snowmobile

[DonC]

Looking for a sled for ice fishing any suggestions on liquid or fan cooled. Drove a Polaris liquid cooled and it over heated going slow over rough drifts etc. last yr is that normal ?

[Esox_Magnum]

I run a 95 Polaris 600 tripple liquid cooled not an issue pulling my 3 man shack and passeger.....I do make a hard run befor hooking the shack up and after setting up and also at the end of the day but thats the kid in me and I love to go fast..... Nothing like a 70-80 MPH run befor starting the day on the ice, but then again no speed limits here....

[fishing tech]

I use an atv but if I were to use a sled I think it would be fan cooled. No need to worry about overheating if there is no show. They can sit and idle if you want to drill some hole, check them and move on.

Liquid cooled needs snow to cool the heat exchanger so you don't want to let them idle to long.

[FISHINGURU]

Nothing like a 70-80 MPH run befor starting the day on the ice, but then again no speed limits here....

I thought you said you like to go fast?

[MN Mike]

Overheating can easily happen in the spring of the year when you get the warm days that melt the snow and the cold nights that set it up like concrete when it freezes. Obviously low snow conditions will overheat a liquid too.

There are things you can do to set some snow moving so you can cool your sled, ice scratchers are popular and easy to install, you're looking at about $40 - $70 for those, I've also drilled a hole on the inside back corner of my skis and sent thru a 3/8" x 1.5" bolt, double nutted and long enough to get to the snow but not catch on the trailer when loading, that has worked well too.

Nothing wrong with a fan cooled sled either, just make sure they are jetted correctly for the weather you'll be using them in.

Mike

[Esox_Magnum]

I thought you said you like to go fast?

I do when dressed better for it, on a sled only ride on the lakes under the right conditions well over 100....Sleds jetted for the cold, runs alot faster the colder it is, below zero is when she realy likes to run...

[Knoc]

70-80mph is fast... for a polaris..

[NAMASafetyDirector]

IMO a sled like the Polaris Widetrak or the fan cooled version the Transport are ultimate ice fishing vehicles. Plenty of power, low range transmissions, reverse and extra storage under the seat as well as extra track width for flotation and extra traction for pulling. Great, reliable sleds!

[Wanderer]

If the main purpose for having a sled in your life is ice fishing - go fan/air cooled. More reliability + less maintenance = win in my book.

[leech~~]

I have a buddy who has a Liq cooled sled and it kept over heating on him when he pulls his porty with a heavy load of gear. I really hate stopping my 550 fan cooled Polaris Sport touring to wait for him to cool back down! Last year I was on a lake in about a foot and a half of heavy wet snow and slush pulling a fairly loaded porty with the throttle pegged for a good half a mile and she never missed a beat! FAN is the way to go for Ice fishing!

[muskE]

I have a beater AC Wildcat 700 liquid-cooled 2up that I drag my small perm around on. If you fish in a metro area the lakes aren't that big to give you issues. If you're going up north to the big waters then a fan may be a better play.

I use mine for both ice fishing and towing my kid in a sleigh around the local trails, nothing hard-core, and it's a work horse! Heck, I'd put a plow on it if I could. You need to have snow to cool the machine and you will get more power from liquid cooled engines. Last year, liquids ruled the lakes with all the snow. If this year is cold and dry you may appreciate the fan more.

[adamr]

I snowmobile alot I dont think they made a tougher sled than the 96 or newer polaris indy 500 you can find them nowdays with around 2000 miles for 1500 or less they are industructable.

[FISHINGURU]

Both sleds will overheat in different conditions, fan cool likes to overheat if its warm out, liquid will overheat if there isn't enough snow. Just make sure your temp light is working and if it goes on shut it down and let it cool a bit then go again, sometimes it's a pain but better then blowing up your sled.