GROOMING
Grooming is not all Fun & Games
January 15, 2008
The following picture is of Keith Landry working on one of the Pisten Bullys. He is attempting to repair part of the fuel system so it will be ready for its grooming run tonight.
This next picture shows the two tracks from the groomer in the background waiting for belt replacements. There is a huge number of bolts that need to be removed and re-installed to replace any one of the belts.
Maintenance is a constant on going job during the season. The machines are under considerable strain and require a lot of work on almost a daily basis to get them on the trails for the nights grooming.
The four belts were replaced the next day. It took four people 8 hours to complete the task of removing and replacing the 900 bolts holding the belts to the cleats.
Pittsburg Ridge Runners Snowmobile
Club, Inc.
17 Dickson Lane
Pittsburg, NH 03592
603-538-1142 ~ 603-538-7741(fax)
prrsc@pittsburgridgerunners.org
1989 Pisten Bully 240
For Sale
Nov. 2006 Hour Meter Reading: 16,626.4
-Machine was purchased from Kassbohrer as a re-con in 1997.
-Second complete re-con was done by Kassbohrer in 2001 (13,500 hrs.)
(Tracks were changed from 2 to 3 belts at this time.) Itemized invoice
($47,000+) is available if you are interested in seeing it.
-Track belts were changed again in 2002 (belting
was bad & warranted)
and now have been used 3 seasons. (approx. 2600 hrs.)
-Machine was serviced and oil changed in January 2006 at 16,607 hrs.
-Track Width is 9’5” - removing outside belt on each side will narrow it to
8’5”
- 6-Way Blade is 11’6” wide
- Extra fuel capacity (80 or 90 gal.??)
-2002 Mogul master drag is 10’ wide - 18’ long.
Asking $25,000.00 or best offer for groomer and drag as a unit.
A New Season Has Begun!
The club just had its first meeting last night, July 13, 2006 at the club house. The usual list of suspects were in attendance. The club officers have been very busy since the end of this past season making plans for the new season and beyond.
The big news is that the club will be getting a new Pisten Bully Edge groomer again this season. Check out the picture below. This means the club will be selling one of its old Bullys and trading in the other so it will have three Edges and the Sure-Track groomer. Also, the club will be purchasing three new Mogal Master drags to replace its three aging ones that have done so much to keep the club trails smooth these past seasons. These purchases will leave the club with an up to date fleet of groomers, which should carry it well into the future. These decisions were made so the club will be able to provide the quantity and quality of trails you have come to enjoy in the Pittsburg area.
The club will need to raise approximately $70,000 to be able to make this happen. Ideas are being explored for fund raisers, donation incentives, etc. to raise this money. You will be seeing requests in the near future to help the club continue to provide the best snowmobiling in the Northeast. The club will especially need your support this season.
More Information Will Be Available Soon.
The Collett 900 MHz communicator groomer warning beacons have been installed in the club's groomer fleet. They broadcast on the communicator's "International Channel" channel 100. You must have your communicator tuned to that channel to hear them. The warning sounds like a "dee-da, dee-da, dee-da" and it indicates that somewhere within a 1/2 mile radius a trail groomer is working. It can be around the next curve, over the next hill, or just about to enter the trail in front of you ... so be prepared to stop!
The Groomer Warning Beacon is an adjunct to safety only, it is not a replacement for vigilance and good judgment on your part, or for proper supervision of young riders. As well, not every trail groomer can be counted on to be equipped with a Groomer Warning Beacon. You are still responsible for operating your snowmobile safely.
The club will be getting TWO new Pisten Bully Edge groomers this season. These groomers have 330 hp diesel engines with 960 ft/lbs of torque. They weigh around 7 tons when ready to hit the trails. It should be a breeze going up to Diamond Ridge and over Deer Mountain with these "babies".
This will bring our fleet to five groomers this season. One of our old Pisten Bullys will be kept as a stand by and used to help out on the weekends and if there is a breakdown.
New Groomer Arrives
October 14, 2003
On Tuesday, October 14, 2003, the club's new New Holland TM-130 Tractor/Groomer equipped with a Shur TracTM grooming system arrived at the groomer shed. It is equipped with a special 10' wide Shur TracTM drag that actually steers the system.
Besides grooming snowmobile trails; it may also be used during the off season for trail maintenance. There are many attachments that could be fitted to the tractor to make trail maintenance easier.
Last season the club had a chance to try one out on our trail system and was impressed enough to purchase one. It did a good job grooming and it actually appeared to produce a harder surfaced trail than our other groomers. The cost is considerably less than our Pisten Bully/Mogel Master groomers. It uses approximately 40% less fuel and the maintenance costs should be much lower also. All these factors made it a very attractive addition to our grooming fleet.
Club Groomer Fleet
January 19, 2002
I caught this family portrait on Saturday, 1/19/02, of the four Pittsburg Ridge Runners groomers all ready for their evening runs. Since almost all of the Club's trails are open this season they will definitely be kept busy.
If you get a chance to stop and talk to one of the groomer drivers please let them know how much you appreciate their hard work and dedication. It can be a lonely and strenuous job. Just ask one of the drivers about getting a thrown track back on or getting unstuck in really deep snow. Yes, groomers can get stuck too!
On February 28, 2001 I stopped by the groomer shed and took some pictures of our head mechanic Troy Chase keeping the groomers in tip-top shape. This day he had some help from Cory Sylzestre who was getting a feel for working on heavy equipment. Cory may have plans to go into the business of heavy equipment maintenance.
Troy is the one watching as Cory is making sure all the proper joints are lubricated. Each of the groomers get routine maintenance every week. Troy says it takes 4 to 6 hours of work on each groomer each week to make sure they are properly maintained. This includes greasing all fittings, oil change, light bulb replacement, tightening loose bolts, etc. etc..
The groomer deck and cab are hydraulically powered to tilt up and allow access to the engine and the hydraulic pumps and lines.
This is a close up of the high pressure hydraulic drive motor for one of the Groomer's tracks. It operates at approximately 7,000 lbs. per square inch of pressure. The flow of hydraulic fluid is controlled from the cab by electro-hydraulic controls to power and steer the groomer.
This is where the "rubber meets the road" to quote an old tire slogan. The tracks of the groomer are made of nylon reinforced rubber belts, held together by specially formed and hardened steel cleats. Just one complete track costs approximately $11,000 to replace. One of our four groomers will need a new set of tracks for next season. That's $22,000 needed for just tracks not counting other refurbishing costs to get that groomer ready for next season.
Troy with help from the club's 4 full time and 6 part time groomer drivers spend a lot of time making sure the groomer fleet of the Pittsburg Ridge Runners is always ready to provide the best snowmobile trails the weather conditions will allow.