Project Mini Hägglund

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Well, it`s not that bad if i have to go with steel grousers. At least they won`t really wear at all...

I can get conveyor belts for free, so i`ll use them. The snowcat guys use them too, so i think it`ll be fine, even with splicing. I just need to come up with a good and easy to fabricate design, because i need a lot of them...
I like the Thiokol design, because the side guides and the grousers are one part, so that would save a lot of time. But i have no idea how to fabricate them...

[chilliwak]

Wowis that ever cool! Steinez, I have said it once, now I will say it again, YOU ARE A GENIUS! If the only problem you are having is punctured tires, that just get some solid rubber ones. COOL RIDE!

[Metcalf]

Have you looked at the track design that the Howe brothers came up with one there go-fast tank thing? That was originally a hand fab thing that ended up going pretty well. There original one was called the 'ripsaw' if I remember correctly.

If you need LOTS of the same part cut out of round/square/rectangular tubing you might look into getting them laser cut. I use that service a decent amount at work. Most of the time I can't even buy the steel locally for what the company charges for the complete laser cut part. Most of the time I can eliminate extra cost by just shipping the parts direct to the job site....we would have to ship them from our machine shop anyways. Blah Blah....it's basically not as expensive as people think.

Keep at it, it will come together!

[Dgurley2000]

What gauge sheet metal is your fuel tank? Looks like you had great fitament. What did you use to cut it out- shear, nibbler, plasma, etc.?

Will this thing be street legal

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Have you looked at the track design that the Howe brothers came up with one there go-fast tank thing? That was originally a hand fab thing that ended up going pretty well. There original one was called the 'ripsaw' if I remember correctly.

If you need LOTS of the same part cut out of round/square/rectangular tubing you might look into getting them laser cut. I use that service a decent amount at work. Most of the time I can't even buy the steel locally for what the company charges for the complete laser cut part. Most of the time I can eliminate extra cost by just shipping the parts direct to the job site....we would have to ship them from our machine shop anyways. Blah Blah....it's basically not as expensive as people think.

Keep at it, it will come together!

This might be true for the USA, but remember, i`m in germany. There are only a few places that laser cut in germany and it costs a fortune to get something made...

What gauge sheet metal is your fuel tank? Looks like you had great fitament. What did you use to cut it out- shear, nibbler, plasma, etc.?

Will this thing be street legal

I never understood that gauge measuring thing. Maybe someone can explain that to me?

The tank is made out of 2mm steel, that i cut on a big shear.

I can drive this thing on the street if i government it to about 4mph. But because of the fact that i`m using steel tracks now i won`t be driving it on the street...

Made a prototype grouser today:











What do you guys think? Is it worth trying to build a form?

[deepmud]

I'm going to warn agains that design. It assumes a lot of digging into the ground/snow before the rubber belts add floatation.

Make a flat grouser with tire guides that stick up - like this one, made by a couple guys in the UK for a their bolt-on tracks for their Rover.



You might look at my tracks photos I've accumulated - I focus more on the "bolt on track assemblies" for trucks, but there is good stuff here:


http://www.supermotors.net/registry/7029/62149

Sno cats also use small rubber tires on belted tracks - their bent steel guides look somewhat low tech, and low cost in materials and time.

[chilliwak]

Hey Steinez, cant you just get some solid rubber wheels and use them? Would that not solve the problem and allow you to use the tracks you have already made?

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Hmm, i thought i could even benefit from that design. Low ground surface in dirt and big ground surface in soft ground and snow. It also adds a lot of traction, don't you think?

I already knew your site, but i'm going to look at it again. Still a bit unsure what to do, so I'm looking for more ideas...

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Hey Steinez, cant you just get some solid rubber wheels and use them? Would that not solve the problem and allow you to use the tracks you have already made?

I`m not quite happy with my tracks. Maybe it`d work with solid rubber wheels, but it won`t be bulletproof like i want it to be. I want to built them right one time and never work on them again...

[redthies]

Make a flat grouser with tire guides that stick up - like this one, made by a couple guys in the UK for a their bolt-on tracks for their Rover.

I'm quite sure those tracks are modified older style Kässborher tracks. The grousers and tire guides are from older Pistenbully or Flexmobile for sure. (After 24 years in the ski hill maintenance and piste grooming industry I have seen many tracks). I agree though, that finding some old tracks with proper tire guides or copying them is a good idea. There is a reason Kässborher, Prinoth, Leitner etc have been doing it the same way for more than fifty years.

This is a very cool project Herr Soldat!