Do-it-yourself caterpillars for a car or a tank from a field and an UAZ. what is the cost of a rebuild? Do-it-yourself home-made caterpillars for a walk-behind tractor Tire tracks
Many residents of northern latitudes and places with poor traffic are developing and assembling various equipment with increased permeability. Tracked all-terrain vehicles were no exception. There is a large number various options creation of such technology. But most problematic issue for designers of all-terrain vehicles is the manufacture of caterpillars.
You can, of course, use their factory production, but having fully assembled the all-terrain vehicle with your own hands, you also want to have caterpillars of your own production. To date, there are several options for creating such propulsion devices that practically do not differ in their technical specifications from factory.
A simple version of caterpillars
The simplest version of snowmobiles is made from a conventional roller-bushing chain and a conveyor belt. At the same time, it does not require any special equipment and tools for its production. At the same time, work can be done almost in the middle of the living room.
In order for the conveyor belt to serve for a long time, it is necessary to sheathe its edges with fishing line with a distance between stitches of about one centimeter. This activity is very similar to overcasting fabric with seamstresses. In any case, such firmware will prevent the tape from unraveling while driving. You can fasten the ends together with any in a suitable way. A hinged joint resembling a piano loop may be suitable for this, or simply stitched, but it is unlikely to last long.
The thickness of the conveyor belt depends on the power of the power unit. If an engine from a Soviet-made motorcycle is installed in an all-terrain vehicle, then a tape 0.8 - 1 cm thick, used on conveyors in agriculture. To stiffen the caterpillar, it is necessary to attach a bush-roller chain to its inner part. This can be done with bolts or hard steel wire. The main thing is that the chain fits snugly into the surface of the conveyor belt.
Caterpillars made in this way are distinguished by their long-term operation, although they are easy to manufacture. In addition, if necessary, repairs can be easily carried out, even in the field.
Tire propellers
Many owners of snowmobiles also use ordinary tires from a car as tracks for their equipment. For these purposes, truck tires are needed, and it is worth choosing them with the required pattern so as not to complicate your work in the future.
To make a caterpillar mover from a tire, it is necessary to cut off the sides from it, leaving only the part with the tread. This event takes a lot of effort and requires patience, since only a shoe knife with good sharpening is needed for work.
In order to simplify manufacturing a little, it is necessary to periodically wet the knife with soapy water, which will facilitate the process of cutting rubber. Some use specially designed devices for this purpose. You can also apply electric jigsaw, with a file with a small tooth fixed on it. It also needs to be watered with soapy water.
The first step is to cut the beads from the tire. Further, if necessary, it is required to remove several inner layers in the resulting caterpillar. This is done to give it softness. If the tread pattern does not suit you, then you should start cutting a new one, which is quite a painstaking task.
This type of caterpillar lugs has one indisputable advantage over the previous version. Since it is solid, without joints, its reliability is much higher. Of the negative points, a small track width can be noted, but to increase it, two or three tires can be spliced.
Belt tracks
The ease of manufacture of such caterpillar movers is increasingly attracting owners of all-terrain vehicles to use them on their vehicles. Belts with a profile in the form of a wedge are assembled into a single structure with the help of lugs, which are attached to the belts by riveting or screws.
As a result, it turns out that the caterpillar web already has holes for the sprocket. To do this, it is necessary to lay the belts at small intervals.
Making a caterpillar for an all-terrain vehicle
The name all-terrain vehicle is understood as a vehicle with increased cross-country ability. These include tractors, snowmobiles, SUVs and tanks. Since often from improvised vehicles. Conceived for this, motorcycles or scooters go, but in the end you get a vehicle that is not afraid of either off-road or dirt. The increased cross-country ability of the all-terrain vehicle mainly depends on its caterpillar movers, which are put on wheels.
In this version, the caterpillar will have four strips of 5 centimeters wide. They must be cut from a conventional conveyor belt. Then connect the sides using a profile in the shape of the letter P. Next, you need to make balancers. Using a stamp, you need to make parts from sheet steel into the floor of the wheel. After that, it is necessary to make the hubs of bronze. Half wheels should be connected with six bolts. Balancers are made.
The next step will be the production of shafts for the track drums. They should have holes for the bearings. Drums can be made from duralumin blanks. When connecting them together, it is necessary to insert a rubber asterisk. It turns out that the caterpillar is driven from the drive sprocket with a chain drive. It is installed on the rear fork.
After that, you should assemble the entire caterpillar into a single whole.
The vertical arc must be equipped with a steel sleeve through which the wheel axle passes. A mechanism is attached to the lug on this sleeve, which fixes the design of the rear fork. Caterpillar balancers are attached to the remaining ears of the all-terrain vehicle. The mover is ready for use.
As you can see, you can make a caterpillar in different ways, the main thing is to have patience and desire.
Those who like to go fishing often in winter often face the problem of cross-country ability. After all, it is not always possible even on an SUV to drive directly to the bank of the river, and even more so to the very place of fishing. The way out of this situation is a caterpillar snowmobile. However, the price of such equipment in stores is sometimes not affordable, and therefore there is a need to make such a device with your own hands. In today's article, we will look at how it is done on tracks and what you need to have for this.
Caterpillar
First of all, you should start with the most complex structural element of the snowmobile - the tracks. Along with the motor, it is the main driving element of all equipment. In order to make it, you first need to draw up drawings of home-made snowmobiles on tracks (like in our second photo).
So you will know the exact sequence of work performed and do not forget about any small detail. And now about how to make a caterpillar in practice. To do this, we need to take a plastic pipe (about 40 millimeters in diameter) and 2 strips. The number of pieces of strips depends on how long your caterpillar will be. Working with these parts, or rather, their processing is easily done on a circular or (grinder). In this case, you need to cut through the part one wall at a time. This is necessary to ensure the accuracy of the work performed. How to connect the transport tape with the halves of the cut pipe? To do this, we need two, while the diameter of their thread should be about 6 millimeters. If we combine this value of the elements with the manufactured structure, the step between the lugs at the exit will be 93 millimeters.
When "baiting" pipe parts with their cut side out, be sure to maintain a step distance between them. If the offset is 3 or more millimeters, this will lead to inconsistent operation of the teeth of the drive gear and the belt itself, due to which slippage will begin in the snowmobile. And this already leads to a loss of control. This discrepancy can lead to the fact that the belt can simply slide off the rollers.
It is important to observe the dimension of the caterpillar. How long it will be directly depends on the power of the engine on which it will work homemade snowmobile. On tracks, it is necessary to calculate the nominal pressure of all equipment on its plane. Thus, the curb weight of the snowmobile relative to the roadway should be no more than 0.4 kg / cm 2.
How to drill tape?
Homemade snowmobiles on caterpillar tracks work quite well on tapes drilled with a conventional drill. However, in order for the device to work as long as possible, you need to regrind the drill to work with rubber in advance. You must first purchase a tool designed for processing wooden surfaces. Never use metal drills.
Other chassis parts
With the rest of the units, things will be easier. For example, components such as axles and rubber wheels, Buranovskiye drive sprockets and protected bearings can be purchased at any specialized store. By the way, it is better to buy inflatable wheels. This technique will be softer on the go. The axle can be taken from a simple garden cart (two-axle). If necessary, you can cut it off or, conversely, expand it to suitable technique values. If you do not have the opportunity to purchase a drive shaft in a store, you can try to make it on lathe. At self-manufacturing shaft, pay attention to the fact that in terms of its size it fits the bearings well.
Homemade snowmobile on tracks: frame
It will perform the main bearing function for us and hold all the details, including the engine, in one whole. By the way, as a motor, you can use the power plant from a motorcycle along with a gearbox. But back to the frame. We will make it from a steel section with a diameter of 25x25 millimeters. At the same time, it must be welded in such a way that it has two longitudinal and three transverse beams. The presence of these parts on the frame will significantly strengthen its design.
Completing the work
Finally, about how to install a homemade snowmobile on tracks. In the process of assembling a snowmobile, it is necessary to make two rotary bushings here. This will be your steering gear. How it's done? A water coupling must be welded to the front beam with internal thread 1/3 inch and screw the nozzles into them with external thread. The nozzles already have ski racks and welded bipods for tie rods. By the way, you can use skis from the usual Argamak children's car. But before that, first prepare them for installation: attach the corners of the swivel rack and cut the metal. This will greatly improve the agility and handling of the snowmobile at high speeds.
Many people involved in the manufacture homemade technology, are also developing tracked all-terrain vehicles and home-made caterpillars for motoblock. When translating this idea into reality, people use a variety of solutions. But the manufacture of caterpillars remains a big problem for lovers of this type of transport. After all, if an all-terrain vehicle or a snowmobile is made by hand, then the caterpillars must be homemade.
Homemade caterpillars from tires
Among DIYers, it is very common to make caterpillars using car tires. To do this, tires are selected that have a suitable tread pattern from trucks.
To make such a caterpillar, you need to cut the bead from the tire, and leave the treadmill. This is a rather laborious work that requires good patience, because the tool used is a sharpened shoe knife.
To make the work easier, from time to time the knife blade can be moistened with soapy water to cut rubber faster. One option is to apply makeshift fixture for cutting, or use a jigsaw with a fine-tooth saw blade.
After cutting off the sides, if the track turned out to be too hard, you can remove the extra layers of rubber inside the resulting ring. If the tread pattern is not suitable for the conditions of use, then a new lug structure is cut.
The undoubted advantage of a homemade caterpillar from a tire over a caterpillar from a conveyor belt is in an initially closed loop, and therefore reliability. The minus of this caterpillar is the limited width of the workpiece, which can be corrected by using a double-width option.
Homemade caterpillar for a motorized towing vehicle
Do-it-yourself homemade tape caterpillar
Continuation of the assembly of the caterpillar from the tape
Do-it-yourself caterpillar can be made by any master. If you have been thinking about how to make a caterpillar for a long time, then you should read the recommendations presented. To carry out the work, you can use a variety of tools and materials. It is permissible, of course, to use, if necessary, a caterpillar that was produced in a factory. But it will cost much more than if you do it yourself. The article will present several options for making caterpillars, one of which you can choose for yourself.
A simple way to make a caterpillar
Do-it-yourself caterpillar can be made using the simplest technology. This will take you the minimum amount of time. The caterpillar mover can be made on the basis of a bush-roller chain, as well as a conveyor belt. To carry out the work, you need to prepare some set of special tools or equipment. In order to extend the life of the tape, it is recommended to sew its edges with a fishing line, strengthening it at a distance of 1 cm. It is necessary to use the principle that seamstresses use to overcast the edges of the fabric, which will protect the tape from damage.
A do-it-yourself caterpillar can be made by conjugating elements into a single ring, this can be done in several ways. So, it is permissible to use a hinge like a piano loop, you can also use a less reliable method, which involves sewing on the ends of the tape. It is important to consider that the thickness of the tape must be chosen, which corresponds to the power of the motor. If it is intended to use an engine from a domestically produced motorcycle, then a tape with a thickness of 10 mm can be used, similar to that used on agricultural conveyors.
If the caterpillar with your own hands is made using this technology, then you will not have to spend a lot of effort. Despite the fact that such a caterpillar model is made quite simply, it has long term service and great resource.
Making caterpillars from car tires
You can make a caterpillar yourself using car tires. To carry out the work, it is necessary to select tires borrowed from trucks, it is recommended to use a suitable tread pattern, while you will spend less effort when working with the tire. The manufacture of such a caterpillar must be carried out by cutting out the sides from the tire, while leaving room for the treadmill. It should be noted that this work is quite laborious and involves the application a large number patience and strength, it is necessary to use an exceptionally well-sharpened shoe knife.
In order for less effort to be expended in the manufacture of a caterpillar for a car with your own hands, it is possible from time to time to wet the blade using a soapy solution. As an alternative solution, you can use a device designed for cutting, it is also acceptable to use an electric jigsaw. On the latter, you first need to fix a file with small teeth, the file must also be pre-moistened with water, in the process of work, such manipulations must be performed periodically.
Work technology
Do-it-yourself caterpillars for a car must be made using a technology that involves the initial removal of the bead from the tires, after which, if necessary, you need to remove the extra layers that are located on the wrong side of the formed ring, this is necessary if the track has increased hardness. If the tread pattern is not suitable, then you need to cut a new structure, which will be necessary in order for the structure to be able to cling to the soil.
A do-it-yourself caterpillar for a snowmobile, made according to the above scheme, will have many advantages, even if compared with the above option. This is due to the fact that it has a closed loop, which indicates reliability. But there are also disadvantages, one of which is expressed in the limited width of the caterpillar, but if there is a need, then a double width can be applied.
Making caterpillars from belts
The next version of the caterpillar is especially attractive because in the process of work you will not have to spend extra effort. Before starting, it is necessary to prepare belts that have a wedge-shaped profile. They have to be joined together using soil hooks, which are fixed with screws, as an alternative solution, rivets can be used. The result is a do-it-yourself snowmobile caterpillar that has holes for the drive sprocket. In order to form holes, it will be necessary to leave some space between the straps.
Another option for making a caterpillar
Before you make a caterpillar with your own hands, you need to choose the technology for the work. You can also use the method below. The frame of the propellers can be welded using pipes that have a rectangular cross section. It is recommended to connect them using a frame, this will make the design collapsible. The splined part can be borrowed from Buran, this will make it possible to make drive shafts, they need to be welded to the splined part of the shafts, which are borrowed from Oka. It will be necessary to use brake discs. Working on the front shafts, you need to install brakes on them. Some part of the gearbox housing needs to be cut off. Making a caterpillar with your own hands will not only save money, but also move around a snowy area without any problems. This design can be used for a long time without the need for repairs.
Real SUVs have high cross-country ability (I mean, not urban SUVs). However, their cross-country ability is often limited, and it is understandable that this is not a “make it real” tank. For example, on snowy slopes or swampy meadows, such a car is already ineffective. We have to resort to tractors and all-terrain vehicles on caterpillars, but tuning does not stand still, but develops by leaps and bounds, so in just an hour you can put your jeep, even if it is a UAZ or NIVA, on tracks, removing the wheels, so we repeatedly increase the cross-country ability ...
The effectiveness of the tracks has long been proven, but the conversion of a car to such a chassis would mean a deep modernization of the suspension, which is very costly and not always possible. Therefore, we needed such caterpillars that would sit in regular places on the wheels, practically on standard hubs, without deep technical changes. And you know, such options have been around for a long time! Moreover, you can remake almost any car, but of course it is more efficient to remake frame jeeps, or SUVs with high traffic, such as our NIVA.
Design principle
Now they are selling, as it were, blocks for all four wheels of a car, we just remove the standard wheels, fasten special adapters to the hubs - we put on the tracks.
No, they are not large, but they correspond exactly to the dimensions of your car, they just fit into standard wheel arches, there are even options for cars, although this is a bit absurd.
The design is also simple, there is a powerful triangular metal frame, with five (sometimes more) pairs of rollers at the bottom and one large one at the top. On which a caterpillar made using a special technology is put on (many will say it looks like rubber), but this is not entirely true, wear resistance and elasticity are at a high level, they remain soft even at sub-zero temperatures. Of course, no one will give you the composition of the material.
A standard wheel hub is installed in the upper “big” roller and sits on a rigid hitch, so that the rotating hub will transmit the rotation of the entire structure, and the all-terrain vehicle is ready for you. The big plus is that you can turn the steering wheel like on a regular car with wheels, also when you just need to remove the tracks and put on ordinary wheels.
Track dimensions
Of course, many are now interested in the size. So I want to run through them quickly. I personally will take the option for our cars, for example, for NIVA, since it is more in demand.
Width - ranges from 320 mm to 450 mm
Height - about 700 mm
Length - approximately 1000 mm.
Weight - 80 - 100 kg.
From the side it resembles a triangle, and therefore it will climb into any wheel arch.
Manufacturers
In fairness, it should be noted that they were developed in the USA, and only after that they dispersed around the world. Now they make several dozens, and maybe hundreds of companies around the world, including Russia.
If we take imported options, then the most eminent of all is the company - Mattracks, this is one of the founders of the production of such "skating rinks". True, their prices bite, for the price of a kit you can buy a Russian car.
If we take domestic manufacturers, then Chelyabinsk can be distinguished here, it is there that rollers for NIVA, UAZ, etc. are produced. The cost is several times lower than that of foreign analogues.
Main advantages
The advantages are obvious - improved patency. And also an increase. Deep snow in the fields, swamps of small swamps, and simply "well" washed out roads become easy obstacles. If you take what these tracks were originally developed for, it is to overcome deep snow, they were made for rescuers on mountain roads, where ordinary SUVs simply do not pass. What can I say, the caterpillars have proven themselves only from the best side.
For example, watch the video where NIVA easily passes in deep snow, and “calmly” unfolds.
Changing shoes from ordinary wheels does not require any changes in the suspension design, you can remove the wheels and hang the tracks with your own hands in just 1 hour. And if you need to return the wheels back - an hour and they are in place. This adds a very big plus.
Minuses
Of course, there are also disadvantages, where without them. The first, but obviously one of the most important, is the use on asphalt roads - here you need to maintain a special speed limit, almost all manufacturers recommend moving at a speed of no more than 40 km / h, otherwise the caterpillar itself wears out very quickly, you just throw it away.
The second is that it is difficult, and I would even say impossible, for such “skating rinks” to overcome a fallen tree, not even a significant one 10–15 cm high, ordinary SUV wheels would simply run over it, but caterpillars would not.
Third, this is a rather high price, although I will dwell on this in more detail.
Price
Needless to say, this is a very expensive pleasure. It is not entirely rational to take for fun and "rides" on snow-covered fields.
Foreign analogues cost from 3500 to 10500 dollars. What is now at the rate of about 230 to 700,000 rubles!
Domestic manufacturers hold amounts from 100 to 250,000 rubles.
Prices "walk" from your car (the more, the more expensive), load, track width, etc.
Is it possible to do it yourself?
YES of course you can, why not! After all, they are also made by people. However, you will need to do technical research, calculate the load, weld the triangle. Look for rollers and the canvas itself (many make old rubber). As you can see, not everything is so simple - although it should be noted that it is feasible.
