Prototypes - The IFS Models

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When the decision was made to discontinue the snowmobile line in 1982, a new technology in snowmobile design was about to emerge. John Deere had patents, plans, and even prototypes of several snowmobiles built with independent front suspension (IFS).

The more commonly known version utilized a strut/knee action suspension, and was installed on a modified Liquifire.
There were 2 built in Horicon as prototypes.


(3ed Liquifire from the right)

The lesser known version was an A-arm design, with a fan cooled motor.  It was built by Russ Ebert as an experiment.  The motor was a fan cooled Kawasaki never before seen, and never seen again.  There were one of these built.  This sled would have been well ahead of it's time. 


(The A-arm fan cooled model)

Many people refer to these as the Wildfire, however it was never officially called that. There is a Deere document that suggests the name Wildfire could have been the name for the 1980 Liquifire.

The current location of the sleds is not known. It is assumed that they were moved to the Polaris factory after the snowmobile division was bought out, but where they went from there is a mystery.

Click on any of these pictures for a larger version.
 

These pictures are believed to be taken outside of Polaris after the buy-out:



The patented drawings of the strut suspension system that was installed on the experimental IFS Liquifire.





 

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