How to make rubber tracks. Making a caterpillar with your own hands: photos, drawings, recommendations

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 prolong 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 a long service life and a long 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 is worth considering that this work is quite laborious and involves the application of a large amount of patience and strength, and 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.

Many residents of northern latitudes and places with poor traffic are engaged in the development and assembly of various vehicles with high traffic. Tracked all-terrain vehicles were no exception. There are a large number of different options for creating such a technique. But the most problematic issue for designers of all-terrain vehicles is the manufacture of tracks.

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 propellers, which practically do not differ in their technical characteristics from the factory ones.

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 in any 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, has proven itself to be excellent. 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 use an electric jigsaw, with a fine-toothed file fixed to 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.

After people see the prices for snowmobiles in the store, they ask how to make a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor, how expensive and difficult is it? How does the manufacture of homemade products begin - a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor? First you need to determine how much engine power to use. We used a 6 horsepower motoblock engine as an engine. Usually, four-stroke engines with forced air or water cooling are installed on walk-behind tractors.

You can also use a reverse gear, centrifugal clutch, steering and fuel tank from a walk-behind tractor. Next, you need to think about the propulsion of the snowmobile. Most of them are fitted with a caterpillar drive.

The best homemade - a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor

In the manufacture of a home-made snowmobile, tracks from other snowmobiles are used for it, or home-made ones assembled from improvised materials. After choosing a track, you need to decide what type of suspension to use. You need to choose from two main types: suspension on rollers and skid suspension.

Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages. After that, it is important to decide what kind of layout the snowmobile will have. Typically, a snowmobile is equipped with two steering skis in front and a caterpillar block in the back.

The engine can be mounted either at the rear or at the front of the snowmobile.

How to make a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor

This snowmobile can be made in a few weekends in the country in the garage. At first glance, its design looks very simple. If we compare its patency in wet or loose snow, it will not yield to many industrial-made snowmobiles.

The creation of a snowmobile proceeded from the principle: the smaller the weight and the larger the size of the caterpillar, the higher its cross-country ability in deep and loose snow. Therefore, the design will be as light as possible.

How to make a homemade snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor on tracks

Four wheels are installed inside the caterpillar. When movement occurs, they roll along the conveyor belt, with fixed lugs. The caterpillar drive is carried out by a chain from the motor, special drive sprockets, through the driven shaft. They were taken from Buran.

The engine is taken from a conventional walk-behind tractor, the power of which is 6 hp. You can't accelerate quickly on it. The soft suspension of the ski and track was removed, because the snowmobile is intended for driving on loose snow. This design was simplified and the weight of the snowmobile was reduced.

Making caterpillars for a snowmobile

Consider the process of making a caterpillar. Plastic water pipe 40 mm, cut to 470 mm long. Of these, blanks for lugs will be made. After that, each of them is sawn lengthwise into equal parts with a circular saw.

Grousers are fastened with furniture bolts to the conveyor belt. When a track is being made, it is extremely important to keep the same distance between the lugs. Otherwise, there will be a "running" on the teeth of the drive sprocket, as a result of which the caterpillar will slip and slide off the rollers.

To drill holes for mounting bolts in the conveyor belt, a jig was made. To drill holes, a wood drill with a special sharpening was used.

This jig allows six holes to be drilled simultaneously in the conveyor belt to attach three track lugs. Also, drive sprockets (2 pcs), an inflatable rubber wheel (4 pcs), sealed bearings No. 205 (2 pcs) were purchased.

The turner made the support for the bearings and the caterpillar drive shaft. The frame of the snowmobile is self-made. For this, square pipes 25x25 mm were used. The articulated axes of rotation of the steering wheel and skis are in the same plane and on the same line, so a continuous tie rod without ball tips was used.

Ski turn bushings are quite easy to make. A water coupling is welded onto the front cross beam of the frame, the internal thread of which is 3/4 inch. There are screwed pipes with external threads. I welded bipods of ski racks and tie rods to them. Corners are installed on the skis, which serve as an attachment to the snowmobile's turntable. A metal undercut is made from below in order to better control the snowmobile while driving on packed snow or crust.

Chain tension adjustable by motor displacement

Driving a snowmobile is quite simple. To increase the engine speed, use the throttle, which is located on the steering wheel. This engages the automatic centrifugal clutch, causing the snowmobile to move forward. Since the engine power is small, the speed of the snowmobile is 10-15 km/h. Therefore, no brakes are provided. To stop you need to slow down the engine.

Caterpillars are made in any width. Choose what is more convenient to do: a narrow but long caterpillar, or a wide but short one. It is important to remember that a larger track will put more stress on the engine and make it harder to steer the snowmobile. If the caterpillar is made small, then the car can fail in deep snow.

The weight of the snowmobile with all parts turned out to be 76 kg. It included: steering wheel and engine (25 kg), skis (5 kg), wheels with axles (9 kg), drive shaft (7 kg), caterpillar (9 kg), seat with racks (6 kg).

You can reduce the weight of some parts. For a snowmobile of this size with a track, the weight is quite satisfactory.

Characteristics of the resulting homemade snowmobile

frame length 2000 mm;
track width 470 mm;
between axial distance of basic skating rinks of 1070 mm.

Homemade snowmobile from walk-behind tractor video

When operating in off-road conditions, tracked vehicles have undeniable advantages over wheeled transport due to its all-terrain qualities, allowing to overcome deep loose snow, muddy arable land or rocky ford.

The popularity of caterpillar vehicles among domestic users is so great that many home craftsmen independently "change shoes" of their wheeled vehicles into homemade products - caterpillars made from improvised materials.

One of the options for re-equipment is the use of old tires from MTZ tractors, which allows significantly improve permeability personal auto and motorcycle equipment with minimal financial outlay.

For a tracked vehicle of any purpose, whether it is a tank or a snowmobile, the translational motion is provided by a tracked propulsion unit (MD).

It uses two driving factors:

• torque M to transmitted from the engine/power drive to the drive wheels;
• adhesion of tracks to the ground.

A caterpillar or caterpillar chain of the main engine is a link structure, which is a continuous continuous tape or chain.

For full adhesion to the ground surface, the caterpillar equipped with relief protrusions serving as active lugs.

The principle of the caterpillar drive is illustrated by the kinematic scheme of the main engine, located below. The diagram shows the following items:

• pos. 1 - caterpillar;
• pos. 2 - supporting rollers that prevent sagging of the track web;
• pos. 3 - drive sprocket (drive wheel), which converts the torque from the engine into the traction force necessary for the forward movement of the machine;
• pos. 4 - track rollers that ensure full contact of the track web with the surface of the ground support;
• pos. 5 - shock absorbers;
• pos. 6 - guide wheel, which serves to direct the translational movement of the machine, and transfers part of its weight to the ground.

Caterpillar movement carried out as follows:

1. The drive sprocket (pos. 3) is supplied with torque M k.
2. The rotating sprocket rewinds the continuous belt/track chain (key 2).
3. The caterpillar (pos. 2) is in close contact with the support surface (soil, loose soil, etc.). It is affected by:

• force R z - the reaction of the supporting surface, which the caterpillar transmits to the vehicle frame;
• tangential reaction of the soil support P k.

The rewindable belt/track chain is continuously laid in the direction of the forward movement of the vehicle on the surface of the ground support under the track rollers, creating for the wheels of the machine path with lower driving resistance than on soft ground.

During the movement, the caterpillar belt rises from the supporting surface and transfers the pushing force to the vehicle frame.

The specific pressure on the support (ground) along the length of the caterpillar is uneven - increased in the area of ​​the drive sprockets, reduced - in the front part in the area of ​​the idler wheel (pos. 6). The maximum pressure on the ground from the main engine is in the area of ​​the road wheels (pos. 4).

Advantages of homemade main engines from MTZ tires

Due to the continuous laying of the track under the rollers of the machine, during the movement, a large contact area of ​​the tape with the ground, which significantly reduces the average pressure of the machine on the soil.

The range of average pressure on the soil of equipment with a main engine is from 11.8 to 118 kN / sq.m (from 0.12 to 1.2 kgf / sq. cm), which is much lower than the pressure of a human foot.

Such low pressures ensure that the equipment does not sink into the ground, marshy soil or snow. By varying the size of the surface area in the zone of contact of the caterpillar with the support, an optimal ratio of the vehicle's cross-country ability with its traction force for towing cargo is achieved.

When equipping vehicles with caterpillar tracks, homemade Samodelkins use a conveyor belt or tires from automobile and tractor wheels.

The photo below shows homemade all-terrain vehicle on caterpillars from a reinforced type conveyor belt 250 mm wide. Grousers 25 mm high are used.

Tracked all-terrain vehicle from a conveyor belt:

For most craftsmen, the preferred starting materials for the manufacture of the main engine are old tires from MTZ tractors of various models.

The main advantages of MTZ tires, as a starting material, and the tracks themselves, made from these tires, include the following factors:

1. Availability old MTZ tires. Quite often, after dismantling, they are stored in the depths of the utility yards of enterprises, cluttering up the territory.
2. The tire is a closed continuous structure, does not require stitching ends ribbons.
3. On a caterpillar platform from a tractor tire no need to build up lugs, since the tires have a pronounced tread pattern of the factory design.
4. MTZ wheel tires have high strength and wear resistance, ensuring reliable trouble-free operation of the track on soils containing sharp stones.
5. Versatility Applications – Tires can be selected for all types of tracked vehicles, including measures to modernize equipment or increase the width of the tracks.
6. Recycling used tractor tires solves the most important problem of dismantled wheels disposal – the possibility of their reuse.

From shortcomings work with tractor tires note two circumstances:

• limited fixed length of the caterpillar, due to the size of the blank tire;
• the need to double two tires when mounting a caterpillar with a width exceeding the width of one blank tire.

Requirements for the conversion of equipment to caterpillars

The figure shows the simplest in design homemade - a cart with caterpillars made of tires.

The re-equipment of equipment on the main engine is carried out solely for the utilitarian considerations of pragmatic owners of wheeled vehicles or motor vehicles who wished improve all-terrain qualities their "helpers".

For all models of equipment intended for driving in the field, the market offers serial versions of industrial-made main engines.

However, all this costs a lot of money, and tires free or very cheap.

Many users of equipment manage on their own, in the conditions of a home workshop, to make caterpillars from tractor tires, install them on their machines and successfully operate in off-road conditions.

Regardless of the type of car or motor vehicle, the masters take into account the following factors:

1. To install the mechanisms of the main engine, it is necessary to equip special frame structures increased strength and rigidity, able to withstand increased weight and dynamic loads.
2. When using improvised means, many craftsmen use pneumatic wheels as tensioners, as well as a pair of driving and driven wheels. The tape is put on flat tires, which are then inflated, creating the required track tension.
3. The owner of the equipment must clearly determine the purpose of the machine in order to select the optimal dimensions for the width and length of the track.
4. Taking into account the increase in weight and traction loads on the engine after the installation of the main engine, it is necessary to optimize the correspondence between the maximum power of the engine and the width of the track. Otherwise, the engine breaks down quickly.

When choosing the ratio of engine power and the width of the belt of a self-made caterpillar installation you can follow the price lists on all-terrain vehicles equipped with serial tracks.

Below we will consider the categories of machines that are most popular among craftsmen when retrofitting to a caterpillar track.

The main categories of popular equipment equipped with a main engine

The list of models of household vehicles and motor vehicles operating on loose snow and marshy soils is unusually wide.

The very names of machines, adopted in everyday life, indicate their scope.

Snowmobiles

This is a vehicle designed to move on loose snow.

In contrast to the anglicism “snowmobile”, which means any vehicle adapted to driving on snow (aerosleighs, all-terrain vehicles on caterpillars and pneumatic wheels, etc.), in Russia only a snowmobile is called ski-caterpillar means of movement(rear main engine, in front - skis instead of the front wheel) with motorcycle-type controls.

For utility snowmobiles, the engine power is 30-40 hp, the track width ranges from 38 cm to 50 cm and even 60 cm.

Accordingly, if the master sets as his task the creation of a machine for moving on virgin snow with a load, then he should be guided by these indicators.

Similar parameters must be maintained when creating the so-called snow and swamp vehicles.

If the master needs make a faster snowmobile(by the type of sports), then the width of the caterpillar from the tire can be reduced.

The weight loads of the speedster are much lower than those of the cargo utility.

The picture shows a motorcycle-based snowmobile fitted with a homemade 23 cm wide track cut from an excavator tire.

Otherwise, a do-it-yourself homemade caterpillar for a snowmobile is made according to the basic principle.

ATVs

They are commonly referred to as any vehicle capable of moving off-road and even overcome water barriers.

There are plenty of all-terrain vehicles for industrial production:

• SUVs;
• swamps;
• amphibians;
• caterpillar tractors and conveyors;
• quad bikes;
• machines of the ATV category, etc.

Their cost not everyone can afford, therefore, in home workshops, they prefer to create their own exclusive products, “changing shoes” for their cars on tire tracks made by themselves for an all-terrain vehicle.

Depending on the engine power of the vehicle, wider canvases can be allowed.

For homemade all-terrain vehicles with a 40-70 hp engine. and small weight load enough tape width 30-40 cm.

For vehicles based on UAZ vehicles with an engine of 110-150 hp. track width required 40 cm with support rollers (6 pcs.) and supporting rollers (3 pcs.).

Naturally, to overcome the water barrier, the height of the profile of the tractor tire will not be enough, it is necessary to install high lugs.

The figure shows an all-terrain vehicle based on the Oka vehicle with a tire track.

Motoblocks

Presented by numerous mobile devices based on a single axle chassis. Home-made versions of motoblocks converted to the State Duma are widely in demand among rural residents and owners of country houses or summer cottages.

The motivation for independent re-equipment of units, bypassing the purchase of serial tracks, is obvious.

The cost of a wheeled walk-behind tractor NEVA does not exceed $1000. USA, while the simplest cars adapted for driving on snow are estimated at 5-10 thousand dollars. and higher.

The drive power of the walk-behind tractor (5-8 hp) is enough to successfully operate as an all-weather vehicle

motorized dogs

Motorized towing vehicles, nicknamed motorized dogs in everyday speech, are a mechanical coupling of a sled with a towing vehicle on a main engine. The driver and cargo are placed in the sleigh.

Serial models are produced in a wide range of drive power (from 6 to 30 hp) and are equipped with a main engine made of rubber-metal belt up to 60 cm wide.

Home craftsmen usually make tugs based on a 15 hp engine from improvised means, installing caterpillars from tires 500 mm wide.

Such self-made motorized dogs are capable of transporting sleds with a load of up to 700 kg, developing a speed of up to 40-50 km / h.

Most often, a homemade caterpillar for a motorized dog is made from a tire to save money.

The photo shows a homemade towing vehicle based on a walk-behind tractor.

Algorithm for making a caterpillar belt with your own hands

The caterpillar tape for any model from the categories of equipment listed above is made from tires of various sizes corresponding to the chosen design. We will analyze step by step how to make a caterpillar from a tire.

Tape manufacturing works are of a unified nature and are subject to a common algorithm.

Special knowledge in the manufacture of a caterpillar from a tractor or automobile tire is not required, however certain locksmith skills are indispensable.

The process of forming a caterpillar track from an MTZ tire consists of several stages:

1. A tire with a slightly worn tread pattern is selected.
2. The track is being cut for the caterpillar using a sharply sharpened shoe knife. Working with a sharp knife is traumatic and requires increased caution and attention.
3. To make the rubber cut better, a knife is recommended periodically soak in soapy water.
4. Cutting with a knife can be successfully replaced jigsaw to avoid possible injury.
5. Cut off both sides tires.
6. Excess material is removed from the inside of the tire.

The criterion for a job well done is straight cut without frayed edges of the resulting tape.

Thus, the caterpillar element is ready for use:

Related videos

You can see a homemade caterpillar for a snowmobile from a tire in action in this video:

Conclusion

Making homemade caterpillars to convert vehicles to caterpillars is a very popular way to expand the functionality of machines at minimal cost.

The use of dismantled old tractor tires for the main engine contributes to solving the issues of recycling old tires without the use of traditional waste recycling methods - incineration, grinding, chemical treatment, etc.

In contact with

Fishermen, hunters and winter sports enthusiasts use snowmobiles to get to the best places. Even inexpensive models of such equipment cost about a hundred thousand rubles, more often - more. Those who want to save money can assemble a homemade snowmobile on tracks in an ordinary garage workshop. The cost of parts for construction does not exceed 40 thousand rubles.

Snowmobile device

Homemade snowmobiles are arranged on caterpillar tracks. The tracks are driven by an internal combustion engine mounted on a rigid metal frame. They are supported in working position by wheels and special rollers. Main options:

• With a solid or fractured frame.
• With rigid or shock-absorbed suspension.
• With an engine from a walk-behind tractor or from a motorized carriage.

Short skis are used for steering. Light snowmobiles (weighing up to 100 kg), designed for movement at a maximum speed of up to 15 km / h, do not require mandatory equipment with a brake system. They stop easily when the engine speed drops. Make a homemade snowmobile on tracks it is possible according to the algorithm:

1. Selection of the engine, calculation of the frame and chassis.
2. Frame assembly by spot welding.
3. Steering device.
4. Installing the engine in the design position on a temporary mount.
5. Checking the structure for resistance to overturning.
6. Upon successful verification - major frame welding, engine installation.
7. Installation of the drive system, bridges.
8. Assembly and installation of caterpillars.
9. Assembly of body parts.

After that, the final tests are carried out. If the snowmobile rides normally and does not tip over, then it is driven into the garage and disassembled. The frame is cleaned of rust, painted in 2 layers, the rest of the elements are finished, after which they assemble a home-made snowmobile on tracks with their own hands.

Engine selection

Gasoline engines are used for walk-behind tractors or wheelchairs. The engine speed is controlled by the throttle placed on the handlebar. To make a homemade caterpillar snowmobile with your own hands, the easiest way is use ready-made small-volume engines for walk-behind tractors with pre-installed:

• Fuel tank.
• Ignition system.
• A reduction gear with a ratio of 1:2.
• Centrifugal clutch, automatically activated when the speed increases.

The power of these motors does not exceed 10 horsepower, but they are easy to install: the master does not need to separately assemble the ignition system, supply fuel pipes, adjust the clutch, etc. There are different options on the market:

brand	Model	Power, l. With.	Volume, cm3	Weight, kg	Approximate price, thousand rubles
Kipor	KG160S	4,1	163	15,5	20−25
Sadko	GE-200R	6,5	196	15,7	15−20
Lifan	168 FD-R	5,5	196	18,0	15−20
Zongshen	ZS168FB4	6,5	196	16,0	10−15
Nomad	NT200R	6,5	196	20,1	10−15
Bright	BR-177F-2R	9,0	270	30,0	10−15
Honda	GX-270	9,0	270	25,0	45−50

If it is not possible to purchase a ready-made engine from a walk-behind tractor, then you can use the engine from a motorized carriage. Such engines are more powerful by 10-15 horsepower, but require self-assembly. The system includes:

• Engine.
• Clutch.
• Reducer.
• Gas tank (volume 5-10 liters).
• Muffler.
• Generator.
• Switch and electronic ignition coil.

Some of the elements are suitable from old motorcycles (Minsk, Vostok, Java, Ural). The gas tank is located as close as possible to the carburetor in order to reduce the length of the pipes.

Frame and body

Before work, it is recommended to draw up a drawing of the frame. The structure is welded from a 25 x 25 mm square tube with a wall thickness of 2 mm. With a payload of more than 150 kg, the cross-sectional size is increased to 30 x 25 mm. The loading area and body elements are sheathed with plywood. Seats are selected with a hydrophobic coating.

In the center of the fracture frame, a hinge is located that allows rotation around a vertical axis. The maximum angle of rotation is limited by welding metal plates. The front half is used for steering, and the engine is placed on the rear frame.

The whole frame is welded in the form of a rectangle, inside which bridges and caterpillars are located. The engine is placed in front on a special platform, rigidly welded to the rest of the frame. In both cases, the motor is placed in the transverse direction (the shaft goes to the end).

Drive system

A drive sprocket of small diameter is installed on the output shaft of the engine. From it, the torque is transmitted through the chain to the driven shaft, located under the engine seat. On the driven shaft are:

• Large diameter driven sprocket.
• Gear wheels that drive the tracks.
• Track guides.

The driven shaft is mounted on the frame with bearings. The gear wheels push the tracks, setting the tracks in motion. The chain and sprockets are removed from one device. Old motorcycles, snowmobiles ("Buran") are suitable for the role of a donor. Gear wheels for tracks are removed only from other tracked vehicles.

The guide rollers rotate with the shaft, are mounted next to the gear wheels and serve to tension the belt. They are made of wood or plastic, with a layer of soft rubber on the ends. Rubber prevents track damage. It is easy to make such rollers yourself by fixing the edging with a furniture stapler.

Calculation and assembly of the caterpillar

The caterpillar is a tape, on the outer surface of which tracks are fixed. Trucks are rigid lugs installed along the entire length of the tracks. Track options:

• From a transport tape 3 mm thick.
• From a car tire.
• From V-belts.
• Ready-made caterpillars of factory production.

The conveyor belt must be looped. Its strength is only sufficient for light snowmobiles with engines no more powerful than 10 hp. With. Car tires are stronger than tape, they are suitable for powerful engines. One-piece tires do not need to be looped, so the likelihood of a break is minimal. It is more difficult to choose a tire of the desired length than a tape.

Ready caterpillars are removed from other similar equipment (snowmobiles "Buran", "Sherkhan"). Lugs are installed on them from the factory. Products are not suitable for use with low-power motors from walk-behind tractors. Homemade snowmobiles from "Buranovsky" caterpillars must have gear wheels from the same "donor".

The size of the caterpillar is selected according to the required driving characteristics: the greater the width, the lower the handling, but the higher the cross-country ability. The minimum area of ​​the contact patch from the snowmobile (skis and caterpillars) must be such that the pressure from the equipped vehicle does not exceed 0.4 kg/cm 2 of the surface. Light snowmobiles use a 300 mm wide conveyor belt, cut lengthwise into 2 strips of 150 mm.

Tape preparation

Trucks are mounted on self-made tracks with M6 bolts with a wide head. The bolts are fixed with a nut, a washer and a grover are used. Before fastening, leading holes with a diameter of 6 mm are drilled in the tape and tracks. When drilling, a jig and wood drills with special sharpening are used.

The conveyor belt is also looped with M6 bolts. To do this, the edges of the tape are superimposed on each other with an overlap of 3-5 cm, the connection contains 1-2 rows of bolts. For track width 150mm withstand the following distances:

• From the edge of the tape 15-20 mm.
• Between the bolts on the tracks 100-120 mm.
• Between bolts when banding 25−30 mm.

In total, 2 bolts go to one track, 5-10 bolts to one tape connection, depending on the number of rows. When using car tires, only the treadmill is left, and the sidewalls are removed with a shoe knife.

Tracks are made of a polyethylene pipe with a diameter of 40 mm with a wall thickness of 5 mm, sawn in half in the longitudinal direction. The whole section of the lug is adjacent to the tape. In light snowmobiles, one track connects the caterpillar pair. With a track width of 150 mm, the length of the track is 450-500 mm.

Grousers are cut with a circular saw on wood. They use a special machine with two guides (metal and wood), rigidly fixed on a fixed tabletop. The walls of the pipes are sawn in turn.

The distance between the tracks depends on the parameters of the gears on the drive shaft. Usually it is 5-7 cm. The specified distance is maintained with an error of no more than 3 mm. Otherwise, the operation of the drive is disrupted: the lugs “run into” the teeth of the drive wheels, the caterpillar begins to slip and fly off the rollers.

Chassis

Light snowmobiles designed for riding on loose snow are equipped with an articulated suspension made of an elongated M16 nut. This is a lightweight design with a simple device that does not provide comfortable driving performance homemade.

Tracked snowmobiles designed to ride on packed snow must have shock absorbers (from a motorcycle or moped). Shock absorbers are installed in the places where skis and bridges are attached to the frame. The suspension travel is selected so that the moving elements do not touch the snowmobile body during operation.

Helms and skis

The steering is output to two front skis according to a scheme structurally similar to the suspension. It is made from a threaded stud installed in an elongated M16 nut, rigidly welded to the frame. The steering wheel from a moped or motorcycle ("Minsk") is used.

In total, the design uses 3 plastic skis from a children's scooter (or home-made plywood 3 mm thick). A pair of front skis is used for taxiing. Skis up to 1 meter long are used, if necessary, reinforced with a steel pipe and plate.

The third ski is supporting, serves to maintain the tape in working condition. It is shorter than the rest, placed between the bridges (in the center). A T-beam is attached to the supporting ski, rigidly welded to the frame. On top of the beams are freely rotating rollers for tracks. Installation of this design is not needed if the caterpillar does not sag.

Bridge device

Bridges are placed under the loading area. One bridge takes 2 inflatable wheels from a garden cart and a metal rod. The wheels rotate freely and are not driven. In snowmobiles built on the basis of motors from walk-behind tractors, the wheels are half-inflated. Clamps are welded to the outer ends of the wheels, with the help of which the bridges are attached to the frame.

The front axle is fixed, its clamps are rigidly welded to the frame. The rear axle must move freely along the frame, as it serves to tension the track. Its latches provide for friction tightening of M10 bolts, fixing the bridge in working position.