How to Break Your Snowmobile with a Chainsaw Winch
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- How to break your snowmobile with a chainsaw winch is the focus of today's video as I use my Lewis Winch paired with a 7hp Holzfforma g660 to attempt to get my Skidoo Grand Touring unstuck. After some deep powder riding, I realized that my skidoo grand touring isn't quite up to deep snow riding as I proceeded to bury it down to the frozen dirt way back in the bush. Despite this from happening, I did get the opportunity to use my Lewis chainsaw winch in a way that I have yet to use it. With no chance of getting heavy equipment way back here in the woods where the snowmobile is, I was fortunate to be able to use this winch instead of having to dig a big long pathway for the snowmobile to get out. With a few minutes of rigging and a bit of fuel, I"m off to the races trying to pull out this frozen hunk of metal. Watch as I encounter a bit of a hiccup and inadvertently damage my snowmobile. I'll be chalking this up as a learning experience! Watch how I manage to get this skidoo hauled out even after the damage occurs. Thanks for everyone who continues to watch every week, hope all is well !
Chainsaw used in this video: Holzfform g660
Chainsaw winch used in this video: Lewis MK2 Winch
Your honest approach is why I watch all your videos.
Thanks Dave, I don’t hide anything in this channel and that includes mistakes
Awesome video this morning. This reminds me of my father-in-law when he'd get stuck in the snow. He would always stop, stand back to examine the situation and grab a Thermos of coffee from his truck, do a bit of contemplating and proceed to get his equipment unstuck.
We learn by doing.
Thanks.
Stan
Yeah sometimes I win and in this case I lose
Haven’t read all the comments. Back in the day when I worked in the woods with a snowmobile we always had rope, a come along, and some sort of cutting tool. The way I was shown to do a self recovery was to cut down a live tree preferably a maple above 2’ longer then the length of the skies. Pass the tree thru the ski loops. Then hook the come along to that and anchor to strong standing tree. Hope this method is helpful. Still haven’t decided if you’re doing all these things on purpose as videos of “what NOT to do”. Keep them coming as it’s like going back in time and watching a younger me.
Good idea with the tree through the skis. I wish I could say I was doing these on purpose as that would surely save me a few headaches
Glad you were able to get your snow machine out of the deep snow. I've seen many back country snowmobiler's pack a set of snowshoes on their machines. In the event they get stuck in powder, they can break a trail and walk out without too much misery. That lewis chainsaw winch is sure earning its keep on your property.
Shame about the damage but that box for the winch is a inspired idea, better than the piece of ply that you started with. Keeps it out of the snow and surely easier on the back. Multi-purpose equipment is the best equipment. Greeting from a balmy Southern Ontario...
Thanks Grant. It sure has worked out well
The best ideas, as we all have learned aren’t always the best out come. You are not alone!
Thanks Thomas!
I almost did the same thing in my 4 wheeler last week. Had taken off my plow and chains and went for a ride around the property. I encountered not only snow but ice and mud. Made it back okay, but learned a valuable lesson. So your not alone in learning.
Yeah I can imagine as I’ve been in some similar situations to what you’re describing on the ATV. Sure can be a steep learning curve for me some days. Hope all is well with you Jill
Thanks sandy for sharing your lesson's learned. That is one thing I really like about your videos. You have no problem sharing and don't edit to only show only your good accomplishments. Too bad for your machine. Hate to play the safety police but can't help on this one. I am not familiar with your winch but the concept is similar to the forestry winch we use. They warn you not to stand in the ''operation triangle'' formed by your winch, the pulley and the anchor point (time 11:45 in your video). We had a strap that was holding a 40 pound snatch block snap while winching a huge log. The 40 pounds snatch block flew a good 25 feet and buried itself in deep snow. Had someone been in its path, he would definitely be dead. That was my learning experience and I now assess carefully where I stand when operating the winch. I'd rather have a few subscribers complain that I am playing safety police then have all of them mourning for you and missing your videos...lol ... safety first
Thanks for watching Yves
Ya. Bumpers on these sleds are barely bumpers. Always always do any pulling, either out of a hole, or towing behind another sled, by the spindles the skiis are mounted too. Period. Second times a charm. Good recovery.
Carrying a small shovel with you helps too. Dig around the track both sides, tip sled on its side, fill in hole with snow, tip back down, and drive away. Cheers.
Second times a charm, that’s for sure
Hey Sandy that Winch is an amazing and productive tool. Thanks much for sharing this with us as I always enjoy you vids. I can't imagine the work it must have been trudging through that deep snow for Camera set ups and then the video editing. You're appreciated so keep up the great work and peace and saftey be with you. Oh and congrats on your growing subs!
Just got my 660 a week ago and the Lewis winch mounted on, i can use my 572 for cutting again! Glad you got snow machine out dude, cheers.
How do you like the 572? I hear it’s quite the saw
@@sawingwithsandy hard to start in the cold sometimes, other than that no issues.
I would be interested in seeing the video of you burying your sled, showing how you kept your calm, professional demeanour. Lol. I had a Grand touring 700 and buried it, my demeanour was quite colourful as I had 2 hours to kill before work and thought I would go for a quick ride in our field. Well that turned into the next day and I was late for work. Lol. I feel your pain.
Haha I wasn’t exactly please when I first got stuck that’s for sure haha sounds like you’ve been there and done that
That's exactly what I thought would happen when you hooked up. I always pull from the skis
Yeah learned a lesson this day
Yep, pull from the front of the skis, from the loops. Not from the vertical piece as shown in this video.
One other trick that gets me out of jams like the is to just roll the machine over 360. Puts the back end on fresh snow. Then pack down in front of the skis. Then power out.
I think he would have ripped the loops off if he pulled on them. He pulled from the correct spot imo
I grew up in the Kawartha’s/Hastings region of Ontario. I know what the winter snows there can be like. For our family fire wood was our heat and cutting our own was the economical choice. It was normal for us to cut our fire wood this winter for next winter. If you need to be in the woods there bug free winter is your only sane choice and the more time green cut has to dry the better. We always prefer to cut dead black ash off the local swamps.
Dad had an old Alpine (double track) snow machine with electric start. That was our work horse for the woods/swamp. To help haul our wood out dad mounted an electric winch to the back. We’d break trail to our work area and cut to cable length either side. With a sleigh behind that old skidoo we could skid/haul out well over a face cord of wood at a go.
Your saw/winch is a fine tool I think if your tried a winch mounted on your snow machine your hauling would be a lot easier.
I’ve broken so many of these skidoo bumpers😂my soul hurt a lil bit as soon as you hooked it up
Nice job Sandy!! ;) Crap like that has happened to all of us if you do any kind of work in your life. Keep up the hard work brother.
Thanks Andy
Sandy you would be better to take some snow shoe's and pack a trail to the machine when it is stuck like that! let it set for a hour and then the machine would come out on its own power without the drag. If your wanting to groom a trail in powered snow take the machine and make a track by itself then hook onto the drag in a hour or so and you should have no problems. A small elan is the way to go for packing a trail in powder and are real cheap to pick up! Check out the snow dog snow machine this is also a great tool for the homestead. Research is your best friend on how to go about something if a person is not sure! Going it alone well one example broken bumper!
Hey buddy how are ya? I sure like those pathways you made with the snow blower on your tractor. Ya know thinking back to Grandpas gas winch, he had a piece of 2 foot tow chain on his with a hook so he would wrap a chain around what ever then hook the winch hook to that chain loop. Was quick and strong. Pulleys are the bomb for pulling stuff apart hehehe. I’m glad ya got your snow machine out. Take care God bless you and yours. It’s always a good day when your videos pop up.
Great to hear that you’re still enjoying the videos !
That’s a cool rig man, I didn’t know they exist. Thank for sharing.
Love your can do attitude.
Awesome 👌
Thanks Sydney
when winching or pulling anything, the area in between the lines ( the V area) is called the triangle of death. stand on the outside of that. also something as simple as a jacket or floor mat on the line out in front of you is enough to drop it to the ground if broken.
I agree. I typically have a coat or my chainsaw chaps over the line. May not have shown that in this video. Hope all is well. All the best.
It looks like you are doing a very nice job getting the cable to wind up on the winch. No more bird nesting. Experience is a wonderful thing.
Absolutely. But of a learning curve and things are working well now
That winch looks like a Great tool that you will find countless uses for :)
I agree!
I don't know what it's like getting stuck in the snow being from Louisiana but I do know what it's like getting stuck in the mud lol as always enjoy the videos
Could have been so much worse, thank an engineer for designing week points lol learning is so expensive, thanks Sandy.
Oh that is a really cool setup :) :) ...... Just remember when pulling out a stuck snowmobile hook to the ski's
What an awesome playground sandy 👍
Glad to see you got it out there is nothing worse than when you break your own stuff then kicking yourself saying that was dumb. I've been there quite a few times. It was probably would have been funny to see you taking both sleds back to the house. I know how it would have looked if I did it.
First view of your channel - good presentation and video editing. The destruction of the front pull bar was predictable but entertaining (so long as it wan't my sled - LOL)
Hahah I learned a lot this day
Those winches are handy 👍
Hey Sandy! Yes little detours can be fun sometimes like that.. been there before… first vid I’ve watched with the winch! Pretty cool unit! Just wondering, I noticed about half way out there, looks like you had something over the cable, an I was thinking, was this some sort of item to throw over the cable so if snapped an whipped back it would stay low? I’ve seen other peps do that with winches sometimes. Anyways yes, I knew as soon as you said there was a fail, I was 99% sure you were gonna hook to the bumper 🥴. Ya olde bumpers aren’t what they used to be unfortunately.. Anyway glad it worked out.. now you gonna walk back again to get both machines out lol anyway take care! Andrew from NB :)
Sandy, Rance here in southern Miss gulfcoast (no snow) but there is a down side.....I have grass to cut ! I'm sorry that the bumper on the snow machine was inadvertently broken. Just cost more money that you didn't have to spend. I would like to know the rated pounds of pulling power your winch is rated, thanks in advance. Keep those feet dry...dont get frost bite of toes.
Hi Rance thanks for watching. The winch is rated for 4000lbs in a straight pull without any pulleys being used
I did this with a quadsport 250 atv in a mud hole.... Little did I know it was a jeeps mud pit.... The quad only weighed 220 pounds so I lifted it out with pure rage. Took it easy ever since
That sure would be a surprise driving into the pit
@@sawingwithsandy yes sir!
Just in case you think that you have the "walk of shame" down to all by yourself.... nope had to do it more than I will admit too. I am full of ideas for getting a machine like that out and one that you will probably say "NO" to. That cowl is already broken so take advantage of it and run some smooth bar through the holes now provided in front and do appropriate things to get the bar.. that smooth bar all the way around to each side.... the next I probably should of been said first which is lift the hood assembly off and find the frame. You will have to fight for real estate so that you can rig something to the chassis and make a solid mount of your own that can have a solid brace bolt/welded to it permanent. You will have to take into account that if you pull on the spot that you pick then what could happen when pulled from the angle picked ( I did a lot of fab work for years in the bush) because if it just bends or breaks it in a new spot that your reducing that machine to garage jewelry on its walls. Sometimes braces need braces as well... meaning make the pulling point chosen to keep going even further back or multiple places it is pulling on instead of just one spot. Once all those places are secure then tag the rod that you threaded inside. Another would be to just repair the broken spots real well so that it has its face back and make a spot under the machine to pull from that won't break under power from being pulled under. That has to have a access point when stuck or its no help it can't be reach/accessed. The reason is sure you don't get that tangled up often but when you do, you get that right. Facts are facts and if its logging equipment then use it accordingly, with out just out and out abuse. I have made skeleton bodies on snow machines that could be taken off and nice stuff put back on. I think we all would like a snow cat but not on these wages. There is not enough room to mount its own little winch spot to mount too. Or if you been hiding money from us all then a dozer that can build a highway through you pristen forest. Thats not going to happen I am sure even if your filthy rich. I sure do know a lot as I know , why ain't I rich and add famous since I get to do the adding. I sure hope that it won't break the bank what ever comes of this. Sorry it happened
I wonder if a tree stand could be modified for the winch? No more lugging the big box around.
If you tow from the skis put a pipe in the ski loops and hook to the pipe between the skis
Awesome video. The trails looked pretty cool with the snow banks on both sides. I guess riding a snow machine is like riding an ATV. Push them to their limits just to see what they will do.
Yeah I am guilty of getting this stuck in what I knew was going to be a 50% chance of getting through the deep snow. Guess I lost out haha
It's all about learning there eh! how much do you figure the winch set up cost you? wondering as I pick up a gas powered capscan winch works great but was little costly...
Thanks for sharing
Denis Losier Outdoors
Have to give three thumbs up to the script writer on this one, trying to groom a trail in a non travelled area of bush 😏 , winch company loves this vid. Pull by the two front skies, read your manual 🤪
No script writing here at SWS 😉
It's called a bumper and not a puller🤣. We always pull by the "pull loops" on the front of the skis just like if you had 2 people pulling you out 👍😎👌
Looks like your trees were planted by man ? Was property clear cut the replanted
I am currently in orchard county and your trees look like and orchard perfect rows no matter what direction you look
This is in fact a plantation planted about 35 years ago
@@sawingwithsandy That is why so many tree are the same size for a natural setting tree sizes would be more random and not in rows
That is also why they are all so tall trying to find sun .
If thinned and better spacing i believe would slow the up growth and grow wider tree base
Enjoy watching your channel
Thanks for sharing.... love the channel. Craig. Pa.
Free at Last! 😂😂Good video 👍🏼🚜🪵🇺🇸
That's snow like we used to have in Vermont. Used to get snow storms well into march and april. 50's-60's F this week. Sad.
Yeah certainly is a wild weather swing even here this week
That winch was a back saver today!
Yup, I could see the bumper come off before you attached the cable. Same thing would've happened if it was a car bumper ... they are made for impact and not pulling. If there had been a metal bar under the plastic it would most likely have been destroyed since you're pulling from such a high point. Rule of thumb, anything you drive in the bush needs tow hooks on the front or back. On the bright side you got more value out of your winch along with a couple lessons learned.
Yeah I’ll not make this mistake again. Good learning opportunity
No worries Sandy ...I did the same thing.
Harvesting buried wood in the thick of winter .... worth it?
I was out grooming my trails with a drag hiked up behind my snowmobile
I use a 4 foot steel pipe thru the ski handles and a strap to the center. Never failed.
Good setup!
ohio here sandy - sometimes i learn more from being dumb than being smart.... BTW - ive binged watched your new lumber shed, saw shed and little house builds - Which puts you in the same company of me binge watching of GOT and Breaking Bad - not to shabby... Thanks for the entertainment, and im off to get some sludge.....
Great to hear you’re liking the other videos William! Enjoy the sludge!
You need to pack down trail without groomer then take groomer when trail is packed down also when pulling snow mobile remove drive belt before pulling it will move much easier
When you first showed up and saw the layout , I thought to myself, why winch? It's not that stuck especially that close to the trail, l would have lifted it to it's side thrown some snow under the track stomped out the skies and go. Winched the groomer out after, but then again i'm a monday morning qurterback.
But i've been stuck far worse. Sorry bout that bumper, they're better for bumping than pulling.
It may not appear deep but it’s well over 2 feet and since the machine with fluids weighs close to 500lbs, I’m unable to lift it far enough to a spot where it is solid enough to drive out. The winch help save the day here for me
Sorry to see you break your snow mobile. Life can be harsh. 🖖
Thanks Del. I live and learn some days
Hope the pup is doing good
Koda is living life and the almost spring weather
Mine just had nine pups what fun
Little slower with pulley but you did it . Nice video
Worked out in the end
I always thought pulling out both skis like that would bend them towards eachother
Well I be darn. You mean to tell me that that plastic bar would hold to pull out that machine, lol that was so funny.
I thought there was a steel bar within the plastic piece
Looks like somebody didn't pay attention to the dialogue within the whole video, lol - well I'll be darn! (he thought there was a steel bar inside the plastic...)
Hooking up to a bit of plastic is optimistic, to say the least...
You must always put a damper over the cable. Incase of break
I agree
@@sawingwithsandy so i have nasty terrain bush where i am and want to pull logs to the trails available….do you think the winch is worth the money
Hi Loyd. I think it's a great option to consider for sure. In terms of speed of setup, my tractor winch is faster for day-to-day use just because it's always ready to go and can skid the trees as well. This Lewis Winch is well built though and plenty strong. If you don't mind the steel cable and you want maximum portability it's a great option in my opinion.
Sandy how we lean, but the winch did the job.
You’re right about that Duncan
I cringed so hard when you hooked up to that plastic bumper! Did you hear me yelling at you to tie on to the ski loops???
I thought I heard something but couldn’t quite tell, must have been you warning me haha
Oops. Who would have thought Bombardier would cheap out on the most logical place to tow from?
Ah well, I should have done a bit more investigation Before hooking up to this but who knew
@@sawingwithsandy Not me, last snow machine I owned had bogie wheel suspension and lots of metal.
We learned from mistakes. 👍
Seems like allot of work and effort to avoid 10min of shoveling.
You need some more equipment. A little more lowtech than what you are using. A pair of snowshoes 😃😃
Yeah they sure would make walking easier haha
You haven't snowmobiled until you bury a sled (usually many times)
Isn’t that the truth
7:38 boots full of snow because you didn't put your work pants over top like I've been recommending for ages. Stop tucking your pants into your boots and you'll have drier feet! Shame you busted the front off your machine too.
It’s a trade off between dumping out snow from my boot from time to time it having wet lower pant legs. I prefer the dry pant legs
You are soooooo far from stuck that is why I use my tracking the atv at least I have a winch and it will go through anything like butter
I’ve seen ATV’s with tracks but have not seen them get through really deep snow. I’d be interested to see a tracked ATV in the same deep powder for comparison
@@sawingwithsandy mine flote on about 3t0 4 feet of snow unstoppable you need one and get ride of the snowmobile at least you can used it all year around specially this month the snowmobile is useless
Wow wish we had that much snow this year. I was yelling "Dont use the bumper". You didnt hear me
Wish I did hear ya after all
Best spot is pull it by the skis
You almost need hip waders
Yeah sure was deep here
They cut weight where they can but come on, give me a steel bumper.
You need snow shoes
Yeah sure would’ve helped out in this deep snow that’s for sure
What a same sandy good machine but chip material now you have to get new bumpher . ok learn the lesson.
Yup learned a lesson this day
I seen the problem right off....you did NOT have a shot of sludge before you started you wasnt thinking clearly...got to have sludge to clear the head
I agree, not enough sludge made me have a lapse in judgement haha
@@sawingwithsandy I dont mean to be dogging on you I just want your channel to do good and support you for I really enjoy your post...I am 62 and kinda crippled.. I am building a sawmill (homemade) and hope to get it done this summer..people think I am crazy because there's not a lot of trees here but we do have some of the best black walnut in the world because our windy location stresses the trees and makes great figured wood the trees we have is walnut ,osage orange ,locust, elm, cotton wood,aromatic cedar and pecan east of here about a 100 miles
Sounds like some nice wood to mill to me !
gold cup is guilty????
Guilty of causing the machine to get stuck?
Looks like a tree farm not the bush
This red pine forest is only one small part of the land
I hope you don't hook to that little flimsy bumper it's attached to the hood.go to ski legs.oh boy not going to be good buddy.opps.
Some things I have to learn the hard way
@@sawingwithsandy been there n done that .that's how I learned.