Homemade track for a motorized towing vehicle
It is very common among home-builders to make tracks using car tires. For this, tires are selected, which have a suitable tread pattern, from trucks.
To make such a caterpillar, you need to cut the beads from the tire, and leave the treadmill. This is a rather laborious work that requires good patience, because the tool used is a sharpened boot knife.
To make the work easier, from time to time the knife blade can be moistened in a soapy solution to cut the rubber faster. One option is to use a homemade cutting device, or use a jigsaw with a fine-toothed file.
After cutting off the beads, if the track is too hard, you can remove the excess 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 home-made caterpillar from a tire over a caterpillar from a conveyor belt, in an initially closed circuit, and therefore reliability. The disadvantage of this caterpillar is in the limited width of the workpiece, which can be corrected by using a double-width option.
We make homemade caterpillars for the tiller: photos, videos, recommendations
Many people involved in the manufacture of homemade equipment also develop tracked ATVs and homemade tracks for a tiller. When translating this idea into reality, people use a variety of solutions. But the manufacture of tracks remains a big problem for lovers of this type of transport.
After all, if an all-terrain vehicle or a snowmobile is made by hand, then the caterpillars should also be homemade.
The easiest version of homemade caterpillars
For light all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles, the tracks can be made from a conveyor belt and a sleeve-roller chain. To make such a caterpillar, it is not necessary to own a special tool, everything can be done “on the knee”.
To extend the service life of the tape, it is necessary to stitch it along the edges with a fishing line, observing a step of 1 centimeter, which will protect the tape from fraying. To connect the ribbon in a ring, you can sew the ribbon from the ends, or use a hinge.
Choosing the thickness of the tape should be based on the power of the engine. If you use engines from domestic motorcycles, it is enough to take a belt with a thickness of 8-10 mm, used on conveyors in agriculture.
Such a do-it-yourself snowmobile track has a good resource, and is easily repaired if necessary.
How to make homemade tiller tracks
Here we will consider several methods of making tracks with our own hands, with good performance characteristics.
Belt tracks
This caterpillar manufacturing option is attractive for its relative simplicity.
To do this, you need to connect the belts with V-shaped profiles into one piece with screws or rivets, using lugs attached to the belts.
To make holes for the drive sprocket in such a track, you need to make gaps between the belts.
You can find many ways to make caterpillars with your own hands. the main thing is to have patience, desire and perseverance. then everything will work out.
How to make a tiller on tracks with your own hands?
- Features and device
- What can be done?
- Step-by-step manufacturing instructions
- Recommendations for use
Features and device
Tracks for the tiller greatly simplify both the transportation of the load and the movement of the device itself. Due to the fact that the track mechanism covers a fairly large surface, the tiller moves much more evenly, exerts less pressure on the surface and does not get stuck on difficult soils. the tiller on tracks is able to work even in bad weather, and in good weather it becomes even more maneuverable.
The maintenance and use of the tracked module does not cause any particular difficulties for the owners, and it is not difficult to do it yourself. It should be borne in mind that when the tiller is equipped with a tracked module, its speed decreases. However, the device’s ability to navigate difficult terrain, transport goods and even clear snow from the area increases.
Tillers with tracked modules are otherwise identical to conventional tillers. The engine must be four-stroke with the ability to block the axles so that the device can turn without making a full circle. There is also a requirement for water cooling to cope with high loads that cause the motor to overheat. This type is more effective than air. The clutch system, gearbox and gearbox for tracked mechanisms are presented in the traditional version. The tiller is controlled on tracks with a handle.
When creating tracks on your own, it is important to understand that if you design them too high, the tiller’s center of gravity will change, and he will begin to experience difficulties turning, and even tilt to one side or another. To prevent such a situation, the second driven axle will have to be made longer by a couple of centimeters. Also, with the help of a bushing, it will be possible to expand the wheelbase that already exists on the tiller.
Step-by-step manufacturing instructions
To make a caterpillar mechanism for a tiller with your own hands, in addition to the materials used, you will need certain tools: an angle grinder, and sometimes a drill, a boot knife and a set of screwdrivers, bolts, nuts and wrenches, a welding machine, wire, chains and a sanding belt. Of course, drawings will also be necessary, which are easy to find on the Internet in the public domain.
If home-made tracks are made from car tires, then the first thing the tires are freed from the sides to the state of a running belt. a track for caterpillars. This is easier to do with a well-sharpened knife, for example, designed for working with boots. The adjustment process is lengthy, but it can be accelerated by periodically smearing the blade with soapy substance.
It is more convenient to cut the sides of the tires with an electric jigsaw, which has small teeth. At the next stage, the wrong side of the tire is also corrected: excess layers are removed from it. This should be done when the tape is too dense inside. Such a track attachment made of car parts turns out to be quite durable, since the tire is initially closed, which means that it will be more difficult to damage the tracks during operation. Unfortunately, the available tire width will not give the user the opportunity to use a large surface. However, some craftsmen solve this problem by using multiple tires.
The simplest track module can be made from a conveyor belt and sleeve-roller chains. First, depending on how powerful the engine is, the required thickness of the tape used is selected. This is followed by the processing of the edges, which can begin to shaggy and because of this fail earlier. For this, a fishing line is used with a pitch of ten millimeters. The finished edges are then sewn into a ring, with a special hinge, or simply along the end parts.
Despite some primitiveness of the mechanism, it will serve for a very long time. It is important to add that the thickness of the tape must exceed seven millimeters, otherwise the device will not be able to withstand the required loads. The optimal interval is considered to be from eight to ten millimeters.
The track module can be made from belts if they have a wedge-shaped profile. It is best to connect the parts with a lug, which is fixed on the straps with screws or rivets. Another common solution is to construct tracks from chains of equal size. Such a versatile part, as a rule, is abundant in any home workshop, so this method is also economical. To make caterpillars, you have to take a pair of equal chains and unclench their extreme links.
Now the two chains can be connected into one circuit, the links can be clamped back and for reliability everything can be welded. For greater strength, the chains can be fastened again with lugs, which, by the way, are also simply made from scrap materials. metal sheets of the required thickness. In general, this part can be not only steel, but wooden and even plastic. In the latter case, wood bars or plastic tubes are used as it. Which material will be most suitable can be determined depending on the purpose of using the tiller.
In the case when the cargo expected for transportation does not differ in large weight, the lugs should be made plastic. The same applies to moving devices equipped with weak motors. When the tiller is planned to be used as a tractor, and it has a rather powerful engine, steel parts should be preferred.
Sometimes homemade caterpillars are reinforced with pipes, which are welded together. Parts in this case are made of metal and have a rectangular cross-section. In this case, it is recommended to remove the drive shafts from the “Oka”, and take the spline part from the “Buran”. The equipment must be equipped with brakes that are mounted on the front shafts. This addition allows you to get a device with maximum capabilities.
It is worth mentioning that in order to convert a regular tiller into a tracked one on the go, you first have to put two additional wheels on it, one on each side. The result should be a four-wheeled structure, on which the tracks are already put on. Some craftsmen prefer to make these additional wheels removable rather than weld on new mountings. This can be accomplished by attaching the wheels to the axle using a flexible or rigid transmission. It should be mentioned that it is not necessary to make the tracks yourself. no less economical solution would be to use parts from old equipment, for example, “Buran”.
What can be done?
When choosing a material for tracks, it is important to consider that it should not be excessively heavy. Since the tiller itself does not have a powerful engine, it simply cannot cope with weighty material and, most likely, will break. The caterpillar mechanism, as a rule, is made of motorcycle tires, chains, pipes, belts, or a conveyor belt in combination with a sleeve-roller chain.
Most craftsmen create tracks from tires. these parts are easily converted to the desired design. It is necessary to choose tires for large trucks, taking into account the existing tread pattern and shape, because the correct pattern will improve traction. It is better if these are spare parts that previously belonged to tractors or other large-sized models.
A properly selected tread will be in good contact with wet ground, ice-covered and snow-covered surfaces. In addition to materials for the tracks, a tiller with a gearbox, as well as a pair of additional wheels, will be required to construct a full-fledged device. If necessary, an additional cart is attached to the tiller and, if desired, even on skids, to transport goods in deep snow.
Recommendations for use
When using the tiller tracks, it is necessary to constantly check how well the chain is tensioned, and also regularly oil the parts whose friction occurs during movement. In addition, it is recommended each time before use to check whether any damage and breaks have appeared on the chain. After the trip, a scheduled inspection should also be carried out in order to detect any damage or broken hooks in time. When using the tiller, you should avoid driving over roots and stone massifs, as well as hemp, otherwise the track module will be torn very quickly.
For an overview of the tiller-all-terrain vehicle on tracks, see the following video.
Homemade tracks with your own hands. how to make a caterpillar track and drive for a motorized towing vehicle, a snowmobile from Tiller Neva
Owners of tillers more and more often go to all kinds of homemade manufacturing of various components for this unit.
As a result, we get do-it-yourself attachments, transforming the tiller into a more powerful one, by installing a new engine, as well as many all kinds of alterations and additions.
Of course, this is not all from a good life, because most of the owners of a tiller strive not only to save money on buying it, but also to reduce the cost of its further operation.
In particular, many people want to make homemade tracks for the tiller, thereby wishing to increase the cross-country characteristics of their units.
The resulting tiller on caterpillars will perform a slightly different role in the personal economy of a person, because it is already becoming a full-fledged vehicle, somewhat reminiscent of a caterpillar tractor.
Accordingly, a much wider scope of work opens up before him, which largely justifies this kind of independent alterations.
We make homemade caterpillars for the tiller: photos, videos, recommendations
After all, if an all-terrain vehicle or a snowmobile is made by hand, then the caterpillars should also be homemade.
Of chains and belts
Track ATVs are often manufactured using conventional V-belts. They are connected between themselves by means of lugs. Belts are attached with screws or rivets.
An additional way is to use chains of the same size. This material is often found in large quantities in the garage of summer residents. The manufacturing process boils down to the following points:
- Take 2 chains of the same size. The last links are broken, after which they are combined into a closed ring. Pinch the links and weld them.
- With lugs, they connect the chains to each other and provide reliable fastening. These fixtures can be made from plain steel plates of suitable thickness. They are connected with bolts.
If you don’t want to make tracks yourself, you can take such products from old technology. For example, a tiller on tracks from Buran demonstrates good efficiency. It makes sense to use exactly the old parts, since the new Buranov tracks are quite expensive.
Design features of the device
Making components for a home-made caterpillar for a tiller with your own hands saves money on the purchase of factory devices and the further operation of the equipment. If everything is done correctly, then self-made tracks for the tiller increase the cross-country characteristics.
Compared to wheeled counterparts, caterpillar tillers are not so widespread. The explanation is simple. Wheeled units from Texas, Patriot, Cayman, Viking, Forza are best suited for plowing land. This design is best suited for ground work.
Redesigning a wheel tiller is the job of attaching one additional wheel on each side. The result is a four-wheeled tiller on which you can put on tracks. They can, in turn, be purchased or homemade. Additional wheels can be detachable. This makes it possible to turn the unit into a standard tiller in a timely manner, ideal for working in the garden.
For this, the wheels are fixed to the axle, which are already provided in the structure, by means of a rigid or flexible transmission. This solution is considered advisable, since the need for the installation of additional fasteners disappears. As for the device of these tillers, they fully correspond to the parameters of wheel modifications:
- Engine. It is powerful, four-stroke. It has a function for locking the axes. This allows the tracked tiller to turn in place without making a full circle.
- Transmission. Standard kit includes gearbox, clutch system and gearbox.
- Chassis. Caterpillars are used here. They replace the wheelbase. If the alteration is made, then one kata is added to the existing pair of wheels on each side. They put on a homemade caterpillar.
- Control bodies. Located on the control handle. Includes emergency stop mechanisms and all sorts of clutch levers.
- develops a speed of the order of. 18 km per hour;
- total weight of the console. 37 kg;
- width. 60 cm;
- length. 100 cm;
- height. 34 cm.
Accommodates one driver and one passenger on board. In addition, on sale you can find an attachment to the tiller on tracks, which is designed for the Salute and Agat models. Its cost ranges from 25 to 27 thousand rubles. This design does not provide for the attachment of a driver’s seat. Because of this, some restrictions are imposed on the functional features of this device. But for driving on off-road and snow, such transport is quite suitable.
Their feature is the ability to control not only with two hands, walking behind the tiller, but also while sitting in a folding sleigh. The latter will have to be purchased separately. If we consider that the average cost of a set-top box is about 30 thousand rubles, not counting the price of a folding sleigh, we can say that the independent production of caterpillars saves a lot of money.
How to make a homemade track from belts and chains
All-terrain vehicles on tiller tracks can be made using the most common belts with a wedge-shaped profile. The belts are connected to each other by means of a lug, attached to the belts with rivets or screws.
Another method is to make the tracks from chains of the same size. Many summer residents have such material in bulk in the garage, which simplifies the search issue. The whole manufacturing process boils down to the following points:
- Take two chains of the same size.
- The last links of these chains must be unclenched, and then connected into a closed ring.
- Next, we clamp the links and weld them.
The chains are fastened to each other using lugs, which can be made from ordinary steel plates of the required thickness. They are connected to the chain with bolts.
Snowmobile attachments on Tiller Neva
So, the tracks on the Tiller Neva, is a full-fledged snowmobile attachment. Separately, you can purchase seats for drivers, thanks to which the Tiller Neva becomes similar to a tracked mini tractor, albeit with lower performance.
- developed speed (with the Neva tiller). about 18 km / h;
- total weight of the console. 37 kg;
- length. 100 cm;
- width. 60 cm;
- height. 34 cm;
- number of passengers. one driver and one passenger.
For more information about the tracked drive for the Tiller Neva, see
In addition, there is an attachment for the tiller on tracks on sale, designed to be attached to the Agat and Salute models. In this design, there is no possibility of attaching a driver’s seat, which somewhat limits the capabilities of this device.
Their distinctive feature is the ability to control them not only with two hands, following the tiller, but also sitting in a folding type sleigh, which, however, must be purchased separately.
Why I don’t use a Broadfork & what I use instead
If we consider that the average (plus), we can say that the independent production of tracks is a fairly optimal solution for those who do not have the opportunity to spend extra money on the purchase.
Additional Tips
Before making a caterpillar drive for a tiller, it is necessary to make drawings, determine the dimensions. They do this so that in the case of a very high self-made caterpillar for the tiller, it will be necessary to change the center of gravity of the walk-behind tractor. This will inevitably provoke problems when turning, as the technique will fall to the side. To avoid this, the second driven axle must be made longer.
In addition to the rules regarding the power of the engine, they also look at the cooling system:
- Air cooling is ineffective with significant overloads, which will damage the engine.
- Properly use water cooling, which has proven to be stable.
Attached attachments to the tiller can significantly improve the vehicle’s patency data. Therefore, it is possible to diversify the range of operations carried out that a home-made apparatus can handle. To put it another way, the created base in some situations outperforms standard wheels. However, the alteration of motoblock equipment may not suit the owners of these technical devices. It talks about special requirements for the engine.
The motor fits with good traction. Homemade production is suitable for execution in a garage. That is why the unit created in the garage is an excellent replacement for the tracked monoblock units on the market.