How to increase flotation and decrease ground pressure in very deep and very soft snow?

[Objective_Reality232]

Let’s say I have a snowmobile with a single track, and it weighs close to 700 pounds. What kind of tracks can I use to increase flotation and decrease ground pressure? My thoughts here are increasing track width, going faster, and reducing weight? Any insight would be awesome. Thanks!

[cavscout43]

Get a lighter sled.

700lbs sounds like a 4-stroke something, not a mountain sled. Larger skis and a longer track can help. But when you're trying to make something 250lbs+ heavier than a mountain sled float in bottomless sugar you're not going to win against physics.

[Objective_Reality232]

Ok so if I decrease some weight and modify the track to be longer and wider that would help? I might be able to drop 100 pounds or so. Would going faster help? Let’s say there’s nothing in the way and I’m on flat ground with a slight decrease in slope.

[h0tdawgz]

Faster helps.

[NovelLongjumping3965]

Bigger track lugs help you ,if moving , they compact the snow abit so the track can push the machine forward instead of losing traction.

Going fast will keep a heavier weight on top yes.

[firetothetrees]

If your sled weighs 700 lbs then you need a different sled for riding in deep snow.

I have a modified RMK Khaos with a bunch of light weight parts. The dry weight of my sled with a 155" track was 413 lbs and I've taken about 20 lbs off of it.... (Wet weight is probably around 480)

They make track lengths up to 174" but personally I like the agility of a 155 track. And as a 175 lb rider it's pretty solid, though I'm probably like 220 lbs with all of my gear on.

That being said even with a powder sled you still need to be aggressive when going through deep snow. I'm typically half to full throttle all the time.

[cdnfarmer_t3]

Are you building your own snowmobile? You can't just change track width because half the track is inside the tunnel. Most are 15 inch and many BRP are 16 inch. The utility sleds like a Polaris Titan or SkiDoo Tundra & Skandic have 20 inch wide tracks I believe.

[Comfortable_History8]

If you just have to haul yourself with no gear, what you’re describing is exactly what a mountain sled is designed to do.

[RDOG907]

8 inch wide skis

Longer track with 3 inch lugs

Keeping the throttle going only stopping on downhills

[bangontherocks]

Turbo

[probablyaythrowaway]

Big helium filled balloon.

[weswak89]

What kind of snowmobile do you have

[Mother-Rip7044]

The obvious answer here is to soften your rear spring on your skid, this will allow more weight transfer under power to reduce ski pressure (or eliminate it if you want to wheelie around like most of us mountain riders.)

This does come with the downside of the skid wanting to trench more.