Project "Snow Drift"

[Oldskool 6,644]

Unfortunately I dont have a camera person here at the moment. So no video. It is less than impressive. It digs but doesn't push very well. When it does it is painfully slow. There didnt seem to be any flex in the u-joints thou. I have belt tension issues on the drive units. I developed a valve cover leak. The carb needs more adjustment. I had a backfire start so loud I'm fairly sure I ruptured an ear drum, it's still ringing. Back to the drawing board.

[DennisThornton 4,769]

Toothed threads?  Maybe one spiral or part of one spiral if more traction becomes a necessity?

[Oldskool 6,644]

I did manage to make a mess of the driveway 

[Oldskool 6,644]

Just now, DennisThornton said:

Toothed threads?  Maybe one spiral or part of one spiral if more traction becomes a necessity?

Maybe. I had given that a thought if it was just an ice/traction issue but I was churning up gravel. So there is another underlying issue

[oliver2-44 9,752]

So if your sinking down to the gravel does that indicate you need more flotation, as in longer or larger diameter screws?

[DennisThornton 4,769]

Thread depth and number of threads add up to how many sq inches are at work at any given moment.  How the heck is anyone supposed to know that magical number?  Especially with so many variables!  Shape of the threads too!  Sharp edges?  Fluted?  Side paddle lugs for a lack of good description.  Small 90 degree to the screw "treads".  

[Oldskool 6,644]

18 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

So if your sinking down to the gravel does that indicate you need more flotation, as in longer or larger diameter screws?

That would be my guess. I'm thinking larger diameter 

[Oldskool 6,644]

18 minutes ago, DennisThornton said:

Thread depth and number of threads add up to how many sq inches are at work at any given moment.  How the heck is anyone supposed to know that magical number?  Especially with so many variables!  Shape of the threads too!  Sharp edges?  Fluted?  Side paddle lugs for a lack of good description.  Small 90 degree to the screw "treads".  

I would think with the amount of paddle on the ground it should be fine. If they were tracks with that much on the ground it would be ok..... I would think.....

[oliver2-44 9,752]

A cubic ft of water weighs 62.4 lbs, so a cubic ft of water can support 62.4 lbs.  Using the same theory I asked Mr google, and he has a weight of Snow calculator which even lets you vary the type/density of the snow. https://www.inchcalculator.com/snow-weight-calculator/

If my thinking it right...This could help determine the amount of screw surface area it needs. 

It calculates that a cubic ft of fresh snow weighs 3-4 lbs.  So if the tractor weights 700lbs...700 divided by 3.5 snow means you need 200sq ft of screw area to run on fresh snow.

It calculates that a cubic ft of packed snow weighs 12-18lbs.  So if the tractor weights 700lbs...700 divided by 15 snow means you need 46.7sq ft of screw area to run on packed snow. 

I'm sure there's more to it than this, but it some thing to think about.

[DennisThornton 4,769]

15 minutes ago, Oldskool said:

I would think with the amount of paddle on the ground it should be fine. If they were tracks with that much on the ground it would be ok..... I would think.....

There's working and then there's good, better and best.  I think we'll be seeing at work soon and we'll know more then.

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Wonder if your screw helix is too shallow / short. Just catching the loose top of the gravel and pulling it up rather than pushing the tractor forward.

 

I'm sure the pitch also has something to do with it as well, but I can't say exactly how much. For instance, you have a 1:1 pitch (1 rotation per 1 tank length). If you look at Colin's in the youtube videos, his has what looks like a 4:1 pitch (4 rotations per 1 tank length).

 

Again, not sure how this all plays in as @DennisThornton has already mentioned.

 

Either way, still a fantastic build and has been awesome to follow.

[DennisThornton 4,769]

55 minutes ago, Oldskool said:

I did manage to make a mess of the driveway 

SOMEHOW!  I missed this before replying...

Well, poop!  That does look more like there's more churning than moving.  Might need deeper screw threads.

[Oldskool 6,644]

Just now, 71_Bronco said:

Wonder if your screw helix is too shallow / short. Just catching the loose top of the gravel and pulling it up rather than pushing the tractor forward.

 

I'm sure the pitch also has something to do with it as well, but I can't say exactly how much. For instance, you have a 1:1 pitch (1 rotation per 1 tank length). If you look at Colin's in the youtube videos, his has what looks like a 4:1 pitch (4 rotations per 1 tank length).

 

Again, not sure how this all plays in as @DennisThornton has already mentioned.

 

Either way, still a fantastic build and has been awesome to follow.

I did take Colin's into consideration but the original Fordson had several which is were my 1:1 came into play

[SylvanLakeWH 25,560]

Interesting to note that the sideways movement appeared to not dig while the forward / back did... no change in vehicle weight obviously, but wondering if the forward / reverse motion put front / back down pressure into play while the sideways motion spread that force laterally over whole screw... if that’s the case, maybe weight distribution of the tractor on the screws is part of the issue. Is it centered?

 

Just spit balling...

[Ted Gardner 36]

I have Read All the way through this post From page 1 to page 32 and I can say I think that this is probably 1 of the most Interesting Builds I have seen in A long time any where. At one point you were talking about weight. I looked again at the wormdrives on the old fordson. That tractor was all cast iron and very heavy and still floated over the snow pretty well. I wondered if you might be to light to get good purchase on the snow. Pounds per square in down pressure on the fordson Versus your built.

 

 

 

 

If you added more weight to it do you think it may help to propel it forward rather than acting like an anger and just digging the snow and gravel out from under you?

[Oldskool 6,644]

7 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Interesting to note that the sideways movement appeared to not dig while the forward / back did... no change in vehicle weight obviously, but wondering if the forward / reverse motion put front / back down pressure into play while the sideways motion spread that force laterally over whole screw... if that’s the case, maybe weight distribution of the tractor on the screws is part of the issue. Is it centered?

 

Just spit balling...

I would say most of the weight is towards the back. The front of the control levers are just about the middle. I weight as much as the engine,battery and gas tank

[Oldskool 6,644]

Just now, Ted Gardner said:

If you added more weight to it do you think it may help to propel it forward rather than acting like an anger and just digging the snow and gravel out from under you?

That may be it as well. I was just looking up the specs of the original Fordson. That had 20hp, weighted in at 3000lbs and top speed of 8mph. 

[Ted Gardner 36]

If you have a set of bathroom scales weigh the front and back seperatey with you in the driver's seat. You may have to even out distribution of weight by adding to front

 

[Oldskool 6,644]

7 minutes ago, Ted Gardner said:

If you have a set of bathroom scales weigh the front and back seperatey with you in the driver's seat. You may have to even out distribution of weight by adding to front

 

I do not have any. They always lie to me 🤣🤣

 

Sitting here staring at it the center of the tractor is inline with the center of my screws, excluding the front cone. My weight is 20in back from that point. The engine sits within that same distance forward. From this observation I would have to think the back is heavier. I'm just guessing but I would think heavy by my weight. 

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

Keep your head up, a set back is a possibility of something big! 

 Maybe she likes more snow or ice. 

[Oldskool 6,644]

Just now, Maxwell-8 said:

Keep your head up, a set back is a possibility of something big! 

 Maybe she likes more snow or ice. 

It's hard to. I guess I was expecting more then what I got from it. I figured it would be slow and some small hurdles. I wasnt expecting the total lack of forward movement.

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

2 minutes ago, Oldskool said:

It's hard to. I guess I was expecting more then what I got from it. I figured it would be slow and some small hurdles. I wasnt expecting the total lack of forward movement.

Sorry to hear , We were all hoping a big win.

I guess back to the drawingboard:

Possible causes: weight, terrain, rollerspeed, rolltreads,(rolleralignment?) ...  

[Oldskool 6,644]

25 minutes ago, Maxwell-8 said:

Sorry to hear , We were all hoping a big win.

I guess back to the drawingboard:

Possible causes: weight, terrain, rollerspeed, rolltreads,(rolleralignment?) ...  

I'm not sure of the cause. I will take care of the other issues first. Then try it again and go from there.

[Ted Gardner 36]

If you have a set of bathroom scales weigh the front and back seperatey with you in the driver's seat. You may have to even out distribution of weight by adding to front

 

[Ted Gardner 36]

I have no doubt that it will work.  You've got it !  Just a little aggravating at this point. More weight to the front to off set your weight. Screw not getting full contact to ground? Like it was trying to push up hill. Maybe get someone to set on front of hood for a quick try. Not trying to be a wise guy just throwing it out there.