The “biting” prices for snowmobile equipment are forcing amateurs or professionals of winter hunting and fishing to make their own “sleighs”.

Motorcycle dog or motorized towing vehicle – ideal option active recreation. Of course, the unit will be based on Buranovsky parts, but the main tool will be your hands and technical knowledge.

To create a motorized towing vehicle with your own hands in your garage, you should prepare: metal beams 20*40*120 of which welding machine preparing the frame.
We will weld a mount for the motor and gearbox onto the frame. The motorized dog will move with the help of a caterpillar.

To do this, we take the element we need from Buran. Cut it crosswise. This is done in order to expand it chassis.
The connecting elements are jumpers made of “U”-shaped metal profiles. The caterpillar is “required” to rotate by two axles, specially machined to our dimensions - 25 mm thick, 50 cm long. “Cheeks” are welded to them for attaching the drive sprockets.
In addition, support bearings are attached to the frame on both sides (two in front and two in back). They are inserted into support housings. Three carriages with rollers were taken from the Buran snowmobile to provide support for the tracks. They are first subjected to expansion; for this purpose, the sawn carriages are connected with inserts.
Prepared carriages are placed on the “ears” welded to the frame. We install the motor with a pulley, connecting it to a four-speed gearbox with a belt drive (there is also a pulley on the box).
For control, handles are installed from a pipe (1.5 cm, 120 cm long), tightened with jumpers (in an arbitrary arrangement).

A Buranovsky gas trigger is installed on the steering wheel. A corresponding cable goes from it to the carburetor. There is a lever on the steering wheel, from which comes a tension roller, screwed to the frame on a hinge. By tightening the belts, he sets the vehicle in motion. The structure is designed in such a way that it allows, if necessary, to manually replace the belt.

For a homemade vehicle to move at a speed of 30 km/h in deep snow, it is enough to take a 6.5 horsepower engine.

For safety reasons, a protective housing is placed on top of the motor. The installed shield is made of steel sheet(1.5 mm). To fill the fuel, a hole with a diameter slightly larger than the neck with a lid is cut from above the gas tank.

In addition, this technique is not without its convenient moments. “Stash places” are installed under the seat and on the opposite side,

for various little things that will be quite useful on the road, including food supplies.

The output is motorized towing vehicle homemade, with low weight, capable of moving on a snowy surface. Dimensions are relatively small (150x55x60 cm). With them, any transportation of a motorized dog is not a problem.

After the sale of the snowmobile, it was decided to make a motorized towing vehicle based on a Greenfield 15 hp engine, Ride caterpillar and Buran roller suspension... With a leading Safari variator from Buran and a driven one from the Taiga snowmobile. The variators and motor are assembled on a separate frame for quick disassembly into blocks...

Buranovsky bogies have been converted into symmetrical ones + expanded to accommodate a 500 mm track. The guide shaft is an expanded Buranovsky, the driver sharpened it himself, according to his sketches... The rear Kamazovsky is installed as a mudguard,
cut into two parts, long at the back and short at the front...

Photos of the first fishing trip to Morozovo

After which the body kit was made

and the towing vehicle was converted into a pusher


, now, if desired, you can go fishing, both on a pusher and in a towing configuration,
depending on fishing conditions...

To prevent the pusher from lifting his nose in deep snow, a special lock is installed, which prevents the tracked block from making spark plugs, thereby increasing good cross-country ability...

For remote control The choke kit of the pusher is equipped with a choke cable from a VAZ 2108
, and the choke handle is located on the front wall of the pusher behind the seat...

The disadvantage is that for transportation you need either a trailer or big car like a loaf... Rolling in pusher mode (needs skill)... Well, the pluses are good cross-country ability and power...

P.S In winter, there was a big shortage of old Buranovsk skating rinks
- when water gets into the ice, it gets into the bearings of the rollers, after which it freezes there with all the consequences... To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to install plastic rollers
, they provide for the installation of sealing seals... In the spring I changed the rollers on my axlebox to plastic ones...

A little short photos and video

“Doesn’t bark, doesn’t bite, rolls around the field”... Don’t rack your brains over this strange riddle.

It hides an unusual vehicle designed to transport people and cargo off-road. The association with a dog sled arises due to the separate location of the transport module and the drag sled. Therefore, a motorized towing vehicle is often called a “motorized dog.”

The usual operating environment for this machine is frozen lakes and rivers, snow-covered forests and fields. The vast majority of motorized dog owners are hunters, fishermen and tourists.

The lack of awareness of the majority of city residents about motorized towing vehicles against the backdrop of their growing popularity requires us to tell in detail about their types, capabilities and operating features.

What is a motorized towing vehicle?

Designed for winter off-road driving, the motorized towing vehicle has much in common with a snowmobile. Fundamental difference– placement of the driver outside the platform with a motor on a towed sled. This is not an empty whim of the designers, but an important layout decision that reduces the weight of the vehicle and increases its maneuverability. Two other advantages in comparison with a snowmobile are simplicity of design and affordable price.

Of particular note is the compactness and light weight of this machine. It can be easily placed in a station wagon car.

The best time of year for a motorized towing vehicle is winter, and perfect place for trips - the snow-covered surface of a river or lake. Initially, these machines were specifically designed for ice fishing enthusiasts. The operation of a motorized dog is very simple: it is brought to the shore of a reservoir in a car, unloaded and driven on the ice in search of a good bite. Most cars have a fuel tank that lasts 30-40 km, so at one refueling you can travel 15-20 km from your home base.

A good motorized towing vehicle confidently moves not only on rolled snow, but also on fairly deep snow. It can transport loads through the forest and over rough terrain, replete with ups and downs.

In summer, the transport capabilities of this equipment are reduced, since rocky soil quickly kills the rubber track. But for trips through marshy areas, fields and forest roads, motorized towing vehicles in warm time have been used quite actively for years.

The good traction characteristics and excellent maneuverability of this machine are in demand in household farming all year round.

In summer, a motorized dog does not rest, but works together with its owner

"Anatomy" of a motorized dog

Here everything needs to be broken down “to the bones.” Any motorized towing vehicle consists of the following parts:

1. Engine.
2. Support frame.
3. Pendants.
4. Transmissions.
5. Caterpillars.
6. Electrical equipment and control systems.

1. Engine most often a single-cylinder four-stroke with a power of 6 to 15 “horses”.

Three types of power units have earned the most popularity: the more expensive Honda, as well as the more budget MTR (the Chinese analogue of the Japanese brand) and Lifan. The price difference between them is quite noticeable and reaches 20,000 rubles. The difference in reliability is not that significant. Therefore, many buyers choose equipment with Chinese engines.

If we talk about traction characteristics, then a 6-horsepower unit is an option for one person traveling fishing or hunting with the necessary equipment (50-70 kg). Motorized dog with a motor of more than 9 hp. will cope with the transportation of two people and deliver two centners of cargo on a drag sleigh to the desired point.

2. Frame you need to pay due attention, since it experiences serious loads when driving off-road. Thin metal is not allowed here. It quickly deforms, making the machine unusable.

Experts say that the required minimum thickness of a steel sheet is 3 mm. Regarding reliability steel profile The frame is best judged by reviews from the owners of this equipment.

The frame is the basis of reliability and durability

3. Suspension motorized towing vehicle – important indicator its running capabilities. There are two structural suspension systems: roller and slip.

Roller suspension

Slime suspension - the caterpillar slides along the internal “ski”

When driving on uneven terrain, a roller suspension is more comfortable than a skid suspension, but it overcomes deep snow worse (the cavities between the rollers become clogged). In turn, the slick system can only be operated in winter time. She needs snow to cool the caterpillar rubbing against the ski runner - the slick.

Among the modern modifications of roller suspensions, we can distinguish variants in which the rollers are supported not by rigid, but by spring support. Thanks to this solution, the motorized towing vehicle moves more smoothly on the hard surface of a frozen pond and dirt roads.

4. Transmission transmits the rotation of the engine shaft to the track drive sprocket. It comes in two types: automatic gearbox and variable speed drive.

The main advantage of an automatic clutch is its high traction force. Disadvantages include increased wear of the friction discs and the need for frequent maintenance.

The variator ensures smooth, stepless transmission of torque from the engine to the track, less wear on parts and fuel economy. It is more reliable, but more expensive than the automatic one. The weakest point of a CVT transmission is the drive belt. It has to be changed frequently after active movement on difficult areas.

Motorcycle dog experts say that the variator is optimal for winter use. Automatic transmission and frame with sprung rollers – best solution for all-season use.

5. Track designs differ in width, length, height and lug pitch.

Depending on the width, there are two types of tracks:

1. Snowmobiles (38 cm).
2. Specially designed for motorized towing vehicles (50-55 cm).

The Buranovskaya snowmobile track does not have high cross-country ability. It is better to operate equipment with such a propulsion system on compacted winter roads or on reservoirs. The small width of the track makes the machine less stable. Most often it is installed on budget models with an automatic transmission and an engine power of no more than 7 l/s. Buying a motorized dog with a narrow track can be recommended for those who travel alone and do not carry heavy loads.

The 50 cm caterpillar is the most popular option. The large width and high lugs make the motorized tug more passable, more stable and more maneuverable.

Standard track (length 2828 mm, width 500 mm, lug height 21 mm)

To increase cross-country ability, motorized towing vehicles are equipped with a so-called aggressive caterpillar. It is distinguished by a larger width (55 cm), a special “tread pattern” and lug height (32 mm versus 21 mm for the standard one).

Aggressive caterpillar

To move along bare ice and dense snow, a split design has been developed. It consists of two narrow tracks connected by metal grouser slats. The narrow specialization of this design makes it unsuitable for movement on deep and loose snow cover.

Split track

6. In addition to standard “electrics” servicing the motor, the motorized dog can, at your request, be equipped with an electric starter (manual start is provided in the basic configuration) and a lighting coil.

The need for the first device can be debated, since manual starting of the engine of a motorized towing vehicle works reliably. But there is no point in discussing the installation of a lighting coil. It supplies electricity to the headlamp, without which dark time You won't get far for a day.

The only nuance you should be aware of is the current generated by the coil. 3 amp will not be enough to power a standard 55 Watt light bulb in the headlight. Therefore, it is better if the motorized dog is equipped with a 7 Ampere lighting coil. It will be enough not only for lighting, but also to power the electrically heated control handles - an additional useful option for a motorized towing vehicle.

Control of the engine and transmission, choice of direction of movement - everything in this machine is performed using a two-handed stand, colloquially called “horns”. It is pivotally connected to the power module and resembles the control system of a walk-behind tractor.

The free space on the motorized dog platform is not empty. It transports cargo and camping equipment.

Speaking about the design of the motorized dog, we need to say a few words about a useful addition - the ski module. It turns the car into a kind of light snowmobile, allowing the driver to sit on the cargo platform, comfortably controlling the movement.

Ski module of motorized towing vehicle

Five popular manufacturers

The popularity of motorized dogs today is such that only a lazy manufacturer does not try to offer the market its own version of the machine. It’s not easy to understand the motley variety of names and models. As always, videos posted on the Internet and reviews from owners are a useful guide in this matter.

In this regard, the company’s motorized towing vehicles deserve attention Burlak. The reliability of the design and the absence of problems with spare parts pleases the owners of this equipment. In 2016, the most budget model of this company (6.5 hp) can be purchased for 52,000 rubles, the most equipped (15 hp) for 82,600 rubles.

Tugboat Burlak

All-season cars are no less popular Russian company Koira (KOiRa). They are equipped with two tracks and pneumatic rollers, increasing cross-country ability. marshy areas. Price tags for them start at 82,000 and end at 135,000 rubles.

High-speed motorized towing vehicles do not cause any complaints from owners Chinook Russian-assembled, confidently overcoming loose snow and spring thaw. Approximate prices for these machines are in the range from 74,000 to 105,000 rubles (with ski module included).

Motorcycle dogs deserve positive reviews Pachus for high maneuverability, reliability and maintainability. You can purchase them at prices ranging from 51,000 to 250,000 rubles. in the richest and most complete configuration.

High positions in popular rating occupied by motor vehicles Leopard. The most popular models from this manufacturer are the Partisan and the Pathfinder. They are economical, easy to operate and maintain. The cost of cars, depending on engine power and configuration, ranges from 56 to 120 thousand rubles.

Leopard Pathfinder

How to make a motorized dog with your own hands?

Many lovers homemade designs managed to have a hand in creating motorized towing vehicles. This is not a simple matter, requiring good design and metalworking skills.

A homemade motorized dog assembled on the basis of a low-power engine from a chainsaw or moped cannot be considered a serious mechanism. It's more of a fun toy than reliable assistant while hunting or fishing.

It is better to buy the main components of the future towing vehicle - engine, variator, chain, drive sprocket, rollers and caterpillar ready-made, concentrating the main efforts on the manufacture of a durable frame and high-quality installation of the purchased units.

Homemade frame - top view

Having welded the frame according to the drawings, supports for the caterpillar, shafts with rollers are attached to it, and the caterpillar is installed.

The next stage is the installation of a platform made of thick plywood or steel sheet and mounting the engine, variator and drive chain on it.

Making a motorized dog with your own hands without fencing the loading platform means spending time every time securing the luggage with ropes or elastic slings. The fence grid is welded from a small tubular profile with a cross-section of 20x20 mm.

In any self-made equipment, the most important part is the engine. To make a motorized dog, preference should be given to one of the most common Sh-58 motors, intended for mopeds, which are produced by a domestic plant. Its main advantage is that such a motor requires the use of a manual gearbox switch.

In addition, it should be noted that engines from foreign manufacturers can also be installed in homemade towing vehicles. Today, small-displacement engines, which are offered to customers by Honda and Yamaha, have become quite popular.

Engine for motorized dog

Often the engine used is a chainsaw motor - small in size and sufficient for homemade motorized dog power at a fairly low price speak for themselves.

The main technical characteristic of these internal combustion engines is their versatility. Thus, the engines are perfect both for equipping a compact motorized dog and for use in a huge number of different technical means, starting with walk-behind tractors and ending with a small electric generating station.

Regarding the number of strokes, it is better to choose a high-quality two-stroke engine, which is more practical, unlike a four-stroke one. Two-stroke bikes have smaller dimensions and weight, and the power characteristics are practically no different. The disadvantage of two-stroke engines is their rather low engine life, but here you can also invest in inexpensive kits for overhauls.

It is also necessary to take care of the parts for the towing vehicle control system. Most best option– a steering wheel equipped with built-in controls: clutch and gas handle, gearbox switch. It can be removed from any worn-out equipment or purchased ready-made designed for mopeds or scooters.

Drawings of a motorized dog

1-front driven wheels

2-track lugs (birch slats 35? 75-1260 mm)

3-threaded rods M8x170 mm with nuts

4-upper part of the frame ( steel pipe 30?2 mm)

5-front engine mount (steel strip 2.5 mm thick)

6-comb (steel strip 3 mm thick)

7-reinforcing element (steel sheet 2.5 mm thick)

8-post (steel pipe 30?2 mm)

9-plug (steel pipe dia. 22×2.5 mm)

10-fuel tank (2.5 l polyethylene canister)

11-control elements for the track unit (left: clutch handle and gearbox switch, right: pelvis handle)

12-steering wheel (from any brand of moped)

13- fuel tank support (steel strip 2 mm thick)

14-fuel tap with sump (from any moped)

15-fuel line

16-drive shaft bushing

18-sleeve (piece of rubber hose)

19-outer cheek of the wheel (duralumin sheet 3 mm thick)

21-washers forks

22 cotter pin

23-drive shaft (steel pipe diameter 30×2.5 mm)

24-flange (steel sheet 3 mm thick)

25-pin (steel bar dia. 10 mm)

26-inner wheel cheek (3 mm thick duralumin sheet)

27-rear drive wheel

28-cable control system

29-track drive chain

30-rear engine mount (2.5mm thick steel sheet)

31-engine type B-50

32-muffler (thin-walled steel cylindrical container 0130 mm with holes 20 mm in diameter)

33-lower part of the frame (steel pipe 30?2 mm)

34-front driven shaft bushing

35-bolts M8x55 mm with nuts

36,40- bushings

37-bearing

38-adapter

39-bushing

41-bushing

42-drive chain sprocket

43-rubber-fabric tape (thickness 6 mm, width 220 mm).

Before you begin assembling the equipment, you need to purchase correctly selected bearings for support. It is for them that the bushings will have to be machined. A self-welded frame made from several pipes for water supply, differing from each other in hole diameter, can serve as a reliable main structure. To give them the appropriate shape, they are initially filled with dried sand and then tightly closed with plugs. The next step is to place the workpiece in a vice, where, under the influence of a conventional soldering iron, it is bent at pre-marked points. The curves turn out smooth and beautiful if you use a template that can be made from plywood. However best results can be achieved using pipe benders.

When each individual frame part has the required bends, they are connected into one whole using welding clamps. This is because you can easily remove any possible defects that arise during the assembly stage. After all defects have been corrected, the frame is fastened together using electric welding.

It is also necessary to prepare parts from sheet steel that will be needed to fix the engine to the frame. They are made using cardboard templates. They are attached to the engine, and the resulting structure is connected to the frame body with welding points. Then the engine must be disconnected from the template and the fasteners securely welded to load-bearing structure.

For a homemade tracked unit, you can take collapsible shafts. They are very easy to make from several bearings, bushings, and also shafts. Bushings are manufactured exclusively for purchased bearings in such a way that the dimensions of their walls do not exceed five millimeters. Because in such a towing vehicle the heaviest loads are placed on the rear axle. For this reason, the rear shaft is equipped with a drive sprocket, which is connected to the gearbox through a chain drive.

In addition to composite shafts, a motorized dog also uses wheels of this type. The latter includes two cheeks each having a thickness of three millimeters, as well as a large number of special lugs made of small steel pipes. They will be able to dampen vibration better if rubber bushings are attached to their ends.

Mover

Excellent tracks for a motorized dog can be made from a conveyor belt. Most best option– tape with a width of more than two hundred millimeters. For the manufacture of tracks, slats with flat surface from birch. Their length should be approximately 1260 millimeters. The structure of these elements can be strengthened by using several steel ridges that are fixed to birch beams. All components are connected to each other using M6 threaded bolts.

You can use two tracks instead of one. The design with two tracks is simpler, but has less maneuverability in deep snow.

The control system of a homemade towing vehicle is not much different from that used on mopeds. The steering wheel has a gas handle on the right side, and a gearshift lever on the left, as well as a clutch handle. To attach the steering wheel to the supporting structure, two pipes are required, welded to a U-shaped fork. The latter is fixed on the rear axle with welded steel washers.

The motor in the motorized dog is located in the caterpillar structure itself, which is why it cannot be brought into operation using a conventional kickstarter. Thus, the system needs to be modernized. You should take a pipe with a sufficiently long length. A hole is made at one end of a size that allows you to effortlessly insert the lever drive. Then the pipes are connected to the kickstarter lever using standard welding.

Watch a video of using a motorized dog.

And so, you decided that you need a motorized towing vehicle for hunting, fishing, transporting goods, or just for driving, but you want a more powerful engine, larger standard headlights, heating, and a special color. But in the product catalog there is no such individual model, just for your taste. But it’s not scary, today you can assemble high-quality DIY motorized towing vehicle. You just need to have a little experience in locksmith work, a set of tools and a desire to get unique equipment. The assembly process can be divided into several technological stages:

1. Choosing the configuration of a future motorized towing vehicle: at the first stage, you need to decide what kind of motorized towing vehicle you want, write down its description and technical specifications: determine the load capacity, engine power, type of start (manual or electric starter), select the type of transmission, sled (drag) and frame color. And also decide which additional equipment you want to equip a motorized towing vehicle with manual assembly: for example a winch, protective casing, circuit protection, additional headlights, etc.
2. Once you have decided on the configuration, you need to select necessary details on our website. You can buy separately the motor, electrics, base for the motorized dog (chassis and body) and other necessary spare parts.
3. Order all the parts for self-assembly. All components will be packaged and shipped. The necessary instructions will be attached to the main components.
4. After receiving all the spare parts, you will need to familiarize yourself with the parts and their descriptions. Be sure to check the package.
5. Assembly is the most main point in independent design of a motorized towing vehicle. It is necessary to install all the components on the base, connect everything according to the attached instructions. If you have any questions, you can call and get advice.
6. Test it. Now you need to make sure that you have assembled everything correctly, check the reliability of all components and connections for your safety.

That's it, ready. Thus, you get exactly the equipment you want at the cost of a regular model, and sometimes even cheaper. And it will be a self-assembled motorized towing vehicle, which is doubly nice. But still before self-assembly It’s worth studying the catalog carefully, maybe you can find the model you need.

By making a motorized dog ourselves, we are not responsible for the final product; all work is performed entirely under your responsibility.