Sept. 8th Testing at Kevin Kronlunds Fall Party
Sept 8th:
Ran it 23 miles at Kevin Kronlunds this weekend. About 4 to 5 miles is water miles. Several people at the Fall Event at Kevin Kronlunds drove the weasel. Rick posted a review on his driving experience.
WHAT A WEEKEND!!! We had a DUCKW, 2 GPA's (one with a trailer) and 2 M29C weasels swimming in Kevin's pond.
Total Miles to Date: 127.5 miles
Liberty Track: Ok. We did jump the sproket one tooth. The tracks are designed to run with the sproket teeth in either location on the tracks. It was easy to pop back in the main drive lug space.
OEM Track: Lost several more rubber pads off the track during this event.
NOTE: Videos of this event will be posted on our web site shortly.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Monday, September 10, 2007
August 25th Results:
August 25th: Got the M29C Floater funning with new engine and Liberty Track on the drivers side. Wow, is it fun to drive. Will install bilge pumps tomorrow and looking like Monday to go swimming with the weasel. Will get photos posted next week.
With the new engine, I'm able to go in High Range in 2nd Gear to 3rd gear.
Ran it 3.5 miles in town today on hard surface roads.
Total Miles to Date: 104.5 miles
Liberty Track: Ok
OEM Track: Lost 2 more rubber pads off the track on the hard surface road.
NOTE: I will be taking this Weasel to Kevin Kronlunds for his Fall Party. We will be swimming this in his pond along with a DUKW and a GPA.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Saturday, August 25, 2007
August 23rd Update
Update:
Transferred tracks from 1st M29C to another M29C that we are putting float tanks on. Also put a new rebuilt engine in this unit. Will be putting float tanks on the weasel this Friday, Aug 23rd. Hope to float and swim her this weekend.
Will put at least 100 miles on this unit. Reviewed the sproket on the test vehicle with the new track and found no wear after 100 miles. Will get some photos of this by next week.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Thursday, August 23, 2007
August 16th Test Results
August 16th: Did another 2 miles on our Prairie Grass Trail today. Still very humid here now.
Total Miles to Date: 101 miles
Liberty Track: Ok
OEM Track: Ok
NOTE: Will be shut down for a few days to switch tracks to another weasel (water weasel M29C) with tanks) Will do next 100 miles on a M29C with tanks on land and in water. Will be taking this weasel to Kevin Kronlunds the 1st weekend in Sept to run in his pond. Will be putting new rebuilt engine in this weasel.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Sunday, August 19, 2007
August 15th Results
August 15th: Did another 5 miles on our Prairie Grass Trail today. Still very humid here now.
Total Miles to Date: 99 miles
Liberty Track: Ok
OEM Track: Ok
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Thursday, August 16, 2007
August 14th results
August 14th: Did another only 4 miles on our Prairie Grass Trail today. Very humid here now.
Total Miles to Date: 94 miles
Liberty Track: Ok
OEM Track: Ok
Work is progressing on getting the water weasel ready for testing the new tracks.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Wednesday, August 15, 2007
August 13, 2007 Test Results
August 13th: Did another 10 miles this morning in both in low and high range. 6 Miles on Dirt Roads and 4 miles on Gravel
Total Miles to Date: 90 miles
Liberty Track: Ok
OEM Track: Ok
NOTE: May take a day or 2 off to look over the engine and then see about running at 2nd in High Range. Working on the floater so as to have tests in a pond soon. Will check the grass situation as well.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Tuesday, August 14, 2007
August 12, 2007 Test Results
August 12th: Did another 10 miles this morning in 3rd Gear Low Range. 2 Miles on Dirt Roads and 8 miles on Gravel
Total Miles to Date: 80 miles
Liberty Track: Ok
OEM Track: Ok
Notes: Had over 3 inches of rain later in the day and hope to have some really muddy conditions to drive in on Monday the 13th. Will try to road test early on Monday Morning. It is to be over 100 Degrees on Monday.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Monday, August 13, 2007
August 11, 2007 Test Results
August 11th: Did 10 miles this morning in 3rd Gear Low Range. 6 Miles on Dirt Roads, 2 miles on Gravel and 2 miles on our Prairie Grass Trail.
Total Miles to Date: 70 miles
Liberty Track: Ok
OEM Track: Ok
Coming Soon: I'm working on 2 M29C weasels with float tanks. Hope to have one ready in about a weeek to float and will put the Liberty Track on it to check traction in the water. Putting in some late nights to get this accomplished.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Saturday, August 11, 2007
August 10, 2007 Test Results
August 10th: Did 10 miles this morning on some fairly muddy roads. Of this 8 miles was on mud roads and 2 miles was in our prairie grass. Again, All testing was done in 1st Gear, High Range.
Total Miles to Date: 60 miles
Liberty Track: Ok
OEM Track: Ok
Found good traction with both tracks. Tried to change loading from Liberty to OEM track.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Friday, August 10, 2007
August 9th Testing:
August 9th: No testing occurred today. We had a church fire here today and I spent most of the day fighting the fire with our Elk Horn volunteer fire Dept. Hope to have some road miles tomorrow.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Thursday, August 09, 2007
August 8, 2007 Test Results
August 8, 2007: Started out today on Iowa Dirt Roads. Had to add some more coolant to the radiator today.
Drove 4 miles today on Iowa Dirt Roads. All driving was in 1st Gear High Range at 10 to 15 mph. Started to rain hard and had to head back to the barn to keep from getting too wet. Need to have my raincoat with me next time. Hope to do some longer miles this weekend. Having a great time driving the weasel everyday.
Total Miles to Date: 50 Miles
Liberty Track: All okay
OEM Track: All okay
Hope to have some real muddy conditions by tomorrow to drive in.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Wednesday, August 08, 2007
August 7th, 2007 Test Results
August 7, 2007: We had 1 inch of rain last night, so I had muddy conditions to drive in today.
Drove 5 miles today on Iowa Dirt Roads. All driving was in 1st Gear High Range at 10 to 15 mph.
Total Miles to Date: 46 Miles
Liberty Track: All okay
OEM Track: All okay
M29C Status: Still have a slight leak in the differential on the drivers side. Starting to develop a leak in the radiator at this time. Temp is rising faster than normal. Running between 180 to 200 Deg F.
NOTES: Good traction in the mud today.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Tuesday, August 07, 2007
August 6th, 2007 Status & Thanks to People who helped
August 6th, 2007: No road testing was done today.
I would like to thank Robert Walsh who has served as a consultant on this project and Kelly Simmonsen of Atlantic Machine for their many hours of work they have put in this project. Their input on this project has been invaluable.
I also wish to thank the many other weasel owners who have given us input of this project.
The project would not be where it is at without the help of these people. Their efforts are very much appreicated.
Thank-you
Mike Howard
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Monday, August 06, 2007
August 5th 2007 Track Results
August 5, 2007: We had 1/2 inch of rain last night, so I had some slightly muddy conditions to test the tracks in.
Drove 5 miles today on my prairie grass trail. All driving was in 1st Gear High Range at 10 to 15 mph.
Total Miles to Date: 41 Miles
Liberty Track: All okay
OEM Track: All okay
M29C Status: Starting to develop a leak in the rear sprocket on the drivers side. Will probably have to take it off this week and replace the seal.
NOTES: The new Liberty track does have more of a rooster tail in the mud and snow than the OEM Track.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Sunday, August 05, 2007
August 4th, 2007 Test Results
August 4th, 2007: Drove 16 miles today in the weasel and gave 40 Boy Scouts rides in the test vehicle. We took some great video today and should have it on our web site by Monday.
Total Miles to date: 36 Miles
Terrain: Prairie Grass, Iowa Dirt Roads, Iowa Rock Gravel Roads
Liberty Track: Everything looks great!
OEM Track: Lost 5 more road pads today!
Test Vehicle: Fuel Line problems fixed. Some oil leakage on drivers side from differential sproket area.
SPECIAL NOTE: I drove a brand new weasel (m29c) that I just purchased. OEM tracks look in excellent condition. Drove it less than 2 miles and broke the track (bands separated). Pictures will be posted by Monday on this breakage. Even when the old weasel tracks look good, you don't know when they will break.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Saturday, August 04, 2007
August 3 Test Results
August 3, 2007: Test drove tracks on rolling hills in prairie grass today. Did approx 4 miles bringing the total to date to 20 miles. Ran in 1st gear high rangef at about 5 to 12 mph. Drove up and down 100 to 150 ft hills here. also drove on side of hills at about 20 degree angle to stress each side. This terrain has lots of badger holes and ant hills we went over. Fighting fuel problems with old gas tank. Will probably have to remove and put a new gas tank in sometime in near future.
Temp: approx 90 F and Humid today
Total miles to date: 20 miles
Liberty Track: All okay
OEM Track: Lost 1/2 of a pad today.
We are working on swimming a weasel later on and will try to get the liberty track in the water and test its capability there against the OEM track.
I also hope to put on some longer road trips hopefully next week around 10 to 12 miles at a time. Will keep you posted.
Mike Howard
With Weasels in Iowa
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Friday, August 03, 2007
August 2, 2007 Track Status
August 2: 2007:
Placed 6.5 miles on weasel today. Had to put a new carb on the weasel.
Drove 4 miles on Iowa Dirt roads and rest on gravel today. Saw 2 Fawns and 1 Red Tail Hawk today.
Liberty Track: All okay
OEM Track: All okay
Total Miles to date: 16 miles
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Thursday, August 02, 2007
First Day of Testing!
Today, August 1, 2007: Put 6.5 miles on the new tracks today. 2 Miles of this was on Iowa Rock Gravel Roads. The remainder was on dirt roads.
Total Miles to date: 9.5 miles
Environment: 95 Deg F and Sunny, Very Humid today.
Speed: 1st Gear High Range at 10 to 15 mph.
Status of Liberty Track: All intact. All parts look good.
Status of Original Track: Lost 2 rubber pads off track.
Posted by: Mike Howard
Posted On: Wednesday, August 01, 2007