BOLD RIDE
Ideally, we would all like to drive the Swiss army knives of the automobile world—vehicles that do many things well with few to no drawbacks. This is easier said than done however, especially when it comes to off-road vehicles.
The trade-off is generally on-road comfort and fuel economy in exchange for off-road performance. Unsurprisingly, big tires and heavy-duty suspension setups aren’t great on pavement.This creation however evens the playing field; it’s called the Track N Go system, and it has been designed to transform everyday Jeeps, 4×4 SUVs, and trucks into snow-conquering off-roaders in a span of 15 minutes. Best of all, the bolt-on system doesn’t require modifications to the original vehicle, so you can simply unbolt the treads and hit the highway when need be. Take a look.
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So how does it work? To install, you drive your vehicle up two short metal ramps and onto each set of tracks, front and rear. A unique spacer plate attaches to each wheel hub, which links each of the aluminum and steel tracks to the vehicle’s wheels and suspension. Chains tether each of the tracks to the vehicle’s frame to ensure they don’t exceed their intended range of motion.
The end result is a 4×4 that can tackle the snow, thanks to a track contact patch of 1,680 square inches and eight inches of added ground clearance. When equipped, the company says users should limit their top speed to around 40 miles per hour.
The Canadian firm also says the tracks fit all 4×4 trucks and a number of large 4×4 SUVs, including the popular Cadillac Escalade, Dodge Durango, Toyota Sequoia, as well as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler, among others. Necessary gear includes an automatic transmission with a “4Lo” transfer case and a rear differential lock.
While Track N Go was designed specifically for snow, the company does say it can be used on sand and pavement as well. The kit obviously caters to weekend adventurers and those in snowbound regions, however other uses can include repair vehicles, police, rescue, and other emergency responders.
As is somewhat expected, the price isn’t cheap—about $25,000 for the full kit. There are other systems out there as well, such as the acclaimed Mattracks, which fully replace a vehicle’s wheels with a tread system. But admittedly few look as quick to install (and uninstall) as these.
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