Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 29/99) - Snowmachines are a big part of getting around in the North and, consequently, breakdowns are inevitable.

Bob McKeddie, manager of Northern Metallic Recreation in Hay River, says the best advice he could give is to perform regular maintenance on your machine and be prepared when heading out on long trips.

"Common problems you find are belts breaking, water in the gas or carburetors freezing up or icing off," he said. "Always carry spare drive belts and spark plugs."

Operating without snow can quickly put an end to a trip, McKeddie said.

"If you're in minimal snow conditions or running on bare ice, you can actually melt the sliders to the track," McKeddie warned.

"Snow lubricates the sliders so that the track slides along freely."

He says one major problem with snowmachines is fuel system freeze up, where condensation settles in the fuel tank and carburettor.

"You can remedy that with isopropyl de-icer -- not an alcohol-based de-icer, because alcohol can lean out your engine and cause a major mechanical failure," he advised.

"A quick fix, if you don't have isopropyl, is to boil water and pour it over the carburetor and the fuel pump."

McKeddie said it's wise to have a good selection of metric wrenches and sockets, a hand-held propane torch, first aid kit, flare kit, change of clothing, gloves and boot duffels.

Earl Jacobson, owner of Lou's Small Engines in Fort Smith, echoes McKeddie's advice on carrying extra plugs and belts, but cautions that today's machines are very complex and trailside repairs are not always possible.

"You need special tools to do a lot of these changes," Jacobson said.

"Carry lots of rope with you, de-icer, as for parts, spare belts and plugs, we also carry snare wire and duct tape."

"If something does happen, maybe you can use snare wire or use duct tape on the hood."

The buddy system is always the best safety measure when travelling on long trips.

"The best advice I can give is always travel in pairs -- never travel alone, because if you've got somebody with you, you can always get back to camp."