Recently I have seen a video of Sure Grip Dolly. In that video, they show you can ride your snowmobile on different terrains like flat floor, grass, cement or concrete pavements, and even on roads.
I wanted to know if it is safe or not. So, I talked to some snowmobiling experts and my fellow snowmobilers to discuss this. So is driving your snowmobile on dollies safe? Here is the answer.
Drivable dollies are only safe to use if your snowmobile’s track is not studded. You can use them for parking purposes. Continuously driving your snowmobile on drivable dollies where there is no snow is not safe for your snowmobile.
Here are four reasons why it is not the best idea to drive your snowmobile where there is no snow,
Track is going to get damaged
Snowmobiles are designed to be driven on snow. The track of your snowmobile will be damaged if you ride on uneven and hard surfaces. For example, roads or concrete pavements will tear off the lugs of the track.
Studded tracks are at more risk
If the track of your snowmobile is studded, the studs will bend or break when you ride it on hard surfaces. The bent studs can also damage the track of your snowmobile.
I would suggest you avoid riding your snowmobile on dollies if the track of your snowmobile is studded, even when parking. You can use lift-type dollies to take them in and out of your garage.
Your snowmobile is going to overheat
Snowmobile cooling systems are designed to be cooled by snow.
Most of the snowmobiles have heat exchangers below the seat. Those heat exchangers rely on snow to cool down the engine. The track throws snow on the heat exchanger, and the heat from the engine gets dissipated.
Without any snow, the cooling system struggles a lot, resulting in an overheating engine. You might even end up damaging engine gaskets (due to high-pressure build-up from hot coolant) or the head block of your snowmobile’s engine.
Hyfax is going to get damaged because lack of cooling
Due to overheating, the hyfax (also known as sliders) will get damaged and wear off quickly. Without a proper working hyfax (or slider), the skid of your snowmobile will also get damaged.
Where can you use drivable dollies?
Drivable dollies come in handy to park your snowmobile in your garage or take your snowmobile out of your garage. It is better to ride on flat floors because uneven surfaces will damage the track of your snowmobile. If your snowmobile’s track is studded, then you can not even use it for parking.
Where can you not use drivable dollies?
If your snowmobile has a studded track, then you should avoid riding with drivable dollies. The studs can get bent, or they can get damaged. Then you will need to replace the damaged studs. It is not an easy task to find and replace damaged studs from the whole track.
In the end…
I have driven my snowmobile on dollies many times but only for parking purposes.
I would only suggest using drivable dollies if your snowmobile’s track is not studded and the surface is flat. Never ride your snowmobile continuously on dollies where there is no snow. You might end up damaging your snowmobile’s skid or cause damage to the engine.
If the track of your snowmobile is studded, then you should avoid riding your snowmobile other than snow. If you try to use drivable dollies, you will end up damaging or bending the studs on your snowmobile’s track.