Off Road Vehicle Service & Repair Manuals – ORV, OHV, ATV, UTV, Snowcat, Snowmobile, etc.
Snowmobile Manufacturers Service Manual Directory

Snowmobile Brands and Service Manual Directory

Snowmobile Definition and Terminology

Vintage SnowmobileA snowmobile, also known as a snow machine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, snowscooter, or Ski-Doo - etc. is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on and over unimproved snow covered land.

Snowmobiles are designed to be operated on snow and ice and do not require a road or trail to travel on. Snowmobiling has become a very popular winter activity in snow-belt areas.

Most snowmobiles are designed to accommodate one person. However, snowmobiles built with the ability to accommodate two people are generally referred to as "2-up" snowmobiles or 'touring' models and make up a small share of the market. Snowmobiles do not have any enclosures, except for a windshield, and their engines normally drive a continuous track at the rear. Skis at the front provide directional control.

Recreational snowmobiling has become very popular and these groups are referred to as snowmobilers or sledders. Recreational and competition riding can be known as snowcross racing, trail riding, freestyle, boondocking, ditchbanging and grass drags. In the summertime snowmobilers can drag race on grass, asphalt strips, or even across water (called Snowmobile skipping).

Snowmobile History of Evolution

The very first vehicle that was built to go in snow wasn't built until 1908. That was actually the Lombard log hauler designed and built in Waterville, Maine.

  • In 1909, a man by the name of O.C. Johnson built an over the snow machine that actually went on top of the snow, sometimes. It was roughly ten feet long, used a engine powered track design, but was mostly impossible to steer.
  • In 1913 Virgil White, a Ford dealer in New Hampshire, invented a track and ski unit conversion for the Model T Ford. Mr. White was the first to use the word "snowmobile".
  • In 1915 Ray H. Muscott of Waters, Michigan, received the Canadian patent for his motor sleigh, or "traineau automobile", and on June 27, 1916, he received the first United States patent for a snow-vehicle using the now recognized format of rear track and front skis. Many individuals later modified Ford Model Ts with the undercarriage replaced by tracks and skis following this design. The common name for these conversion of was Snowflyers.
  • Early in the winter of 1922, fifteen year old J. Armand Bombardier designed a sleigh with a Model T engine. This was to be the first of many snowmobiles designed by Bombardier.
  • 1927 Motor TobaggenDuring 1924 in Sayner Wisconsin, one of the most amazing snowmobiles was built by Carl Eliason. Mr Eliason called it the motor toboggan, and that basically was what it was. It was a wooden toboggan fitted with two skis, which were steered with ropes, powered by a 2 1/2 horsepower Johnson outboard motor, and was pushed by an endless steel cleated track.
  • In 1927 Mr Eliason obtained a patent in for his “Motor Toboggan.” and manufactured his machine until 1939 when he sold out to F.W.D. Corporation in Canada. F.W.D. who produced them right thru to 1960
  • In 1935 Joseph Bombardier assembled and successfully tested his first snowmobile. It was a vehicle with a sprocket wheel and a track drive system, that was steered by skis.
  • 1954 proved to be the turning point of when the modern day recreational snowmobile was born. David Johnson was a partner with Alan and Edgar Hetteen of Polaris Industries, when Mr. Johnson designed his first snowmobile which became the very first Polaris. The Polaris Sno Traveler soon followed and Polaris built a few machines each year from 1955 to 1957 when they phased out of farm equipment to focus on manufacturing snowmobiles.

The challenges of cross-country transportation in the winter led to an evolution of the snowmobile, an all-terrain vehicle specifically designed for travel across deep snow where other vehicles floundered.

During the 20th century, rapidly evolving designs produced snow machines that were designed for one or two passengers and capable of travel over terrain and obstacles protruding above the snow like brush and small trees.

Snowmobile Brands and Manufacturers

Arctic Cat / Textron – Headquartered in Thief River Falls, MN; BRP ; Polaris Industries; and Yamaha Motor Corporation.

Polaris Industries – Headquartered in Medina, MN

Ski-Doo / BRP Bombardier – Headquartered in Valcourt, Quebec

Yamaha Motor Corporation – Headquartered in Ontario, Canada