By Al Csere on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Lets kick this idea around a little , those of
you who live in the snowy areas of the country
know there are lots of older snowmobiles
around . Practically everytime I visit the local
landfill there are at least one very complete old
unwanted SLED ( this is what they call
snowmobiles here ) Why could 'nt two sleds
be used and assembled together side by side
along with a rear end from a small car for the
differential part to separate the power to left &
right via the breaks on the rear ,( using a
master cylinder for each side )-------however it
would be good to shorten the axle section to
the shortest possible width. Many older sleds
had bogies wheels rather than the plastic
wear bars . Bogies would make it an all
season vehicle. With a little work a nice
creation could be invented from almost free
parts. Sleds already have good suspension
,shock absorbers and padded seats .Some
have longer tracks for improved traction in
deep powder snow . Just an idea

By kush on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Would you use both engine's or only one? If only 1 would you pull the other one for weight reasons or keep it as any emergency spare? It seems as if would be pretty heavy. Also a lot of work, why not look for an older 6x6?

By Joel Haslett on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Al,I had the same idea a few years ago. I went as far as starting to cut up two old Moto Skis thinking of using the differential idea. I got into several other things ,like getting remarried at that time and scrapped the idea. The old Caribou machine I have is a similar idea. I can get some close up pictures if you are interested in building something. I did hear of such a machine built near here about 10 years ago but never saw it. Last year a local snowmobile club started up an annual race for old one lunger snowmobiles ,this may mean fewer old snowmobiles on the dump for us guys. I've got my onelunger racer almost ready for this year's race. If you build something keep us posted.

By Al Csere on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Joel ; Yes I have been kinking the idea around
for some time , acually since I allready have
two Studebaker Weasels it would be neat to
fab up something for the little fellows in the
neighborhood ------sort of a miniature Weasel
. Maybe with a top speed of 20 mph . I would
like to see any pictures of your Caribou
machine .I have heard that some of the first
snowmobiles were double tracked and slow
moving , some even pulled a sled behind the
driver engine . Funny you bring up the one
lung snowmobile races they started that here
too. Are you located in Wyoming ? To answer
Kush 's question I would use one engine , and
it would be a two seater , probably would have
to use two long track donors or splice more
track together for the proper ratio length
verses width . Yes it will be a lot of work . All
good things are 1% inspiration and 99%
persiration but the time spent will be worth it
when you look out the window and see that
little fellow hooked on a positive sport instead
of in front of the T.V. or worse . It would be
easy to find an old 6x6 and get it going but I
like the challenge of making my own design.
We must also get the young people
interested in more constructive activities . For
an example I have just completed adding
power steering & power brakes to my 1971
F-250 4x4 ranch pickup which never had the
option available on the 4x4 models , using an
integral power steering gear box & a power
brake booster from a 1978 p-up., fairly easy I
thought . Yes 'll keep you up to speed on the
project , first I have to find the raw materials .

By phil on Unrecorded Date: Edit

TO AL CSERE I have an old 120" snowmobile track in the back from when I was restoring a steel track garden tractor.I thought I might build a light crawler with the rubber track by cutting it in half lenghtwise but could never find the sprockets.Not much in old sled parts in Denver. So I decided to build a Coot from scratch using a GEO 3 cyl engine and transmission. By turning the engine/trans 90 degrees like a 4x4 and linking the drive shafts to subaru diffs the whole system works really nice.The only machining is the CV axel shafts due to them being shorter.I am working on the electronic distributor right now to bypass the cars brain box.For your info the geo engine is 16" long by 18" wide,long intake manifold,and about 120lbs all aluminum block and head. As to the track maybe next year I'll find the sprockets.

By Bruce on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I don't want to rain on anyones parade, but I have both snowmobiles, six wheelers, coots and have had dozers, graders, and snow groomers, (tucker snowcats, muskegs, and Piston bullys) I have thought about just what is being proposes here using the snowmobile tracks and suspension. the problem I see is the snowmobile suspension system and boggie wheels will not hold up to the type of abuse that you will give them in the mud and dirt. They were made to run in the snow. I think you ought to consider building a beefed up boggie wheel system using solid rubber or air filled tires. snowmobile boggie wheels are not very strong when forced to hit rocks, stumps, etc... the old snowmobiles had very little suspension travel, so any object that get between the track and the boggie wheel will most likely break the boggie wheel. I think your weak link will be in the boggie system of the tracks. I could be all wrong here...so please keep us posted on your progress and good luck!!

By Al Csere on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Phil ; that homebuilt Coot sounds like the
cat's meow ! We would sure like to see a
photo or two of it., if not too much trouble . If I
recall the Coot had four wheels but had two
halves that pivot in the center , why don't you
explain how you get the power to the two
halves and pivot at the same time. Do you
use a hollow tube with driveshaft thru it?

Bruce; Your most likely right about the
suspension being the weak link, but I am
thinking of another ATV that once used a
similar suspension------the Cushman
Trackster . I still see them around in summer
and winter , mostly in bad places ,so they
must be O.K. I plan to slow the speed down
to 20 mph max anyway . As for the bogies and
the dirt or mud in the sealed bearings , I
would still be happy if the bogies had to be
hand packed with grease daily , but you would
be surprised how much abuse things can
take . We are not going into production of
anything , just the challenge and hopefully
something the little guy's can take a ride on .
Glad to see so much response -----the plan is
working you fellows are thinking about the
what can be made ! And there are NO limits
except your imagination.

By phil on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The coot used an 8" pipe that was greased and had a nut/collar to hold it together.This is simpler than my idea of using the hub assy from a frt axel 4x4.The 1" cv shaft will pass through the center.

By Al Csere on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Phil; Used Snowmobile parts can be found
from Central Snowmobile Salvage , look at
www.centralsnowmobilesalvage.com , if I
recall right get a catalog from them.

By Al Csere on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Well fellows , I now have one donor Polaris
snowmobile model TXL 340 complete with a
running 340 liquid cooled engine , and a good
track . As soon as I find one more I will start
sorting out what is needed to put the two
together side by side and create a non-
hydrostatic version of the Trackster . You ask
would it not be easier to find a Trackster -- yes
but I want to build something the kids can
drive out of Junk , like they do on T.V. 's JUNK
YARD WAR's show only not in 10 hours .

By jerseybigfoot on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Should be an interesting ride with 2x340's on tap.:-)

By jerseybigfoot on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Should be an interesting ride with 2x340's on tap.:-)

By AL CSERE on Unrecorded Date: Edit

There will only be one engine used to drive
both sides via either a small front wheel drive
manual trans with a converted four spider
gear differential instead just two or a small
conventional rear end from a small rear
wheel drive vehicle also coverted to have four
spider gears . I would like to know more about
those planetary gears inside an automatic
transmission , seems like they could be used
if a suitable gearbox was fabricated from
some sheetmetal . I know it would be easier
to get a used T-20.

By John P. Funk on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I am studying Mechanical Engineering at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. It is interesting that I found this conversation because I am in the process of designing a 2 person enclosed snowmobile with twin tracks. I plan to use a hydraulic drive system and am starting from scratch. The biggest problem I can see is finding a lightweight engine with around 50 horsepower to drive the hydraulics. The suspension is a little tough as well, but I have a plan to give the tracks enough flex to not shatter the wheels. I plan to make it comfortable enough to take your wife into the woods to enjoy the scenery and not do 85 miles per hour. A person is liable to get hurt going that fast. I very much believe in the KISS(Keep It Simple Stupid) principle and I know there are lots of engenious folks out there. Please send info on any engine alternatives that are simple without a lot of electronics and fairly lightweight, I would like to keep vehicle weight to less than 1000 lbs(500 kilos). Thanks

By Attex Bob on Unrecorded Date: Edit

John: I think your best bet would be to go with a Geo Metro engine. They are cheap and there is lots of them around. They put out about 50 to 60 HP, are water cooled and are not loud like a 2 stroke. Other than that the only thing that I can think of will be a 2 stroke Rotex that puts out that kind of power to weight ratio. I hope you have a fat wallet, with hydraulics in mind. Last time I checked the hydro- motors for my prunning tower were $1,500 a pop!!!! Ekkkssss!!!! I agree with you on believing in "KISS", but I don't think hydraulics is "KISS". You have a big buck pump, lines, cooler, and big, big buck motors. True, you can get some stuff using junk yard parts (an AC evap. for a cooler ect) but most stuff that you get for this thing will be "hand the big cash over type of stuff." I also don't think you will make the weight limit you are setting. Look at the weight on the Hydro-Traxx, 1,300 LBS. But you may have a much smaller AATV in mind. I don't know what a Trackster weighs but I think it is somewhere around 1,000 lbs. Let us know what you come up with and I hope this all works out for you.

By Bill Vincent on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Phil: I second Al's comments about posting info on the your homebuilt coot. I have spent many an hour trying to figure out the 4x4 system. Your system seems very simple. Please post pictures and give us all a description. Thanks. Bill. BTW, I tried to email you directly, but my email came back as undeliverable.