project johndeere moutain sled

[vader]

I want to make my 1982 liquidfire go in some deep snow. I want to get as much horse power as I can out of my 440 help. going to pipe, invader heads, some people said you can upgrade the reeds and advance timing. maybe porting two. then there is the problem of the track. either put paddles on or can I get a track with bigger lugs. any help would be great

[ChickenRat]

Only problem is there are no reeds in the 1982 Liquifire.

[JoeRainville]

Hello Vader,

First of all, welcome to jdsleds.com!

You are up for a big challenge there. I have a few tips and cautions for you though. First, is that if you re-coat your jugs with nicasil and run WISCO "Pro-Lite" domed pistons, the stock Deere head is a better choice. The Kawi head pinches of the squish band. And, like Rob said, it's a piston ported motor, no reeds like the older Liquifire's used.

Porting and pipes could help offset the power loss from altitude. You can run "about" a 3/4" lug track on a Liquifire, but much taller of a lug will start to have clearance issues around the drive axle unless you instal a longer chaincase and relocate the drive axle lower and farther back.

Modern tracks also have different slide rail centers and a 116" stock length track is too short for moutain riding. Kenny Waters did use a 121" track on his I-500 sled, but it required a fair amount of fabrication work. You would probably want to go to at least a 136" or 141" if you really want to ride in loose powder.

I hope this points you in the right direction,
-Joe

[vader]

Hey guys thanks for the help the goal is to do as much as possible to the sled with out changing to much of the John deere. I want a John deere that's still a johndeere. But with the most upgrades possible. I have a couple of friends that are willing to ride pilot in the deeper snow make a track if need be. Does anyone know were to get a track for the liquid fire with 3/4 inch lugs. I need the most aggressive track I can get into that tunnel. I really thought I had reeds on the engine. What is the most compression I can run in that engine. Isn't there something you could do to the ignition system to johndeere tuned downed that Kawaski motor.

[kenwaters]

Vader,

Welcome. There are a couple of different tracks available, or available with a little searching. Here are the pro's and con's of each. A 116" track made for a Yamaha Phazer can be found with .75 lugs, but all of the rail spacers, shafts, and the arms need altering to accept the wider rail spacing of the Phazer track. There is a 121" Arctic Cat track that is less common that has the correct rail spacing, but you have to get creative with the rear track length adjustment brackets.

If I were going to start such an endeavour, I think adding a jackshaft, BearCat secondary, and Cat chaincase to a Sprintfire would be a lot of fun. Any way you slice it, you are going to be looking at something far departed from a Deere in the end if you are going to be happy on it. Good Luck.

[Mr. Deere]

Vader I am just like you in I want to make things better! I was riding with some guys on newer sleds this past weekend in 2 ft plus a powder. As long as I stayed in there trail my little sporty went everywhere they did. I could even break through small drifts myself if I had enough speed. I would suggest studding the track and maybe the deep snow kit. I bet plastic skis would help the flotation of the front. Seems these narrow skis just burry under the snow and that's what kills ya! Good luck. What's stock lug height on these anyways?

[sledder670]

Remove the front heat exchanger and mount a polaris on under the front right running board. Having the rear axel turned down from one end you can add a third idler wheel to the center to help with better rolling resistance. 38mm carbs with ufo's by thunder products. Power port the pistons if you go with the wisecos, this allows the top ring to be pushed against the cylinder wall tighter for a better seal and more compression, also i send them to swain tech coatings and have the skirts coated. Raising the rear suspension hole 1" will give you less ski pressure since the deep snow kits are hard to find. I have 5 pages of tips and tricks from my buddy. Going with a sportfire cleated track will roll easier (less rotating mass) than the solid rubber track and you can add what you need for traction products, spitfire skis are lighter and thinner. All kinds of stuff I need to type it out and get it posted on here sometime for everyone. For the traction i know they used to make the powder scoops before we had all these 2" lug tracks

[vader]

Thanks for your help guys. What are these deep snow kits? See I could go with a sport fire track, would it fit? What makes the liquidfire track better then the other tracks. Plastic skis would help. One guy mentioned (drop and roll the chain case) for clearance he says you use the same chain case. How do you set up your clutches I have been told so many ways.

[jdfire]

hey just thought u would like some eye candy to get u going
this is my 1980 liquifire long track

[ljm]

Hey jdfire What track and suspension did you use?

[Mr. Deere]

What did you do on the front? Looking to fab something to replace or beef those springs!

[liquitisplit80]

What did you do on the front? Looking to fab something to replace or beef those springs!

That's a Minnesota deep powder lift kit!!

[jdfire]

Used a 136" Polaris track suspension is all John Deere except the shock I just modified it made it longer and parts wider pretty much used most of two trailfire suspensions. the shock is out of a Polaris and I used a Polaris drive shaft also just had the shoulder lathed down to fit with original chain case

[jdfire]

On the front I put a set of the three leaf springs in. The original one leaf springs were flattened. Also just added a piece of square tube above the springs to level it out so I wouldn't keep scooping up the drifts

[Mr. Deere]

How do they hold up to big bumps? Like the idea of raisin sled up. These sleds are a big snow scoop like you said.