Basic Snowbuddy
Basic Snowbuddy & 5 Snowbuddy Parts
The basic Snowbuddy is a combination Shovel/Highlift Snowmobile Jack consisting of five snap together pieces. (1) The shovel blade which is also the base for the jack. (2) The lower shaft is the handle for the shovel and with (3) the upper shaft make the stand for (4) the jack head (ratchet) and (5) the jacking handle.
[Section Index]
Back End Lift
 Usually picking up the back end and getting the track back on top of the snow is enough to get a snowmobile going again. Use the shovel to do any necessary digging to prepare the snow before setting up the full Snowbuddy. Attach the cable to the grab bar of the sled. Take up the slack. Break the track loose then lift the back end out of the hole and push the sled to the side. Snowbuddy is designed to twist and turn so no damage is done.
[Section Index]
Hillside Backward
Drag
Sometimes special conditions make the Snowbuddy more effective if you set it
up short. Getting stuck on a steep hillside or in a hard frozen tree well is
easier to handle with the short set up.
Everyone who buys a Snowbuddy receives a videotape explaining how to
practice using the Snowbuddy and demonstrating the basics for using the
Snowbuddy out in the snow. How useful Snowbuddy will be for the individual
user is directly related to how much effort is made learning to use
Snowbuddy. This is not a "no brainer" but it is not "rocket science" either.
A reasonable effort and a little time will make any rider proficient with a
Snowbuddy. |
Key Snowbuddy Use
Sometimes the user has failed to make sure the wheel and cable in the jack head are properly aligned after taking up the slack in the cable causing the ratchet mechanism to jam. Pushing really hard on the jack handle now will most likely damage the Snowbuddy.
This brief explanation is only an introduction to Snowbuddy. There are two videotapes available with more information. If pictures are worth a thousand words moving pictures are worth many thousands of words.
"SEEING IS BELIEVING" is an introduction to Snowbuddy. This 10 minute video will show what you can do with a Snowbuddy.
"SNOWBUDDY 101" is a detailed explanation of how to use a Snowbuddy. This 30 minute video demonstrates how to practice using and how to use Snowbuddy in real situations. Using the Rope Trick and the Lift Lock are also covered in this video.
The people who take a quick glance and think "that's pretty simple", wait until they are buried then try to remember what goes where are the people most likely to call telling me Snowbuddy doesn't work. Usually going over a step by step examination of how they attempted to use Snowbuddy reveals the cause for their frustration.
The two most common mistakes are not breaking the track loose before trying to lift the snowmobile and not letting the Snowbuddy rest against the grab bar (rear bumper) when lifting the snowmobile.
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Most snowmobile riders believe a stuck snowmobile is
difficult to pick up because of the heavy load of snow packed into the
track. While there is some additional weight because of the snow this is not
the primary reason it so difficult to move a stuck snowmobile. A snowmobile
track trenching down through snow will have a similar effect on the snow as
an avalanche. The friction created by the rapidly spinning track thrashing
the snow will melt the edges of the snow crystals. When the track stops
spinning the snow will refreeze instantly locking the track into the snow.
Breaking the track loose takes most of the effort needed to move a stuck
snowmobile. Snowbuddy will easily break the track loose from the frozen snow
when used correctly. |
When lifting a snowmobile the grab bar will rise in a curved path which
causes the Snowbuddy to lean toward the snowmobile. Often the user will grab
the top of the Snowbuddy and try to hold the jack vertical while lifting the
snowmobile. Trying to hold the Snowbuddy vertical away from the grab bar
while lifting will diminish your leverage. Pulling back on the top and
pushing down on the jack handle at the same time will put most of the force
into bending the jack instead of lifting the snowmobile. The farther away
Snowbuddy is from the grab bar the more pronounced the effect. Use enough
force improperly and you will damage the snowbuddy. The Snowbuddy provides
maximum leverage for lifting when the jack is resting against the grab bar
where the cable is hooked to the grab bar. As long as the base has a good
grip on the snow Snowbuddy will work even when tilted at an angle.
[Section Index] |
The most important element in Snowbuddy is the user. The Snowbuddy is more than capable of doing all the work necessary to lift and move any single track snowmobile but it cannot think. The user must understand how and why a Snowbuddy works so he or she can do the thinking and planning needed to get a snowmobile unstuck
[Section Index]
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