a lot about sleds just want something that will be reliable. Speed is nice but like the 3rd most important feature. I am looking for one that can work a little and is relaible first and foremost.

Thanks Again.

Jeremy