Tucker rubber track drive drum fabrication

[Mill666er]

Finally got this project finished and took a test run in the field before the snow is gone.

The damage from the Joseph OR run.

Had a friend and Tucker owner roll the two cylinders out of 1/8” plate and I cut out four sets of these circles out of 1/4” plate on the CNC plasma cutter.

I turned the center hub and outer rings to size on the lathe and checked for fit.

I then drilled the bolt patterns on the Bridgeport. I needed 14, 3/8” holes on a 10” diameter and thought I was going to have to use the rotary table but realized the Bridgeport has 10.5” of Y travel. Luckily that worked out because 14 doesn’t divide into 360 when using the rotary table. I also drilled the 6 axle hub bolt pattern which was 8 on 6.5” diameter. I didn’t get any photos of that setup.

Gave all of the pieces a dip in the acid bath to get rid of the mill scale and tacked them together.

The outer ring bores had a shoulder which allowed them to be located parallel and at the correct width. The inner hub was a press fit which held everything together.

Used the MIG to weld the hub and inside of the outer rings to the cylinder. I then used TIG to weld the outside using my poor-man’s weld positioner made with a drill powered 4” rotary table with a hose clamp for the speed control.

Chucked the completed assembly in the lathe to true up the 2 outer surfaces with the inside hub surface that mounts to the axle.

Then a couple coats of self etching primer and satin black paint.

I assembled the outer sprocket using 3/8” shoulder bolts and the inside sprocket with grade 8 3/8” bolts and nylock nuts all with blue loctite. Flat top sprockets were in stock at Tucker and bought two so I would have a matched set.

Got it mounted and put the track back on for test run.

 

[redsqwrl]

likely better than the OEM.

 

[mikemikelle]

Nice work Rob
I better get to fixin mine

 

[300 H and H]

Have you figured out how much $$$$ you would be willing to make these for?

You might consider it..... Just saying....

Nice job, better than stock IMHO.

Regards, Kirk

 

[1boringguy]

Somehow I have no doubt that you could make an entire Tucker from scratch if you so desired. Nice.

 

[DAVENET]

I'm surprised you didn't grab a few laundry baskets, melt them down over the wood stove, add a few polymers and then mold your own sprockets.

Always impressive work out of that shop Rob.

 

[Mill666er]

Thanks guys. After getting the invoice from Tucker for the sprockets I could probably be competitive in the cost for the drums. I think I could eliminate most of the initial lathe work if I make an axle with hub that I could bolt the final assembly to and true-up the surfaces as the final operation. After I completed them I realized I had 3 different ‘manufacturers’ with varying diameters. The one that was damaged and copied had the largest diameter of the cylinder which meant it had the thinnest outer rings. There was not enough clearance to get the head of the 3/8” bolt in the holes without grinding down one of the flats. If I made more I would shrink the cylinder so that the head fit but not small enough to spin. This would also give more material to help prevent the tear out that I experienced.

 

[Logger1965]

Yes Rob but with that design you only need one wrench to get them apart. Have to be thinking ahead for trail side repairs with limited tool supply. Just kidding looks damn good as usual.

 

[JimVT]

it failed because the bolts worked loose??
are you going to sun valley?

 

[Mill666er]

Yes, the failure was from the bolts coming loose. My sprockets only have seven 5/16” bolts that had steel locknuts but all of them have loosened up. You have some access to the back side of the outer sprocket to check and tighten them and no access to the inner sprocket. The New sprockets are much heavier and have 14 3/8” holes. I am going to Sun Valley but will be bringing the 443. If I had a longer trailer I would load the SnowTrac as well. The 2 of those are still lighter than the 542.

 

[Cidertom]

If I had a longer trailer I would load the SnowTrac as well. The 2 of those are still lighter than the 542.

find a longer trailer, we need more st's want a big group photo if nothing else.

 

[JimVT]

earl 1
jeff 1
jim vt 1
seth and ken 1 + 1 snow master
that is 5 heading over on the 13th

 

[olympicorange]

Yes, the failure was from the bolts coming loose. My sprockets only have seven 5/16” bolts that had steel locknuts but all of them have loosened up. You have some access to the back side of the outer sprocket to check and tighten them and no access to the inner sprocket. The New sprockets are much heavier and have 14 3/8” holes. I am going to Sun Valley but will be bringing the 443. If I had a longer trailer I would load the SnowTrac as well. The 2 of those are still lighter than the 542.

,...…… great machine work on sprocket drum,... looks way ''beefier'' than oem. and bumping up from 5/16'' to 3/8'' is always a plus. I know most people don't like to weld the bolts to drum, but it sure does make it a lot ''handier'' , on the P.M. , of going around and checking hardware, of those. along with grouser/belt bolts , and all, etc. I've had good luck so far, saves time, and I can change the outers just as easily. the inners are always the worst. but as they say,...''if it was easy, everyone would want to do it'' … great pics …...