Route 6x6 Discussion Board

Heavy duty snow track system?

Route 6x6 Discussion Board: Lets Build the Dream ATV: Tips and Tricks on How to Build the Ultimate ATV.: Heavy duty snow track system?

By nvbigblue on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hello all,
I was taling to my machinist friend about putting tracks on my max and suggested something I hadn't thought of....I wonder if any of you have. He suggested that I build a sub frame for the tracks. That is, a complete, track equipped, rolling frame that would go under my MAX. I could remove all the tires from the MAX and put a gear on the back axle to drive the tracks on the sub frame. I could gear it way down to give me plenty of power and use very wide tracks so that I would have plenty of flotation in deep powder. I've seen this sort of set up once on a machine about 10 years ago, but I don't what kind of machine it was (I wasn't into AATV's then, but it could have been an 8x8), and it had basically rotted away and all that was left was the frame and subframe. But the tracks on this beast were about 4 feet wide each!!! Anyone else ever thought about doing this? Or any thoughts on this setup?
Thanks, Bill

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Bill, sounds interesting. A couple of things to think about though. (1) It takes a lot of power to turn tracks and the wider they get, the more needed, probably directly proportional. It takes the 18hp Briggs to have adequate power with the modern machines if you are talking anything above 2500 feet. (2) You would probably want to drive it off the middle axle of a Max II and you might be asking too much to have one axle drive the whole setup. (3) maybe you could build your tracks unit so the max just drives up on top of it and is fastened down so the tires turn the tracks. You would have to be in reverse to go forward and vice versa.

By Bruce on Unrecorded Date: Edit

If you would like to see systems like this for trucks and now four wheelers. Go to this site. I have ridden in one of the trucks and it seems to work really well.

www.mattracks.com/

By nvbigblue on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Bruce, I've seen those before, but I'd still be worried about flotation in very deep, very dry powder snow. Today I stopped by a local company that rebuilds snow groomers and they were very nice, answering questions and letting me take pictures of the machines they were working on. If you'd like to see them, I put them on a web page here:
http://www.tinyhost.com/tam/projects/bill/groomers/snow_groomers.htm
Although a bit out of my price range, they (the machines) did give me some ideas about how to build a track system for a MAX.
Bill

By Bruce on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HI Bill,

I have owned a number of those machines. A few Tucker Snowcats, a couple Muskeg tractors, two Piston Bully snowgroomers and a Imp. I have repaired tracks on many of them and de-tracked and re-tracked them outside in a snow storm!! If you want to explore making a set of tracks I have access to spockets and tracks. I have been thinking about doing the same thing. PS. I work at a ski resort.

By nvbigblue on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Bruce,
You don't happen to live on the west coast do you? Actually, my neighbor happens to have a BUNCH of rubber belting. I think it may have been intended for use as tracks. It is about 8 inches wide, and is predrilled every 9 inches or so. Now if I can find the flexco hinges that go on the ends. He also has a whole box of what appear to be bogies. 5" diameter, 1" think solid rubber wheels. With the amount of junk he has laying around his place, I'll bet I can put something together. (He gets all this stuff at military auctions) :)

By argogeru on Unrecorded Date: Edit

A guy I know made his own tracks with 6 ply nylon rubber conveyor belt. he bought an air rivit gun and got the tire keepers from a aatv dealer for 2 bucks a piece. he rivited the tire keepers through the belt into steel 1/4 c channel for traction. he has roughly 450 bucks into them and they are more durable and reliable than any factory sold track system. I saw them in action in deep snow and on the ice and they are awsome. I have all of that same belt he used but no one will sell me the tire keepers. I want to put double runnamucks on my 73 argo 8 and have 20-22 inch wide tracks. any ideas on how to make or were to get tire keepers?

By nvbigblue on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Argogeru,
What exactly is a tire keeper? Don't suppose you could post a picture of them? I was looking at the flexco web site (they make belt splicing hinges) and came across one of their products that would work for use as a grouser bar (cleat). They were meant to turn a flat conveyor belt into an inclined conveyor belt. Basically a short rubber triangle, as wide as the belt, that bolts onto the belting. They also have a product for keeping belting running straight. A V shaped rubber piece that goes on the underside of a belt and runs across a pulley with a matching V groove in it to keep the belt from walking around. When I was working at a mine (right out of high school) we used flexco stuff on the conveyors and I can tell you this, their stuff holds up well under heavy use. The conveyors we had moved very abrasive crushed rock, and I'll bet snow and ice would be just as abrasive, so as set of tracks made out of this stuff should hold up quite a while. Of course the actual drive system might not. The only problem might be getting them to sell this stuff in small quantities at a reasonable price. Of course, if I had enough people that would buy a set......hmmmmm..."Wild Bill's Snow Tracks"?
Bill

By matt435 on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Jon, I am working on the tire keepers right now. I have a few guys giving me a price. They stopped buy my shop and took a look at one that I have.
They say they can make it stronger,lighter,and cheeper. Matt

By argogeru on Unrecorded Date: Edit

matt,
sounds good. I will need 300 of them for all my machines. I saw the track kit for the centaur at orrs yesterday and it is a cool rubber track system. they didnt have the tire keepers in for it yet but they said they were to big for an argo. I like the stronger lighter and cheeper part of your post to. cant wait to see what they come up with.

bill,
tire keepers are the aluminum pieces rivoted inside the track to hold the tires inside the rubber track, look at a max with tracks and look at the tires inside the track, the aluminum pieces cupping the tires is what i am refering to.

By Bruce on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Many times the guides ( tire keepers) are also used to connect two track belts and act as the cross member of the track that the drive spocket engages. This is bolted to the grousers. You will want to bolt the units and not rivet them so that you can take them apart when you need to repair them. Use a hole punch on the belting, one made to cut belting or leather. Drilling belting is tough on you and the drill and does not leave a clean hole for the bolt to go through. I have a number of old guides left over from a snow groomer I once owned that I would be willing to get rid of if that helps anyone. I also have some pre-drilled belting and many spockets left over from a rubber tracked Tucker Snocat. I was going to use all of this to build a half track system for one of my coots. But you know how it goes, you keep collecting stuff for the project that you hope one day to do. Remember, you have to be able to adjust the belt tension. This is important on track vehicles. Hope this helps.

By nvbigblue on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Bruce,
Thanks for the info. I have an appointment next week to talk to the local flexco rep in reno. I have some rough drawings and i'm hoping that he will be able to understand. My tracks will probably use a system much like a snow cat.... a drive gear in the rear....bogie wheels down the bottom and a rubber tire up front. If I'v done all my math correctly, the 18hp engine i'm getting will have enough power at the expense of speed. I've figured it to be about 8-10 mph max. Not a speed demon but fast enough for me. Lucky for me, Reno has several companies that rebuild and/or manufacture/sell snow machines. I'm hoping that they might be able to part with some of their "worn out" parts for free or at a big discount. At least we'll see.
Bill