Homemade crawler

woodbowl · November 20, 2005, 09:52:07 PM

There is an area in Colorado between Carbondale and Marble that is fed every spring by the waters of melting snow from Mt Sopris. This area has miles and miles of trenches or irrigation ditches to channel the water to the farms. In 1987 there were homemade irrigation pumps that traveled these ditches unmaned. One side of the system had a crawler track and stayed in the ditch while the other side rode the dry side on wheels. The crawler track was nothing more that a big tractor or skidder tire with some of the bead cut out. Two wheels were inside and spread apart, elongating the tire to create a homemade rubber track. I've never seen anything like it before or since. I've searched the web hoping to run up on this homemade rig and talked to people about it. No one has a clue what I'm talking about. What I'm so intrigued about is the elongated tractor tire that forms a crawler track. It could be incorporated toward a lot of different applications. .............Is anyone familar with any of this?

Rockn H · November 20, 2005, 11:06:54 PM

I'm not sure, but it sounds like what is called a rubber tired track. A lot of farm tractors use them now. Also look at skid steers like a bob cat. You can also check out Route 6x6. They offer them on alot of six wheelers and that's a good place to check them all out. Like I said, this may not be what you're talking about, but maybe it will give you some ideas.

Fla._Deadheader · November 21, 2005, 12:23:49 AM

:

Where ya been all these years WB ???

I knew a guy that was a fabulous welder-fabricator. He helped me with extending a dump truck to a longer Bob truck, for my move to Ark.

Ennyhoo, he had built one of the first skid steer tractors ever, outta tractor tire treads. He hooked the brakes up to seperate handles for steering, and made the forward wheels fixed by welding the kingpins. That thing would really go on snow. He used it to haul his gear over 2 miles into the big woods for his deer stand. Wish I had paid more attention.

I believe he let the air outta the tires and then aired 'em back up, after working the tires over the wheels. Some people are pretty clever. He built go carts with chainsaw engines on each wheel. The local race car drivers would never go flat out in his carts ;D :D :D

Corley5 · November 21, 2005, 05:50:23 PM

I remember seeing a homemade skidsteer in "Farm Show" that used the treads from tractor tires as tracks. The builder had cut the sidewalls off the tires and slipped over car tires. I'm not sure how they were tightened but steering was accomplished by having two brake master cylinders, one for each side.

woodbowl · November 21, 2005, 06:25:41 PM

Quote from: Corley5 on November 21, 2005, 05:50:23 PM
I remember seeing a homemade skidsteer in "Farm Show" that used the treads from tractor tires as tracks. The builder had cut the sidewalls off the tires and slipped over car tires. I'm not sure how they were tightened but steering was accomplished by having two brake master cylinders, one for each side.

That's what I'm talking about. Any details of how, who and where about these types of homemade track buggies is most appreciated. WB

Corley5 · November 21, 2005, 06:58:02 PM

http://www.farmshow.com/

Paschale · November 21, 2005, 07:04:38 PM

Greg...thanks to that link, I just found a Christmas present for my dad! 8) He'll really enjoy that book of "I made it myself" projects. smiley_turkey_dancing

Corley5 · November 21, 2005, 07:09:12 PM

8) 8) 8) 8) I've got a subscription and if I don't read and take the current issue to Dad in a timely fashion I hear about it ;) ;D 8)

Skytramp · November 21, 2005, 07:33:47 PM

Hi Woodbowl;
Skytramp here,new member. I just found this website through a friend and was thoroughly impressed with the inginuity of a lot of the members. I have been in the sawmill and logging business for over 30 years, smalltime mostly. Anyway at risk of putting my foot in mouth on the first post I will as usual, jump right in and worry about the consequences later. I think I know what you are talking about and know a man that says that he built one as a kid. He was raised in Michighan and they built the thing to go in the snow with. according to him they cut the bead out of a couple of tractor tires and used an old 50s ford car with most of the body removed. they left the front end intact and somehow made the rear differential adjustable. They put the altered tractor tires over the tires of the car, adjusted them out then aired the tires back up on the car. They rerouted the brake lines and installed an extra brake master cylinder, where they could lock one side or the other and let the spider gears do the rest. He swears that the thing worked, but I have questioned a couple of his stories in the past, ha. Good luck.
Skytramp;

woodbowl · November 21, 2005, 09:07:06 PM

Welcome to the forum Skytramp. Foot in mouth disease is common here but not fatal if treated.

Quote from: Skytramp on November 21, 2005, 07:33:47 PM

according to him they cut the bead out of a couple of tractor tires and used an old 50s ford car with most of the body removed.

This is exactly the kind of stuff I'm looking for. Homemade, tractor tire, track buggies!

Modat22 · November 21, 2005, 09:39:40 PM

bill rake sells plans for a mini dozer. His plans are based on a very old design that the forestry used alot back in the 40's I think. I found info myself by looking up "mini dozer" on google and followed a few of those forum links. I did see a couple photos of tracked mini dozers using tractor treads.

heres a link showing a little dozer, its not what your looking for but its a diy design based on an older design that used tracker tire tracks.

http://www.smnet.net/pmwinston/Mill2/2ndsaw.htm

junkyard · November 22, 2005, 12:03:48 AM

Back when youcould still get the half tracks for your farm tractor several people built a doodle bug. It was usualy a model A ford with two transmisions and a truck rear end. the steel track were put around the front and rear tiresand seperate brakes on each side . Often the rear tires had tire chains to keep them from slipping on the steel tracks. With the tire track use two donut spares with a space between them then bolt a tapered block to the track to keep them in line. T%he front axle was sometimes boxed with a coil spring from a car to put tension on the tracks.
Junkyard

Modat22 · November 22, 2005, 08:20:57 AM

ahh I have a correction. Those mini dozer's where popular and sold around the mid 60's, many where powered with a Wisconsin single or double cylinder

johncinquo · November 22, 2005, 11:11:43 AM

Red Green made one up at Possum Lodge one time. I'll see when it comes on again in re-runs and make sure I tape it. I think it involved and Eldorado and several pieces of snow fence. :D

Corley5 · November 22, 2005, 11:16:27 AM

Musta involved duct tape too ??? eh?

woodbowl · November 23, 2005, 10:36:40 PM

Corley5, I've clicked around on the farmshow link, but I can't find those homemade tracks. I found the search block and it requires a key word. There doesn't seem to be a list anywhere of everything availible.