The general design is not complicated and anyone who knows how to hold a tool in their hands can make a motorized dog with their own hands (see the end of the article for drawings and explanations).
The great popularity of light motorized towing vehicles is due to the fact that, coupled with a fairly compact size, they have excellent maneuverability, are unpretentious in maintenance and consume little fuel.
Let's try to figure out what a motorized dog is? Essentially, it is a small motorized crawler unit that is designed to tow small loads.
Engine selection and installation
Most important element homemade is the engine. In our case, we chose the fairly common domestic moped motor Sh-58, the main advantage of which is that it is designed to use a manual gearbox switch.
Homemade motorized dog
It is also worth noting that foreign-made engines can be successfully used in homemade motorized dogs. Especially, small-displacement engines from Yamaha and Honda are in demand.
The main feature of these internal combustion engines is their versatility; they are perfect not only for creating a homemade motorized towing vehicle, but also for large quantity other devices, ranging from small power plants to homemade walk-behind tractors.
As for the number of strokes, two-stroke engines are best suited for this, since compared to their four-stroke counterparts they have smaller dimensions and weight, while their power characteristics are approximately the same.
Don’t forget about the motorized dog controls. Here, a steering wheel with built-in controls is best suited, that is, with a gearshift switch, gas and clutch handles from old motorcycles.
Before starting to assemble the chassis, it is necessary to select support bearings, after which bushings are machined under these bearings. As load-bearing structure A welded frame is used, consisting of water pipes of various diameters. To give the pipes the desired shape, they are first filled with dry sand and tightly sealed with plugs.
Consumption no more than 2 liters per 100 km
The workpiece is then placed in a vice and slowly, using blowtorch, bends in the right places. In order for the bend to be even, a reference template made of plywood is used.
After all frame elements have been purchased the required form they are fastened using welding clamps.
This is done specifically so that if defects occur during the assembly stage, they can be easily corrected. After all defects have been eliminated, the frame is finally fastened together by welding.
Sheet steel blanks are ideal for installing the engine on the frame. Such blanks are made using cardboard templates pre-fitted to the frame. First of all, the blanks are fixed to the engine, after which the resulting structure is attached to the frame with welding points. The engine is then disconnected from the workpiece and finally welded to the frame.
Our tracked unit will use collapsible shafts made of bushings, bearings and the shaft itself. As mentioned earlier, bushings are specially machined for bearings, and the thickness of the bushing walls should not exceed 5 mm. Due to the fact that the greatest loads in a homemade motorized dog fall on the rear axle, we make it the leading axle. To do this, a drive sprocket is welded to the rear shaft, which is connected to the gearbox via a chain drive.
In addition to composite shafts, motorized dogs also use composite wheels. Each of these wheels consists of two cheeks 3 mm thick and several dozen lugs made of small steel pipes. In order for the wheels to better dampen vibration, rubber bushings are inserted into the ends of the lugs.
Mover
For the manufacture of tracks, a conveyor belt with a width of at least 220 mm is best suited. The tracks for our walk-behind tractor are made of smooth birch slats 1260 mm long. To strengthen the structure of the tracks, you can use steel ridges that are attached to birch bars. The track parts are fastened with M6 threaded bolts.
Homemade caterpillar
The process of controlling a homemade motorized dog is practically no different from driving a moped. On the right handle of the steering wheel there is a gas handle, and on the left there is a clutch handle and a gearshift lever. By the way, the steering wheel is attached to the frame using two pipes, which in turn are welded to a U-shaped fork. The fork itself is attached to the rear axle of the walk-behind tractor using steel washers welded into it.
Due to the fact that the motor of our motorized towing vehicle is located inside the caterpillar, it cannot be started using a standard kickstarter, so it had to be slightly modernized. To do this, you need a fairly long piece of pipe, at the end of which we make a slot of such a size that the lever drive can easily fit into it. Then, using regular welding, we attach the pipe and the kickstarter lever.
Drawing of a motorized dog
Explanations for the drawing: 1-front driven wheels; 2-track lugs (birch slats 35×75-1260 mm); 3-threaded rods M8x170 mm with nuts; 4-upper part of the frame ( steel pipe 30×2 mm); 5-front engine mount (steel strip 2.5 mm thick); 6-comb (steel strip 3 mm thick); 7-reinforcing element (steel sheet 2.5 mm thick); 8-post (steel pipe 30×2 mm); 9-plug (steel pipe dia. 22×2.5 mm); 10-fuel tank (2.5 l polyethylene canister); 11-control elements of the tracked unit (on the left: clutch handle and gearbox switch, on the right - pelvis handle); 12-steering wheel (from any brand of moped); 13- fuel tank support (steel strip 2 mm thick); 14-fuel tap with sump (from any moped); 15-fuel line; 16-drive shaft bushing; 17- hook; 18-sleeve (piece of rubber hose); 19-outer cheek of the wheel (duralumin sheet 3 mm thick); 20-washer; 21-fork washers; 22-pin; 23-drive shaft (steel pipe diameter 30×2.5 mm); 24-flange (steel sheet 3 mm thick); 25-pin (steel bar dia. 10 mm); 26-inner cheek of the wheel (duralumin sheet 3 mm thick); 27-rear drive wheel; 28 control system cables; 29-track drive chain; 30-rear engine mount (steel sheet 2.5 mm thick); 31-engine type B-50; 32-muffler (thin-walled steel cylindrical container 0130 mm with holes 20 mm in diameter); 33-lower part of the frame (steel pipe 30×2 mm); 34-front driven shaft bushing; 35-bolts M8x55 mm with nuts; 36,40 - bushings; 37-bearing; 38-adapter; 39-bushing; 41-bushing; 42-drive chain sprocket; 43-rubber-fabric tape (thickness 6 mm, width 220 mm).
High prices for modern snowmobile equipment, they simply force amateurs or winter hunting professionals to make a motorized towing vehicle with their own hands.
It is a motorized towing vehicle (most often they are also called a motorized dog) that is actually perfect option For active rest. Naturally, the basis of any such unit will be some “Buranov” parts, although the most important tool in creation will be your knowledge and skills.
Step 1. Initially, a mount for the motor and gearbox is welded onto the frame. The motorized dog will move with the help of caterpillars.
Step 2. For this, the elements we need are taken from Buran. It must be cut crosswise. This is done primarily in order to maximize its main chassis.
Step 3. Jumpers made of special metal “U”-shaped profiles can serve as connecting elements. But the tracks will be rotated by two axes, which must be specially machined according to the right sizes– 50 cm long and 25 mm thick. “Cheeks” are welded to them, which are needed to attach all the drive sprockets.
Step 4. In addition, support bearings are also attached to the frame itself on all two sides (that is, two at the back and two at the front). They are inserted into the supporting parts of the body itself. It is very important to take three carriages equipped with rollers so that the tracks themselves are supported. They are first subjected to expansion and for this purpose the already sawn carriages begin to be connected using inserts.
Step 5. Prepared carriages are placed on the “ears” welded to the frame. We install the motor with a pulley, connecting it to a four-speed gearbox with a belt drive (there is also a pulley on the box).
Step 6. For full control, handles are installed from the pipe itself (1.5 cm, and also 120 cm long), which are tightened with ordinary jumpers (in principle, in a completely arbitrary arrangement).
Step 7 After that, it all closes metal profile, and all amenities are created for full movement and transportation of necessary goods. And yet, it is very important to make handles - both for the legs and for the arms. This is necessary in order to move as comfortably and safely as possible on snow and ice. At the same time, this motorized towing vehicle turns out to be very quiet and convenient, and you can save significantly - about 60%, when compared with purchasing a new snowmobile or some other similar equipment.
When operating in off-road conditions, tracked vehicles have undeniable advantages in front of wheeled vehicles due to its all-terrain qualities, allowing it to overcome deep loose snow, soggy arable land or rocky ford.
The popularity of tracked vehicles among household users is so great that many home craftsmen independently “convert” their wheeled vehicles into homemade ones - tracks made from scrap materials.
One of the retrofitting options is to use old tires from MTZ tractors, allowing significantly increase cross-country ability personal auto and motorcycle equipment at minimal financial costs.
For a tracked vehicle of any purpose, be it a tank or a snowmobile, forward motion is provided by a tracked propulsion unit (CT).
It uses two motivating factors:
- torque Mk, transmitted from the engine/power drive to the drive wheels;
- adhesion of tracks to the ground.
A caterpillar or caterpillar chain of a main engine is a link structure, which is a continuous continuous belt or chain.
For full traction with the ground surface, the caterpillar equipped with relief protrusions, serving as active lugs.
The caterpillar principle is illustrated by the kinematic diagram of the main engine operation located below. The following positions are indicated on the diagram:
- pos. 1 – caterpillar;
- pos. 2 – support rollers that prevent the track belt from sagging;
- pos. 3 – drive sprocket (drive wheel), which converts torque from the engine into traction force necessary for the forward movement of the machine;
- pos. 4 – support rollers, ensuring full contact of the track belt with the surface of the ground support;
- pos. 5 – shock absorbers;
- pos. 6 – guide wheel, used for direction forward motion machine, and transferring part of its weight to the ground.
Movement according to the caterpillar principle carried out as follows:
- Torque Mk is supplied to the drive sprocket (item 3).
- The rotating sprocket rewinds the continuous track belt/chain (item 2).
- The caterpillar (item 2) is in close adhesion to the support surface (soil, loose soil and so on.). It is affected by:
- force R z – reaction of the supporting surface, which the caterpillar transmits to the vehicle frame;
- tangential reaction of the ground support P k.
The rewindable track belt/chain is continuously laid in the direction of forward movement of the vehicle on the surface of the ground support under the road wheels, creating for the wheels of the vehicle way with more low resistance movement than on soft ground.
During movement, the caterpillar belt rises from the supporting surface and transfers the pushing force to the vehicle frame.
The specific pressure on the support (soil) along the length of the track is uneven - increased in the area of the drive sprockets, decreased in the front part in the area of the guide wheel (item 6). Maximum pressure to the ground from the main engine - in the area of the road wheels (item 4).
Advantages of homemade diesel engines from MTZ tires
Thanks to the continuous placement of the caterpillar belt under the machine's rollers, a large contact area of the belt with the ground, significantly reducing the average pressure of the machine on the soil.
The range of average pressure on the ground of equipment with deep pressure is from 11.8 to 118 kN/sq.m (from 0.12 to 1.2 kgf/sq.cm), which is significantly lower than the pressure of a human foot.
Such low pressure levels ensure that equipment is protected from sinking into the ground, swampy soil or snow. By varying the size of the surface area in the contact zone of the track with the support, an optimal ratio of the vehicle's cross-country ability with its traction force for towing cargo is achieved.
When equipping vehicles with caterpillar tracks, homemade DIYers use transport belts or tires from automobile and tractor wheels.
The photo below shows homemade all-terrain vehicle on tracks made of reinforced conveyor belt with a width of 250 mm. Grousers with a height of 25 mm are used.
All-terrain vehicle made from a conveyor belt:
For most craftsmen, the preferred source materials for the manufacture of diesel engines are old tires from MTZ tractors of various models.
The main advantages of MTZ tires, as a source material, and the tracks themselves made from these tires include the following factors:
- Availability old MTZ tires. Quite often, after dismantling, they are stored in the depths of the utility yards of enterprises, cluttering the territory.
- The tire is a closed continuous structure, does not require sewing the ends tapes.
- On a tracked platform made from a tractor tire no need to increase lugs, since the tires have a pronounced tread pattern of the factory design.
- MTZ wheel tires have high strength and wear resistance, ensuring reliable, trouble-free operation of the caterpillar belt on soils containing sharp stones.
- Versatility applications - you can select tires for all types of tracked vehicles, including measures to modernize equipment or increase the width of tracks.
- Recycling of used tractor tires solves the most important problem of recycling dismantled wheels - the possibility of their reuse.
From shortcomings When working with tractor tires, two circumstances are noted:
- limited fixed track length, determined by the size of the tire blank;
- the need to double two tires when installing a track with a width exceeding the width of one blank tire.
Requirements for converting equipment to caterpillar tracks
The picture shows simplest in design homemade cart with tracks made from tires.
The re-equipment of equipment for diesel engines is carried out exclusively for utilitarian reasons of pragmatic owners of wheeled vehicles or motor vehicles who wish improve all-terrain qualities their "helpers".
For all models of equipment intended for driving in field conditions, the market offers serial versions of industrially manufactured gas engines.
However, all this costs a lot of money, and tires free or very cheap.
Many equipment users manage to independently, in a home workshop, make tracks from tractor tires, install them on their machines and successfully operate in off-road conditions.
Regardless of the type of vehicle or motor vehicle, technicians take into account the following factors:
- To install the main engine mechanisms, it is necessary to equip special frame structures increased strength and rigidity, capable of withstanding increased weight and dynamic loads.
- When using improvised means, many craftsmen use pneumatic wheels as tensioners, as well as a pair of driving and driven wheels. The tape is put on the flat tires, which are then inflated, creating the required track tension.
- The owner of the equipment must clearly determine the purpose of the machine in order to select optimal sizes width and length of the caterpillar track.
- Taking into account the increase in weight and traction loads on the engine after installation of the main engine, it is necessary to optimize the correspondence between the maximum engine power and the width of the track. Otherwise the engine breaks down quickly.
When choosing the ratio of engine power and belt width of a homemade tracked installation you can be guided by price list data on all-terrain vehicles equipped with serial tracks.
Below we will consider the categories of machines that are most popular among craftsmen when converting them to crawler tracks.
Main categories of popular equipment equipped with gas engines
List of models of household vehicles and motorcycles operating on loose snow and marshy soils, unusually wide.
The names of the machines themselves, accepted in everyday life, indicate their field of application.
Snowmobiles
It is a vehicle designed to move on loose snow cover.
Unlike the anglicism “snowmobile”, which denotes any vehicle adapted for movement on snow (snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles on tracks and pneumatic wheels, etc.), in Russia a snowmobile is only called means of ski-caterpillar movement(rear main engine, in front - skis instead of the front wheel) with motorcycle-type controls.
For utilitarian snowmobiles, the engine power is 30-40 hp, the track width ranges from 38 cm to 50 cm and even 60 cm.
Accordingly, if a master sets his task to create a machine for moving on virgin snow with a load, then he should focus on these indicators.
Similar parameters must be maintained when creating so-called snow and swamp-going vehicles.
If the master needs make a faster snowmobile(like sports ones), then the width of the tire track can be reduced.
The weight loads of a high-speed vehicle are much lower than those of a cargo utility vehicle.
The picture shows a motorcycle-based snowmobile equipped with a homemade 23 cm wide track cut from an excavator tire.
Otherwise, a homemade caterpillar for a snowmobile is made with your own hands according to basic principle.
All-terrain vehicles
They are commonly referred to as any vehicle capable of driving off-road and even overcome water obstacles.
Types of all-terrain vehicles industrial production plenty:
- SUVs;
- swamp walkers;
- amphibians;
- tracked tractors and conveyors;
- ATVs;
- ATV category vehicles, etc.
Their cost not everyone can afford it, therefore, in home workshops they prefer to create their own exclusive products, “re-shoeing” their cars with tracks from tires made by themselves for an all-terrain vehicle.
Depending on the engine power of the vehicle, wider blades can be allowed.
For homemade all-terrain vehicles with an engine of 40-70 hp. and a small weight load, a tape width is sufficient 30-40 cm.
For vehicles based on UAZ vehicles with an engine of 110-150 hp. track width required 40 cm with support rollers (6 pcs.) and support rollers (3 pcs.).
Naturally, the profile height of a tractor tire will not be enough to overcome a water obstacle, it is necessary to install high lugs.
The figure shows an all-terrain vehicle based on the Oka vehicle with a caterpillar track made of tires.
Walk-behind tractors
Represented by numerous mobile devices based on a single-axle chassis. Converted for the State Duma homemade options walk-behind tractors are widely in demand among rural residents and owners country houses or summer cottages.
The motivation for independently re-equipping units, bypassing the purchase of serial tracks, is obvious.
The cost of the NEVA wheeled walk-behind tractor does not exceed 1000 dollars. USA, while the simplest cars adapted for driving on snow are estimated at 5-10 thousand dollars. and higher.
The drive power of the walk-behind tractor (5-8 hp) is quite enough to be successfully used as an all-season vehicle
Motorcycle dogs
Motorized towing vehicles, nicknamed motorized dogs in everyday speech, are a mechanical coupling of a sled with a towing vehicle on a main engine. The driver and cargo are placed in the sleigh.
Serial models are produced in a wide range of drive power (from 6 to 30 hp) and are equipped with a motor made of rubber-metal tape up to 60 cm wide.
Home craftsmen usually make towing vehicles based on a 15 hp engine from improvised means, installing tracks from tires 500 mm wide.
Such homemade motorized dogs are capable of transporting sleds with a load of up to 700 kg, reaching speeds of up to 40-50 km/h.
Most often, a homemade caterpillar for a motorized dog is made from a tire to save money.
The photo shows homemade motorized towing vehicle based on a walk-behind tractor.
Algorithm for making a caterpillar belt with your own hands
The caterpillar track for any model from the above categories of equipment is made from tires of various sizes corresponding to the selected design. Let's look at how to make a caterpillar from a tire step by step.
The work on tape production is unified and follows a general algorithm.
Special knowledge in the manufacture of caterpillar tracks from tractor or car tire not required, however you can’t do without certain plumbing skills.
The process of forming a caterpillar track from an MTZ tire consists of several stages:
- Select a tire with a slightly worn tread.
- The path is being cut for the caterpillar using a sharpened shoe knife. Work with sharp knife is traumatic and requires increased caution and attention.
- To cut rubber better, it is recommended to use a knife periodically moisten with soapy water.
- Cutting with a knife can be successfully replaced jigsaw, protecting yourself from possible injury.
- Both sides are cut off tires.
- Excess material is removed from inside the tire.
The criterion for quality work is an even cut without frayed edges of the resulting tape.
So the track element is ready to use:
Video on the topic
You can see a homemade snowmobile track made from a tire in action in this video:
Conclusion
Manufacturing homemade caterpillars for converting equipment to caterpillar tracks is a very popular way to expand functionality machines at minimal cost.
The use of dismantled old tractor tires for HD helps to solve the problems of recycling old tires without the use of traditional waste processing methods - burning, grinding, chemical treatment, etc.
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“Doesn’t bark, doesn’t bite, rolls around the field”... Don’t rack your brains over this strange riddle.
Hidden in it unusual car, designed for transporting people and cargo off-road. The association with a dog sled arises due to the separate location of the transport module and the drag sled. Therefore, a motorized towing vehicle is often called a “motorized dog.”
The usual operating environment for this machine is frozen lakes and rivers, snow-covered forests and fields. The vast majority of motorized dog owners are hunters, fishermen and tourists.
The lack of awareness of the majority of citizens about motorized towing vehicles against the background of their growing popularity requires us to detailed story about their types, capabilities and operating features.
What is a motorized towing vehicle?
Designed for winter off-road driving, the motorized towing vehicle has much in common with a snowmobile. Fundamental difference– placement of the driver outside the platform with a motor on a towed sled. This is not an empty whim of the designers, but an important layout decision that reduces the weight of the vehicle and increases its maneuverability. Two other advantages in comparison with a snowmobile are simplicity of design and affordable price.
Of particular note is the compactness and light weight of this machine. It can be placed in passenger car with station wagon body.
The best time of year for a motorized towing vehicle is winter, and the ideal place for travel is the snow-covered surface of a river or lake. Initially, these machines were specifically designed for ice fishing enthusiasts. The operation of a motorized dog is very simple: it is brought to the shore of a reservoir in a car, unloaded and driven on the ice in search of a good bite. Most cars have a fuel tank that lasts 30-40 km, so at one refueling you can travel 15-20 km from your home base.
A good motorized towing vehicle confidently moves not only on rolled snow, but also on fairly deep snow. It can transport loads through the forest and over rough terrain, replete with ups and downs.
In summer, the transport capabilities of this equipment are reduced, since rocky soil quickly kills the rubber track. But for trips through swampy areas, fields and forest roads, motorized towing vehicles are used quite actively in the warm season.
The good traction characteristics and excellent maneuverability of this machine are in demand in household farming all year round.
In summer, a motorized dog does not rest, but works together with its owner
"Anatomy" of a motorized dog
Here everything needs to be broken down “to the bones.” Any motorized towing vehicle consists of the following parts:
- Engine.
- Support frame.
- Pendants.
- Transmissions.
- Caterpillars.
- Electrical equipment and control systems.
1. Engine most often a single-cylinder four-stroke with a power of 6 to 15 “horses”.
Three types of power units have earned the most popularity: the more expensive Honda, as well as the more budget MTR (the Chinese analogue of the Japanese brand) and Lifan. The price difference between them is quite noticeable and reaches 20,000 rubles. The difference in reliability is not that significant. Therefore, many buyers choose equipment with Chinese engines.
If we talk about traction characteristics, then a 6-horsepower unit is an option for one person traveling fishing or hunting with the necessary equipment (50-70 kg). Motorized dog with a motor of more than 9 hp. will cope with the transportation of two people and deliver them on a drag sleigh to desired point two hundredweight of cargo.
2. Frame you need to pay due attention, since it experiences serious loads when driving off-road. Thin metal is not allowed here. It quickly deforms, making the machine unusable.
Experts say that minimum required thickness steel sheet– 3 mm. Regarding reliability steel profile The frame is best judged by reviews from the owners of this equipment.
The frame is the basis of reliability and durability
3. Suspension motorized towing vehicle – important indicator its running capabilities. There are two structural systems suspensions: roller and sliding.
Roller suspension
Slime suspension - the caterpillar slides along the internal “ski”
When driving on uneven terrain, a roller suspension is more comfortable than a skid suspension, but it overcomes deep snow worse (the cavities between the rollers become clogged). In turn, the slick system can only be operated in winter time. It needs snow to cool the caterpillar rubbing against the ski runner - the slick.
Among the modern modifications of roller suspensions, we can distinguish variants in which the rollers are supported not by rigid, but by spring support. Thanks to this solution, the motorized towing vehicle moves more smoothly on the hard surface of a frozen pond and dirt roads.
4. Transmission transmits the rotation of the engine shaft to the track drive sprocket. It comes in two types: automatic gearbox and variable speed drive.
The main advantage of an automatic clutch is its high traction force. Disadvantages include increased wear of friction discs and the need for frequent maintenance.
The variator ensures smooth, stepless transmission of torque from the engine to the track, less wear on parts and fuel economy. It is more reliable, but more expensive than the automatic one. The most weakness CVT transmission - drive belt. It has to be changed frequently after active movement on difficult areas.
Motorcycle dog experts say that the variator is optimal for winter operation. Automatic transmission and frame with sprung rollers – The best decision for all-season use.
5. Track designs differ in width, length, height and lug pitch.
Depending on the width, there are two types of tracks:
- Snowmobiles (38 cm).
- Specially designed for motorized towing vehicles (50-55 cm).
The Buranovskaya snowmobile track does not have high cross-country ability. It is better to operate equipment with such a propulsion system on compacted winter roads or on reservoirs. The narrow track width makes the machine less stable. Most often it is installed on budget models with an automatic transmission and an engine power of no more than 7 l/s. Buying a motorized dog with a narrow track can be recommended for those who travel alone and do not carry heavy loads.
The 50 cm caterpillar is the most popular option. The large width and high lugs make the motorized tug more passable, more stable and more maneuverable.
Standard track (length 2828 mm, width 500 mm, lug height 21 mm)
To increase cross-country ability, motorized towing vehicles are equipped with a so-called aggressive caterpillar. It is distinguished by a larger width (55 cm), a special “tread pattern” and lug height (32 mm versus 21 mm for the standard one).
Aggressive caterpillar
To move along bare ice and dense snow, a split design has been developed. It consists of two narrow tracks connected by metal grouser slats. The narrow specialization of this design makes it unsuitable for movement on deep and loose snow cover.
Split track
6. In addition to standard “electrics” servicing the motor, the motorized dog can, at your request, be equipped with an electric starter (manual start is provided in the basic configuration) and a lighting coil.
The need for the first device can be debated, since manual starting of the engine of a motorized towing vehicle works reliably. But there is no point in discussing the installation of a lighting coil. It supplies electricity to the headlamp, without which dark time You won't get far for a day.
The only nuance you should be aware of is the current generated by the coil. 3 amp will not be enough to power a standard 55 Watt light bulb in the headlight. Therefore, it is better if the motorized dog is equipped with a 7 Ampere lighting coil. It will be enough not only for lighting, but also to power the electrically heated control handles - an additional useful option for a motorized towing vehicle.
Control of the engine and transmission, choice of direction of movement - everything in this machine is performed using a two-handed stand, colloquially referred to as “horns”. It is pivotally connected to the power module and resembles the control system of a walk-behind tractor.
The free space on the motorized dog platform is not empty. It transports cargo and camping equipment.
Speaking about the design of the motorized dog, we need to say a few words about a useful addition - the ski module. It turns the car into a kind of light snowmobile, allowing the driver to sit on the cargo platform, comfortably controlling the movement.
Ski module of motorized towing vehicle
Five popular manufacturers
The popularity of motorized dogs today is such that only a lazy manufacturer does not try to offer the market its own version of the machine. It’s not easy to understand the motley variety of names and models. As always, videos posted on the Internet and reviews from owners are a useful guide in this matter.
In this regard, the company’s motorized towing vehicles deserve attention Burlak. The reliability of the design and the absence of problems with spare parts pleases the owners of this equipment. In 2016, the most budget model of this company (6.5 hp) can be purchased for 52,000 rubles, the most equipped (15 hp) for 82,600 rubles.
Tugboat Burlak
No less popular are the all-season cars of the Russian company. Koira (KOiRa). They are equipped with two tracks and pneumatic rollers, increasing cross-country ability. marshy areas. Price tags for them start at 82,000 and end at 135,000 rubles.
High-speed motorized towing vehicles do not cause any complaints from owners Chinook Russian assembly, confidently overcoming loose snow and spring thaw. Approximate prices for these machines are in the range from 74,000 to 105,000 rubles (with ski module included).
Motorcycle dogs deserve positive reviews Pachus for high maneuverability, reliability and maintainability. You can purchase them at prices ranging from 51,000 to 250,000 rubles. in the richest and most complete configuration.
Motor vehicles occupy high positions in the popular ratings Leopard. The most popular models from this manufacturer are the Partisan and the Pathfinder. They are economical, easy to operate and maintain. The cost of cars, depending on engine power and configuration, ranges from 56 to 120 thousand rubles.
Leopard Pathfinder
How to make a motorized dog with your own hands?
Many lovers homemade designs managed to have a hand in creating motorized towing vehicles. This is not a simple matter, requiring good design and metalworking skills.
A homemade motorized dog assembled on the basis of a low-power engine from a chainsaw or moped cannot be considered a serious mechanism. It's more likely funny toy, but not reliable assistant while hunting or fishing.
It is better to buy the main components of the future towing vehicle - engine, variator, chain, drive sprocket, rollers and caterpillar ready-made, concentrating the main efforts on making a durable frame and high-quality installation purchased units.
Homemade frame - top view
Having welded the frame according to the drawings, supports for the caterpillar, shafts with rollers are attached to it, and the caterpillar is installed.
The next stage is the installation of a platform made of thick plywood or steel sheet and mounting the engine, variator and drive chain on it.
Making a motorized dog with your own hands without fencing the loading platform means spending time every time securing the luggage with ropes or elastic slings. The fence grid is welded from a small tubular profile with a cross-section of 20x20 mm.
Do-it-yourself motorized dogs are made today by many craftsmen. These devices are small-sized tracked snowmobiles that can be used to tow a sled. This type of technology became known relatively recently, about 20 years ago, but today it has already gained popularity among a wide range of consumers. You can not only purchase equipment, but also manufacture it.
Why is it worth making a motorized dog?
The equipment is compact, unpretentious and does not require a separate storage room. If you make such a motorized towing vehicle yourself, it will be able to make your life easier, this especially applies to fishermen and hunters, as well as lovers of active winter recreation. This device can be assembled from available materials; this approach will be more cost-effective compared to purchasing a factory-assembled model.
Preparation for work
Before you start assembling a motorized dog with your own hands, you must decide on its characteristics. It is important to decide what load capacity the equipment will have, what engine it will power, and what type of transmission will be used in the design. The mechanic needs to decide whether the engine will be started with an electric starter or manually.
When motorized dogs are made with your own hands, they are usually supplemented with devices that will respond to the owner’s needs. This may include:
- winch;
- circuit protection;
- additional light.
You may need a motorized towing vehicle in the form of a pusher. All these characteristics will allow us to determine necessary set tools and materials.
Engine selection and base assembly
At the first stage, the master will have to assemble a frame on which the engine, chassis and gearbox will be mounted. For this, a channel or metal beam, from one of which it will be possible to assemble a rectangular frame, and for this you need to use welding machine and an angle grinder. When assembling a motorized dog with your own hands, mounts for the gearbox and motor are installed on the frame, and a steel corner should be used. The engine can be anything, it can be borrowed from the Druzhba or Ural chainsaw. This is exactly what the manufacturers of the first motorized towing vehicles did.
However, you can also use a powerful motor, which can be taken from an imported scooter or moped. If we are talking about the Sh-58 engine, we can highlight its main advantage - the ability to use a manual gearbox. If you use a foreign-made engine, then it must be small-displacement; it is advisable to prefer a two-stroke engine, because a four-stroke engine with the same power will have a more impressive mass. If we talk about power, then 6.5 liters will be quite enough. s., this will ensure a speed of 30 km/h, which is true even when moving in deep snow.
Work on the chassis
If you are thinking about the question of how to make a motorized dog with your own hands, then you should take care of the control system and chassis. The latter is based on support bearings. On lathe Taking into account the selected bearings, bushings are made, the wall thickness of which should be 5 mm.
They are used to install support bearings at the corners of the frame. The front and rear axles are turned on a lathe, resulting in shafts. The described design will have a greater volume of loads on the rear part. Therefore, the rear shaft must be made a drive shaft; a drive sprocket is put on it, which is fixed by welding. It should be connected using a chain to the gearbox.
Do-it-yourself homemade motorized dogs are made using a certain technology, which provides additions to the equipment in the form of caterpillars. They can be made from a 22 cm conveyor belt, which is additionally reinforced with metal tires. You can borrow a track from a Buran snowmobile, but to expand the chassis, it is cut in half and inserts are made.
Work methodology
Track tracks are sometimes made from hardwood or Buran carriages, which are sawn and joined with inserts. Pulleys must be installed on the four-speed gearbox and the motor, which are connected by a belt drive. The steering wheel is complemented by built-in controls such as gas and clutch handles, as well as a gearbox switch. It is removed from a scooter or moped.
Assembling a motorized dog with your own hands involves fixing the handle on the right side, while the clutch and gearbox shift knob should be on the left. The steering wheel is fixed using two tubes, which should look like the letter P. The resulting fork is fixed to the rear axle with washers, which are strengthened by welding. As a result, there will be no difference in driving a regular moped and a motorized towing vehicle.
You can change the technology of work. For example, a do-it-yourself motorized pusher dog is made using almost the same method, but the difference is expressed only in attachments. For this purpose, components and parts are used that were borrowed from other mechanisms and devices that had previously fallen into disrepair.
Using a walk-behind tractor
In the design, you can use a walk-behind tractor, which will form the basis. However, it will be possible to achieve a speed of 5 km/h. It is necessary to make two tracks from the conveyor belt, and the cord will be single-layer. Using waste plastic pipes, you will be able to perform tracks. Using polyethylene, you will need to cut out the leading stars using a jigsaw.
A do-it-yourself motorized dog from a walk-behind tractor is made using a technology that involves supplementing the equipment with a sedentary sled. The conductor is made from old door, on the surface of which it is necessary to fill glazing beads and bars, the distance between them will be 35 mm. The tracks and tension wheel are put on the drive sprocket.
Conclusion
If you decide to make a motorized dog, then the elements are connected to each other by the corners on which the platform for mounting the engine is located. The tension wheel will have a diameter of 290 mm. The diameter of the cavity at the drive sprocket is 290 m, the sprocket is put on the axle of the walk-behind tractor.
Taking into account the parameters of the unit, you must select the dimensions of the structures, which are made of channel, angle and pipe. For example, bearings will have dimensions of 107 and 205 mm. Sometimes the last parameter turns out to be too large for such equipment, but if spare parts are on hand, then you can use them. Taking into account the diameter of the unit’s axle, it is necessary to select a bearing that fits onto the axle.