hey guys, new to the site, hoping to find some opinions on the '06 tundra single cyl. I have read both good and bad, not looking for top speed or extreme weight towing, mostly icefishing and some powder play. I had a yamaha mtn max 600 a few years back so am well versed in deep powder riding. I in the U.P. of MI. western edge, have some good snow seasons.

You'll love it for ice fishing. You can actually pick the Tundra up by yourself and physically move it anywhere. You'll really notice the lack of power and speed from a 600 cc. It takes me for ever to cross the lake now but I do love it. Thinking of picking up a 600 cc for some touring and to get my speed fix.. Check out a post I did on my Augert holder. Great way to transport for icefishing.

RR

If you liked your Mtnmax 600 you might want to hold out and find a 550 backcountry. I think you would be happier.

I think Buffy has hit on the critical distinction here , what do you consider "powder play" ? Ripping up every elevation change you can find or dissecting the most technical path you can find between trees with severe drops and off camber traverses ? Either will get you out on the ice , but the 300 will allow you a Zen like experience with the obstacles you encounter , while the 550 will get you air time at the drop of a hat !

thanks RR, my speed days are over, have a few close calls. now with family , I like the slower pace. I have a Otter magnum icehouse and like to chase walleye's and some perch. I use a honda 300 4x4 to pull it, but would like a tundra when the snow gets too deep. A windshield is needed on those long early runs.

thanks for the input guys, my idea is that with some of the mods I have read about on this forum, the tundra might be the ticket, no large cleared mtn sides around here, too many trees.

hi ravinerat, I checked out your auger holder, looks great. keeps everything nice and narrow. I thought of towing another sled behind my first one to carry mine.

any mods done to your '09 tundra to improve low end or deep snow riding?

I'd say ride yours first, then figure out which mods you really need

no mods to my sled yet. Had to glue the head light bracket back together which "just" broke for no reason. Also have to fix the heat problem with the exaust/battery box issue.

RR

Possibly buy it tommorow, I looked it over a few days ago, know the owner fairly well, always takes good care of his stuff. Machine never sat outside, indoor storage. serviced by pros. He had a cyl. temp gauge and hour meter installed 61 hrs on it. no other gauges though.

I really miss not having a speedo on my Tundra. I do a lot of things by milage when on the lake. Always have my GPS. Does that count as a mod. Mounted it where my speedo goes and put a 12v supply onthe sled. Oh and mirrors. I like seeing behind me when on the trials and lakes.

RR

The one mod that you will definitely need on the 06 is a decent drive belt. That stock belt can wear so fast that it could leave you stranded. I recommend the LMX1095 but there are a couple of other choices. That one item is the most important for the 06, especially if you will be pulling a sled. If that does not seem like enough there is a lot more that can be done without too much expense.

Enjoy - it is a fine machine. But, be aware that the 07 has a 1" wider track for significantly more flotation.

Dan

thanks Tundra Man, The machine came with an extra max 1065 belt. It is brand new, after the seller backed the machine out of his garage, I could smell the belt, when I got home I noticed it was a BRP belt. Threw it out. I put the 1065 belt on to take it off my trailer. I plan on purchasing a LMX 1095 belt for a spare.I have a friend who has a 136-16-1.25 track from an '07 BRP machine, dont know if it will fit. deal is right though hope it does. The only concern is that it is a ripsaw brand and afew people I have talked to who have this brand are NOT happy with it, although all are on bigger machines, not a tundra to be had in the bunch.

I changed the belt and secondary spring on mine, made a big difference but still not as good as I wanted it. I snowmobile in quebec in about 3-4 feet of loose powder - the 06 has to work to hard in that, forget about pulling a sleigh in that, and if you ever encounter slush over 6 inches you are not going to like it. The front acts like a big snowplow.

Buy a front end skid plate and strengthening kit - if you take a big hit in the front it will cost you 3-4K to repair. Sorry, not even a big hit, but it you take a moderate tree in the wrong area it can cost 3-4K.

I liked the tundra for zipping around on broken trails, or light trail breaking. Nice on the lakes when conditions are good. All the bells and whistles come on it so that is a very good thing.

I had a big thumbs down for my tundra and sold it at a very cheap price - and I had only used it about 10 times. Others have good experiences but they don't go where I go - so it is all area and person specific.

Regards,

Louis

TMD, I have read alot of your posts, very informative, thats many hours of testing to get your tundra just right for your riding. Thanks to all the knowledgable tundra riders on this forum for all of the exhaustive research they have done! It is great reading and has helped with my purchase choice.(hoped for an '07 but found the'06 to be a good deal and snapped it up before looking very hard for an '07)

It is quite possible to damage the front-end in some of the areas that I ride, it would really bum me out to cause that amount of damage to it, will purchase front kit when I find one. The lakes I ride on get some slush but rarely more than 6" so hope to do fine.

I would suggest getting the center tube protector that comes in the skid plate kit for the RF chassis. I would then mount a trimmed down REV skid plate. It will help with flotation in the powder. All info and part numbers can be found on this PAGE.

Hi Louis,

First of all, I love that old style tundra video you made -- really shows off the machines capabilities. I finally have a camera that can do decent videos -- next problem is to get someone to go with me to take the video.

One thing that I did not realize until I got it all sorted out was that the Goodwin primary spring did a lot more for the performance than the secondary CV-Tech spring change and both together makes the clutch performance equal to the old style Tundra. The gearing change would also help in slush. So, are you going to buy one of the new Tundra's?

Dan

Is this the guy who has the youtube videos with a 88 tundra and he's boondocking with his dog chasing him? also jokingly brings reference to the fact it got like 15hp too. The other great old tundra video is the one where this guy is going through some crazy deep snow and uses the snobunje with a VK540 (I think) to get himself out of trouble. They are both very cool videos. TMD, you definately need to get yourself on youtubewould love to see it.

The 88 is a guy in southern Ontario , Indyian I think , the Snobunje one is Lshobie .

Yup - that's my video!

I won't be buying a new sled this year - nothing really impresses me anymore. I'll just stick to my projects and play in the back forty. I just extended the elan to fit the 139 track and 277 tundra engine - it should be a fun sled. The 503 elan is just about done too - so I should have a good compliment to get me through the season.

Regards

I wish I had kept my 1st Elan project with the 139" track and a brand new 335 skandic single motor. The 335 weighed the same as the 249. I used the 249 carb and exhaust - bolted right on. Changed the sprockets and chain case from single to double for a little lower gear ratio and swapped the primary clutch for a roller clutch. Back then parts at low prices were easier to come by. At right around 300lbs that was an amazing machine. I think I used a 1975 Everest Drive Belt in place of the stock belt (a little wider). That extended 72 Elan was the "trail breaker" in Encampment Wyoming where I lived - better than the Everest and TNTs of the day. The person I sold it to when I left that area destroyed it - managed to go over the ice flow at the end of a dam (luckily he was not hurt too bad). He also widened out the ski stance - how silly on an Elan. My brother still has his - just like new except for the track rubber is getting hard. Wow - a 277 will be nice - more power in some ways than the 335 and smoother. I started another Elan project a few years ago before buying the 06 Tundra but never finished it as it was impacting my time too much. The Elan was a real classic and in some ways nothing else has ever equaled it's performance - i.e. it could side-hill with a simple shoulder lean. It is a lot harder to side-hill a Tundra for a long distance.

Enjoy your projects. And, be sure to do us another video to show us the Elans.

Dan