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Meter-Treater, Inc.
If you don’t do that, you’re going to end up with gummed-up
carburetors in the fall time. But other than that, there’s not
really much difference with the older machines.”
Any owner’s manual should take you through the basic
steps, which Nicholson says should include taking a look at
the machine’s “moving parts that may wear prematurely” and
inspecting the track, drive belt, hoses and other parts that are
prone to cracking and tearing. “Spring is the time to do that,
because then you’ll have the whole summer to get it fixed,”
he said.
Nicholson adds that spring is also a great time for clutch
cleaning, spark plug replacement and other maintenance
procedures that will keep your sled ready for high-performance
fun once the ground is snow-covered again. He recommends
a thorough “fogging out” – i.e., applying a petroleum
aerosol treatment such as STA-BIL fogging oil to the engine
for lubrication. (You can find out more about the fogging-out
procedure on his blog.) You might also remove the battery
and hook it up to a Battery Tender or other charging device
that can be purchased for less than $100.
Store that sled
Once you’ve done all that maintenance stuff, it’s time to cover
it and put it away in dry shelter. Your sled’s summer home
could be a garage or it might be a shed. The important thing
is to keep it out of the elements, because sun and rain can
take a lot out of it. Remember, the seat cover, windshield and
other parts can dry and crack in the sun.
Also, there’s the matter of small critters looking for homes.
“One of the worst things that could happen is that mice
take up residence and damage the wiring or other parts of
the machine,” said Nicholson.
Snoman’s Butler, who has been snowmobiling for nearly 45
years, concurs. “Make sure that the snowmobile is as much
as possible rodent-proof,” he said. “Mice just love chewing on
the wires. Try and put it in a building where the rodents can’t
get in, or at least make sure that the hood is secure and covered
so that they can’t get in.”
Nicholson and Sask Snow’s Brewer both offer a handy tip
for simple and effective rodent-proofing: Stuff some steel
wool into the opening of the exhaust pipe and air intake and
leave it there to keep the mice out.
Brewer also suggests you consider putting bait boxes and/
or mouse traps in your shed or garage as a little extra insurance
against rodents.
A sled owner might ask: “Do I need to do all this work if I’ve
only been out twice this past winter?” Nicholson, Butler and
Brewer all agree that the answer is yes.
Said Butler: “Even if you’ve only been out twice, moisture
still got into the machine, and it’s really important to address
that. Also, you’ve added fuel, so you need to put in fuel stabilizer
again.”
If it sounds like too much work for you to bother with,
there are always people who will gladly do the summerizing
for a small fee.
“The dealer could do it for you,” said Butler. “Any snowmobile
dealer could do these things for you, no matter
what make or brand it is. Or somebody in the community…”
Plus, it never hurts to have a trained mechanic look over
your machine.
What if you don’t bother with summerizing? What’s the
worst that could happen?
“Nothing could happen or lots could happen,” said Brewer.
“You should just do it. Preventative maintenance is important
with any equipment. With your snowmobile, it could
save you thousands of dollars.”
So, be kind to your sled. Take a little time to prepare it for
its months of warm-weather slumber. You’ll reap rewards
when sledding season comes around again.
snowopsmag.com | SnowOps 39
