In our reviews, we have repeatedly touched on the topic of assembling motorcycles and ATVs with our own hands, but we have not paid attention to vehicles for transportation in winter. We decided that we can no longer ignore this topic, so today we will tell you how you can make a snowmobile with your own hands. Surely, it seems to you that such a task will be impossible for an ordinary person who has no experience in this field. But we hasten to dissuade you - in this review we will try to explain as clearly as possible how to assemble a snowmobile yourself, and what you will need for this. If you have long dreamed of having a homemade snowmobile in your garage, then it’s time to start making your dream a reality.

Why does it make sense to assemble a snowmobile with your own hands?

Snowmobile is the best vehicle, which you can use off-road in winter. If you are one of the fans of winter fishing or hunting, or just a person who loves active recreation, then a vehicle such as a snowmobile will be the best option for relaxation in winter. Recently, in the motorcycle market, which includes representatives of winter transport, there has been a huge increase in prices. Because of this, buying a new snowmobile today is comparable to buying a middle-class car, which certainly hits your pocket.

There are not as many ways out of the situation as we would like, so everyone who wants to buy a snowmobile solves the problem in one of two ways. The first option is to purchase a used snowmobile that has already been in use for several years. It is quite obvious that such equipment is no longer new, but the price also makes it possible to save money. In principle, buying a snowmobile second-hand is a good option. The most important thing is to choose the right model and thoroughly check the snowmobile for breakdowns.

It will be much more interesting, and, as a rule, even more economical, to assemble a snowmobile with your own hands. In this case, you not only save a lot of money, but also have all the possibilities to assemble a snowmobile especially for yourself. Making a snowmobile with your own hands on the basis of some other vehicle is more than a realistic task. So why not try your hand and build a homemade snowmobile that will delight you every new trip?

What can a snowmobile be made from?

In the first stages of developing a homemade snowmobile, you need to decide on the choice of the so-called donor, that is, the vehicle on the basis of which the process of building the snowmobile will take place. There are not many options here, but there are enough of them to choose the most suitable one for you. Basically, homemade snowmobiles are built on the basis of the following power units:

• Motorbike
• Chainsaw
• Walk-behind tractor

You can choose the option that suits you best from this list. The only thing worth remembering is the output power of the snowmobile. It is quite logical to assume that a snowmobile made on the basis of even the simplest motorcycle will be much faster than a snowmobile with a chainsaw engine. A walk-behind tractor will also be more powerful than a chainsaw, but a motorcycle still remains the best option if you take into account the power of the resulting vehicle. In our review we will analyze the designs of a motorcycle and a walk-behind tractor. So, how to make a snowmobile with your own hands?

Snowmobile based on a motorcycle

To make a snowmobile with your own hands, using some kind of motorcycle, we will need a welding machine and a drill, which we simply cannot do without. We recommend taking as a basis for the future snowmobile soviet motorcycles, for example, Ural, Dnepr, IZ Jupiter or IZ Planet. It is these motorcycles that can be purchased quite cheaply, and the power reserve of their engine is enough to easily climb the most difficult slopes.

Let's start with the front part of the future snowmobile. The first thing you need to do is put a ski in place of the wheel. In our case, there will be only one, so as not to complicate or burden the design. After the wheel has been removed, you need to buy or make your own ski for a snowmobile, and use a welding machine to weld it to the motorcycle fork as shown in the photo.

Now that the front of the snowmobile has been done necessary work, you can proceed to the back. Here everything will be somewhat more complicated, but figuring it out is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. First you need to lengthen the motorcycle frame, based on the drawings you found on the Internet. Then install rear axle, consisting of a caterpillar drum and a tubular shaft. Optimal sizes for a caterpillar – 2200×300 mm with a thickness of 10 mm.

Snowmobile based on a walk-behind tractor

A DIY snowmobile based on a motorcycle is the most difficult option. If you are not so concerned about the speed of the future snowmobile, then you can choose a snowmobile based on a walk-behind tractor. However, in this case, you need to make the snowmobile frame yourself. If we describe the whole process step by step, then we can summarize several points:

• Making a rectangular snowmobile frame from metal pipes
• A driver's seat is made independently or purchased in a store, then mounted on a finished frame
• Instead of wheels, two tracks are installed, made independently or purchased on the motorcycle market
• Snowmobile skis, which can be made independently from sheets of metal, are mounted on the frame of the future vehicle.

Although a snowmobile made from a walk-behind tractor is inferior in power to the same vehicle made from a motorcycle, it is not so critical. But the big advantage of this option for building a snowmobile is its simplicity and short assembly time.

Conclusions

IN this review We tried to answer your question as accurately as possible on how to make a snowmobile with your own hands. The beauty of a DIY snowmobile is that you can save a lot of money and build a snowmobile that perfectly suits your needs.

Remembering the history of the creation of a homemade snowmobile, I realized how long ago my passion for designing equipment began. Even in my youth (and now I’m already a pensioner), I received a specialty as a mechanic and independently mastered welding and other metalworking specialties. But, to be honest, I couldn’t “boast” of my design knowledge, and there was nowhere to learn. On a whim, I built all sorts of “dream-like vehicles” on wheels and tracks: I drove them off-road and in the snow, but there was neither reliability nor beauty in them.

But at the beginning of 1988, “Model Designer” was published, which contained an article about the snowmobile “Caterpillar around the ski.” This is where it started!

Our places are such that the snow cover lasts for six months or even more! Local roads are usually not cleared on time, and only in such a way that only an all-terrain truck can pass. Well, there’s nothing to say about country roads. In addition, I had hobbies: hunting and fishing. All this motivated me to make a good, passable snowmobile.

I built it for myself, helped friends and family, and gained experience. He constantly improved the design “according to the laws of evolution”: he replaced heavy with light, unreliable with durable, introduced suspensions: leaf springs, springs, shock absorbers. In total, he built more than a dozen snowmobiles: on tracks with wooden and polyethylene tracks around ski-skis; rubber with roller block; both with one control ski and with two.

I’ll tell you a story about my last snowmobile. I can’t say that it doesn’t have shortcomings, but I put all my accumulated experience into its design and the car turned out to be successful, although without frills (or, as they say now, utilitarian), but it looks good, and the reliability is height.

The most common layout diagram of the snowmobile was chosen, as on similar domestic cars, and on foreign ones: two front steerable skis; power unit located in front under the hood; Next is the track block, and above it is the seat and behind it is the trunk. The total length of the snowmobile is 2300 mm, the width at the outer edges of the skis is 900 mm, the height to the steering wheel is 1000 mm, and to the seat is 700 mm.

1 – steerable ski (2 pcs.); 2 – steering ski suspension (2 pcs.); 3 – arc (pipe Ø32); 4 – hood (from the side trailer of the Java motorcycle); 5 – windshield; 6 – steering wheel; 7 – fuel tank (welded from two moped tanks); 8 – seat; 9 – tool box; 10 – trunk fencing (pipe Ø16); 11 – mudguard (steel sheet s0.5); 12 – spring shock absorber for the suspension of the tension pendulum arms of the tracked unit (2 pcs.); 13 – headlight; 14 – tracked block

1 – lower spar (pipe 28×25, 2 pcs.); 2 – upper spar (pipe 20×20, 2 pcs.); 3 – L-shaped bracket for fastening the support bearing housing of the output shaft extension power unit(pipe 28×25); 4 – braced interspar strut (pipe 20×20); 5 – offset (pipe 28×25.2 pcs.); 6 – support bar for the steering shaft cup (steel sheet s3); 7 – steering shaft cup (pipe Ø32); 8 – steering column (pipe Ø32); 9 – arc stand, 2 pcs.); 10 – seat frame (pipe Ø20); 11 – seat post (pipe Ø20); 12 – tool box strapping (steel angle 20×15); 13 – welded bracket for fastening the track block and track tension (2 pcs.); 14 – bracket strut (pipe 20×20, 2 pcs.); 15 – half-frame of the trunk platform (pipe 20×20); 16 – rear shock absorber mounting eye (steel s4.2 pcs.); 17 – strut of the trunk half-frame (pipe 15x 15.2 pcs.); 18 – strut of the lower spar (pipe 28×25.2 pcs.); 19 – traverse (pipe 28×25); 20 – cross member of stems (pipe 28×25); 21 – cross members of the steering column suspension (pipe Ø16); 22 – engine subframe (pipe 28×25); 23 – support tie (steel plate); 24 – cross member of the lower side members (pipe 28×25); 25 – fuel tank tie-lock; 26 – longitudinal element of the seat niche (pipe 20×20.2 pcs.); 27 – pin bushing (bicycle, reinforced, 2 pcs.); 28 – strut of the pin bushing (pipe 20×20, 2 pcs.)

Under the hood:

a – right view; b – left view

The power unit (engine, clutch and gearbox in one unit) is “Tula-200m” produced by TMZ (Tula machine-building plant). It was installed on all types of motorcycles produced in Tula: scooters (including the Ant cargo truck), motorcycles, etc. The unit is quite reliable, although a little heavy.

The power of the new engine was 11 hp. with speed up to 3600 per minute. But he is already more than a dozen years old. However, I feel like he still has eight or nine strength left in him. The engine has a displacement of 196 cm3, two-stroke and runs on a mixture of low-octane gasoline with motor oil(type "Autol") in a ratio of 10:1.

The cylinder is equipped with standard forced air cooling.

The gearbox has gear ratio 2,353.

To transfer rotation from the secondary (output) shaft to the drive shaft sprocket, it was necessary to make a welded extension from a pipe with splined tips. At one end, internal splines are cut directly into the pipe (for fitting the extension onto the shaft). On the other there are external slots for the adapter, seat for the bearing and M20x1.5 thread for mounting on the sprocket extension, made on a welded tip.

Looking ahead, I note that exactly the same tip is welded to the drive shaft of the caterpillar, which is made from the tension rear axle of the caterpillar from the Buran snowmobile.

The snowmobile frame is spatial, welded from steel pipes of rectangular, square and round sections.

The frame is based on two paired tubular spars - upper and lower. The upper spar of each pair is made of a pipe with a cross-section of 20×20 mm. Most of the auxiliary elements are made from the same pipe: intermediate cross members, struts and even the rear frame of the luggage area. The lower spars are made from a pipe with a cross-section of 28x25 mm - this is the thickest pipe in the frame structure. The front yoke, front cross members and consoles, and sub-engine ridge are made from the same pipe.

It must be said that the frame pipes are of small cross-section and not even thick-walled. Therefore, in the places where I drilled holes, I inserted bushings into them and welded them in a circle.

The frame superstructure (upright, arch) is made of a round pipe with a diameter of 20 mm - from old chairs, thin-walled, but quite strong. It was just a little difficult to weld them, but if you do this using a semi-automatic machine, the process becomes much easier. The trunk frame under the seat, as well as the frame of the middle part of the platform, is made from a 15 mm equal-flange angle. Between these frames I put long items, such as skis. The steering shaft column - made from a pipe with a diameter of 32 mm - is built into the front part of the superstructure. The kingpin bushings are cut from bicycle frames and welded to the ends of the crossbar. The track tensioning brackets are also integrated into the frame (welded to the rear ends of the lower side members). These same brackets also serve as attachment points for the caterpillar balance shaft bearing housings to the frame. In addition, numerous ears and eyes for installing the power unit, fuel tank, seat, shock absorbers, etc. are welded to the frame elements.

1 – extension; 2 – tip for attachment to the shaft; 3 – tip for the drive gear

1 – caterpillar; 2 – caterpillar drive gear (2 pcs.); 3 – caterpillar drive shaft assembly; 4 – spring (2 pcs.); 5 – bracket for balancing block (2 pcs.); 6 – pendulum lever of the tension axis (2 pcs.); 7 – caterpillar tension gear (2 pcs.); 8 – support roller (10 pcs.); 9 – outer trolley (2 pcs.); 10 – middle trolley; 11 – axis of the balancing block; 12 – support roller (2 pcs.); 13 – housing with bearing for the axis of the balancing block (2 pcs.); 14 – bracket for fastening the spring to the axis of the balancing block (2 pcs.)

The track block (more precisely, its longitudinal half) was borrowed from the old industrial snowmobile "Buran". Why half? Yes, because, firstly, it’s easier. Secondly, there are fewer costs and a simpler design. Well, thirdly, I intended to ride not on virgin snow, but in the footsteps of the “pioneers”.

However, in combination with a pair of fairly wide skis, the snowmobile confidently overcomes both deep snowdrifts and freshly fallen “powder”.

The outer bogies have been redone - the springs have been removed, and the bushings are welded together, since the bogies balance on their own, sitting on their axis at the ends of the springs.

The track tension unit has also been redone. The front ends of its pendulum arms sit on a common axis with a spring balancer assembly, and the rear ends are suspended on homemade spring shock absorbers to the frame.

The snowmobile's propulsion system is a rubber track 380 mm wide (Buran has two of these). The caterpillar drive is carried out from the drive shaft through a pair of 9-tooth Buranovsky nylon wheels. The drive shaft is tubular. As noted earlier, it is made from a rear tracked “Buranov” axle, mounted in 80205 bearings, the housings of which are attached directly to the upper frame spars. The tension of the caterpillar is carried out by a tension axis with gear wheels (the same as the drive ones) through a pair of pendulum arms mounted on the axis of the balance trolley (by moving its bearings along the frame side members). The tension shaft of the caterpillar (or rather, the axle, since this part does not transmit torque) with gear wheels is also Buranovsky. The length of the caterpillar contact with the road is just over a meter.

Previously, propulsors were built with a support glide ski. They are good on “puffy” snow and snowdrifts, but are very sensitive to hard road irregularities. They not only transmit discomfort to the driver, but also cause breakdowns of the tracks and even the slide itself. Therefore, this time I decided to make a mover with a rubber track and road wheels, since I intended to drive on rolled snow and even ice.

The snowmobile transmission, as they say, couldn’t be simpler, although not without its quirks. It consists of a single-stage chain drive from an IZH motorcycle with a pitch of 15.875 mm with a pair of sprockets: the drive has 15 teeth, the driven has 21, that is, the gear ratio is 1.6. The secondary (output) shaft of the power unit is extended by a pipe with internal splines at the end mounted on the shaft and a splined tip at the other. The free end of the extension is installed in bearing 80205, the housing of which is fixed to an L-shaped bracket welded to the frame. The drive sprocket of the chain drive is mounted on this tip through an adapter with internal and external splines. Driven sprocket mounted (also through a spline adapter) on the splined tip of the track drive shaft. I made adapters from gears: annealed, sharpened, milled. Thanks to the spline adapters, the sprockets (and, consequently, the gear ratio) are easy to change even in the field to suit road conditions (more precisely, to suit the density and depth of the snow cover).

The snowmobile's steering skis are homemade, 900 mm long (blank - 1000 mm) and 200 mm wide. Made from steel sheet 2 mm thick. The runners are stamped: there is a triangular groove in the middle, and flanges-undercuts along the edges, curved upwards at the front (contact surface with snow - 800 mm). On top of the runners are welded longitudinal stiffening ribs of a U-shaped section, curved from the same steel sheet, and to them are ears and eyes for attaching suspension units, and in front are arms made of 10-mm steel rod.

Each ski has a suspension consisting of a shock absorber (from a Tula scooter) and a homemade lever made from a 20x20 mm square pipe.

Steering is of mixed type. The steering wheel itself is a motorcycle lever, and the rest is like a car. The steering shaft is a “breaking” one with a cardan joint and even a unique steering mechanism. I made it a “breaking point” because it was in no way “parallel” with the pivot bushings (but in general, a straight shaft is better). It should be noted that the lower end of the shaft is structurally in front of the rotary arms and rods, and the bipod is directed backwards. In this situation, when turning right, the steering wheel had to be turned to the left, and vice versa, which was contrary to common sense. Therefore, it was necessary to introduce a steering mechanism that serves to coordinate the rotation of the steering wheel and the direction of the skis. The mechanism consists of a pair of identical gears in a housing. The drive gear is mounted on the end of the steering shaft by means of a splined connection, and the shaft of the driven gear is connected (welded, although it is advisable and easy to make this unit also dismountable) with a T-shaped bipod. From the bipod through the steering rods and steering knuckles it is carried out simultaneous rotation the skis are now in the same direction in which the steering wheel is turned.

Equipment. Fuel tank welded from two tanks from a Riga moped.

The seat is from a Minsk motorcycle and is mounted on stands covered with duralumin sheets. There is a tool box under the seat, and between the box and the floor there is a free niche with an opening at the back. If necessary, I put skis, a shovel and other long objects in it. The hood is a redesigned front part of the sidecar (side trailer) of the Java-350 motorcycle. Electrical equipment is standard. The headlight is from a Minsk motorcycle.

1 – runner; 2 – amplifier; 3 – bow; 4 – shock absorber mounting eye; 5 – lever mounting eye

1 – steering wheel (bicycle); 2 – upper elbow of the steering shaft; 3 – support bracket for the upper bend of the steering shaft (furnishings); 4 – universal joint; 5 – steering column; 6 – lower elbow of the steering shaft; 7 – clamp for the splined connection of the lower elbow and the gear shaft; 8 – drive shaft-gear; 9 – driven gear shaft; 10 – bipod; 11 – axis of the bipod and steering rods; 12 – steering rod (2 pcs.); 13 – tip for adjusting the length of the tie rod (2 pcs.); 14 – locknut 15 – steering lever (2 pcs.); 16 – rod and lever axis (2 pcs.); 17 – steering knuckle(2 pcs.)

1 – inlet pipe; 2 – body; 3 – muffler; 4 – outlet pipe

1 – drawbar; 2 – cross member; 3 – bracket-eye (2 pcs.); 4 – thrust (2 pcs.); 5 – ski (2 pcs.); 6 – body; 7 – stand (10 pcs.)

The sled trailer is homemade. I think it's better to have a small sled than large trunk on a snowmobile: if you get stuck somewhere, you can unhook the sled, trod a path and hook it up again. The body was once the body of the side trailer of the Java-350 motorcycle, or rather, what was left of it after making the hood for the snowmobile itself. I shortened it by cutting about 200 mm in the middle. Then I riveted the front and back parts with pop rivets. Under the body I placed several cross members made of a rectangular pipe 40x20 mm, one of the wide walls of which was left as ears at both ends. The ears were attached to the sides of the body with rivets.

The body is mounted on skids made of aluminum busbar panels using tubular racks with a square section of 20x20 mm. The uprights are welded at the top to the crossbars with lugs and at the bottom - to the “heels” - steel square plates 2 mm thick. The “heels” were riveted to the ski runners with the same rivets.

I would like to note that the drawings of the components are not working, but for informational purposes: some do not show all dimensions (for example, frames), and somewhere something may not match, since the drawings were made based on a ready-made design.

In general, I believe that making a structure according to drawings is production, not creativity.

V. SMIRNOV, Syava village, Nizhny Novgorod region.

A snowmobile is a very practical and useful thing that will definitely come in handy in snowy regions. A factory snowmobile costs a lot of money, but you can make it yourself.

This article is intended for persons over 18 years of age

Have you already turned 18?

DIY snowmobile - it's real

As they say, if a person’s hands grow where they need to, then he can cope with any task. Give such a master conventional engine and soon he will make a boat, tractor, walk-behind tractor or snowmobile. Since in many cities and towns of Russia there is snow for several months, the creation of snowmobiles is a very pressing issue. Today we will tell you how to make a homemade snowmobile at home.

It is only at first glance that it seems that everything is too complicated, you just need to have skills and a lot of available materials. The main thing is to be prepared to spend several days on the work, but the result will definitely be worth it. Homemade snowmobiles are in no way inferior to factory models, they feel great in deep and loose snow, and do not break or wear out.

There are no specific rules for what a homemade snowmobile should be made of. You can find specific designs, dimensions, and diagrams online. This could be an ordinary simple snowmobile with one or two tracks, on wheels, and so on.

The guys who managed to make a miracle machine are happy to share their experience and impressions of the process of creating a snowmobile. But the secret is to use the materials you have on hand. You can take a motor from a walk-behind tractor, a headlight from something else, a hood from under old car, and so on.

If we are talking about a mini snowmobile, which is budget option, then you can easily make it in just two weekends. To do this, use a homemade caterpillar, which can be easily made from a conveyor belt. Any materials can be used as lugs, including plastic water pipes. Don’t worry, experts have already verified that plastic pipes feel normal in severe frosts.

1) Crawler snowmobile should be as light as possible, then it will be able to overcome even the most loose and deep snow. Since we started talking about this model of snowmobile, then we should clarify some details. Although the design is quite simple, it is reliable.

How to assemble such a stick snowmobile? First, we make four wheels inside the conveyor belt; they will roll directly along the belt, on which plastic lugs are also attached. In general, the movement pattern of this unique technique is clear. The engine can be taken from a walk-behind tractor, but this is only an option. Use what you have on hand.

Now a few words about how to properly make lugs from plastic pipes. First, the water pipe is cut into identical pieces. Their size depends on the dimensions of the future snowmobile. Use a circular saw to cut each piece into two equal parts. There is a special device that allows you to easily cut plastic pipes. It was thanks to him that we got smooth and beautiful “sticks” as lugs. They can be attached to the tape using special bolts.

It is very important that the distance between the lugs be as equal as possible. Otherwise, they will simply run into each other, thereby knocking down the caterpillar.

You need to drill the conveyor belt using a special jig. You can buy small rubber wheels, track sprockets and bearings at the store. Skis can be used by anyone children's snow scooter. This snowmobile is considered dismountable, because it takes no more than half an hour to assemble it. Therefore, it will be more profitable after completion winter season disassemble the structure. A two-track snowmobile is a more complex model, but it can also be made by hand.

2) Wheeled snowmobile- a rather original structure, it is also called pneumatic. In other words, it's a tiny tractor with a very unusual wheels. You can make such a technique from a motorcycle or walk-behind tractor. The design safely overcomes loose deep snow because there is a large area for contact with the surface.

3) Electric snowmobile You can also do it yourself. But once you decide to build an electric snowmobile, then forget about lithium and polymer batteries. They are simply unreliable in freezing weather and will require constant replacement. It is best to opt for lead ones. You can make a cool electric snowmobile for a child. A voltage of 12 volts is normal. Surely everyone has seen or carefully studied the amphibious snowmobile model. Some ideas can be taken from this well-known design. Manufacturing time for a real homemade self-propelled gun: from two days to a week. It all depends on the availability of the necessary parts, as well as your free time. Try to calculate everything down to the smallest detail in advance, so that there are no problems during the work process.

Making a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor with your own hands

We have already said that you can make a snowmobile from almost any available materials from:

• chainsaws;
• motorcycle (IZH, Planeta 5, Jupiter 5, Dnepr, Minsk);
• snow scooter;
• scooter;
• bicycle;
• car (Niva, Zaporozhets);
• moped (from ant, alpha);
• saws;
• tires;
• motorized dogs;
• screwdriver;
• cultivator (motor cultivator, mole);
• trimmer (gasoline trimmer);
• lawnmowers;
• snowcatargamak;
• motorized towing vehicle.

This list can go on forever. But this does not mean that all the details or the basis are taken from one specific piece of equipment. Often the donor serves only a small purpose (frame, engine, skis).

We will not consider in detail step by step instructions making a snowmobile from various equipment. We will only disassemble the model from a walk-behind tractor on pneumatics (without using a caterpillar) with our own hands.

Since there is no caterpillar, repairing the structure will be much easier. You will need: pipes for the frame, a steel angle to strengthen the entire structure, we only take the power plant from the donor. To make wheels you need to use cameras impressive size. Perfect for any large agricultural machinery. You can take a gearbox and chassis parts from a VAZ (not necessarily 2106). Also don’t forget about a drill, an angle grinder and, of course, a welding machine.

All important elements of the snowmobile will be hidden inside the frame. We need the pipe in order to make a power frame. Calculate that the motor power is more or less suitable for wheels of a similar diameter.

A few words about how the transmission in snowmobiles is carried out from a walk-behind tractor. There are several options. The first (standard gearbox) is not the most optimal, because switching requires a complete stop of the structure. If possible, instead of the gearbox you can use a gearbox from an old car.

So, a snowmobile made from walk-behind tractors quickly became popular and is somewhat reminiscent of a primitive car. After all, you can change gears without stopping; in first and second gears you can easily make your way along any roads. The third and fourth will allow you to slowly ride along an already knurled track.

For ease of movement in the dark, do not be lazy to install tractor headlights, as well as car generator. In general, this transport will not be comfortable for more than two people. If you want to ride with a group, then take care of a trailer.

But you can’t even think about speed. After all, your vehicle is not equipped with elastic elements and shock absorbers. Pneumatics will make themselves felt at speed. In addition, there is no cabin for shelter, and strong winds will immediately make themselves felt when driving quickly.

Some of the most famous models snowmobiles, such as Buran, Lynx, Taiga, Tiksi, were equipped with a Lifan engine. You can borrow a good engine from OKI.

A snowmobile is a fairly easy-to-make type of transport that will help you move freely in snowy areas. This is a kind of SUV. Therefore, do not be lazy to make the equipment yourself if you are lucky enough to live in an area of ​​frequent snow. Carefully draw up a plan of action and you will definitely succeed!

A DIY caterpillar can be made by any craftsman. If you have been thinking about how to make a caterpillar for a long time, then you should read the recommendations presented. To carry out the work, you can use a variety of tools and materials. It is, of course, permissible, if necessary, to use a caterpillar that was produced in a factory. But it will cost much more than if you do the manufacturing yourself. The article will present several options for making tracks, one of which you can choose for yourself.

A simple option for making a caterpillar

A do-it-yourself caterpillar can be made using the simplest technology. It will take you minimum quantity time. The caterpillar mover can be made on the basis of a bushing-roller chain, as well as a conveyor belt. To carry out the work you need to prepare a certain set of special tools or equipment. In order to extend the life of the tape, it is recommended to sew its edges with a fishing line, strengthening it at a distance of 1 cm. It is necessary to use the principle that seamstresses use to overcast the edges of fabric, which will protect the tape from damage.

A caterpillar can be made with your own hands by connecting elements into a single ring; this can be done in several ways. So, it is permissible to use a hinge like a piano hinge; you can also use a less reliable method, which involves sewing on the ends of the tape. It is important to note that the thickness of the tape must be selected, which corresponds to the power of the motor. If you intend to use a motorcycle engine domestic production, then you can use a tape whose thickness is 10 mm, similar to that used on agricultural conveyors.

If you make your own caterpillar using this technology, you won’t have to spend a lot of effort. Despite the fact that this model of caterpillar is quite simple to make, it has a long service life and a long service life.

Making caterpillars from car tires

You can make your own caterpillar using car tires. To carry out the work, it is necessary to select tires borrowed from trucks, it is recommended to use a suitable tread pattern, and you will spend less effort when working with the tire. The manufacture of such a caterpillar must be done by cutting out the sides from the tire, while leaving space for a treadmill. It is worth considering that this work is quite labor-intensive and requires the application of a lot of patience and effort; you must use only a well-sharpened shoe knife.

In order to spend less effort when making a caterpillar for a car with your own hands, you can wet the blade from time to time using a soap solution. As an alternative solution, you can use a device designed for cutting; it is also possible to use an electric jigsaw. A file with small teeth must first be attached to the latter; the file must also be pre-moistened with water; such manipulations must be carried out periodically during the work process.

Work technology

Do-it-yourself tracks for a car must be made using a technology that involves the initial removal of the tire beads, then, if necessary, you need to remove the excess layers that are located on the wrong side of the formed ring; this is necessary if the track has increased hardness. If the tread pattern is not suitable, then you need to cut a new structure, which will be necessary so that the structure can cling to the soil.

A snowmobile track made with your own hands according to the scheme described above will have many advantages, even if compared with the option described above. This is due to the fact that it has a closed loop, which indicates reliability. But there are also disadvantages, one of which is expressed in the limited width of the track, but if there is a need, then a double width can be used.

Making a caterpillar from belts

The next version of the caterpillar is especially attractive because you don’t have to waste extra effort during the work. Before you begin, you need to prepare belts that have a wedge-shaped profile. They have to be connected into one whole using soil hooks that are fixed with screws; rivets can be used as an alternative solution. The result is a snowmobile track, created with your own hands, which has holes intended for the drive sprocket. In order to create the holes, you will need to leave some space between the straps.

Another option for making a caterpillar

Before you make a caterpillar with your own hands, you need to choose a technology for carrying out the work. It is also possible to use the method presented below. The propulsion frame can be welded using pipes that have a rectangular cross-section. It is recommended to connect them using a frame, this will make the structure collapsible. The splined part can be borrowed from the Buran, this will make it possible to make drive shafts; the splined part of the shafts, which are borrowed from the Oka, must be welded to them. It will also be necessary to use brake discs. When working on the front shafts, you need to install brake mechanisms on them. Some part of the gearbox housing needs to be cut off. Making a caterpillar with your own hands will allow you not only to save money, but also to move through snowy areas without any problems. This design can be used for a long time without the need for repairs.

With the coming winter period two-wheelers are losing their relevance. Using a car to cover short distances with heavy snow cover is not particularly practical and, in most cases, impossible. A snowmobile copes much better with this task.

In most cases, a winter mechanical vehicle is equipped with a tracked rear wheel drive and front steering skis. High cross-country ability, versatility and ease of use make the snowmobile today the most popular means of transportation in the winter season.

Features of homemade snowmobiles

Nowadays you can buy a snowmobile at any motorcycle dealership, both in a large metropolis and a small city, but the prices of this equipment force many winter driving enthusiasts to make a homemade snowmobile on tracks with their own hands.

There are four important advantages of a self-made vehicle over a factory one:

1. Price is the most important factor for most. The cost of some units from leading manufacturers of motorcycle equipment can exceed the cost of those assembled from scrap materials by 5-10 times.
2. Parameters – the ability to assemble a vehicle of the desired configuration. This applies to both appearance, as well as power reserve, type of chassis, etc.
3. Reliability is a point that products cannot always boast of, even famous manufacturers. When making it yourself, a person uses the most quality materials and pays special attention the most important components of the mechanism.
4. The benefit is the ability to use materials, parts and devices lying around in garages and utility rooms from other devices.

At the same time, homemade snowmobiles find their use, both on the streets settlements, and on off-road areas of suburban expanses and ski resorts.

Do-it-yourself homemade snowmobile on tracks: where to start?

1 — rear light; 2 — tow hitch; 3 — body (plywood, s16); 4 — side reflectors; 5 — rear shock absorber (from the Dnepr motorcycle, 2 pcs.); 6 — gas tank (from the starter of the T-150 tractor); 7 — seat; 8 — main frame; 9 - switch electronic ignition(from the Voskhod motorcycle); 10 — ignition coil (from the Voskhod motorcycle); 11 — power point(from a motorized stroller, 14 hp); 12 — muffler (from a motorized stroller); 13 — steering column; 14 — steering joint in a leather case filled with lubricant (joint from UAZ); 15 - limiter vertical movement steering ski (chain); 16 — steering ski rotation limiter; 17 — steering ski; 18 — side ski (2 pcs.); 19 - generator; 20 — clutch lever (from a motorized stroller); 21 — drive chain guard; 22 — footrest; 23 — drive shaft drive chain; 24 — caterpillar drive shaft; 25 — lower track chain guide (polyethylene, s10, 2 pcs.); 26 — caterpillar chain (from the header of a forage harvester, 2 pcs.); 27, 31 — upper front and rear chain guides (polyethylene s10, 2 pcs.); 28 - shock absorber articulated frame propulsion unit (short rear shock absorbers motorcycle "Dnepr", 2 sets); 29 — support ski; 30 — rear spacer frame; 32 - rear axle.

A drawing of a homemade snowmobile is the most important stage at the preparatory stage of production. Here to help engineering skills will come in handy, and in the absence of such, superficial sketches are made, creating a general image of the future mechanism.

Before creating a drawing, you must determine the list of required components. The basis of a standard configuration snowmobile is:

1. Frame - depending on the complexity of the design, it can be borrowed from an ATV, scooter, scooter, motorcycle, etc. If they are not available, the part is usually welded from thin-walled metal pipes with a diameter of about 40 mm.
2. Seat - given the difficult operating conditions of the equipment, the material of this element must have high water-repellent ability.
3. Engine – selected based on the required speed and total weight of the vehicle. The most commonly used engines are walk-behind tractors, scooters, motorcycles, etc.
4. Tank – a 10-15 liter metal/plastic container will provide carefree travel over relatively long distances and will not take up much space on the unit.
5. Skis - in case of absence ready-made options, For self-made It is recommended to use nine/ten-layer plywood sheets with a thickness of about 3 mm.
6. Steering wheel – selected for convenience and practicality. Like the frame, engine and seat are removed from the specified two-wheeled units.
7. Drive is a part that transmits rotating motion from the engine to the track. This function is performed well by a motorcycle chain.
8. The caterpillar is the most complex and important element. Their types and methods of self-production will be discussed further.

How to make homemade caterpillars?

One of the most common materials for making propellers at home is car tire. A homemade track for a snowmobile from a car tire has one thing over other options: important advantage— it is made in the form of a closed loop, which significantly reduces the likelihood of rupture.



The beads are separated from the tire using a shoe knife, after which a flexible treadmill remains. Grousers are attached to the drive blade - plastic pipes sawn lengthwise with a diameter of about 40 mm and a thickness of about 5 mm. Cut to fit the width of the tire, the half-pipes are attached to the canvas using bolts (M6, etc.) at intervals of 5-7 cm.

The same method is used to produce homemade caterpillars from conveyor belt. Their main advantage is the ability to choose the length of the propeller. After cutting to the required length, special attention should be paid to the hitch. The ends of the tape overlap each other by 3-5 cm, and are fixed across the entire width with the same bolts as the lugs.

Such improvised materials as V-belts. Fastened along the width using lugs, they form a full-fledged trackbed with existing ones. inside grooves under the gear.

Please note that the wider the track, the better the cross-country ability of the snowmobile, but the worse its handling. Factory options have three sample widths in inches: 15 – standard; 20 – wide; 24 – extra wide.

Let's move on to practice

The frame, made of pipes or angles, is primarily equipped with a steering mechanism. Having chosen the height and angle of inclination, spot weld the element. Install and secure the motor according to the drawing, taking care not to tilt too much. The snowmobile should not have a long fuel line, so try to position the tank closer to the carburetor.

The next step is to install the track. Mount the driven axle with the blade on at the back of the frame (on a fork, suspension, shock absorber, etc., depending on the type of construction), the drive axle - in the middle part of the snowmobile (most often under driver's seat), in the shortest possible connection with the engine. The gears of both axles are pre-engaged.

Homemade snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor



This transformation is especially popular today. The walk-behind tractor can be used either partially or completely. In the first case, the unit (engine with steering fork and wheels) is welded supporting frame With rear axle. The most difficult stage in this case is the transformation of the working shaft of the walk-behind tractor into a drive gear.

Homemade snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor with partial use of parts is more versatile. In this case, only the engine and steering fork are removed from the “donor”, ​​to the lower part of which skis are attached instead of wheels. The motor itself can be located in the rear part of the structure.

It should be noted that the engines of the main part of the walk-behind tractors are designed for the weight and pressure of the wheels, which is several times less than the caterpillar one. Therefore, in order to avoid increased wear of parts and fuel consumption, it is better to equip such a snowmobile with wheels low pressure.