Lightweight all-terrain vehicles with huge cameras are able to overcome severe off-road conditions that other types of off-road vehicles cannot pass. Self-made vehicles of this type are simple, since they do not have a complex technical base, which is what won the recognition of most home craftsmen. Such equipment is especially in demand among residents of rural areas, where precipitation greatly reduces the quality of roads, as well as among lovers of hunting, fishing and extreme recreation.
Varieties of homemade all-terrain vehicles
Depending on the type of construction and chassis, the following types of homemade all-terrain vehicles are distinguished:
- Boat swamps. They have a simple design and are relatively cheap to manufacture. They are equipped with an outboard motor and allow you to move around shallow waters.
- caterpillar swamp allows you to drive over overgrown water bodies, but it is rather complicated and expensive to manufacture, as it requires the attachment of a special type of caterpillars.
- All-terrain vehicle on low-pressure tires- the simplest and most promising type of swamp, the performance of which depends on the design and reliability of tires.
Some homemade products later become serial models. This happened with, which is now known all over the world.
Types of homemade all-terrain vehicles on low-pressure tires
Homemade all-terrain vehicles on low-pressure tires, having the same principle of off-road movement, may differ in type of design. There are the following main types of vehicles of this type:
1. All-wheel drive caracat. In its design, it uses transmission and chassis elements from obsolete types of cars. It has four-wheel drive, a transfer case, and an adapted boat hull in its lower part and tightness add buoyancy to the all-terrain vehicle. Designed to overcome swamps and swamps, capable of delivering goods and people to inaccessible areas.
2. Tricycle on low pressure tires. It features the simplest design, and can be made by almost any car enthusiast in a garage. The IZH Planet 3 motorcycle is often taken as the basis for such an all-terrain vehicle, thanks to its endurance and unpretentiousness. 
3. Homemade karakat with a motorized carriage engine FDD. Its feature is the location of the engine not under the frame or gas tank, but under the seat or at the rear of the all-terrain vehicle frame. Chassis parts are traditionally taken from cars, and motorcycle elements are used in the front. For the manufacture of the frame, pipes, channels and corners are used. 
4. All-terrain vehicles with low-pressure tires based on cars or ATVs. They are made using ready-made main units by reworking the transmission and chassis, as well as equipping them with low pressure tires. 
How to make an all-terrain vehicle on low pressure tires?
The work on the manufacture of an all-terrain vehicle begins with the preparation of an action plan, the full implementation of which means the achievement of the desired result. The following tips will help you save time and money:
- The availability of free time, allowing you to regularly perform work on the assembly of the all-terrain vehicle. In its absence, it is better not to start at all.
- Budget planning. Self-creation of an all-terrain vehicle allows you to save on the purchase of a serial model, but in order to eliminate unnecessary expenses, you need to make all the calculations and buy the necessary components and parts, as well as leave a certain amount for unforeseen expenses or breakdowns.
- Plan development. If you have experience in the development of vehicles or the makings of a design engineer, it is possible to independently create a drawing of an all-terrain vehicle. In the absence of such, they use someone else's experience and ready-made drawings, of which there are a sufficient number on the Internet.
DIY low pressure tires
Tires of this type visually resemble huge pillows that support the entire structure. The degree of adhesion in such wheels allows you to make the vehicle passable on any off-road. Depending on the design features, such tires are divided into the following types:
- Arched. They differ in increased dimensions in comparison with a standard wheel in width by 5 times, and have a thickness of up to 700 mm. The pressure in them, as in an ordinary ball, is 0.05 MPa. Mounted exclusively on the main drive.
- Wide profile. Differ in an oval design and pressure below standard up to 2 times. Most commonly used in trucks.
- Toroid. They are made in a chamber and tubeless version, they are highly popular among motorists.
- Pneumoroller, having lugs to improve cross-country characteristics, and stiffening ribs, giving the entire structure stability and strength.
The cost of factory-made low-pressure tires can be out of reach for many motorists. But for your own all-terrain vehicle, it is quite possible to make such a wheel on your own. Work is performed in the following order:
1. The choice of starting material, for example, tires for agricultural or aviation equipment, as well as other types of industrial vehicles. 
2. The tread is cleaned, washed and dried, after which the desired patterns are drawn to create your own pattern, as well as remove excess wire and rubber.
3. To remove excess wire, the inside of the wheel is trimmed and the cord is removed using.
4. Excess rubber is also removed with a winch, making cuts around the circumference, and fixing them with pliers to the cable, gently pulling and cutting with a knife.
5. After removing the tread layer, the surface is cleaned with sandpaper.
6. Assembling the disk. To do this, use a standard disc cut in half, or welded from plates and pipes, and then carefully polished to prevent damage to the chamber. 
7. The tire is pulled over the rim and secured with straps or a fire hose, after which it is inflated. The wheel is ready. 
What type of tread to choose for an all-terrain vehicle?
To select the right type of tread for an all-terrain vehicle with low-pressure tires, the following factors must be considered:
- The protector must be capable of self-cleaning. This property is especially relevant for the use of an all-terrain vehicle in harsh and wetlands.
- When using an all-terrain vehicle on peat bogs, tires are chosen with a low and shallow terrain, otherwise if their top layer breaks, the grip will be insufficient for full movement.
- When used in snowy areas and on sandstones, tires with a rare pattern are chosen.
Choosing an engine for an all-terrain vehicle
Most often, the following type is used as a power unit for self-manufacturing of an all-terrain vehicle:
- Motorcycle.
- ZAZ car.
- Motoblock.
- Domestic cars.
The presence of a certain engine in an all-terrain vehicle does not make a fundamental difference. It is more important to take into account such a feature as ensure sufficient cooling, since the vehicle is operated all year round in various temperature conditions and at low speeds. The ZAZ engine is excellent for this, well tolerated by temperature changes. All-terrain vehicles running on motor-block power units have also proven themselves from the best side.
Another main criterion for choosing an engine for future homemade is its power.
The reserve of power must be sufficient so that the all-terrain vehicle on low-pressure tires can drive out of mud, water, or deep snow.
By choosing a unit with a power reserve, they get the best performance, prevent overheating and create conditions for the longest possible service life.
Features of the chassis of the all-terrain vehicle
The undercarriage of all-terrain vehicles on low-pressure tires is made in the form to give the all-terrain vehicle the best off-road qualities, increase the comfort of driving a vehicle and ease of driving for the driver and passengers. This type of construction has the main drawback - the complexity of manufacturing.
To create it, pipes, corners and channels are used, made of durable alloy steel, creating a strong foundation that can go out for several years without breakdowns. The frame is made both solid and articulated. The latter has a high working potential, but the complexity of manufacturing makes it quite rare in home-made designs.
The sequence of self-assembly of the all-terrain vehicle
Assembling an all-terrain vehicle on low-pressure tires includes the following steps:
1. Selecting the type of all-terrain vehicle and the base on which units and parts will be mounted. For this, frames of cars or motorcycles are used, as well as a home-made design, developed on their own or borrowed from other people's drawings.
2. Manufacture and assembly of the suspension with the rear axle. For this, the optimal solution is independent design, and although much more time will be spent on its creation, the result will be an all-terrain vehicle with higher qualities of patency and ride comfort.
3. Mounting wheels. Produced after completion of work on the creation of the rear axle and suspension. Metal hubs are used to mount the cameras. Properly made or selected low pressure wheels will provide an all-terrain vehicle with increased driving safety and good handling. 
4. Mounting the engine. Particular attention is paid to the correct arrangement of the cooling system. 
5. Installation of additional systems. Includes the connection of the brake system, communications for the removal of exhaust gases, clutch and. At this stage, the body of the all-terrain vehicle and lighting devices are being installed.
6. Completion of work and implementation of a pilot test, which shows the performance of nodes and systems. If there are problems or points that need to be improved, the shortcomings are eliminated, after which the all-terrain vehicle is ready for operation. 
Video test homemade all-terrain vehicle
all terrain vehicle- This is a ground vehicle of high cross-country ability for movement in the absence of roads.
Related terms are: off-road vehicle, swamp vehicle, snow and swamp vehicle, caterpillar conveyor, caterpillar tractor, caterpillar equipment, all-terrain vehicle, ATV, ATV. All-terrain vehicles on low-pressure tires are colloquially referred to as karakats.
Snow and swamp vehicle Sherp
Russian-made amphibious all-terrain vehicle "Sherp" effectively solves the operational tasks of the units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, intelligence and medical services. With its help, it is possible to provide assistance in hard-to-reach areas, including swampy areas.
Wheels with a diameter of 160 cm are equipped with tires with extra low pressure. The presence of a special pneumocirculation suspension ensures uniform distribution of pressure inside the tires. This makes it easy to overcome obstacles up to 70-100 cm high. Tires are inflated using exhaust gas from the engine. Such an interconnected system allows you to completely pump up the wheels in 30 seconds.
Thanks to the special location of the protectors (ladder), the snow and swamp-going vehicle easily swims through water bodies. The speed on the water is 6 km / h, and on land the all-terrain vehicle is capable of gaining speed up to 45 km / h.
It is equipped with a steel body and seats with seat belts. Cargo carrying capacity reaches 1000 kg.
This specialized vehicle is an indispensable assistant for rescuers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations when conducting search and rescue activities in marshy and mountainous areas, areas with deep snow cover, as well as on soil with low load-bearing capacity.
The equipment is designed to work in harsh climatic conditions, transport cargo or people in areas where there are no passable roads. Reservoirs are also not an obstacle for him. It can tow cargo weighing up to 2 tons.
It has a sealed body, which includes a cabin (2 seats) and a cabin for 10 passengers, which is equipped with additional folding benches and a tailgate.
The mass of the snow and swamp vehicle is 4.5 tons, not counting the cargo and crew. The maximum speed on land reaches 60 km/h, on the water surface no more than 6 km/h. When fully loaded, the machine is able to overcome obstacles with an inclination angle of 35 0 .
Snow and swamp vehicle Trekol-39292d
Thanks to wide tires with extra low pressure, it can be used on thin ice if necessary. The package includes a winch, with the help of which the snow and swamp vehicle pulls cars out of a polynya, swamps or mountainous terrain.
The capacity is 8 people. The body is insulated. On uneven ground or with low bearing capacity, it transports loads weighing up to 600 kg.
On flat terrain without obstacles, it picks up speed of 70 km / h. Operation is carried out at the following temperatures, from -40 to +45 degrees.
Despite its size, this tracked vehicle weighs only 3.9 tons. This is due to the fact that the tracks are made of stamped rubber, not metal.
It consists of 2 sections and is available in different modifications. One section with a capacity of up to 7 seats is designed to carry passengers, the second is used to transport goods weighing up to 2.5 tons.
The cabins are made of fiberglass reinforced plastic with a steel frame. They have a strong seal. An emergency hatch and pumps for pumping water are provided. Overcoming water obstacles, it develops a speed of 4 km / h. The maximum speed on land reaches 52 km/h.
It is actively used on load-bearing ground, since this type of snow and swamp vehicle exerts 2 times less pressure on the ground surface than a standing person. This feature determines the active operation of the all-terrain vehicle in the swamps.
On snow, the slope of the obstacles to be overcome is from 17-35 0 , on firm ground the maximum roll is 45 0 . The operation of the all-terrain vehicle "Los" is carried out at temperatures from -45 0 to +45 0.
A detailed article about this type of technology is here:
Search and rescue vehicle PPSA 3(3409)-01NN
PPSA 3(3409)-01NN - fire search and rescue vehicle Based on a snow and swamp floating tracked all-terrain vehicle. Designed to extinguish fires and carry out emergency rescue operations in particularly difficult road and climatic conditions, as well as the delivery of personnel and equipment to the emergency site. The car is able to move on any type of terrain, mountains, plains, sand, snow and open water. The cabin provides accommodation for 3 people of the combat crew, including the driver.
Detailed technical specifications at the link:
Rescue vehicle based on a two-link caterpillar snow and swamp vehicle ASM-GD
ASM-GD is designed for transportation in off-road conditions, with overcoming small water obstacles afloat, personnel of search and rescue units, a supply of fire extinguishing agents (OTV), emergency rescue, fire-technical equipment, radio communications and lighting to the place of emergency (ES) and providing first aid to people, extinguishing fires and providing comfortable living conditions for the personnel of search and rescue units during emergency rescue operations in extreme weather conditions, including in the regions of the Far North and the Arctic.
The machine is equipped with navigation equipment operating in the GLONASS / GPS system, and also has buoys of the COSPASS / SARSAT system for giving emergency signals and is equipped with a set of radio communications.
The module has a water tank with a capacity of 800 liters and a tank for a foam concentrate with a capacity of 50 liters. The body and vessels for fire extinguishing agents are made of corrosion-resistant materials with low thermal conductivity.
The liquidation of the consequences of a major man-made accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP showed the need for mobile systems for extinguishing fires and carrying out ACR at facilities with structures made of high-strength materials.
The development of such a complex with the conditional name "Granit" has already been completed, and the complex has been successfully put into trial operation at the Center for Rescue Operations for Special Purposes "Leader".
The TTM-1901 "Berkut-2" snowmobile is equipped with a closed double cabin with an efficient heating system that keeps the cabin temperature at +18°C even at -50°C outside.
The Berkut-2 snowmobile was developed in Nizhny Novgorod, at the plant of transport and technological machines of LLC NPO Transport. The model is designed for monitoring hard-to-reach places and rescue operations.
It is used in especially difficult road and climatic conditions outside public roads over rough terrain, mainly in the regions of the Far North, Siberia and the Far East.
The list also included such caterpillar equipment of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, designed for earthmoving, reclamation, oil gathering and auxiliary work in heavily watered, swampy areas and in open water. Detailed specifications of the machine are shown below.
Our online store offers the sale of snow and swamp vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, motorized towing vehicles, snowmobiles and other types of off-road motor vehicles designed for outdoor activities, tourism, rental business and various areas of professional activity. Fishing and hunting in hard-to-reach places, travel to remote corners of our vast Motherland, forest protection, geological research, pipeline maintenance - these are areas where all-terrain vehicles cannot be dispensed with.
A snow and swamp vehicle is a wheeled or tracked off-road vehicle designed to transport people and goods over rough terrain. Some snow and swamp vehicles (they are also called amphibious all-terrain vehicles) have a sealed boat body, and therefore they are able to overcome water obstacles by swimming. As a rule, swamps have four-wheel drive and wheel formula 4×4, 6×6, 8×8. Less common are all-terrain vehicles equipped with only rear or front-wheel drive.
Any snow and swamp vehicle is initially created for operation in difficult conditions. Swamp and bog, mud and water, sand and gravel should not become an insurmountable obstacle for a car whose main purpose is to “work” in complete off-road conditions. At the same time, for the transportation of goods and passengers, an all-terrain vehicle must be economically viable, that is, it must have sufficient carrying capacity, and for safety - positive stability and, if it is an amphibian, then buoyancy.
For the most part, for the movement of wheeled snow and swamp vehicles outside comfortable roads, low or ultra-low pressure tires are used to increase the area of contact of the wheel of the vehicle with the ground (“contact patch”) and stay afloat steadily. On the tires or wheels of some all-terrain vehicles, it is possible to install removable caterpillar tracks, which even more significantly reduces such an important parameter of this type of vehicle as specific pressure.
Tracked snow and swamp vehicles, as a rule, are equipped with two tracks. Due to the maximum possible contact area of the caterpillar tracks with the surface of the soil or snow, the swamp is often the most efficient off-road vehicle. An all-terrain vehicle on tracks feels much more confident while driving on any snow, viscous bog, sand and, no doubt, on any other weakly bearing soil, but it is forbidden to enter the highway by traffic rules.
Buying a snow and swamp vehicle is not a cheap pleasure. A good all-terrain vehicle is expensive. In addition, the machine can be supplemented with various useful options (trailer, towbar, winch, caterpillars for wheels, awning, roll cage, pump, blade, interior heater, among other things, a trailer for transporting a swamp buggy, etc.), which significantly increase its price. The final price of a snow and swamp vehicle is formed precisely by these, indispensable in one case or another, additions.
There are hundreds of brands of machines of this type in the world. The most famous representatives of foreign production are Canadian snow and swamp vehicles Argo (Argo) and American all-terrain vehicles Max. The domestic manufacturer is represented by the brands Sherp (Sherp), Tinger (Tinger), formerly called Viking (Viking), Pelets, KIT, Berkut, Trekol, Petrovich, Medved, Taiga, Tundra, Shaman, Mammoth, Arkuda, Attack, Niva Bronto, Veps , Huntsman, Unex, Ukhtysh, Uzola, Itlan, Mirage, and many others.
The Chinese manufacturer does not miss the chance to make a profit and satisfy the consumer demand for all-terrain vehicles by supplying the Russian market not only with Montero (Montero), Bonai (Bonai) and Elisey snow and swamp vehicles, but also actively producing components for our factories. True, it is worth noting that the price of Chinese snow and swamp vehicles is quite comparable to the cost of all-terrain vehicles from Russia, the USA and Canada, but their quality is noticeably worse, which is confirmed by both experts and customer reviews.
Ask anyone, and he will answer that there are two main types of all-terrain vehicles: wheeled and tracked (airbags, auger vehicles and other exotics do not count). With the individual or small-scale creation of such equipment, aimed at purely civilian use, cars with wheels are more common. And vice versa: models mastered by industry, including for military needs, are more often tracked. However, there are samples that, according to my classification, are somewhere in the middle. We are talking about wheeled vehicles with an onboard turning principle. To change the direction of movement, the right or left propellers are slowed down or completely blocked - everything, like in tracked vehicles. Equipped with wheels with ultra-low pressure tires, such all-terrain vehicles do not leave behind ruts-scars that do not heal for decades. And at the same time, they have high maneuverability, because they are able to turn around literally on the spot. One example of such equipment is the Sever all-terrain vehicle by Mikhail Balboshin from Severodvinsk.
In order for a "side-swing" machine to change direction, its wheelbase must not be too large, so that the resistance to turning is not excessive. Therefore, in the "North" the distance between the outer circumferences of the wheels is noticeably smaller than their diameter. However, first things first.
The all-terrain vehicle has a steel load-bearing body-boat, the upper part is assembled from aluminum panels made of D16T alloy
This machine uses tires "Trom-16" with a dimension of 1650x570, designed for the Surgut eight-wheeled all-terrain vehicle of the same name. Thanks to their outer diameter of more than half a meter (one of the largest models in the industry), they have earned well-deserved popularity among amateur designers. In the original, these tires have often located transverse ribs that work as lugs, and also come into contact with the drive roller, which transmits torque to them. It is this solution that is used on Trom, which we will describe in detail some other time on the pages of the magazine - although it is not home-made, it is really curious from a technical point of view. On the “North”, the drive is more traditional, through the axle shafts, so the tread can be “thinned out” a little. Remove part of the transverse ribs, more precisely - through one. The tire will become lighter, which will have a positive effect on cross-country ability, because when building a machine designed for operation on weakly bearing soils, they fight for every kilogram.
It should also be noted that "Trom-16" is not the only possible option for "shoes" for the "North". At first, it was equipped with Sherp brand tires, the distinguishing feature of which is the most powerful lugs about 100 mm high, and the name of this rubber clearly refers us to an all-terrain vehicle that has become widely known in certain circles of "rogues". Moreover - at first glance, the "North", due to a similar layout, is perceived precisely as a "Sherp". For those who are not in the know: this is the name of the car created by the designer from St. Petersburg Alexei Garagashyan. He began his career and for many years acted as a do-it-yourselfer (the first mention of his work - an all-wheel drive motorcycle for traveling, was in the magazine "Modeler-Constructor" in a report on the show "Motosam-90", see No. 2-1991). However, recently his extraordinary ideas have interested those who decided to put the production of all-terrain vehicles on stream. As a result of such cooperation, Sherpas are now mass-produced and even find their customers, despite the greatly inflated (this is not only my opinion) price.
But back to the "North": how did it happen that outwardly he is practically the twin brother of the "Sherpa"? Everything is simple. Garagashyan did not make a secret of the project, and Mikhail Balboshin took the appearance of the St. Petersburg all-terrain vehicle as the basis for his own. And the design of both machines have a lot in common. However, there are also significant differences.
There are only two seats in the car, the control is carried out with the help of levers.
So, on the sides on the right and left are huge wheels. How to organize the entrance of the crew to the passenger compartment of the car? It definitely won't work on the side. In the “North”, the driver and his neighbor-passenger - and the all-terrain vehicle, in fact, is a two-seater, since it has only two seats - get inside through the sash in the front of the body. To do this, you must first move the windshield up. If it is warm, there is no rain, and hordes of blood-sucking brethren do not hang in the air, waiting for their prey, then it is pleasant to ride with the “visor” thrown back. In bad weather, it is covered, of course, and there is even a wiper blade. And in the cargo-and-passenger compartment, which occupies the main volume of the cabin, you can find yourself climbing over the backs of the seats, or use a separate entrance arranged in the rear board. It is much wider than the front one, and is equipped with a ladder door. True, fellow travelers, if any, will have to sit on the lid of the engine compartment or sit on things sketched in the back.
Of course, there is no familiar steering wheel in front of the driver. However, caterpillar vehicles are also found with an automobile-type steering wheel. But here everything is the old fashioned way: two levers, and which one you pull, you turn in that direction. The more you push the lever towards you, the sharper the turn. And if you pull both at once, the all-terrain vehicle stops. As you might guess, this is a brake replacement. Interestingly, the clutch can not even be squeezed out, since the transmission will be disconnected from the engine in the onboard turning mechanism.
Each of the control levers is connected by a cable drive with its right or left side friction clutch. Here lies one of the important differences from the Sherpa. The control system of the latter uses a hydraulic drive, and in the "North" it is completely mechanical, but also quite light. It is equipped with a modified on-board turning mechanism of serial production from the GT-SM GAZ-71, popularly affectionately referred to as a "gas engine". This circumstance favorably distinguishes this car from many other similar schemes built by amateurs. The vast majority of do-it-yourselfers, when designing "side-turning" vehicles, use a conventional conical automotive differential. (By the way, Garagashyan also started with it.) Brakes are put on the axle shafts and ... that's it - the transmission is ready!
However, the use of a differential is not the best option, since this mechanism, as you know, divides the torque supplied to it in half, distributing it along the axle shafts. Accordingly, when turning an all-terrain vehicle with such a device in the design, a loss of power is inevitable: part of it will be unproductively extinguished by the brake mechanism, and the thrust on the movers of the incoming side will decrease. A full-fledged onboard turning mechanism, which first opens the drive to the axle shaft, and only then slows it down to a complete stop, is devoid of this significant drawback.
The torque from the engine is transformed into a five-speed gearbox from the VAZ-2110 with a standard cable shift drive. Instead of a differential, there is a blind shaft, so all power is transmitted to only one drive. The box is rotated 90 degrees, because the engine - a turbocharged diesel Kubota V1505-t (44 hp) - is installed longitudinally.
The power unit consists of a Kubota V1505t diesel engine with an HP 44 power. and a five-speed gearbox from the VAZ-2110 The torque is transmitted to the wheels by open chains, there is a simple automatic tension mechanism.
All of the listed set of units is placed in a sealed boat body with a steel frame and steel lining. From below, the thickness of the sheets is 3.2 mm. And from above, for the sake of relief, the body is assembled from D16T alloy panels riveted onto a spatial frame. The bottom of the car is absolutely flat, which is very good for off-road driving - if you catch any obstacle, you will slide over it like on a ski.
The wheel drive is also hidden inside. Having removed the raised floors in the cabin, you can see powerful open chains stretching along the sides. Through them, each wheel, more precisely, the drive shaft of its onboard reduction gear, borrowed from the same GAZ-71, is connected to the axle shaft of the corresponding side.
At one end, it is connected through splines to the onboard clutch, and at the other, it rests on a bearing mounted on the side wall of the body. A pair of chain drive sprockets sits rigidly on the shaft, rotating the front and rear wheels, respectively. Spring-loaded shoes provide the necessary chain tension. Of course, long open chains rewinding inside the body do not contribute to the creation of acoustic comfort in the cabin, but both the engine and transmission are inside a strong, protected and sealed capsule from below. So, we can hope that all the vital units of the all-terrain vehicle are invulnerable to the misfortunes of serious off-road.
The motor is located approximately in the middle of the car, it is cooled by antifreeze, which in turn is cooled in the radiator, placed on the starboard side and covered with a decorative grille from the outside. Since there can be no natural airflow with this arrangement, the electric fan almost always works.
The power unit and transmission are under raised floors made of thick waterproof plywood, so the interior of the all-terrain vehicle has a neat, residential look inside. Closer to the back, between the floor and the bottom, so that useful space does not disappear, a capacious locker is equipped, in which you can put a lot of camping equipment, and it will not fly around the cabin - the all-terrain vehicle does not have suspension, and only large soft wheels amortize the passage of bumps . Having stood up with your feet in this “underground”, you can straighten up in the car to your full height, which is also not bad. And by lifting its covers up, to the level of the wheel arches, and fixing them on the side skids, we get an excellent flat bed measuring 2300x2200 mm. Bulky things remain below, and wide shelves above the arches, separated by low partitions, will take care of all sorts of little things. You can spend the night together on an impromptu bed with exceptional comfort, and if you make room, then the three of you will succeed. You won't freeze even in winter, because the car is equipped with an autonomous heater Webasto with a power of 2 kW. Additional comfort is promoted also by a covering of panels by a heater 20 mm thick.
The wheel inflation system deserves special mention. She is extremely original here and her authorship also belongs to Alexei Garagashyan. It is obvious that it is not an easy task to “stuff” such voluminous wheels - a very efficient compressor or low pressure pump is required. But Aleksey came up with the idea of pumping into the wheels not air, as everyone does, but ... exhaust gases from the engine. To do this, you need to press a small pedal to block the exhaust tract and direct the exhaust to the wheels. And in less than a minute, because the section of the pumping hoses is as much as 38 mm, it is possible to raise the pressure in all four wheels (their volumes are constantly combined) from zero to working 40 - 60 g / cm2. The control of such insignificant values is carried out by a medical manometer, fixed on the left pillar of the cab in front of the driver's eyes.
At first glance, the idea is rather controversial, even crazy, and many immediately have a question: are exhaust gases harmful to rubber? All our knowledge suggests otherwise, and it is difficult to answer unambiguously. Aggressive gases certainly do not benefit her, shortening the service life - this is a fact. The problem of removing condensate from the propulsors, which probably accumulates inside them, also remains unresolved. Also, the system in which their volumes are interconnected casts doubt on the survivability of the machine in the event of serious damage to any tire. Once I witnessed a situation when, having propped a wheel on a sharp root, the driver of the all-terrain vehicle did not waste time, but drove on, turning on the exhaust pumping. As a result, the hose warmed up from hot gases quite quickly was simply torn off the disk of the damaged wheel. I had to stop and patch the tire. However, one must be completely honest: not a single real case of tire damage from such “bullying” has been recorded either in the “North” or in the “Sherpa”.
I will not argue that wheeled all-terrain vehicles with an onboard turning principle are widespread, but do-it-yourselfers turn to this arrangement regularly. Everything is explained by the relative simplicity of the design, which does not require steering and controlled drive axles. It is quite easy to implement the formula not only 4x4, but also 6x6 or even 8x8, which have very enviable traction characteristics. The "North" has only four wheels, but what! Today, the opportunities for fans of self-construction of vehicles "for themselves" have expanded many times over. You can buy anything! Although no - Sherp wheels, if you do not have such an all-terrain vehicle, they will not sell you. But "Trom-16" - please! You can’t call such a budget purchase, of course, but here everyone is free to decide on their own, it all depends on the presence of ideas in their heads. And Sever, in my opinion, is one of the worthy options for investing funds for its intended purpose. The car really worked.
For confident movement through the swamps, you need to adjust the pressure in the tires. On the "North" ego occurs quickly thanks to the original system for pumping exhaust gases to all four wheels at the same time. Working pressure 40-60 g/cm2
