Do 4-wheelers float??

[BLACKJACK]

Yes this is a serious question. With all the people and 4-wheelers going thru the ice a co-worker and I were having the argument, he says 'that my buddy drove into open water a few years ago and was able to pull it out because it was floating upsidedown'. I say they would sink.

Which is it, do they float or sink?

[JSK76]

He's right.

[MinDak Hunter]

Sink.

"DNR Officer OK after ATV goes through ice

WARROAD, Minn. – A conservation officer for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources escaped injury after the all-terrain vehicle he was driving broke through thin ice on Lake of the Woods on Saturday.

By: Forum staff reports, INFORUM

WARROAD, Minn. – A conservation officer for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources escaped injury after the all-terrain vehicle he was driving broke through thin ice on Lake of the Woods on Saturday.

Officer Ben Huener was checking fishing north of Warroad about 12:30 p.m. when the ATV broke through the ice and sank to the bottom of the lake in about 8 feet of water.

Huener was able to swim to the edge of the ice and pull himself out of the water to safety with ice picks. He then used his radio to call a state trooper for a ride.

The ATV was recovered late Tuesday afternoon"

[pooly_31]

i think it just depends on the size of tires on the machine. I had an old 200 honda with fat rear tires that would float. The newer machines that are heavier with the skinny tires may not. the old honda 3 wheeler i had with 3 fat tires would float perfectly across ditches and streams

[bogwalker]

I have only seen one go through and it did not float.

[OnIce]

Maybe some of them can. I guess it would depend on how much your wheeler weighs, and how big your tires are.

[Hawg]

I went thru on a 4 Honda 300 Fourtrax. The machine stayed kind of neutraly boyant, but did not sink. We were able to pull,and push, it out and onto the ice. I've been told some float upside down but mine was just neutral. I had a friend go thru on a Yamaha and it sunk. What amazed me is that the water didn't seem as cold as I thought would, but once out the air sure did.

[highlife4me]

Some do some do not. Depends how heavy it is loaded down and air pressure in the tires. My old sportsman would float with and stay running if I wasn't on it, found that out the hard way and didn't do that again.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Personal experience.......

A 2000 Yami Big Bear 400 will float quite well. Upside down, but doesn't sink.

[c0untryf1sh3r]

I used to have an old honda 3 wheeler with ag tires and it floated perfectly

[usmcjsy]

The news showed one that broke through on the ice and it was afloat. However it was not a balanced float. The front end looked like it was further in the water than the back end. However it did not sink like a stone. Again there are probably a lot of variables to this question. If you want it to float your best bet would be to buy the smaller sized wheeler, and put the old school flotation tires on like the old 3 wheelers had.

[NoWiser]

Some do, some don't. I've seen 4 tires sticking halfway up out of the ice before from one that went down the night before and flipped upside down. I know for a fact my dad's Honda 450 floats, but the trailer behind it didn't. That was a cold night.

[McGurk]

There's a lot of weight range between an 30-yr-old, 2wd Suzuki 125 (about 290 lbs dry) and a new Sportsman 800 (about 740 lbs dry). I'd say most new machines will sink, but will probably have their tires facing up as they sit on the bottom!

[curtistodd]

Sounds like a question for David Letterman. Will it float?

[Desperado]

I know from personal experience that mine floats ...

RIGHT SIDE UP

< < <

[Ice_King__]

I asked this at the local atv shop & they said most of them will float. But when you add racks & augers & misc other things you weight them down enough to sink.

[DTro]

I know from personal experience that mine floats ...

RIGHT SIDE UP

< < <

But will your "4 wheeler" do that ^^^

[311Hemi]

I know from personal experience that mine floats ...

RIGHT SIDE UP

< < <

Let's see a bigger picture!!

[peerchking]

on early ice I always strap a life jacket on the back and put one in my front box, That way i know it will float

[EBass]

My brother and I went down on his. It sank - I don't know what the make or model was.

[ClownColor]

2009 honda forman 500 with stock tires floats upside right as well...not sure on the time table but for atleat 10-15 minutes.

Just remember to shut it off right away when it happens and give it a could run through afterwards and change the oil.

Good luck and hope you never have to find out like others have

[Gordie]

I used to have an old honda 3 wheeler with ag tires and it floated perfectly

yep mee too if the tires are full of air mine floats but I have seen a few wheelers on the bottom of the lake before Yammy Big bear was one of them and a polaris was anothe rbut he bayou 250 floated as did my honda three wheeler a few years ago we were north and the ice gave way and some stayed afloat some sank like rocks it was only 5 FOW but it was still wet and cooooold even if mine did float

[BLACKJACK]

I'm amazed to hear all the first hand experiences that they float (or don't float!!!!!)

Yikes!!!

[lakevet]

Here's a link regarding atv floation required in at least parts of southern wisc. Never been there but heard they got tired of fishing people and wheelers out so they passed a law. Has pics for those who like looking at "pontoon" 4 wheelers. I personally did fall thru with a wheeler, I did it just fine all by myself

This site has specs/ rules of thumb to make your own floatation for atv or snowmobile.

http://www.danesheriff.com/marine_trail_ice.aspx

Probably not a bad idea. (floatation, not another law)

lakevet

[DooWap]

This thread sounds like a David Letterman bit to me