FAQ | Frequently Asked Questions

Alabama Power Company, National Grid, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Shelby County Government, State of NJ, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Georgia Power, Desoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, Fayette County EMA, Eversource, Manitoba Hydro, Scott Power Line & Utility Equipment, Enbridge Energy, Minnesota Power, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, Sioux City FD, Memphis FD, TN-TF1, Desoto County Emergency Management Agency.

Yes, Hydratrek, Inc. is the O.E.M. of the Hydratrek amphibious vehicles. We welcome direct inquires and will be glad to assist you with any sales needs. Please send an email inquiry to sales@hydratrek.com with your contact information and questions.

Aluminum’s high strength-to-weight ratio is one of the major reasons why this material is used. It is strong, durable, and offers superior corrosion resistance. Aluminum has one-third the density of steel, which allows the Hydratrek amphibious vehicles to be lighter and more capable of floating. Compared to polyurethane or plastic materials, aluminum is unquestionably more durable and rigid. This is particularly important for commercial and public safety users that rigorously push amphibious ATVs to their limits in rugged environments.

The short answer is POWER, TORQUE, and RELIABILITY. Diesel engines are built more ruggedly than gasoline engines. The life cycle of a diesel engine is much longer. The fuel efficiency of a diesel engine is higher. Hydraulic systems are used in in the majority of construction and agricultural equipment on the market today. It uses incompressible fluid which results in a greater, more efficient & consistent work or power output. This is due to the fact that hydraulic fluid molecules are able to resist compression under heavy load hence minimal energy loss is experienced and work applied is directly transferred to the actuating surfaces.

At current production, the top speed on land is 15 MPH (24 KPH)

At current production, the top speed in water is 4.2 MPH for the Hydratrek amphibious vehicle (3.5 Knots)

This depends on the model, the RPM setting, total workload, and how long the amphibious vehicle is operated under these conditions. On average each model will operate for 8-10 hours on a tank of diesel fuel. The fuel tank for all models is currently 10.5 Gallons (40 Liters).

The track system’s primary purpose is to lower the ground pressure per square inch, or PSI. Most users of amphibious vehicles operate in wetlands, swamps, floodplains, and sometimes environmentally sensitive areas. Maintaining a light footprint is essential to navigating through this type of terrain and minimizing the disturbance to the natural habitat.

Using an over-the-tire rubber track system vs. a metal track with rollers and sprockets is lighter in weight, less mechanical and maintenance intensive, and more efficient to produce. The track system for the the Hydratrek can be used on all surfaces including sand, gravel, mud, snow, concrete, rocks, pavement, curbs, timber, vegetation, and riprap.

This varies according to model, setup, and operator’s ability. The published angle in the operator’s manual is 30 degrees. With training and experience, the Hydratrek will outperform 30 degrees climbing, descending, and crossing slopes.

The marine-grade aluminum material used for production is highly corrosive-resistant by nature. When a Hydratrek is going into a saltwater environment, it is also outfitted with zinc anodes to minimize the impact. If properly maintained and washed with a mild detergent from time to time, the structure will provide many years of service. The Hydratrek can also be powder coated to add another protective layer.

This largely depends on the ground in which the Hydratrek is operated. If the conditions are mostly mud and swamps, the track will last longer. If the conditions are mostly gravel and hard surfaces, it will not last as long. On average, the rubber track systems are providing 2,000 hours of service. In the event of a rip or tear in the track, that section can be removed and a new one inserted. The entire track does not need to be replaced on every incident.

This is not easy at all. In fact, it has only happen a minimal amount of times. We take pride in the track system staying on the vehicle at all times. Air pressure from the tires regulates the track tension. It is important to check the air pressure in the tires often to ensure proper inflation. The tracks have a proprietary track guide design that offers plenty of grip and coverage for the tires and keep them where they should be: INSIDE THE TRACK!

An engineering firm once analyzed the diesel engine and hydraulic setup for the Hydratrek amphibious vehicles. They reported the vehicle is capable of 10,000 hours of service when operated under normal conditions and properly maintained.

The XA66, XT66, and D2488 units are equipped to handle up to six (6) passengers. The D2488B can be configured to carry up to ten (10) passengers for Search and Rescue applications. The RAFT is designed to carry up to nine (9) passengers while towed behind a Hydratrek.

Current Hydratrek amphibious models are supplied with MOBIL 424 Non-Synthetic Hydraulic fluid from the factory. Any quality hydraulic oil off the shelf is sufficient for the Kubota diesel engines.

The 6×6 models will begin to float in 28” of water. The larger 8×8 models will begin to float in 42” of water.

Yes. The diesel engine has a standard glow plug system. As an option, any Hydratrek can be equipped with a block heater, battery blanket, cab heater, and / or window defroster.

The Hydratrek is designed for inland waterways and canals, lakes, ponds, streams, small rivers, backwaters, and flood zones. It is not a high-speed rescue boat nor is it an ocean-going vessel. Proper judgment and caution should be used when encountering high winds or other wave causing situations. The Hydratrek will operate safely in 2 feet (0.6 M) waves.

Like the answer above, the Hydratrek amphibious vehicle is intended for certain operations and not others. It’s always important to use good judgment and safety precautions before entering a waterway. To name a few rivers in the USA, the Hydratrek has safely operated in the Mississippi, Missouri, Ouachita, Arkansas, Snake, Hatchie, Obion, Loosahatchie, Illinois, Wabash, and Mad Rivers. All of these rivers have current. Any water moving less than 8 MPH (6.9 Knots) is safe for operations.

Yes, we will be glad to schedule a visit and demonstration with you in the near future. All inquires are properly screened and validated before establishing a demo date and location.

The Land Tamer’s hydraulic gear drive system utilizes the proven benefits of a closed loop hydraulic drive system that is found in mobile and construction equipment applications worldwide such as skid steer loaders, etc.

Closed loop system means that hydraulic oil flows from a pump to drive a motor and back to the pump completing the loop. Most closed loop drive systems utilize a variable flow displacement pump that flows to the drive motor. Nearly all the hydraulic oil flow from the pump drives the hydraulic motor in a closed loop system, but a small percentage of the hydraulic oil redirected through a cooler and back to the tank. The Land Tamer utilizes commercial grade pumps and motors, in which one pump drives the left motor and the other pump drives the right motor. The left drive motor delivers torque to the left side wheels through a mechanical gear drive system and the right motor drives the right wheels. Benefits: Proven reliability and availability!

A pair of powerful hydraulic motors are connected to parallel reduction gearboxes which are coupled to a set of right angle gearboxes at each axle on each side of the vehicle. This parallel gearbox is coupled to a common drive shaft that supplies equal torque to all axles on each side of the vehicle. Benefits: This system allows maximum torque to all wheels no matter which tires have the most traction with the ground. Maximum torque from the engine and pumps can be delivered no matter how many wheels are off the ground as when crossing ditches or large obstacles! Virtually no maintenance or adjustments are required either!

All driving functions, forward, reverse, right or left turns, are achieved with our unique proprietary single dual knob controller. Pushing the Dual knobs forward moves the vehicle forward. The farther you move the dual knobs forward the faster the vehicle goes. To travel in reverse, one pulls the dual knobs back and to turn left or right one simply twists the dual knobs accordingly to whatever degree of turn you desire. This system allows for zero turns in which one set of wheels rotates forward at the same time the other set of wheels rotate backward allowing for 360 degree on the spot turns. Benefits: The Land Tamer is very simple to drive. One hand is all that is needed to operate the vehicle and it frees up the other hand for work applications, like holding a weed spraying nozzle, or a fire spray nozzle, etc.!

Our optional 3 Point Hitch turns the Land Tamer into a full fledged tractor and adds a whole new dimension of work applications never available before for an amphibious vehicle. To our knowledge, the Land Tamer is the only amphibious tractor manufactured in the world. The 3 Point Hitch allows the owner to attach to the front or rear of the Land Tamer any Category 1, 3 point hitch farm attachment. These may include, a snow blade or snow blower for winter use, or a rotary mower, post hole auger, lifting device, generator or just about any after market farm equipment available by any farm equipment manufacture rated as Category 1. This adds to the Land Tamer’s, 4 vehicles in 1 concept with it serving as boat, atv, snowmobile and a tractor. No other vehicle has this much versatility.