2021 ᐈ

What kind of motorcycles can I use?

Back in Soviet times, motorcycles were created that are prototypes of modern technology. You can very easily make a snowmobile out of them. Let's remember some of them.

"Ant"

It was used as a cargo vehicle, had a body and three wheels. This model had wheels located as follows: one in front (drive), and two more at the edges of the body. The snowmobile from this motorcycle was the most popular among the residents of Russia. This is where it all started. One of the villagers dismantled his old motorcycle, installed a motor on a ski and tracks that were made from an ordinary fence. The product had its drawbacks, but people quickly figured out how to fix them.

"Dnieper"

It had various modifications: MT-9, 10, 11, 16. These models were equipped with engines from 27 to 32 horsepower. It was distinguished by a cradle for the third passenger. Almost all motorcycle parts are used for a snowmobile, however, in case of repair, it will be difficult and expensive to buy spare parts.

"Ural"

This motorcycle was usually equipped with military equipment during the Great Patriotic War. The power is very pleasing, it reaches 40 horsepower. In this regard, the motorcycle is one of the best for creating a snowmobile based on its engine. The model is three-wheeled and has additional space for a passenger.

"Sunrise"

It became the next model after the Kovrovets (K-175), which was produced from 1957 to 1965. The engine is two-stroke with one cylinder, volume 175 cc. cm, power - 20 horsepower. Good characteristics, thanks to which it will be very easy and cheap to remake the motorcycle.

"IZH Planet"

Years of production: 1962-1967, 20 horsepower. Many people still have this model; it can also be used to create new equipment.

"Minsk"

A two-wheeled motorcycle, which began to be produced in 1951. And even then, many people had a desire to convert this motorcycle into a snowmobile, but things didn’t go further than ideas.

Manufacturing of individual snowmobile elements

The principle of converting a motorcycle, chainsaw and moped is almost the same. If you learn how to make individual elements, it will be much easier.

When converting a vehicle into a snowmobile, special attention is paid to the rear suspension. It definitely needs improvement. To make it you need to prepare:

After preparation, you can begin making the pendant:

The front arm is connected to the sliding rails on one side and to the chassis on the other using hinges.
Do the same with the rear lever.
Position the torsion springs between the sliding rails and the rear torque rod.
Place the fastening of two power elements between the suspension arms.

To secure the suspension, use tie rods.

Choosing an engine for a snowmobile is an important step, since the power of the vehicle and its ability to move on snowy roads depend on it.

The optimal engine power for a snowmobile is considered to be in the range of 6-30 hp. With.

Therefore, most often these vehicles are made with a Lifan engine or with a part from a motorcycle or moped.

Snowmobile lift

This device may be needed if your snowmobile is stuck in the snow or needs repairs. It’s not difficult to make a kind of jack:

Make a channel-type structure from a metal corner 25 mm wide. Height - 19 cm. Make two holes in the middle for attaching the fork.
Weld a plate to the bottom that will act as a guide. Place a similar part on top, but do not fix it. The distance between them is 14 cm.
Make holes in these plates through which to pass the jack pipe. Make the top one spring-loaded.
Next to the top plate, place another part at an angle, which will act as a hook and hold the spring-loaded part.
Make a fork for the lift. Its length is 12 cm. Fix one side in the channel. Place the second fastening axis at a distance of 67 mm. Insert a piece of pipe into the fork that passes through the second axle. Weld a metal ring to this pipe (you can take a metal plate in which to make additional holes for rubber bands), through which you pass the jack pipe.
Secure this ring with motorcycle rubber bands to the area under the spring of the top plate. To prevent the elastic bands from slipping, they can be secured with screws.

For good cross-country ability, the vehicle is built on inner tubes. Snowmobile wheels must be large in diameter. But it is better to equip the structure with skis. They can be made from plywood and large diameter pipes. If there is such an opportunity, then they can be taken from another snowmobile, including a children’s one. Additionally, it will be necessary to make rotation bushings for them, while the presence of bearings in this system is not necessary.

Homemade tracked snowmobiles perform well. It is possible to make this part yourself. The caterpillar is driven by wheels that are located inside it, for which wheels from garden equipment are suitable. The part itself can be made of plastic pipes, even if two-track snow scooters are made. Pipes with a diameter of 4 cm are suitable. If they are cut, they can serve as caterpillar lugs.

Regardless of what vehicle is being converted to a snowmobile, how extensive the modification is, or who built the design, it is recommended that it be tested in an open area first. If they passed without problems, then you can go to longer distances.

Source: specmahina.ru

How to make: instructions

First, the frame is welded. Obviously, the larger the frame, the heavier the device will be and the slower it will move. The optimal frame length is 2 m plus/minus.

The following are sequentially fixed on the frame:

drive shaft with receiving star;
power plant with a transmission star and gas tank;
front wheel axle (fixed fastening to the frame by welding or bolts);
rear wheel axle (fixed with a movable guide element);
front suspension with steering structure and guide ski(s);
seat(s) and body.

Caterpillars are made of drive V-belts or conveyor belts. The optimal track width is from 40 to 50 cm. With a smaller width (40), the snowmobile will be more maneuverable and better controllable. With a higher value (50+), the patency of the device improves.

The function of lugs is performed by PVC pipes of the diameter indicated above, sawn in half lengthwise. They are attached to the rubber base using bolts and nuts. V-belts of insufficient width can be fastened to each other with metal grousers.

In order to be able to adjust the tension of the track, the rear wheel axle is attached using a movable guide element, which allows you to fix the position of the axle in a certain position.

Additional notes:

The center of gravity should be approximately the center of the structure. Since the power plant is mounted at the front, the driver's seat should be centered over the front axle or slightly offset to the rear.
The distance between the drive shaft and the power unit should be minimal to minimize losses of energy transmitted to the shaft.
If you install a shock absorber under the seat, then the front seat support is rigidly mounted on a profile arch, and the rear seat rests on the shock absorber.
If you are making a snowmobile with a heavy load in mind, then to remove some of the weight from the tracks, it is advisable to install an additional ski in the middle of the base (between two tracks). This ski, 50-70 cm long, is attached directly to the frame. However, this design requires a more accurate preliminary calculation with subsequent leveling of the height of the “leg”, which complicates the manufacture of the snowmobile.
It is advisable to maintain low pressure in snowmobile tires to avoid rapid wear of parts and high fuel consumption.
The considered version of the snowmobile is the simplest in design. If you have the tools and a welding machine, it can be assembled in the garage without any problems.
As soon as winter begins in our country, given the climate, two-wheeled vehicles are put away in the garage until spring. It may be impossible to use a car for transportation due to heavy snow. And here, a snowmobile on tracks, which you can make from a walk-behind tractor with your own hands, comes to the aid of all motorists who want to move along a snowy road.
Not everyone has the opportunity to buy an additional vehicle, but everyone can independently construct a homemade tracked snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor.

Steering

Assembling an ATV with your own hands is not an easy task. And, perhaps, the most difficult thing is to make the steering. To do this, first weld the frame of the front part of the ATV. Then you will need steering knuckles from a car, for example from a Niva, but any others will do. After which you need to build suspension arms

Pay special attention to the design of the mounting of the levers, since when they are connected to the frame, large loads arise, so additional stiffening ribs will not be superfluous. Levers are usually bolted through silent blocks

This is a rubber-metal joint that is an essential link in the suspension. It dampens wheel vibrations, preventing vibration from being transmitted to the frame. Levers can be made according to these drawings.

Go ahead. What is the front suspension without shock absorbers? Here you can use 4 motorcycle shock absorbers, one for each arm in the front, and two for the swingarm to dampen the rear axle. Rear shock absorbers from Izh will do, but if you are willing to shell out for gas-oil shock absorbers with pumping, this will give you the opportunity to adjust the suspension to suit road conditions, which is very useful for equipment such as an ATV!

Telescopic suspension

Perhaps this is one of the most common and simplest types of suspension based on the principle of operation. Most often, this suspension is used on snowmobiles of the “utilitarian” class. The design of the telescopic fork consists of a spring and shock absorber, which are located directly in the strut. Thus, the telescopic stand is able to smooth out shock-type loads. It is worth noting that the stroke of this type of suspension is limited according to the stroke of the shock absorber itself.

As a rule, snowmobiles with such suspension have incredible maneuverability in dense forest conditions, since the ski base is small.

Also, one of the simplest and most common suspensions is the spring system. This engineering solution was used on the legendary domestic car "Buran". This model has one ski track, as a result of which the equipment does not have the necessary maneuverability. It is generally extremely difficult to enter the required turn at speed. But in general. The suspension performance itself is quite acceptable.

Manufacturing

Snowmobiles of various types are created on the basis of old motorcycles, adding one or two skis. A chain or wheel suspension system can be mounted to the rear of the snowmobile. It all depends on how difficult the snow cover you have to overcome.

You can make a snowmobile at home (garage). It can be used for hunting, fishing, or just driving through the forest in winter.

To make a snowmobile, and we are considering a budget option, we will need any of the above models of old brands of motorcycles and various parts.

What will we get as a result?

Simply put, there is a ski with steering in front, a frame with a motor and a seat, and a caterpillar track at the bottom or rear. The frame will be suitable from IZH Planet or Voskhod, but additional fasteners will need to be reconstructed. The engine can be taken from the Voskhod motorcycle (20 horsepower) and put on caterpillar tracks.

A snowmobile with such an engine can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour. For household use this is quite enough.

You can use a ready-made frame or make it according to drawings from scraps of pipes with a small diameter. It is also important to strengthen the frame using welding. In some cases, temporary fastenings are used. If necessary, instead of the tracks and skis, you can return the wheels. The assembled structure must be strong and reliable. The chain drive is used from the main propeller shaft (you can use IZH Planeta or Ural) to the drive shaft of the tracked structure.

To make a caterpillar engine, you can use a part from the caterpillar belt of another unit (for example, Buran) or purchase it separately in a factory variation. However, this is not always possible. In this case, you can assemble it yourself.

To create a caterpillar with your own hands, you need slats (plastic or tin), a conveyor belt and tin slats, fasteners and drawings. When making slats for lugs, you need to make parts (plastic or tin) of pipes with bends of the same length and width, and then attach them to the transport belt at the same distance. Three pairs of wheels, different in size, will serve as the drive shaft in the tracked structure.

For the drive shaft you can take larger wheels, for the other two - smaller ones (they will serve as rollers). The rollers need to be “shod” in rubber to have a better connection with the caterpillar track. It should be borne in mind that all home-made structures are not very durable, so you should not subject such a snowmobile to high speed loads.
The shock absorbing system on the rear suspension can be left over from the original motorcycle (its basic design). On the front, you can use springs from a car or a motorcycle. Shock absorption is very important during turning movements; the stability of the entire structure depends on it.
The fuel tank with a volume of 15 to 20 liters can be placed in a more convenient place, according to the drawings you choose, but basically it remains in its original place in the motorcycle version.

There is also an option for making two tracks based on the Ant motorcycle. Since the side rear bases are made for wheels, they can be used for two track structures. The fuel tank may also remain under the bar, but may be moved to the rear, depending on the design chosen and the conditions in which the sled will be used.
You can also consider the option of a snowmobile based on the Minsk motorcycle. For the front part with one ski, use the option discussed above. The back is more difficult. We will replace the driven gear of the bridge with a rear sprocket from the IZH Planet motorcycle. The intermediate shaft serves as a drive to the axle, remaining a chain shaft. If you don’t have the parts you need for the job, you can purchase them from the aftermarket.
Some people like to modernize modern motorcycles for different types of units, for example, instead of a caterpillar mover, install large tire frames covered with a chain, which prevents slipping on snow. In this version, the snowmobile looks like 3 or 4 huge wheels and a small part of the engine, frame and seat. You can also replace parts of the ski-tire. There are options where instead of a ski there is one wheel in front.

Steering

This is a rubber-metal joint that is an essential link in the suspension. It dampens wheel vibrations, preventing vibration from being transmitted to the frame. Levers can be made according to these drawings.

Recommendations

When working on a snowmobile, it is important to follow the main manufacturing rules - evaluate engine power, stability, balance, wear resistance and replaceability of parts and the structure as a whole. It is better to use a motor with a volume of 125 cubic centimeters, with one or two cylinders, two-stroke. The desired power is from 15 horsepower. The speed of the snowmobile you assembled can reach up to 80 km/h.

Based on the parts, capabilities and desires you have, you can create the basis of a snowmobile at home. And then they usually work on modeling, improving the seats, you can even attach a cabin - for protection from precipitation or a trailer part during the transportation of goods.

When creating a snowmobile with your own hands, the most important part is the motor. It must be tested before installation on the structure prior to assembly.

When using a homemade snowmobile, you must follow safety rules - have a protective helmet, appropriate clothing and gloves (gaiters). First of all, you should conduct a test drive and make sure that there are no problems with the chassis and engine parts.

Photo gallery

We bring to your attention a selection of do-it-yourself snowmobile photos from domestic motorcycles. But it turns out that such “crafts” can be made not only from old motorcycles, but also cars and bicycles.

Features of creating a snowmobile from a Ural motorcycle

In order to make equipment based on the Ural, you can use the circuit from any Buran model. The caterpillar system is designed in the form of rollers. You can make them yourself. The power transmission is transmitted through a chain. At the front of the snowmobile there will be several racks for attaching skis. They are equipped with springs from the shock absorbers of the Ural motorcycle.

Snowmobiles based on the Ural motorcycle are in most cases used with tracks installed. This is due to the fact that the structure itself is very heavy. In addition, there is a cardan drive at the rear, which makes the installation of a conventional track unit with a chain drive mandatory.
It is worth considering that when creating this tool with your own hands based on the Ural model, the modular design will be noticeably more complicated due to the organization of the drive through a gearbox. That is why some changes must be included in the frame, because the height of the Ural hull may increase, which will entail an overestimation of the center of gravity and a decrease in stability parameters.

The Ural engine has a fuel consumption of no more than 6 liters per 100 km of route. The maximum speed of such homemade equipment can reach up to 60 km/h. This model is capable of towing up to 1 ton of cargo.

Assembly nuances

Homemade tracked snowmobiles are assembled as follows:

A fixing shaft with a receiving star is installed on the frame.
Next, the engine is installed with a transmission sprocket and a gasoline tank. The motor and shaft stars are connected to each other by a chain.
The front and rear wheel axles for the tracks are mounted. As a rule, the front axle is fixed with a fixed mount or welding, and the rear axle with a movable mount.
The front suspension with guide ski and steering column is assembled.
The seat, brakes and individual body elements are installed.

To tension the track, a movable rear axle mount is used. After installation of the main components and assemblies, the brakes are installed. Typically, disc brakes are used, which stop the track shaft when the handle is pulled.

When assembling, you need to pay special attention to fasteners. All bolts must be tightly tightened. Pre-prepared fasteners must be properly welded to the frame so that not a single unit falls off the equipment while driving.

Having studied in detail the information on how to make a snowmobile, you can proceed directly to creating and assembling the vehicle. You need to understand that the homemade version will be inferior in quality to mid-budget store models. The main advantages of homemade products are extremely low cost and the ability to set your own parameters for the product.

Features of creating a snowmobile from Izha

You can make a snowmobile from Izh with your own hands in several ways. The first is a wheeled ski option. At its core, the design does not change, only the wheels are removed. Instead of the front one, a ski made from a pipe is installed. It is attached to the axle shaft to the front fork.

For the rear of the future snowmobile based on the Izha, a tracked module is being manufactured, which will be attached in place of the wheel. In addition to the frame, it will include a rear axle from a UAZ vehicle, the driven gear of which must be replaced with a rear sprocket.
A snowmobile from Izh must have a chain intermediate shaft. The wheeled version uses cameras from PTS-2-4. Discs are made by welding rods and attaching wheels using belts. A snowmobile, which you can make yourself using the Izha base, is capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h.

Snowmobiles based on "Minsk"

Let's start with the smallest representative of the domestic motorcycle industry - the Minsk motorcycle. Although it is equipped with a 125 cc engine, it is quite capable of acting as a snowmobile, and craftsmen “manage” to make two types of snowmobiles out of it.

The first type is wheel-ski. Structurally, nothing much changes in the motorcycle, but the wheels are removed from it. Instead of the front wheel, a wide ski is installed.

Moreover, it is done very simply - take a pipe as a stand, and attach the ski to the front fork using a fastening element and the wheel axle shaft. At the bottom, a wide metal strip with a wrapped limber is attached to the rack on a hinge.

Regarding the rear of the snowmobile, it is somewhat more complicated here . A module is made that is mounted in place of the rear wheel.

In addition to the frame, the design of the module includes a rear axle from UAZ, but slightly modified. The driven gear of the bridge is replaced with the rear sprocket of the IZH motorcycle. The drive to the bridge is carried out through an intermediate shaft, but it still remains a chain drive.

Tubes from the PTS-2-4 trailer are used as wheels, but for reliability, the sidewalls of the tube are reinforced with tire sidewalls. To make it lighter, the discs are made of welded rods, and the camera is secured to them using belts.

A snowmobile based on Minsk is capable of reaching speeds of up to 45 km/h.

The second type of snowmobile from “Minsk” is tracked. Moreover, in front, a ski is again used, attached to the fork. A module is also installed at the rear, but consisting of a frame and two shafts attached to it.

The front shaft is equipped with sprockets. Two large sprockets drive the track, and a small sprocket drives the shaft. The rear shaft is equipped with rollers. A caterpillar made of V-belts and plastic strips is stretched between these shafts.

The drive is carried out via an intermediate shaft. The tracked version of the Minsk can already accelerate to 50 km/h. And these are just two of many types.

Engineers and designers did a good job on the Izh Junker motorcycle, one of the most beautiful models of domestic production.

The Jawa 350 motorcycle was quite popular among the people, let's take a look at its technical characteristics.

Manufacturing of caterpillar propulsion

In the first case, a track-type mover for snowmobiles can be made on the basis of a classic roller-bushing chain and transport belt. When making a caterpillar, no special tools are required. To extend the service life of the tape, you need to stitch its edges with fishing line. The rings are connected by connecting the ends of the element.

The thickness of the tape is selected based on the power of the motor. When using domestic motorcycle engines, a tape up to 10 mm thick, which is used in agricultural conveyors, is ideal. This type of track can be easily repaired if it breaks.

The second option is to connect V-belts to lugs that are attached with screws or rivets. The result is a caterpillar track with holes for the drive sprocket. There is a small gap left between the belts.

Review of factory products and homemade products for snowbike

The Canadian company Timbersled offers several versions of its own systems for Japanese-made motorcycles. At first glance, the design is quite reliable, but the price of the product is not affordable for everyone. Manufacturers are asking $5,500 excluding delivery for the most inexpensive kit in the line. The weight of the products is slightly more than 60 kilograms.
The Russian brand VORTEX offers kits, which they claim have no analogues in the world, for enduro and cross motorcycles with power from 250 to 750 cm3, which enable motorcyclists to engage in sports in winter. What’s important is that the kit comes with a set of bushings, with which the track and ski, according to the manufacturers, will exactly fit your motorcycle.
The Tyumen company “Alpha Drive” is a manufacturer of Snowrider kits. The line includes three models differing mainly in the length of the tracked chassis. The weight of the set ranges from 60.5 to 64 kilograms.

“The adapter kits produced allow the track kit to be installed on almost any modern lightweight enduro or motocross motorcycle with a left-hand chain, with an engine capacity of 250 cubic centimeters or more.” -indicated on their website.

The price of product sets is from 318,000 to 342,000 rubles, delivery will be at your expense. The set of adapters is not included in the price, but is sold separately, the cost of the set is 10,000 rubles.

Let's go down the price range closer to the people.

“Price without canister and case.
The 101″ track kit is ideal for groomed trails as it does not require snow to lubricate the track. The set is suitable for riding in fields and forests.
Suitable for any motocross or enduro motorcycle
KTM. Yamaha. Husqvarna. Kawasaki. Honda. Suzuki. Kayo. BSE. Avantis. GR7. 125. 140. 150. 160. 190. 230. 250. 350. 400. 450.
Caterpillar for a motorcycle. Snowbike. Snowbike. Snowmoto.fun. SMF. “
Track kit SMF CROSS 101″ from 136,000 rub.
Track kit SMF 129″ from 185,000 rub.
Track kit SMF PRO 127″ from 250,000 rub.
The Samara company SNOWBIKE LLC offers a set with adapters that are included in the price of the set. The issue price is 76,600 rubles. + delivery by transport company.
For motorcycles with a volume of 110-250 m3, the company offers potential buyers a kit costing 62,500 rubles. which is suitable for motorcycles from Japanese, Chinese and European manufacturers.
And from the same company, an offer and, in my opinion, not a budget offer.
Electric Crawler Fat Bike Conversion Kit.

“Although the fatbike itself is quite a passable device due to the wide tires, its passability ends in loose snow. At speed, it will still be able to travel some distance in the snow, but if you drove into a snowdrift 30 degrees or deeper, then its cross-country ability will not be enough. In addition, on snowy climbs, of course, any tires, even the widest and studded ones, will slip. Therefore, we are developing a kit to increase cross-country ability. In effect, you get an ultra-light single-seat all-terrain vehicle.”

-Assembled weight: 15 kg
-Speed: up to 45 km/h
-Distance on one charge: up to 70 km
- Load capacity: 140 kg
-Motor power: 2.2 kW
-Battery capacity: 26 Ah.
-Tracks width: 15-22 cm

They are asking 80,000 rubles for this device.

This is not a complete list of devices that will turn your motorcycle into a maneuverable, smaller, but more unstable and injury-prone version of a snowmobile.

For people with a technical mindset, skillful hands and a desire to create their own creation, on the vastness of the World Wide Web there are enough technical developments for the production of such kits. Good luck!

Homemade snowmobiles

Snowmobiles sold in stores have a fairly high price and often do not fit into the budget. But you still need to move in the snow. Fishing, hunting and just active recreation in the wild require cross-country ability. Therefore, we will look at ways to make a snowmobile with your own hands.

Snowmobile from motorcycle

The first model was assembled at a service station from scrap parts, plus a little welding. The engine is from a Voskhod 1 motorcycle, the sled is welded from metal pipes.