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ProMark Offroad Blog

How to Install ATV Tire Chains

Written By: Esther
December 30th, 2009 | Filed under ATV Tire Chains | No Comments »Tags: ,

See the instructions below to properly install ATV tire chains.

    Diagram 1

    Diagram 1

  1. Lay the chains out flat on the ground and remove all tangles. When the chains are placed on the tires, the V-bars should face out and the cross chain hook eyes must face up. Damage to your tires could result if the V-bar or hooks face against the tires. (See Diagram 1).

    2. Diagram 2

    Diagram 2

  2. Lay the chains over the tire, making sure that the cross chain hook eyes are facing up and the fastener is on the outside of the tire. Tuck the first cross chain (side chain ends without fasteners) under the tire. (See Diagram 2).

    3. Diagram 3

    Diagram 3

  3. Move the ATV until the fastener is axle high. (See Diagram 3).

    4. Diagram 4

    Diagram 4

  4. Fasten the INSIDE hook to the corresponding link of the INNER side that will allow the cross chain to lie straight across the tire tread. (See Diagram 4).

    5. Diagram 5

    Diagram 5

  5. Remove slack and hook the outside fastener. Make the chain as tight as possible by hand without the use of tools. This will significantly prolong the chain life. Drive approximately 1/4 mile, stop, and retighten the chains. (See Diagram 5).

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ATV Tire Chain Maintenance

Written By: Esther
December 29th, 2009 | Filed under ATV Tire Chains | No Comments »Tags: ,

Regular maintenance will keep your ATV tire chains in service for many winters to come.

V-Bar Tire Chains for ATV / UTV

V-Bar Tire Chains for ATV / UTV

1. Keep It Snug

Loose tire chains can decrease chain life by up to 50% or greater! Keep the chains snug by tightening them as much as possible by hand. Then drive about a quarter mile, stop, and re-tighten the tire chains as needed. Keep the chains straight across the tire tread.

2. Don’t Deflate

Follow the manufacturer’s directions for installing the ATV tire chains. Do not deflate the tires to install the tire chains. Your tires should be at the normal level of inflation while installing and using ATV chains.

3. Cut the Slack

Secure extra chain links with a wire tie. You can cut off extra links if you want to, but keeping the extra links means that you have extra length if you need it in the future (for a different ATV or new tires, etc.).

4. Inspect Often

Inspect your ATV chains before and after each use. Keep an eye out for worn or broken links. Do not use the tire chains if you see any signs of damage. If the chains break while driving, stop immediately and repair the chains or remove them before continuing to drive. Driving with broken chains can damage the tires and vehicle. Avoid hitting curbs when the tire chains are installed on your ATV, as this could damage the chains or tires.

5. Stop the Rust

After each use, spray the chains with WD-40 to keep them from rusting. Hang the chains up on the wall for storage to keep them from getting tangled and save you the headache of sorting through a jumbled mess when you need them again.

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What Makes an ATV Cover Trailerable?

Written By: Esther
December 28th, 2009 | Filed under ATV Accessories | No Comments »Tags: , ,

Your regular ATV storage cover may not hold up to the demands of trailering. Here’s why.

A trailerable ATV cover is specially designed to withstand the forces of highway travel.

A trailerable ATV cover is specially designed to withstand the forces of highway travel.

Not all ATV and UTV covers are alike. You may think that a storage ATV cover could pass as a trailerable cover, but the truth is that storage covers designed solely for storage may not hold up to the wear and tear of highway travel. The three main features that set trailerable ATV covers apart from the pack are material thickness, tie down straps, and a secure fit.

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  1. Material Thickness
    When you travel at high speeds down the highway, the wind can whip your cover around something fierce. Thinner, less durable materials will tear under the force of the wind.

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    In order to withstand the wear and tear of highway travel, your ATV cover must be constructed with heavy duty materials. Trailerable ATV covers are thicker and more durable than storage covers, making them able to withstand constant wind, rain, and other forces during travel.

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  2. Tie Down Straps
    With the force of wind speed, your cover needs to be securely strapped down in order to stay in place. Tie down straps ensure that your cover stays in place on your ATV, UTV, or side by side. You can adjust these straps as needed for a tighter fit.
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  3. Secure Fit
    Without a secure fit, the wind can whip under the cover and “parachute” your cover. Getting whipped around by the wind can damage your cover. Make sure the trailerable cover for your quad ensures a snug fit to reduce the wear and tear on your cover during trailering.
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Trailerable ATV covers make excellent storage covers as well. If you plan to use your cover for both storage and trailering, look for a cover that will work for both purposes.

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Merry Christmas from ProMark Offroad!

Written By: Esther
December 24th, 2009 | Filed under ProMark Offroad News | No Comments »

Merry Christmas from ProMark Offroad

Posted in ProMark Offroad News | No Comments »

Roller vs Hawse for Synthetic Plow Rope

Written By: Esther
December 23rd, 2009 | Filed under ATV Snow Plows, Synthetic Winch Rope | No Comments »Tags: , , , ,

10-foot Synthetic Rope for ATV Plows

10-foot Synthetic Rope for ATV Plows

If you use a winch to power your ATV plow, it’s important to make sure that the cable is protected. Synthetic rope is highly recommended for plowing; however, any plow line—synthetic or steel—requires regular maintenance to keep it in working condition and prevent it from breaking.

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With synthetic rope, it’s best to use an aluminum hawse fairlead. Aluminum is a softer material than steel, which means that you can sand it smooth if it happens to get any rough spots. As you raise and lower the plow, the synthetic cable may wear a groove in the aluminum hawse. If this happens, simply sand down the groove with fine grit paper.

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This ability to sand down rough spots or gouges is what gives the aluminum hawse an advantage over the steel roller. The chrome finish on a roller fairlead prevents you from being able to sand it down. If you use a roller fairlead with your synthetic rope, any sharp edges that develop can shred the rope, and the only way to prevent this is to replace the roughed-up fairlead with a new one.

Use an aluminum hawse with synthetic rope.

Use an aluminum hawse with synthetic rope.

Keep a close eye on the condition of your hawse. If any rough spots develop, sand them down immediately. A roughed-up hawse is a sure way to break your synthetic rope, so check the rope and hawse regularly.

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Another important part of maintaining a synthetic plow rope is to keep the rope free of debris that could scuff up the hawse. Abrasive material on the rope can cause the rope to break if it rubs on the hawse.

Also, watch the angle of the rope as it raises and lowers the plow. A steep angle can cause premature wear on the rope. Make sure the rope isn’t rubbing on any edges, such as the winch housing, plow parts, or the ATV.

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Posted in ATV Snow Plows, Synthetic Winch Rope | No Comments »

ATV Plow Maintenance and Operation

Written By: Esther
December 21st, 2009 | Filed under ATV Snow Plows | No Comments »Tags: , ,

The better you take care of your ATV plow, the longer it will last.

The better you take care of your ATV plow, the longer it will last.

How long your ATV plow lasts is directly related to how well you take care of it. If you want your plow to last for years of use, it’s important to know how to operate and maintain the plow to keep it in the best shape possible.

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1. Check the Bolts

One of the most important things you can do to maintain your ATV plow is to check for wear and tightness of all bolts, nuts, and fasteners. If any bolts are rusted, stripped, or deformed, replace them immediately. Tighten any loose nuts and bolts.

2. Inspect the Plow

Also inspect all other parts of the ATV plow and lift. Make sure all parts are free of rust and in good working condition. Check all rotating or moving parts. They should be free of debris and any other obstructions.

3. Inspect the Winch or Electric Lift

If you use an ATV winch to operate your plow, perform regular maintenance on the ATV winch and keep a close eye on the condition of the cable. If the cable appears frayed or worn, replace it immediately. If you plow using steel cable and it wears out quickly, you may find that you have better luck with synthetic plow cable. It’s more forgiving of the repeated flexing motion that happens when you raise and lower the plow blade.

4. Adjust the Plow Skids

Plow skids will also prolong the life of your plow. Without skids, the plow blade will mark up the driveway surface, and the wear bars will erode faster than normal. For decorative surfaces and pavers, adjust the plow skids so that the edge of the wear bar will float just above the surface. For level driveway surfaces, set the plow skids at the same level as the edge of the wear bar.

5. Stiffen the Suspension

Also note that you’ll get the best results using your plow if you set the ATV’s suspension to the stiffest setting. It’s easier on your ATV and will help both your ATV and plow last longer.

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ProMark Offroad (formerly Gorilla Winches) Expands into New Office and Warehouse

Written By: Esther
December 18th, 2009 | Filed under ProMark Offroad News | No Comments »Tags:

ProMark Offroad LogoThe time has come to move on to bigger and better things! With the rapid growth of the ProMark Offroad brand, we needed to find a larger facility to house our warehouse and office space.

After shopping around for new digs, we decided to expand into a 51,000 square foot facility (about the size of a football field) located just outside the city of Minneapolis. The expanded facilities give us more than enough room to add more of the new ATV, Jeep, truck, and 4×4 products that you’ve asked for.

We’re proud to be your “go to” source for offroad products, and we look forward to keeping you satisfied as we expand our product lines. As always, we welcome your feedback! Don’t hesitate to contact us with suggestions, comments, and requests for new products.

Thanks a bunch!
ProMark Offroad signature

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How to “Stretch” New Winch Cable

Written By: Esther
December 16th, 2009 | Filed under Winch Maintenance | 2 Comments »Tags: ,

The wire cable on a new winch needs to be stretched before use.

The wire cable on a new winch needs to be stretched before use.

Do I need to “pre-stretch” my winch cable?

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Yes. New winch cable (including the pre-installed cable on a new winch) needs to be re-spooled under tension before you try to winch somebody out. If the cable is not spooled tight enough on the drum, it can get tangled or kinked in the inner layers, leaving you with a rat’s nest or a damaged cable.

“Stretching” cable is not actually stretching the rope but getting the cable tight on the drum. If you don’t “tension” the cable before using it, you can kink your new cable on the first pull.

How do I “stretch” my winch cable?

Spool the cable out until there’s only five to six wraps left on the drum. The screw that secures the cable to the drum is not designed to hold the full load of the pull by itself. Keeping a few wraps of cable on the drum helps anchor the cable in place.

Next, hook the winch up to a sturdy anchor point (a tree, your buddy’s vehicle, a telephone pole, etc.) that’s on a slight incline to your vehicle. The load should be at least 500 pounds to apply the right amount of tension.

With the vehicle engine running, spool the cable in slightly to test the anchor point and make sure it’s going to hold. Once you’re confident that the anchor point is secure, keep spooling in the cable, making sure that it winds in neat, even layers on the drum.

Once the cable is wound with the proper tension on the drum, your winch is ready to use!

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ATV Plow Wear Bar and Skids

Written By: Esther
December 14th, 2009 | Filed under ATV Snow Plows | No Comments »Tags: , , ,

Skids and Double-Sided Wear Bar for Cycle Country ATV Plow

Skids and Double-Sided Wear Bar
for Cycle Country ATV Plow

Skids and wear bars are designed to make your ATV plow last longer. Scraping across hard driveway surfaces is hard on the plow blade. The wear bar and skids take the brunt of this abuse so that the plow blade will last longer.

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ATV Plow Wear Bars

Since the wear bar needs to be replaced as it wears out, it’s better to go with a double-sided wear bar. These types of wear bars are designed to be flipped over, so they last twice as long as a standard wear bar.

There are 2 types of ATV plow wear bars: steel and plastic. Steel wear bars are tougher than plastic, but they can also be tough on driveway surfaces. Plastic wear bars are easier on driveway surfaces and pavers.

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ATV Plow Skids

Plow skids increase the life of the wear bar and minimize damage caused by the plow blade scraping the driveway surface. They also help when plowing uneven, rocky surfaces, by lifting the edge of the plow blade just enough to keep it from digging into the gravel or rock.

For level surfaces, adjust the plow skids to the same height as the wear bar on the plow blade. For uneven surfaces, adjust the skids so that the edge of the wear bar will glide just above the rocky surface.

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Winter Off Road Survival Kit

Written By: Esther
December 11th, 2009 | Filed under Offroad Recovery | No Comments »Tags: ,

Winter off road driving takes a bit more preparation than during the warmer months. The cold weather makes it dangerous to get stranded, and the more remote the areas you travel are, the harder it will be for rescue crews to find and get to you.

Throw an off road tow strap in your survival kit.

Throw an off road tow strap in your survival kit.

First off, every time you drive off road—whether it’s winter or not—let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return. Ask them to check up on you if you don’t show up when you said you would. They can alert emergency crews and let them know your travel plans to help rescuers find you in a worst-case scenario.

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Secondly, travel in a group. You’ll have another vehicle to help you in a recovery process. And if one vehicle gets stranded, you can always come back for it later. In case of emergency, one vehicle can go for help or bring everyone back to warmth and safety.

Finally, it’s critical to pack well. A spontaneous off road trip in the winter without the proper planning and supplies could turn into a disaster. Make sure you pack enough food and water for everyone in the group to survive for several days in a remote area. In case you do get stranded, make sure you have the supplies needed for winter survival.

Here’s a basic winter off road kit to get you started. Add your own items to the list as needed.

Off Road Winter Survival Kit
  • Extra food
  • Extra water (at least one gallon per person)
  • First aid kit
  • Blankets
  • Extra layers of warm clothing
  • Signal mirror
  • Whistle
  • CB radio
  • Emergency road flares
  • Glowsticks
  • Candles
  • Sunblock
  • Lip balm
  • Sunglasses to protect your eyes
  • Flashlight and batteries
  • Matches in a waterproof container
  • Fire starter
  • Firewood
  • Nylon cord
  • Tarp
  • Camp saw
  • Duct tape
Off Road Vehicle Emergency Kit

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