By William Melson on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Picked up from surplus 12 sprokets #60 1/3/16 bore 34 ft of #60 chain (6)4 bolts piller block barings and (6) 2 bolt piller block barings in 1/3/16 also 20 ft 1/3/16 shaft,Already had 1/1/2 x 3 of box steele about 30 feet,cut 3 pieces at 8 ft long cut 2 pieces 10 inches and 4 pieces 8 inches,took 2 10 inch pieces and welded it in the middle of the 2 8 ft pieces then the 8 inch pieces on 50 inch centers with a 10 inch piece in the middle for center axel and 8 inch pieces are for front and back axel laid the 3rd 8 ft piece in the middle of the 2 other 8 ft pieces that were 24 1nch apart that carries the center piller block barings drilled 2/1/4 inch holes in the center 0f the 8 10 inche pieces mounted 4 bolts pillar blocks on the side and 2 bolt pillar blocks in the center and welded 2 outside 8 ft pieces 2 bolts go into the 8 ft piece and other 2 bolts of the pillar block go to cut pieces installed axels and sprokets 1 spoket on the front axels 2 spokets on the middle axel and 2 spokets on the back axel 5 sprokets on each side sloted the frame so front and back piller blocks can move 1/1/4 as to ajust chain with jacking bolts no chain ajusters here will move front and back axels to ajust chains center will not ajust will send pictures when i learn to put pictures from the digital camera on the computer.I use 7/16 bolts self locking nuts and flat washers to secure pillar blocks to outside frame and center section plan on using aluminum for the body and 20-25 horse motor with 6 feet transmission no belts here any ideal will be greatly appreciated. Had a side winder atv years ago it was junk I think I can do better you rode 1 hr and worked on it for 3.I will keep you infromed. Olddog

By shelzac on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Olddog,
Sounds like quite a project you're working on! I'm curious as to why you will adjust your wheelbase to adjust your chains. Will this project be amphibious? How will you seal your axles? It seems moving axles will be hard to seal. What type of tranny or drive system will you use if no belts? Hydrostatic? Separate geared transmissions with clutches? Tranny with differential drive? I wish I had the time and money to work on a project like you are starting. Sounds like a lot of fun!! Please keep us updated.

Sheldon

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

shelzac, thats an easy one expanding the space between axels is done on amphicats and the outer seal works fine, if his outer bearing moves it will posably also seal, it's not a real long distance needed anyway, the problem most chained vehicles have is chain strech, this can be agrevated by the very idelers most use to try to take up slak and keep chains guided so as to stay on sprokets, yes each time the chain deflects from it's path it must move the pin in rollers inside the barrel and this is where they ware out, the more the move and also how much tention there under as well, well idelers give chains yet another place to cause wear n tear, the expanding system limits chain defection to only 2 sprokets, it's posable prehaps his chains may last 30% longer if he adgustes properly, not too tight n not too loose.
as to sealing who cairs anyway, the 2 bigest aatv manufacters now are useing bearings as seals and this dosent work well enoph, water wrecks the bearings and gets into machines anyhoot,
wiliam i think most people who build there own machines start from the trans and work there way out, after you have a trany you know where to put engine, then how big everything else should be, ect..ect.. you need to concider the tranny before welding up a fraim.

By William Melson on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Sheldon and David
On sealing the axels I will put a 3/16 thick steel plate in back of the front and back of pillar block barings 1/2 inch longer than piller block it will have 5 holes in it 4 for the bolts 1 for the axel,axel hole is 2/1/4 inch the plate will cover the long gatted holes when you slide bearings to ajust the chain with jacking bolts. the traney I want to use is a peerless 6 speed with wet clutch look at it at www.surplus center.com on web under transaxels that is where I got the spocket and the chain,a lot of good stuff cheap,if you know of a better site please let me know,they have a boat load of all kinds of stuff,the reason the frame is only 24 inchs wide is I want to keep the width to 48- 49 inchs wide total I will cut off what I don't need on the lenght. The engine will hock with a shaft direct no belt to slip will try to cut down transaxel to fit in frame or use a 5 speed one that is not as wide will put disc brakes on each end of transaxel with spockets to drive middle or back aXELs,will gear machine to do 15- 18 miles an hour the trans i'm looking at has an internal wet clutch and brake if I can't use I will go with a pump-2 motors and 2 spool controls tank cooler and all that hydro stuff would like to stick to gears and a wet clutch but if it won't fit tuff I want to stay at 49 inches if at all possible as to fit under motor home which is an mci converted bus the body will be 2 piece tires will come off grab it and pull it out install tires and bolt the upper body on and go,I though about 1 belt to drive prop between engine and trans the shaft should be 12- 18 inches long I want to thank all for showing interest inthe project to run the bogg in new brunswick canada when I visit my brother-law sorry I get to long winded will get pictures when I can get them out of computer and on site did get them out of camera into computer my first time with a computer I will keep in touch. Old Dog

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

other end of engine might also work to grab power for propeler, not to much needed for a prop.
as to useing disc brakes on ends of transaxel yes i have sean it done, they work well but disc brakes neeed good cooling! this engine you have in mind, dose it have adiquet altenater? your going to need plenty of fan power for stearing brakes cooling, the one i saw used volkswagon engine and trany and of coarse had full automotive power available for the cooling fans, it has run for 20 years acording to owner,
he also runs 26"tires with this set up.

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Couldn't you just use a marine blower type setup like what they use in the ARGO now? I don't think its very hard to do is it? I may be totally wrong, but isn't it just the fan and some ducting work that directs outside air onto the disks and pads? Would maybe cost you 20 bucks or so depending on how much air you need drawn in.

By William Melson on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The prop I'm talking about is a boat prop to push machine forward in the water I thought that the shaft that hocks transaxel and engine together I could lay a shaft straight out the back and drive it off a belt and use a tighter to ingage and disingage when needed also use a spline quick disconnect so I can remove when not needed and the surport baring would be flush with back of machine. Old Dog