"Parma" cuts through the swamps and off-road terrain of our vast country.
All data is taken from the forum of the Lunokhodov.Net website, where he shares his experiences and skills under the nickname mishanya68.
The tasks initially assigned to the all-terrain vehicle builder.
IN technical requirements and wishes the following points:
1. confident movement on snow of average depth and density for the Urals.
2. capacity 2 people, plus 50-80 kg of cargo.
3. at a minimum, must confidently float on the water (the main use is fishing and buoyancy for safety).
4. The main application is snow and ice 90%, the rest is autumn and spring - snow and mud.
5. Maximum use of ready-made serial parts and assemblies.
In connection with this project, I once again re-read the topics on “Tazik”, “Luntik”, “Barsik” and “Yukon” - these are ready-made all-terrain vehicles described on the website “Lunokhodov.Net”. Thank you very much the authors of the projects for sharing their experience, developments and drawings that they used.
Based on the experience of previous builders, I outlined an approximate design
1. turn on a differential with a rear axle, but we’ll install a cylindrical one.
2. 2-cylinder engine, made in China with a cylinder capacity of 690 cubic mm.
3. transmission: belt variator - VAZ 5-speed gearbox - rear axle from VAZ.
4. dimensions 2500x1750 mm.
The rear axle is taken from a classic Zhiguli. Instead of wheels, there are sprockets (drive wheels for the caterpillar)
The beam was used. After disassembling, after checking for straightness, I cut off the excess and immediately cleaned it, cleaning it with flap wheels with 40 grit. It turned out quite quickly, 1.5-2 hours for everything, and cleaning took about 30 minutes. But this time is then saved on welding and painting.
Engine made in China.
Drawings have been developed for the production of guides that are attached to inside track belts and prevent the tracks from coming off during movement and turns.
The axle shaft is factory.
The axle shaft is purchased, find the differences! Therefore, it was decided to leave the factory axle shafts, but replace the bearings.
I bought belts for the production of tracks in a rubber products store at a repair plant in Perm.
Can you be more specific: what is “increased strength”??? In numbers. 4 spacers is good, 12 mm is not a lot?
The strength of the tape is created by the gaskets - the rest is rubber, which itself does not bear the load, BUT protects the gaskets from damage. For example, I took one so that on one side (outer) there was 3-4 mm, and on the other (inner) - 1 mm. There is practically no damage to be expected on the inside, and excess thickness means extra weight and not a small one! As for the gaskets - they are ALWAYS the same thickness - 1mm, the rest depends on their quantity!
By meter: I took 4 pieces. with a length of 6.5 m, width - 150mm, thickness - 8mm, ply - 7. It came out to 10 thousand rubles.
I began to weld the frame of the future all-terrain vehicle. Some call it a frame, some a boat, some a skeleton, but the author calls this structure a keel, since the all-terrain vehicle is more intended for swimming.
The rounded front of the keel should improve the buoyancy quality of the homemade car.
It was decided to make an all-terrain vehicle without a balancer, since it is intended for trips to winter time, the roads are smoother, the weight of the structure is reduced, and it is technically easier to implement.
The frame is assembled with support rollers on both sides, the wheels used are the most common and common R 13 from VAZ, the bottom of the star is raised from the floor level by 350 mm, the wheel has a diameter of 570 mm.
Preparing tracks for making caterpillars.
Plates for fastening.
Drilling template.
Ready-made holes on conveyor belts for making caterpillars.
Drilling holes according to the template.
Assembly.
A device for drilling holes in rubber using the punch method, but here you do not need to hit the punch, it is clamped into the drill chuck and the rubber is cut, very good holes are obtained and less effort is needed.
You can watch the video how this is done.
Photo of a device clamped into a drill chuck.
Photo of a device for bending pressure plates and bent plates.
One caterpillar is ready.
Safety precautions. To avoid the pain of hitting the ends of the pipe and getting scratched, it is better to protect yourself, at least with gloves.
The caterpillar fits around the sprocket, all tracks are in contact with the teeth.
Front view.
The tension mechanism is made so that both sloths are tensioned at the same time, there are pros and cons of this method. Plus the largest - the same tension of the tracks, provided that the tracks are the same during manufacturing and are equally stretched, ease of execution and more reliable fastening sloth axes. If these conditions are met, straight driving is ensured.
Disadvantages: poor sealing of the boat, since the sloth shaft runs inside the boat; if one caterpillar falls off, both sides relax in order to put it on. Also to be removed for repairs if necessary.
Plates for fastening tension mechanisms.
The jibs and amplifiers are welded.
Bridge fastening.
Installing disc brakes on a VAZ axle, due to the braking of the drive wheels, the all-terrain vehicle will turn while driving.
The guides are on the inside of the caterpillar, on the upper fold along the edges of the fang it is pressed 9 mm, this is with a plate width of 40 mm, steel thickness is 2.5 mm. this is the limit for a press with a force of 10 tons.
Guides, with a plate welded inside for fastening to the tracks.
A device for making guide plates using a press.
This will guide the tension wheel.
The guide plate touches the brake hose from the disc brakes on the sprocket, so you need to change the brake hoses and use Niva ones.
The gaps between the guides for the passage of the caterpillar along the track sprocket are acceptable.
All plates are chopped and bent.
The caterpillar is the most labor-intensive and labor-intensive part of the all-terrain vehicle.
The track and sprocket must interact with each other without binding at the entrance or exit of the sprocket. The check has been completed.
Watch the video.
Engine installation.
Installation of the clutch and gearbox.
Installing the cardan.
Variator on the engine pulley. The transmission has only positive results so far; Kayurov’s variator works very well with the Chinese engine. At first there were problems with the belt releasing at idle, but after adjusting the carb, everything returned to normal. It releases completely at approximately 1000-1100 engine rpm, gripping at approximately 1500-1700 rpm. Fully compressed at about 2500-2800 rpm.
I couldn’t understand why, by ear, the maximum speed was less than 3000 rpm, then I saw the throttle limiting bolt was fully tightened, the Chinese apparently tightened it for a quiet break-in, and also completed the control levers.
The first departure took place. First impressions are great.
Everything I said about differential rotation is not entirely true. There are points about which a little later. The all-terrain vehicle is still quite light and nimble.
It rolls around the garage with its hands into one person, turns around into two people. In the video, the surface is compacted snow, gear is first and a third of the gas, I press the levers with one finger, there is almost no noise from the stars.
I finished work with the controls (gear shifter and throttle drive), and also made the cardan protection frame. Made a short trip. Now everything works fine. Tomorrow I'll take everything apart for welding the boat and painting it.
I disassembled the all-terrain vehicle for welding and painting.
He turned over on his back.
I scalded the bottom, the sides remained and can be painted.
The braces are installed.
The pulley shaft is inside the casing.
I scalded the sides and painted them.
Painted everything inside.
The gearbox is outside with a plug for filling oil and the differential.
Many people involved in the manufacture of homemade equipment also develop crawler-mounted all-terrain vehicles and homemade caterpillars on walk-behind tractor. When bringing this idea to life, people use the most different solutions. But making caterpillars remains big problem for lovers of this type of transport. After all, if an all-terrain vehicle or snowmobile is made with your own hands, then the tracks should be homemade.
Homemade tracks from tires
It is very common among DIYers to make tracks using car tires. To do this, select tires that have a suitable tread pattern, from trucks.
To make such a caterpillar, you need to cut out the beads from the tire and leave treadmill. This is quite a labor-intensive job that requires a lot of patience, because the tool used is a sharpened shoe knife.
To make the work easier, from time to time the knife blade can be moistened in a soap solution to cut the rubber faster. One option is to use homemade device for cutting, or use a jigsaw with a fine-tooth file.
After cutting off the sides, if the track is too hard, you can remove the extra layers of rubber inside the resulting ring. If the tread pattern is not suitable for the conditions of use, then a new lug structure is cut.
The undoubted advantage of a homemade caterpillar made from a tire over a caterpillar made from a transport belt is that it is initially a closed loop, and therefore reliable. The disadvantage of this caterpillar is the limited width of the workpiece, which can be corrected by using a double-width option.
Homemade caterpillar for motorized towing vehicle
DIY caterpillar from tape
Continuation of assembling caterpillars from tape
With the development of technology, more and more various designs mechanisms that are operated in winter. But with the arrival of spring, such cars remain unclaimed until the next season, and their owners have to change their means of transportation. It is unprofitable and impractical to have two vehicles, which differ only chassis. AND great solution was to create a snowmobile motorcycle that would be universal and could be used equally successfully in winter and summer. For this you can make homemade caterpillar.
I’ve been thinking about getting one for a long time, but I decided to refrain from buying an industrial Buran. And not only because this car is not cheap and, intended only for winter use, only takes up space in the garage in the summer. It happens, you'll get it together early spring to go fishing, but the road to a nearby body of water is already clear of snow, and “Buran” will no longer pass. But, unfortunately, an old friend - a motorcycle - will not help here: beyond the side of the road the snow is still deep and loose.
A popular model is the snowmobile mechanism, the basis for which was an IZH motorcycle with a sidecar.
The essence of the modification is that we will replace the rear wheel with a caterpillar, and the remaining wheels with wide skis made of metal. After such simple manipulations, your motorcycle will turn into a snowmobile that will easily pass snow drifts and climbs, and on the road reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. Refurbishment process summer option and back will not take much time (about 15 minutes). And the compact size of the track and ski kit will allow you to always keep it at hand.
The design of the skis, which we will install in place of the front wheel and the stroller wheel, is quite simple. They can be made from a duralumin sheet riveted with longitudinal corners, due to which the skis will acquire longitudinal rigidity. Next, you need to attach two metal strips to the corners, and between the strips, use two bolts to fix the wheel. The sliding surface for skis can be made of stainless steel, brass or polyethylene. This will significantly reduce friction on the snow. And to improve controllability, you need to make a special undercut on the front ski - a steel vertical rib on the lower flat part.
DIY caterpillars drawings
The caterpillar mover, installed in place of the removed rear wheel of the motorcycle, is more difficult to manufacture.
How to make a DIY caterpillar for a motorcycle
Its frame is welded from steel pipes diameter 30 and diameter 20 mm and four steel plates 8 mm thick. Longitudinal grooves in the plates are designed to connect the front and rear shafts of the track support drums and adjust its tension. A steel sleeve is welded to the vertical tubular arc. When installed on a motorcycle, the axle of the removed rear wheel passes through its hole. The eyelet in the front part* of this arch serves to attach a special unit with which the entire frame is fixed to the rear fork of the motorcycle. And two similar ears, welded under the longitudinal pipes, are necessary to connect the balancer axis. In addition, these pipes have stops at the ends for the threaded track tensioner.The shafts of the front and rear support drums of the caterpillar are machined from steel rod 0 25 mm. At the ends of each, journals are machined for bearing No. 204, and in the middle part sprockets (Z = 17) of transmission chains and flanges of support drums are welded. Since only the front shaft is driving, the rear sprocket is not used, but the shafts are completely interchangeable, which can be useful if the sprocket fails.
The bearing housings of these shafts are machined from steel blanks. In addition to the bearing housing, they have axial holes for fastening the frame plates and a radial hole (in place) for a long pin used as a caterpillar tensioning rod.
The housing covers have a groove for installing a sealing collar and are attached to the housing with IVI5 bolts.
The caterpillar support drums are machined from duralumin blanks and assembled from two halves with six MB bolts. During assembly, drive sprockets cut from a thick rubber sheet are clamped between them - on the front shaft and cylindrical rollers - on the rear. The teeth of the drive sprockets transmit force to the track, engaging the lugs through the gap between the track strips. And the drums themselves roll along the inside of the track. Semicircular grooves on their outer surface are made so that the heads of the screws that attach the lugs to the tape do not interfere with operation.
The caterpillar consists of four strips 56 mm wide, cut from a conveyor belt and connected together by common lugs - steel U-shaped profiles bent from strips 2 mm thick.
The front track shaft is rotated chain drive from the drive sprocket (Z=42), installed in place of the wheel. The sprocket itself is borrowed from the IZH-10 motorcycle. It is attached with six Mb bolts to a pre-processed forest hub, as shown in the drawing. This part is mounted on the rear fork in the same way as the rear wheel with the addition of a simple spacer.
The intermediate supports of the caterpillar propulsion system are balancers - four double-armed levers mounted on a common axis with roller axles fixed at the ends.
Not finding wheels suitable in size and strength for the balancer, I made them myself. Using a simple stamp, I squeezed out halves of wheel disks from round steel plates, turned out bronze hubs - plain bearings and a mold for roller tires. By connecting the half-discs with six bolts, I got a durable wheel that can be easily repaired in case of wear.
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 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 an engine from a domestically produced motorcycle, 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 caterpillar model is quite simple to make, it has a long service life and a long service life.
Making caterpillars from car tires
You can make a caterpillar yourself using car tires. To carry out the work, you need to select tires borrowed from trucks; it is recommended to use a suitable tread pattern, and you will spend less strength when working with a 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 soap solution. As an alternative solution, you can use a device designed for cutting; it is also possible to use electric jigsaw. On the latter, you first need to attach a file with small teeth, the file must also be pre-moistened with water, during the work such manipulations must be done periodically.
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 it has a 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
The next version of the caterpillar is 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 a rectangular cross-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 also 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.
One of the problems of our homeland is very bad roads. And so some enthusiasts are trying to decide this problem on your own.
Just a huge amount highways The roads connecting various villages are so poor in condition that it is sometimes difficult to drive through them in a regular car.
And when it comes autumn-winter period, then moving along them is almost impossible. You can, of course, get out of this situation and order an all-terrain vehicle from abroad, but this is very expensive and therefore you have to make do with what is available.
Homemade tracked all-terrain vehicle
This all-terrain vehicle has high cross-country ability; off-road conditions and any water obstacles are not an obstacle for it. The body is made in the form of a box-shaped structure. The propulsion system is caterpillars.
Towing capacity - pulls a trailer weighing about 900 kg.The hood is shaped to move through algae, driftwood and moss. Exhaust gases are vented upward. A homemade all-terrain vehicle with caterpillar tracks is equipped with a winch located at the front. The body bottom is sufficiently sealed, plus there are pneumatic rollers on the sides, which have a positive effect on the buoyancy of the all-terrain vehicle.
Controlling an all-terrain vehicle on caterpillar tracks
The control of the all-terrain vehicle is the same as on a tractor; it is carried out using levers. The differentials located on the sides were made from VAZ disc brakes.
In the cabin, in the middle of the floor, there is a pneumatic lever - a track tensioner. Ideal option It would have been better to use a mechanical tensioner, since it is more unpretentious to repair, but the author of this all-terrain vehicle decided otherwise and installed a pneumatic tensioner.
Chassis
The designer created an excellent chassis. You should pay attention to the tracks: they are cast, made independently. The caterpillars have lugs on the outside made of metal pipes welded to a metal sheet. This played a positive role in terms of maneuverability and traction.
This technology is not used in foreign all-terrain vehicles due to the complexity of implementation and increased financial costs. The rollers are made from wheels from a motorized stroller; the rollers are protected by a rubber reflector. Also above the caterpillar propulsion, there is a “sedator” made in the form of a rubberized half-pipe.
Crawler all-terrain vehicle engine
A VAZ engine with a gearbox was used as the power unit. The rear axle gearbox is connected using a coupling made of rubber. The gearbox is connected to the side differentials by shafts.
As mentioned above, the differentials are made from VAZ disc brakes with conventional calipers.
The life of the gearbox is not reduced at all due to the low speed of the all-terrain vehicle. The main advantage of this all-terrain vehicle model is its low weight. When the all-terrain vehicle moves through a swampy area or across a lake, the body dives 30-40 cm.
Video homemade crawler all-terrain vehicle in action.
Tools
When implementing this homemade all-terrain vehicle project, the following tools were used: welding machine, grinder, various keys. Clamps, a machine for giving one shape or another sheet metal, this is especially true when manufacturing the cabin and bottom of an all-terrain vehicle. Various bolted connections. Glass cutter for making windshield and side windows. Drill for drilling holes.
