Build your own 'cat

Long before I owned my Tucker I had seriously considered building my own snowcat. I'm very capable in the fabrication and mechanical areas, but limited in funding. thought some kinda automotive based rig could be affordable, capable and fun.

The fact that the older Tuckers are largely automotive based was my reason for wanting that brand, as well as bing kinda "old school".

lets discuss this...

Engines and trans should be no problem, and the cab/body could be whatever suits ones particular needs/wants. may even use an existing vehicle, i.e. Jeep or mini truck.

a two track would seem the easiest setup. but this is also the area that would require the most $ and thought. I think the tracks could be fabricated using formed heavy guage sheet metal and conveyor belting..I dont think the cost would be too crazy here. bogey axles and wheels could be common stuff too. my main concern would be the drive "axle". Tracks could be a PITA to make yourself, whats a new set of tracks cost these days? yeah I know, I could call Tucker or Camoplast and ask...

I noticed A. Parsons' Kitten looks to have a standard auto. based (Like all Tuckers) axle with "steering" brakes on it. is that a variation of the original setup? If an "open" diff is used, when the brakes are applied to one side only, the opposite side will turn something like twice as fast as normal assuming the brake is fully stopping the one side. is this how a Kitten works? how long would the brakes last?

How about a tractor based (like a Thiokol) axle? availability? durability? weight? cost?

Drive sprockets... Need somthing common that would bolt to whatever axle is used. automotive axles can be re-machined or custom made to whatever you want, but something that bolts up to a common bolt pattern would be best. any insight to bolt patterns on common application sprockets?

I remember when the Mattracks came out I thought I wanted them and thought they'd really be the cool setup, but theyre pricey too. I'v seen some home made units like them, but have been unimpressed overall.

Eric L.

Thanks.

I've seen a couple of variations on this.

Pickup cab and frame. OEM driveline through rear end. 3 or 4 trailer axles in middle and front. OEM braking served independantly for steering with an additional "driveline brake" for full stopping.

Tracks: Several variations. One had 1/2" (?) plate steel making "grouser" bars which were attached to one another by links of chain welded on to form an endless track (also used on skid steers). "Tread" was added to the grousers with beads of weld, both inside and out. This setup was narrow and wouldn't allow alot of flotation in deep poweder (if any!) but it would pull like a bulldozer.

The other I've seen had some sort of industrial-surplus conveyer belting with steel grousers. I never got a closer look at the tracks. The chassis looked to be very similar.

Steel track looked similar to this (only longer and wider).

Yeah, I found these awhile ago and it'd be real easy to make, but as stated flotatin would be lacking.

from here. http://www.eelriversteel.com/

There ya' go. That's the picture I was searching for.

The rig in question also had longer pieces every othere grouser which added "flotation" but, probably not much.

The front and rear most tires on the home-made rig were wider off road type tires, probably like a 33 x 12.5.

Hello All, EXCELLANT post... Was just out front looking at my 84 K-5 Blazer with a diesel and wondering if it could be converted. Would have to space the wheels out to accommadate atleast 32 inch tracks. Sure am hoping that this thread goes on and on cuz I'm really interested in trying it.

Wouldn't it be easier to add a set a Mattrax to a truck than to completely engineer a whole vehicle?

http://www.mattracks.com/

Now if you are just looking to do a project for the fun of building something then the Mattracks are not the answer, and these things are very expensive so home-grown solutions are probably a better alternative if budgets are an issue. And if you need more flotation than these offer then you are back to doing it on your own. But for a simple solution, these might be able to fit the needs of many people?

There is a set on ebay right now... but new ones will run you $30,000.00, wife said **** no.
Jeff

When we all think of different ways to build a sno cat today, just think what Emmitt Tucker must have thought over 60 years ago to design a Tucker Sno Cat with the resources back then. It makes me appreciate all the work he put into his life long desire to travel over the snow.

I gave it some serious thought earlier this summer.

I could buy this machine very reasonable. Pic 1. It's a Hagie sprayer. It has the same V4 as a Thiokol Imp with the hydraulic pump bolted right to the back of the motor. Pic 2
All the wheels are hydraulicly driven. Pic 3

Finnally decided that it was too much work to take the Hagie all apart and build something with a little less ground clearance..... Also had no idea how much torque the wheel motors were capable of and then theres the expense and labor of building a track...

But I really enjoy thinking about it

pixie said:

All the wheels are hydraulicly driven. Pic 3

Click to expand...

I have a hydraulicly driven slope mowing tractor and I tested a few different brands before buying. I can tell you that there are a lot of hydraulic motors that don't have much torque to them and I would just guess that you'd need a high torque drive motor to power the tracks. I saw a big difference on my slopes where some of the machines just didn't have the torque to drive the wheels on the steep spots.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/matt...001QQitemZ110046520275QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

he aint giving them away either..$5200 and climbing. Would take the fun out of it, and I think it could be done for a lot less than the price of even these used Mattracks.

Eric L.

I agree, but they sure would be fun to have....boys with toys.
Jeff

Anyone got one of these in their yard? whats the bolt pattern on the drive sprocket? looks like a standard 8 lug (8 on 6.5)

Eric L

Eric L said:

Anyone got one of these in their yard? whats the bolt pattern on the drive sprocket? looks like a standard 8 lug (8 on 6.5)

Eric L

Click to expand...

heres one on a Thiokol same question.

and an odd homebuilt that showed up on ebay this past spring.

Now that's a cool looking car!

Can anyone of you tractor guys ID this axle?

from here http://www.boyink.com/supersizedutch_comments/723_0_9_0_C

Looks like an OC4 with a different rear cover plate. Just my WAG guess...


OC4 Used in a Thiokol Imp


This Jeep (Snow Ball) looks like the one that Safety One had a couple of years ago for sale on Ebay.

Isn't the OC4 considered to be a fairly weak rear end and the OC12 a better unit? Or did I get them reversed?

B_Skurka said:

Isn't the OC4 considered to be a fairly weak rear end and the OC12 a better unit? Or did I get them reversed?

Click to expand...

I don't think it is necesarily a weak rear end. It is used in smaller snow less powerful snow cats and works quite well. The 1404 Imp uses the OC4 and it works out great in that application. Common sense says bigger heavier snow cats do better with a bigger heavier duty rear end like an OC12.

Parts for the OC4 are getting harder to find according to many people. I can not say one way or another as all of my OC4 rear ends have been in great shape and not needed repairs.

Compare the OC12 to the OC4 in the pics

Eric L said:

Anyone got one of these in their yard? whats the bolt pattern on the drive sprocket? looks like a standard 8 lug (8 on 6.5)

Eric L

Click to expand...

I have this exact setup, plus extra drive rims in the shed, if you want I can measure the bolt cirlce when I am home this weekend

Rick

Add me to the "Wants to build his own" club.
I just need to find a cost effective way to build grousers.
The rest I think I can do pretty easy.

I found replacement rubber tracks for a M29 Weasel

http://www.jeeparts.nl/Onderdelen/Tank_onderdelen/weasel_tracks.htm

might be an option for a homebuilt cat...I dont have any extra $$ right now so I didn't contact re: pricing.

probly could come up with a Weasel drive/bogies fairly easily.

Edit: I looked a little closer and it looks like the kit comes with alot of the stuff
Edit again: looks like $5,411.19 USD plus tax and shipping I assume, and the kit comes with a bunch o' stuff including rollers and sprockets... doesn't seem like a bad deal.