Different track setup.

[Oldskool 6,644]

3 minutes ago, DennisThornton said:

Never been on a snow sled...  Would like to see the drive mech.

Not sure about the newer ones but the older ones where centrifugal clutch drive to a chained drop box to a jack shaft with 2 cogged wheels to turn the track

[DennisThornton 4,769]

35 minutes ago, Oldskool said:

What if you worked on this design. Flip the design 180* forward. Mount the little tire/s on the tractor axle. Mount the large tires on a solid axle behind. Make the mounts so the center of the hubs are even at the original height. That would give you your approach angle, still pivoting on a small area. The Ackerman shouldnt bother because of the slippage from skies. If it's done with a standard shift tractor the gear reduction from the drive tire size change shouldnt matter . It just allows for more gear ussage

I had to cock my head and then lay on the floor to envision what you are meaning but I think I got it.  One concern is the contract area of the drive tire and the tracks.  The Fordson with idlers front and rear of the drive spur, the first pic I posted, combines both ideas.  So what about how this JD is with another set of small idlers in front.

 

And I keep going back to this idea as well.  Not sure if you watched the build and vid but it performed nicely, easily climbing a sidewalk curb and the spring loaded tracks were impressive for gliding over obstacles.  

 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

15 minutes ago, Maxwell-8 said:

I have never seen a track vehicle ever apart from a tank.

 

Pretty impressive for jobs that need traction!

[Oldskool 6,644]

12 minutes ago, DennisThornton said:

I had to cock my head and then lay on the floor to envision what you are meaning but I think I got it.  One concern is the contract area of the drive tire and the tracks.  The Fordson with idlers front and rear of the drive spur, the first pic I posted, combines both ideas.  So what about how this JD is with another set of small idlers in front.

 

And I keep going back to this idea as well.  Not sure if you watched the build and vid but it performed nicely, easily climbing a sidewalk curb and the spring loaded tracks were impressive for gliding over obstacles.  

 

I did watch the video. Impressive build. Nice action it the suspension too. Anything tracked definitely needs some sort of adjustment. What is your concern about the contact area of the drive tire and the tracks?

[DennisThornton 4,769]

8 minutes ago, Oldskool said:

I did watch the video. Impressive build. Nice action it the suspension too. Anything tracked definitely needs some sort of adjustment. What is your concern about the contact area of the drive tire and the tracks?

More contact area the better.  Others have expressed concerns regarding slipping and I could see mud being an issue so I'd prefer the larger tire to drive the track.

 

And yes, I too was very impressed with the build.  And the results, which don't always to together!

[Oldskool 6,644]

12 minutes ago, DennisThornton said:

More contact area the better.  Others have expressed concerns regarding slipping and I could see mud being an issue so I'd prefer the larger tire to drive the track.

Depending on the type of track used/built couldnt the drive tire/wheel be cogged or paddled. No slippage then.

[Oldskool 6,644]

15 minutes ago, DennisThornton said:

  And the results, which don't always to together!

I'm living proof of that one 🤣🤣

[DennisThornton 4,769]

1 minute ago, Oldskool said:

I'm living proof of that one 🤣🤣

I typed that thinking of me, not you.  But then I hesitated, thought about it, and then realized that "Snow Drift" is just taking a slightly different than intended path.  I'm sure it will get there in the end.  But BEFORE the snow melts please!

 

And yes, there's lots that could be done to improve the grip between the tire and track.  I'd never seen punching holes in tire tread and that woke me up last night!  Love that idea.

 

I'd like for all this to end up with a simple but very functional bolt on mod, but that might be asking too much.  I certainly wouldn't care if it is a permanent mod IF it doesn't take forever to do!  That seems to point me in the used tire tread/track direction.

[Oldskool 6,644]

21 minutes ago, DennisThornton said:

I typed that thinking of me, not you.  But then I hesitated, thought about it, and then realized that "Snow Drift" is just taking a slightly different than intended path.  I'm sure it will get there in the end.  But BEFORE the snow melts please!

 

And yes, there's lots that could be done to improve the grip between the tire and track.  I'd never seen punching holes in tire tread and that woke me up last night!  Love that idea.

 

I'd like for all this to end up with a simple but very functional bolt on mod, but that might be asking too much.  I certainly wouldn't care if it is a permanent mod IF it doesn't take forever to do!  That seems to point me in the used tire tread/track direction.

There was an old guy in town that made a tracked vehicle decades ago. He used a datsun truck frame 2 large tractor tires. Cut the beads from the tires, stretched them over his tires which had tire chains on them. He cut holes in the tractor tires to let the snow/mud out. I think he had turnbuckle for track tension and 2 master cylinders and pedals to use the brakes for steering. A bit different then what you are thinking. But keep in mind the way they did it in the video the cogged drive wheels are going to tear those slot up in the tires rather quickly.

[DennisThornton 4,769]

6 minutes ago, Oldskool said:

There was an old guy in town that made a tracked vehicle decades ago. He used a datsun truck frame 2 large tractor tires. Cut the beads from the tires, stretched them over his tires which had tire chains on them. He cut holes in the tractor tires to let the snow/mud out. I think he had turnbuckle for track tension and 2 master cylinders and pedals to use the brakes for steering. A bit different then what you are thinking. But keep in mind the way they did it in the video the cogged drive wheels are going to tear those slot up in the tires rather quickly.

Yeah.  I commented regarding those punched out holes.  I'd want more holes and even then I'm not sure how long it would last or how to prevent it besides more holes.  And I wonder how mud and rocks and leaves and sticks and acorns and...

[DennisThornton 4,769]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.minidozerbuild.com/p/build-guide.html?m=1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

I think @meadowfield  might have a thought or two for us?

[Oldskool 6,644]

18 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

That's the guy up here in Maine. Norman from isavetractors

I dont know Norman worked there let alone isavetractors being a Maine business 

[ebinmaine 67,569]

14 minutes ago, Oldskool said:

I dont know Norman worked there let alone isavetractors being a Maine business 

Not our own famous Stormin Norman. 

 

I save tractors Norman is more like regular Norman. Much less storm. 

[Oldskool 6,644]

26 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Not our own famous Stormin Norman. 

 

I save tractors Norman is more like regular Norman. Much less storm. 

Oh....Ok. Got it.

[ebinmaine 67,569]

5 hours ago, Oldskool said:

Just food for thought. Twin track.

 

 

Look like plenty of both traction and steering.  

[3148ISGREAT 5]

This has me at a crossroads as to what I want to do with my plow rig now. I was going to use fluid filled atv tires and as much weight as possible on the rear axle but after watching this video it almost looks like tracks might be more weight friendly, I'll just have to make sure I have a decent tread steer tire on the front or run a chain along the middle of the steer tire.

 

Any idea what they used for the tracks? It looks like flat iron bent around the drive tire and a lug(?) welded to the flat for traction

 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

10 hours ago, 3148ISGREAT said:

This has me at a crossroads as to what I want to do with my plow rig now. I was going to use fluid filled atv tires and as much weight as possible on the rear axle but after watching this video it almost looks like tracks might be more weight friendly, I'll just have to make sure I have a decent tread steer tire on the front or run a chain along the middle of the steer tire.

 

Any idea what they used for the tracks? It looks like flat iron bent around the drive tire and a lug(?) welded to the flat for traction

 

I'd like to see this thread be a collection of ideas for tracks and end up with a build from this forum.  I'm currently thinking that keeping the rear tires and adding idlers in the rear would require the least modification to the tractor.  But I also think adding idlers front of the rears is doable without major mods.  Some neat ideas out there that I haven't posted here and I've posted several here.

[Oldskool 6,644]

@DennisThornton with all the searching you have done, whats on the top of the list for track construction? I know you had expressed an interest in the tire tread idea, but beyond that what's on top?

[DennisThornton 4,769]

20 minutes ago, Oldskool said:

@DennisThornton with all the searching you have done, whats on the top of the list for track construction? I know you had expressed an interest in the tire tread idea, but beyond that what's on top?

Don't know yet.  Time & Dollars vs performance. 

Full metal cleats and LOTS of weight, money and time at the top of the performance chart.

Rubber OR chain and cleats lower down the list.  But I think that could still give good performance with as much added weight as possible.

 

Norman at ISaveTractors built a JD-317 with rear idlers with chained together metal cleats.  Worked, needs some improvements that he has either already addressed or will, or could be.  Two major takeaways for me was that there were NO steering issues!  As is, without the existing steering brakes!  Sounds great but to me that also says that the added traction is still too little and not capable of oversteering the tractor.  Later in the vid he stated that the build wasn't that much different than without the tracks.

 

So just adding some tracks doesn't solve all traction issues.  Track location, orientation, cleat design, track area, PSI and stuff I haven't even thought of is rather daunting to me.  I'd think that until steering IS an issue the traction issue has NOT been fully addressed.  So I think that independant steering would be needed if max traction is achieved. 

 

Skis or keep the tires, I think depends on how and where it will be used.  I'd think that roads, trails and open areas would benefit from skis.  Wooded and rough terrain, tires and being able to use both would be nice.

 

Lots the consider!  First of all, half tracks or full tracts?  Metal or rubber?  Or?

 

Seems half tracks, whether rubber or chained cleats, in the rear is by far the easiest, quickest and cheapest but can the performance be had?  

Perhaps with lots of rear weight?

 

Don't know yet. 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

Being able to bolt on a kit is appealing.  There's a very interesting multi part build on YouTube (search "Homemade ATV Tracks Build") for details.

But here is an early assembly with comments.  Could help gain some clearance to help place the tracks forward of the rear drive but I think overall, forward would be more difficult that to the rear:

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,569]

If we could come up with a fairly easy to assemble bolt on assembly Trina and I would build it. 

[Oldskool 6,644]

Could you just use ATV tracks? Orientate them to have the lower idler in front or back?  Any of the tractors that have bolt on rear wheels you could just have bolt pattern adapters made and then just restructure the stabilizer struts? The hieght change would probably make it a must for skies 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

8 minutes ago, Oldskool said:

Could you just use ATV tracks? Orientate them to have the lower idler in front or back?  Any of the tractors that have bolt on rear wheels you could just have bolt pattern adapters made and then just restructure the stabilizer struts? The hieght change would probably make it a must for skies 

Probably the simplest approach.  We'll be hard to reinvent the wheel because there is SO much out there already.  I suppose I'm looking for the elusive cheaper and better mouse trap.

[DennisThornton 4,769]

A aftermarket kit: