PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
On Track with
TRACKS SYSTEM
Low vibrations and a durable product have proved to be the
main benefits for three clubs
By Jim Timlick
The White Thunder Riders have
overseen the development and
maintenance of more than 135
miles of snowmobile trails in
Wisconsin’s northern Iron County area
since the club’s formation in 1970.
The club’s crew of nearly 50 groomer
operators is a dedicated, tight-knit
bunch whose all-for-one attitude has
helped make the region a popular destination
with snowmobile enthusiasts
from far and wide.
Still, White Thunder trail boss
Larry Erickson acknowledges there
was recently one problem member of
his crew who other folks didn’t want
to be around. In fact, they often went
out of their respective ways to avoid
this associate.
Technically, the individual in question
wasn’t a person – it was one of
the club’s four grooming units. In the
early 2000s the club took the tires off
one of those units and converted it to
a track-based system. While the unit
still managed to get the job done, it
didn’t make many fans among the
club’s groomers.
“I was having a hard time getting volunteer
operators to drive it,” Erickson
said, laughing. “Operators would come
in the door and avoid that machine…
because they weren’t happy with the
vibrations.”
Last season, the club finally said
enough is enough. It decided to replace
the old tracks on its New Holland
T7 tractor with a new Zuidberg
track conversion system. The Zuidberg
system allows users to attach rubber
tracks to virtually any type of tractor
and make it more manoeuvrable in
virtually any condition. It comes in a
variety of widths ranging from 12 to
36 inches and features a unique bogie
suspension system designed to eliminate
most cab vibrations.
What sold Erickson and other
members of the club on the Zuidberg
track system was that it promised far
less vibration than other comparable
To find a Zuidberg dealer near you, visit
Zuidberg’s website
COURTESY OF LULICH IMPLEMENT AND THE
ARROWHEAD GROOMER SHOW
snowopsmag.com | SnowOps 25