Grooming Drags

Our Multiblade drag consists of 6 knives, with a rear full width finishing knife. The knifes all have forward curl for increased processing action. Our design and the materials used are such that spring trips are not necessary on the knives. Actual field reports since the early 90’s prove that relatively speaking our non-trip drags outlast other makes with spring trips. The front of the drag is attached to the tractor’s 3 point hitch, and the rear of the main knife frame is attached to a hydraulic packer pan via pivot/hinge system. Drag height/depth is independently set for front and back, allowing infinite positioning possibilities (from extreme cutting, to packing only). The sides and back are fully enclosed, so that a full load of snow can be carried within the knife frame, if desired. This snow can instantly be dumped at any given time, without plugging. It’s a very rugged and versatile drag, able to work in a wide variety of circumstances and temperatures. A variety of options allow our Sur-Trac^TM drags to be tailored to specific environments or grooming styles. We can also customize our drags to suit your club’s individual needs.

(click any "Thumbnail" image to see the full size photo)

Our New Holland Sur-Trac^TM groomer lays a picture perfect trail

SPECIFICATIONS

A) - Reverse "V" Multiblade configuration - 2 knife styles as follows;

Solid "CHT" Knives

Bolt-On Reversible Grader Blades
with Molboards

- Adjustable Steering Skags (now standard equipment!)
- Drag Light Kit (now standard equipment!)
- Dual Circuit Drag Configuration (optional)
- Hydraulic Damper System (optional)

9 foot grooming width standard, any width available on demand

6 tapered knives with forward blade curl, and 1 full width rear finishing knife.

cutting edges (either CHT425 high carbon steel or heat treated reversible Grader blades) are mounted on structural steel tubing members with additional reinforcement.

reinforced metal "box" sides (full length) to carry processed snow within drag.

innovative design eliminates need for structural tubing side frames, therefore drag does not "rest" or "bottom out" on it's frame, ie: can be very aggressive if necessary

full length reinforcing wear-strips along bottom of drag sides are CHT425 high carbon steel

hydraulically controlled rear packer assembly

heavy duty transport wheels

Adjustable steering guides (set of 4) are CHT425 high carbon steel, and can be adjusted 4 times before replacement.

Safety light kit - 2 red tailights and 1 flashing amber light

Heavy Duty materials and careful attention to stress dissipation results in a design that does NOT require spring trips to prevent damage. Well over 240 Sur-Trac^TM drags are used and abused every winter, under all kinds of conditions and terrain, without any problem. Talk to a club using a Sur-Trac drag and see if they think spring trips are necessary... the answer is always a resounding NO!

OPERATION:
The front and rear of the drag knife section are independently hydraulically controlled. This allows complete operator control over height of front AND rear knives, independent of each other. As the following photos depict this allows the operator to adapt to many trail/snow conditions, thus using the drag more as a "working tool" than a "towed implement".

Also notice that in every instance (except transport) the packer pan at the rear is ALWAYS FLAT on the trail... this means;
A) - full packing area in all circumstances (no reduced packer surface as the front is raised)
B) - constant contact of steering "skags" (rudders) assuring consistent steering action regardless of conditions
C) - ability to back up the groomer in any circumstance ON THE PAN without raising on wheels.


All knives down... very aggressive cutting, carrying lots of snow within drag frame
(carrying snow for dumping where required)

Front down, rear up... aggressive cutting, but releasing snow very quickly
(after heavy sled traffic, cutting large moguls)

Front up, rear down... light cutting only
(warmer temperatures)
All knives level but raised off the trail... light cutting with maximum snow processing (all blades working equally)

Front and rear up... packing only
(deep fresh snow, dumping snow load all at once, very warm/melting temperatures)
When rear pan completely raised, wheels come down below drag frame and pick drag off ground for transport

greasable steering post pivots freely in all directions, with steering cylinders mounted behind pivot, protecting them from all twisting and/or lateral stresses

groomer hitch plate mounts to heavy duty 3 point "A" frame, effectively distributing pulling stresses to all 3 tractor pulling points (2 lift arms and the top link) instead of the 2 lift arms alone. In addition, the original tractor stabilizer bars are replaced by heavy duty 3/4"x3" solid steel bars

Heavy-Duty Steering Post

Drag Options;

Single Circuit configuration (standard):
(requires ONE tractor remote hydraulic circuit)
One circuit to control both pan and wheels.

Dual Circuit configuration (optional):
(requires TWO tractor remote hydraulic circuits)
One circuit for pan, one circuit for wheels.

Hydraulic Endgate
(requires ONE tractor remote hydraulic circuit)
Allows operator to control flow of snow exiting drag WHILE LEAVING DRAG IN LOWERED POSITION for maximum processing action.

Toolbox: extra large (6ft x 2ft x 18in) toolbox mounted on drag. Includes locking hasps and inside tie-down rings for securing contents.

Drag hitch-mounted shock absorber; relieves the energy spike in the event of sudden impact. 50,000 lb capacity. Requires no resetting or shearbolts.

The packer pan action and drag weight compact the snow particles together. A vibrating pan greatly increases the effect and results in a much faster setup time and a much denser trail base.



b) - Full Width Fixed Blade with Box Scraper style:

Full width Box Scraper style drag

9 foot grooming width standard, any width available on demand

2 sets of tapered full width knives and 1 straight full width finishing knife, all consisting of CHT425 high carbon steel cutting edges mounted on structural steel tubing cross members

tapered metal box scraper mounted on middle knife

hydraulically controlled rear packer assembly

all other features as listed for Staggered Multiblade drag

Optional hydraulic rear packer pivot assembly;

fits either of above drag styles

hydraulic action of rear packer plate causes drag to pivot. This permits "banking" of corners, "crowning" center of trail when grooming double width, cutting more on one side of trail than the other (to level drift corridors), etc...

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Future Drag Ideas...? (let us know what you think!)

Rear Height Indicator... a simple device to let the
operator see height of the drag rear, at a glance.

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The SnowPaver drag...
A joint venture between The Keweenaw Research Center and Ebert Welding Ltd

Ebert Welding and the Keweenaw Research Center (KRC) have partnered-up to put the KRC’s snow milling technology and a vibrating pan into the Sur-Trac™ drag. The drag knives cut out the moguls and aggressively move the snow thru the drag to break it down into smaller “chunks”... then the miller breaks it down even further, into a fine powdery snow… this process is then followed by a vibrating pan. Our first prototype hit the trails late winter 2004 in northern Michigan. Unfortunately it was too late to get a full spectrum of scientifically tested results, but what we have seen so far is indeed very exciting. The SnowPaver will be aggressively tested next season, and we'll be posting results as we go.

The following photos show "tidbits" from the SnowPaver project... new developments will be posted as they occur.

The original SnowPaver... KRC's test unit
(it may be ugly, but it sure packed a hard trail!) The KRC has been scientifically studying the mechanics of snow and the formation of moguls on snowmobile trails for several years.
The first Sur-Trac^TM SnowPaver drag, jointly built by the KRC and Ebert Welding.

The KRC's patented miller drum reduces the snow up to a fine powder if desired.

A vibrating pan packs the finely processed snow into an extra hard layer.

Prototype testing 2004: A 290 lb man walking immediately behind the drag, no setup time whatsoever, in a virgin field with no established trail base, approx 2.5 feet of snow. The weather was very favorable for the “test”, (approx minus 8 degrees Celsius), but the result is still pretty incredible. Not only was he not sinking, he was barely even scuffing up the trail surface!

Prototype testing 2004: After grooming 5 consecutive passes (over top of each other) in a virgin field (no existing trail, no base, approx minus 8 degrees Celsius, about 2.5 feet of snow) there started to be a dense “false base” approx 4 to 6 inches thick! There was NO SETUP TIME... these "chunks" were pulled up 15 minutes after the drag went by.

Ebert Welding's first "Production Unit". It will be going to a club in northern Ontario and grooming for the full 2005 season. The club is collaborating with us to test the SnowPaver functions under "real-world" conditions. Scientific tests will be conducted weekly on specific trail sections during the entire season. Tests and measuring tools are provided by the KRC, and snow scientist Russ Alger has trained Ian Auger from Ebert Welding on proper testing methods and data collection. A representative of the Temiskaming-Abitibi Trail Association will assist/supervise testing to assure integrity. Test results will be reported to and compiled by the KRC. The original 2003 Ebert/KRC SnowPaver drag prototype will also be operating in the U.P. of Michigan, with similar testing and data compilation. This will allow the comparison of test results under two different sets of environmental, geographical, and trail usage parameters. We will conduct the following tests on a weekly basis;

Trail Hardness - A “Rammsonbe” cone penetrometer will be used to measure surface indentation to determine hardness and compression

Overall density (relative to ice) - water content will be measured in grams/cubic cm at varying depths

Base temperatures at varying depths

Ambient temperature & general climate observations

Sled counters will monitor traffic between tests

Mogul formation parameters (depth, length, layered density) – manual measurements will track mogul / layering parameters