When operating in off-road conditions, tracked vehicles have undeniable advantages over wheeled transport due to its all-terrain qualities, allowing it to overcome deep loose snow, soggy arable land or rocky ford.
The popularity of tracked vehicles among household users is so great that many home craftsmen independently “convert” their wheeled vehicles into homemade ones - tracks made from scrap materials.
One of the retrofitting options is to use old tires from MTZ tractors, allowing significantly increase cross-country ability personal auto and motorcycle equipment at minimal financial costs.
For a tracked vehicle of any purpose, be it a tank or a snowmobile, forward motion is provided by a tracked propulsion unit (CT).
It uses two motivating factors:
- torque Mk, transmitted from the engine/power drive to the drive wheels;
- adhesion of tracks to the ground.
A caterpillar or caterpillar chain of a main engine is a link structure, which is a continuous continuous belt or chain.
For full traction with the ground surface, the caterpillar equipped with relief protrusions, serving as active lugs.
The caterpillar principle is illustrated by the kinematic diagram of the main engine operation located below. The following positions are indicated on the diagram:
- pos. 1 – caterpillar;
- pos. 2 – support rollers that prevent the track belt from sagging;
- pos. 3 – drive sprocket (drive wheel), which converts torque from the engine into traction force necessary for the forward movement of the machine;
- pos. 4 – support rollers, ensuring full contact of the track belt with the surface of the ground support;
- pos. 5 – shock absorbers;
- pos. 6 – guide wheel, which serves to direct the forward movement of the machine and transfers part of its weight to the ground.
Movement according to the caterpillar principle carried out as follows:
- Torque Mk is supplied to the drive sprocket (item 3).
- The rotating sprocket rewinds the continuous track belt/chain (item 2).
- The caterpillar (item 2) is in close adhesion to the support surface (soil, loose soil, etc.). It is affected by:
- force R z – reaction of the supporting surface, which the caterpillar transmits to the vehicle frame;
- tangential reaction of the ground support P k.
The rewindable track belt/chain is continuously laid in the direction of forward movement of the vehicle on the surface of the ground support under the road wheels, creating for the wheels of the vehicle path with lower resistance to movement than on soft ground.
During movement, the caterpillar belt rises from the supporting surface and transfers the pushing force to the vehicle frame.
The specific pressure on the support (soil) along the length of the track is uneven - increased in the area of the drive sprockets, decreased in the front part in the area of the guide wheel (item 6). Maximum pressure to the ground from the main engine - in the area of the road wheels (item 4).
Advantages of homemade diesel engines from MTZ tires
Thanks to the continuous placement of the caterpillar belt under the machine's rollers, a big square contact of the belt with the ground, significantly reducing the average pressure of the machine on the soil.
The range of average pressure on the ground of equipment with deep pressure is from 11.8 to 118 kN/sq.m (from 0.12 to 1.2 kgf/sq.cm), which is significantly lower than the pressure of a human foot.
Such low pressure levels ensure that equipment is protected from sinking into the ground, swampy soil or snow. By varying the size of the surface area in the contact zone of the track 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 DIYers use transport belts or tires from automobile and tractor wheels.
The photo below shows homemade all-terrain vehicle on tracks made of reinforced conveyor belt with a width of 250 mm. Grousers with a height of 25 mm are used.
All-terrain vehicle made from a conveyor belt:
For most craftsmen, the preferred source materials for the manufacture of diesel engines are old tires from MTZ tractors of various models.
The main advantages of MTZ tires, as a source material, and the tracks themselves made from these tires include the following factors:
- Availability old MTZ tires. Quite often, after dismantling, they are stored in the depths of the utility yards of enterprises, cluttering the territory.
- The tire is a closed continuous structure, does not require sewing the ends tapes.
- On a tracked platform made from a tractor tire no need to increase lugs, since the tires have a pronounced tread pattern of the factory design.
- MTZ wheel tires have high strength and wear resistance, ensuring reliable, trouble-free operation of the caterpillar belt on soils containing sharp stones.
- Versatility applications - you can select tires for all types of tracked vehicles, including measures to modernize equipment or increase the width of tracks.
- Recycling of used tractor tires solves the most important problem of recycling dismantled wheels - the possibility of their reuse.
From shortcomings When working with tractor tires, two circumstances are noted:
- limited fixed track length, determined by the size of the tire blank;
- the need to double two tires when installing a track with a width exceeding the width of one blank tire.
Requirements for converting equipment to caterpillar tracks
The picture shows simplest in design homemade cart with tracks made from tires.
The re-equipment of equipment for diesel engines is carried out exclusively for utilitarian reasons of pragmatic owners of wheeled vehicles or motor vehicles who wish improve all-terrain qualities their "helpers".
For all models of equipment intended for driving in field conditions, the market offers serial versions of industrially manufactured gas engines.
However, all this costs a lot of money, and tires free or very cheap.
Many equipment users manage to independently, in a home workshop, make tracks from tractor tires, install them on their machines and successfully operate in off-road conditions.
Regardless of the type of vehicle or motor vehicle, technicians take into account the following factors:
- To install the main engine mechanisms, it is necessary to equip special frame structures increased strength and rigidity, capable of withstanding increased weight and dynamic loads.
- 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 the flat tires, which are then inflated, creating the required track tension.
- The owner of the equipment must clearly determine the purpose of the machine in order to select optimal sizes width and length of the caterpillar track.
- Taking into account the increase in weight and traction loads on the engine after installation of the main engine, it is necessary to optimize the correspondence between the maximum engine power and the width of the track. Otherwise the engine breaks down quickly.
When choosing the ratio of engine power and belt width of a homemade tracked installation you can be guided by price list data on all-terrain vehicles equipped with serial tracks.
Below we will consider the categories of machines that are most popular among craftsmen when converting them to crawler tracks.
Main categories of popular equipment equipped with gas engines
The list of models of household vehicles and motorcycles operating on loose snow and marshy soils is unusually wide.
The names of the machines themselves, accepted in everyday life, indicate their field of application.
Snowmobiles
This vehicle designed for movement on loose snow cover.
Unlike the anglicism “snowmobile”, which denotes any vehicle adapted for movement on snow (snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles on tracks and pneumatic wheels, etc.), in Russia a snowmobile is only called means of ski-caterpillar movement(rear main engine, in front - skis instead of the front wheel) with motorcycle-type controls.
For utilitarian snowmobiles, the engine power is 30-40 hp, the track width ranges from 38 cm to 50 cm and even 60 cm.
Accordingly, if a master sets his task to create a machine for moving on virgin snow with a load, then he should focus on these indicators.
Similar parameters must be maintained when creating so-called snow and swamp-going vehicles.
If the master needs make a faster snowmobile(like sports ones), then the width of the tire track can be reduced.
The weight loads of a high-speed vehicle are much lower than those of a cargo utility vehicle.
The picture shows a motorcycle-based snowmobile equipped with a homemade 23 cm wide track cut from an excavator tire.
Otherwise, a homemade caterpillar for a snowmobile is made with your own hands according to basic principle.
All-terrain vehicles
They are commonly referred to as any vehicle capable of driving off-road and even overcome water obstacles.
Types of all-terrain vehicles industrial production plenty:
- SUVs;
- swamp walkers;
- amphibians;
- tracked tractors and conveyors;
- ATVs;
- ATV category vehicles, etc.
Their cost not everyone can afford it, therefore, in home workshops they prefer to create their own exclusive products, “re-shoeing” their cars with tracks from tires made by themselves for an all-terrain vehicle.
Depending on the engine power of the vehicle, wider blades can be allowed.
For homemade all-terrain vehicles with a 40-70 hp engine. and a small weight load, a tape width is sufficient 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 support rollers (3 pcs.).
Naturally, the profile height of a tractor tire will not be enough to overcome a water obstacle, it is necessary to install high lugs.
The figure shows an all-terrain vehicle based on the Oka vehicle with a caterpillar track made of tires.
Walk-behind tractors
Represented by numerous mobile devices based on a single-axle chassis. Converted for the State Duma homemade options walk-behind tractors are widely in demand among rural residents and owners country houses or summer cottages.
The motivation for independently re-equipping units, bypassing the purchase of serial tracks, is obvious.
The cost of the NEVA wheeled walk-behind tractor does not exceed 1000 dollars. 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 quite enough to be successfully used as an all-season vehicle
Motorcycle 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 motor made of rubber-metal tape up to 60 cm wide.
Home craftsmen usually make towing vehicles based on a 15 hp engine from improvised means, installing tracks from tires 500 mm wide.
Such homemade motorized dogs are capable of transporting sleds with a load of up to 700 kg, reaching speeds 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 homemade motorized towing vehicle based on a walk-behind tractor.
Algorithm for making a caterpillar belt with your own hands
The caterpillar track for any model from the above categories of equipment is made from tires of various sizes corresponding to the selected design. Let's look at how to make a caterpillar from a tire step by step.
The work on tape production is unified and follows a general algorithm.
Special knowledge in the manufacture of caterpillar tracks from tractor or car tire not required, however you can’t do without certain plumbing skills.
The process of forming a caterpillar track from an MTZ tire consists of several stages:
- Select a tire with a slightly worn tread.
- The path is being cut for the caterpillar using a sharpened shoe knife. Work with sharp knife is traumatic and requires increased caution and attention.
- To cut rubber better, it is recommended to use a knife periodically moisten with soapy water.
- Cutting with a knife can be successfully replaced jigsaw, protecting yourself from possible injury.
- Both sides are cut off tires.
- Excess material is removed from inside the tire.
The criterion for quality work is an even cut without frayed edges of the resulting tape.
So the track element is ready to use:
Video on the topic
You can see a homemade snowmobile track made from a tire in action in this video:
Conclusion
Making homemade tracks for converting equipment to caterpillar tracks is a very popular way to expand the functionality of machines at minimal cost.
The use of dismantled old tractor tires for HD helps to solve the problems of recycling old tires without the use of traditional waste processing methods - burning, grinding, chemical treatment, etc.
In contact with
A DIY caterpillar can be made by any craftsman. 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 the most different instruments and materials. It is, of course, permissible, if necessary, to use a caterpillar that was produced in a factory. But it will cost much more than if you do the manufacturing yourself. The article will present several options for making tracks, one of which you can choose for yourself.
A simple option for making a caterpillar
A do-it-yourself caterpillar can be made using the simplest technology. This will take you a minimum amount of time. The caterpillar mover can be made on the basis of a bushing-roller chain, as well as a conveyor belt. To carry out the work you need to prepare a certain 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 fabric, which will protect the tape from damage.
A caterpillar can be made with your own hands by connecting elements into a single ring; this can be done in several ways. So, it is permissible to use a hinge like a piano hinge, but you can use less reliable way, which involves sewing on the ends of the tape. It is important to note that the thickness of the tape must be selected, which corresponds to the power of the motor. If you intend to use a motorcycle engine domestic production, then you can use a tape whose thickness is 10 mm, similar to that used on agricultural conveyors.
If you make your own caterpillar using this technology, you won’t have to spend a lot of effort. Despite the fact that this model of caterpillar is quite simple to make, it has a long service life and a long service life.
Making caterpillars from car tires
You can make your own caterpillar 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, and you will spend less effort when working with the tire. The manufacture of such a caterpillar must be done by cutting out the sides from the tire, while leaving space for a treadmill. It is worth considering that this work is quite labor-intensive and requires the application of a lot of patience and effort; you must use only a well-sharpened shoe knife.
In order to spend less effort when making a caterpillar for a car with your own hands, you can wet the blade from time to time using a soap solution. As alternative solution you can use a device designed for cutting, it is permissible to use and electric jigsaw. A file with small teeth must first be attached to the latter; the file must also be pre-moistened with water; such manipulations must be carried out periodically during the work process.
Work technology
Do-it-yourself tracks for a car must be made using a technology that involves the initial removal of the tire beads, then, if necessary, you need to remove the excess 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 so that the structure can cling to the soil.
A snowmobile track made with your own hands according to the scheme described above will have many advantages, even if compared with the option described above. This is due to the fact that she has closed loop, which indicates reliability. But there are also disadvantages, one of which is expressed in the limited width of the track, but if there is a need, then a double width can be used.
Making a caterpillar from belts
Next option caterpillars are especially attractive because you don’t have to waste extra effort during the work. Before you begin, you need to prepare belts that have a wedge-shaped profile. They have to be connected into one whole using soil hooks that are fixed with screws; rivets can be used as an alternative solution. The result is a snowmobile track, created with your own hands, which has holes intended for the drive sprocket. In order to create the holes, you will need 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 a technology for carrying out the work. It is also possible to use the method presented below. The propulsion frame can be welded using pipes that have rectangular section. It is recommended to connect them using a frame, this will make the structure collapsible. The splined part can be borrowed from the Buran, this will make it possible to make drive shafts; the splined part of the shafts, which are borrowed from the Oka, must be welded to them. It will be necessary to use brake discs. When working on the front shafts, you need to install brake mechanisms on them. Some part of the gearbox housing needs to be cut off. Making a caterpillar with your own hands will allow you not only to save money, but also to move through snowy areas 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 city SUVs). However, their cross-country ability is often limited, and it’s understandable that this is not a tank “in the flesh.” For example, on snowy slopes or swampy meadows, such a car is no longer effective. We have to resort to tractors and all-terrain vehicles on tracks, but tuning does not stand still, but develops by leaps and bounds, so in literally an hour you can put your jeep, even a UAZ or NIVA, on tracks, removing the wheels, thus we increase the cross-country ability many times over...
The effectiveness of tracks has long been proven, but converting a car to such a chassis would mean a deep modernization of the suspension, which is very expensive and not always possible. Therefore, we needed tracks that would sit in the standard places of the wheels, practically on standard hubs, without deep technical changes. And you know, such options have existed for a long time! Moreover, you can remake almost any car, but of course it is more effective to remake frame jeeps or off-road vehicles with high cross-country ability, such as our NIVA.
Design principle
Nowadays they sell blocks for all four wheels of a car; we simply remove the standard wheels, screw on special adapters to the hubs and put on the tracks.
No, they are not big, but correspond exactly to the size of your car, they simply fit into standard wheel arches, there are options even for cars, although this is a little absurd.
The design is also simple, there is a triangular metal powerful frame, with five (sometimes more) pairs of rollers at the bottom and one large one at the top. On which the caterpillar made by special technology(many will say - similar to rubber), but this is not entirely true, wear resistance and elasticity are on high level, they remain soft even when sub-zero temperature. Of course, no one will tell you the composition of the material.
A standard wheel hub is installed in the upper “large” roller and placed on a rigid coupling, thus the rotating hub will transmit the rotation of the entire structure, and here you have the all-terrain vehicle ready. The big advantage is that you can turn the steering wheel like on a regular car with wheels, and when you need to, you just remove the tracks and put on regular wheels.
Track sizes
Of course, many are now interested in the sizes. So I want to quickly go over them. I personally will take the option for our cars, for example, for the NIVA, since it is in greater 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 will fit into any wheel arch.
Manufacturers
To be fair, it is worth noting that they were developed in the USA, and only after that they were distributed throughout the world. Now several dozen, and maybe hundreds of companies around the world, including Russia, are doing this.
If we take imported options, then the most famous of all is the company – Mattracks, this is one of the founders of the production of such “skating rinks”. True, their prices are steep; for the price of a set you can buy a Russian car.
If you take domestic producers, then here we can highlight Chelyabinsk, it is there that rollers are produced for NIVU, UAZ, etc. The cost is several times lower than that of foreign analogues.
Main advantages
The advantages are obvious - improved cross-country ability. And also an increase. Deep snow in the fields, swamps of small swamps, and simply “well” washed out roads become easy obstacles. If we take into account what these tracks were originally developed for, it was to overcome deep snow, they were made for rescuers on mountain roads where ordinary SUVs simply cannot pass. What can I say, the caterpillars have proven themselves only from the best side.
For example, watch the video where the NIVA easily passes through deep snow and turns around “calmly”.
Changing shoes from regular wheels does not require any changes in the suspension design; you can remove the wheels with your own hands and hang the tracks in literally 1 hour. Moreover, if you need to return the wheels back, an hour and they are there. This adds a very big plus.
Minuses
Of course, there are also disadvantages, where would we be 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 will wear out very quickly, you will simply 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 significant at 10–15 cm in height; ordinary SUV wheels would simply run over it, but the tracks would not.
Third, this is a fairly high price, although I will dwell on this in more detail.
Price
Needless to say, this is a very expensive pleasure. Taking it for fun and “rides” across snow-covered fields is not entirely rational.
Foreign analogues cost from $3,500 to $10,500. What is now at the exchange rate is approximately from 230 to 700,000 rubles!
Domestic producers keep amounts from 100 to 250,000 rubles.
Prices depend on your car (the larger, the more expensive), load, track width, etc.
Can I do it myself?
YES of course you can, why not! After all, they are also produced by people. However, you will need to do technical research, calculate the load, and weld the triangle. Look for rollers and the canvas itself (many people also make old rubber). As you can see, not everything is so simple - although it should be noted that it is feasible.
Many amateurs of home-made equipment are engaged in the development and manufacture of all-terrain vehicles on caterpillar tracks.
The most different solutions when bringing ideas to life, but the most big problem Enthusiasts of this type of transport were and remain caterpillars. Of course, no one forbids using factory-made propulsors in your samples, but you want an all-terrain vehicle (or snowmobile) made by yourself to have both homemade caterpillars. Let's look at some methods for making tracks that have shown fairly good performance.
The simplest option
A caterpillar propulsion system for snowmobiles and light all-terrain vehicles can be made on the basis of an ordinary bushing-roller chain and conveyor belt. To make such a caterpillar, there is no need to have special tools or equipment; everything is done “on the knee”.
Transport tape caterpillar
To extend the service life of the tape, it is advisable to sew its edges with fishing line in increments of about a centimeter (just as seamstresses do overcasting the edges of fabric), this will protect the tape from fraying. The connection of the tape into a ring can be done in any way in an accessible way, for example, use a hinge like a piano hinge, or sew the ends of the tape (a less reliable method).
The thickness of the tape should be selected based on engine power. When using engines from domestically produced motorcycles, good results shows a tape with a thickness of 8 - 10 millimeters, which is used on agricultural conveyors.
Despite the ease of manufacture, such a homemade snowmobile track has a decent service life and is also easy to repair if necessary.
Tire tracks
It is quite common among DIYers to make tracks from car tires. For this purpose, tires from trucks are selected, preferably with a suitable tread pattern (there will be less work with the bus in the future).
Tire caterpillar
To make such a caterpillar, it is necessary to cut out the sides from the tire, leaving only treadmill. This work is quite labor-intensive and requires a lot of patience, since the only tools used are a well-sharpened shoe knife.
To simplify the work, you can wet the blade in a soapy solution from time to time, then the rubber will be cut easier. Alternatively, one could consider using homemade devices for cutting, or use a jigsaw on which a file with small tooth(it’s also better to moisten the file with soapy water).
First, the beads are cut off from the tire, then, if necessary, excess layers are removed from the underside of the resulting ring (if the track is too hard). After this, if the tread pattern does not satisfy the designer’s requirements, a new lug structure is cut.
A homemade caterpillar made from a tire has an undoubted advantage over the model described above, since it has an initially closed circuit, which means its reliability will be many times higher. The downside is the limited width of the finished track, but if necessary, you can use a double and triple-width option.
Belt tracks
An attractive option because of its relative simplicity is to make a caterpillar with your own hands.
Belts with a wedge-shaped profile are connected into a single unit using lugs attached to the belts using rivets or screws.
Thus, you get a caterpillar track with already existing holes for the drive sprocket (for this you only need to leave gaps between the belts).
There are many ways to make caterpillars - the main thing is to have desire and patience, and then everything will work out.
To increase the throughput capacity of a walk-behind tractor and use it as an all-terrain vehicle or snowmobile, you can equip it with tracks. You can buy them ready-made, but they are expensive, and it’s not always possible to find them the right option to your walk-behind tractor. There are several ways to make a caterpillar for a walk-behind tractor with your own hands.
How to make a caterpillar on a walk-behind tractor with your own hands
If you wish, you can independently modify your walk-behind tractor, turning it into crawler all-terrain vehicle or a snowmobile. The main rule is that you should consider what work the tracks are intended for in order to choose the right material, because they must be not only durable, but also extremely light.
Having available materials and correctly calculating the length of the caterpillar, you can make it yourself using simple improvised means.
First of all, you need to equip your walk-behind tractor with an additional pair of wheels. A caterpillar track will be put on each side pair.
The length of each of the two goosenecks will be equal to the circumference of one wheel and the distance between the axles of each pair of wheels, multiplied by two.
Important: the wheels on the walk-behind tractor must be the same diameter.
Materials for homemade products can include:
- conventional conveyor belt and bush-roller chain;
- car tires;
- belts and chains.
So, let's look at a few options self-made goose, depending on the material used.
From a conveyor belt
This method is the simplest because it does not require a large number of special tools and auxiliary materials.
- When choosing a tape for a caterpillar, give preference to a strip whose thickness will be at least 7 mm - after all, it bears a fairly large load. The coupling with moving parts will be provided by a bushing-roller chain.
- To give the tape strength and increase its service life, it is recommended to stitch it along the edges with fishing line using frequent stitches in increments of about 10 mm.
- It is also necessary to sew the tape along the ends to connect it into a ring required diameter, or use hinges reminiscent of a piano canopy for greater reliability.
- Make sure that the additional wheelset that you install on the walk-behind tractor frame is the same diameter as the main wheels on the walk-behind tractor.
From a tire
It’s enough to simply make a durable, reliable gooseneck for a walk-behind tractor from a tire. The manufacturing process from a car tire will not take too much time, since it does not need to be stitched and lugs built up - the tire itself is a closed structure with a tread for traction.
Tires from truck or tractor wheels that have a pronounced tread pattern are best suited for caterpillar tracks.
The manufacturing process is divided into several stages:
- Using a very sharp knife dipped in a soapy solution to enhance the cutting ability on rubber, cut the gooseneck tape to the required width.
- The sidewalls of the tire are cut off with a jigsaw using a fine-tooth file.
- Hard parts on inside tires are also cut using a knife or jigsaw.
However, here there are several points that you should pay attention to:
- The tread pattern must be clearly defined, since its reliefs are a kind of lugs that increase the adhesion of the moving mechanism to the surface.
- The length of such a caterpillar is limited by the diameter of the tire, so before attaching an additional pair of wheels, you should take this into account.
From belts and chains
In order to make a tracked all-terrain vehicle from a walk-behind tractor, you can use ordinary belts with a V-shaped profile. The belts are connected to each other by lugs attached to them with rivets or screws. Thus we get a belt track.
To make a track from chains (chain tracks), you need to take two pieces of the same chain of the required length.
- The end links of both segments are unclenched in order to connect them into two closed rings.
- The loosened links are clamped again and then welded to secure the fastening.
- Of steel required thickness cut out sections that will serve as lugs.
- The lugs are bolted at both ends to the links of both closed chains, thus forming a raised track on the walk-behind tractor.
Homemade tracks for caterpillars
Tracks for a homemade goose can also be made independently from any suitable material. The main thing to consider is what load you are going to give to your walk-behind tractor.
From plastic pipes
You can use segments as tracks for a snowmobile gooseneck plastic pipe. For this purpose, plastic water pipe Cut No. 40 into pieces equal to the width of the caterpillar. By using circular saw saw each section lengthwise into two equal halves, or use circular saw on wood.
The resulting tracks must be attached at regular intervals to the conveyor belt with No. 6 furniture bolts with large hemispherical heads.
From wooden blocks
Sometimes, if the load on the goose is not very large, you can use birch blocks as tracks. They are not particularly durable for heavy loads, but they are lightweight, affordable, and a track with such tracks can be repaired in any convenient place.
Iron tracks
The most reliable are metal tracks made of high-quality iron. Metal pipes or profiles cut into pieces of the required length are suitable for this purpose. Profile metal pipe cut according to the same principle as plastic, and attached to the conveyor belt with bolts.
However, metal tracks, despite their noticeable strength, also have their drawbacks: they are heavy compared to plastic and wood, and can bend during use. To straighten the track, you will need to remove it from the gooseneck, and this is a labor-intensive operation.
When choosing the material from which the track tracks for your mini-all-terrain vehicle will be made, you should evaluate the degree of load and operating conditions. Light polyethylene or wooden tracks are perfect for overcoming snowy expanses, but to use a walk-behind tractor as a mini-tractor, it is still better to make a caterpillar with metal lugs.
Buy a hitch and a trailed one for a walk-behind tractor in online stores
Do-it-yourself caterpillar for a motorized towing vehicle
A motorized towing vehicle, popularly called a “motor dog,” is ideally suited for use in northern latitudes with good snow cover. Using a walk-behind tractor, you can independently make an alternative to a dog sled, a high-speed tracked vehicle that can tow a sled with a person or a small load in the snow.
Making a caterpillar for a motorized dog with your own hands is not at all difficult.
You can use an old gooseneck from a Buran snowmobile. To increase the chassis, you should cut it in half and build it up using inserts. The tracks can be carriages from the old Buran. Three carriages with rollers are enough. They also need to be sawn and extended with inserts.
In the absence of old spare parts, a caterpillar for a motorized towing vehicle can be made from improvised materials using one of the methods described above. For example, from a conveyor belt.
For production you will need:
- conveyor belt with a width of 22 cm;
- metal bars for reinforcement;
- hardwood timber blocks for track tracks.
We bring to your attention a video showing the caterpillar manufacturing process.
Making tracks for a walk-behind tractor is a simple process, although it requires a sufficient amount of time. It is also necessary to make every effort and skill to ensure that all links of the goose are located at an equal distance from each other. This will help to avoid distortions and sliding of the caterpillar track from the load-bearing surfaces.
