In the cold, snowy regions of our country you simply cannot do without a snowmobile. The market offers a large selection of these devices; sometimes it is very difficult to find a unique and exclusive option. But after purchasing a specific model, so that this vehicle becomes unique, which no one else will have, you can tune it. One of the parts that are often modified on these vehicles is the suspension. What role does it play in operation? Let's look at all this further.
The role of the rear suspension in the movement of a snowmobile
Most often, the rear suspension is equipped with a linear force element, which is located outside the vehicle's track. The linear force element mounts are located on the frame and on the corner arm of the vehicle. Also, sliding rails are connected to the corner lever and supporting rollers are attached to it. When folding the sliding rails using an angular lever, the linear force element is advanced, after which the suspension moves smoothly in its range. The rear suspension system of a snowmobile works on this principle.
These processes in the vehicle suspension mechanism ensure comfortable vehicle control. Thanks to a well-tuned suspension, the snowmobile moves smoothly. The purpose of the rear suspension is to support the track and motor drive while driving. When the snowmobile travels over uneven surfaces, strong shocks may be felt. It is in such situations that the rear suspension will show its effect? she will take all the possible impacts and shaking. [ads-pc-1]
Choosing between homemade and factory options
When it comes to this topic, the root of it lies in a financial problem or the inability to find a particular ski model. It is at this moment that a person thinks about whether he can make the necessary part with his own hands. Homemade options are also offered by craftsmen who easily make not only skis, but also snowmobiles themselves.
Of course, factory parts? this is the standard of quality. They are created for a specific model by experienced specialists, and snowmobiles on these skis are first tested in various conditions.
If the car is an expensive sports car, then it is better to purchase components for it from the factory. How to proceed ? Buy a new model in a store or make everything yourself? The choice is up to the owner of the winter vehicle.
There are several manufacturing options: you can use tin, wood, plywood, old hunting skis and snowmobile extensions. [ads-pc-2]
Why does the rear suspension need modification or replacement?
Whether a snowmobile needs tuning, in particular changes to the rear suspension parameters, is determined by the purpose for which the vehicle will be used.
Are there two types of snowmobile suspensions? connected and unrelated. A connected suspension has two main advantages:
- she shares the toughness;
- controls weight transfer if the vehicle picks up speed.
Often this type of rear suspension is installed in snowmobiles that will be used for sporting purposes or for transporting cargo. This is necessary in order to cope well with sharp turns, strong shaking and frequent redistribution of weight.
Unconnected pendants have their own characteristics. Their front and rear elements are independent. Therefore, if the front part deviates, the rear either deviates only a little or remains in place.
Unlinked harnesses are best attached to snowmobiles that are used in deep snow or have long tracks. They are more capable of increasing traction and also distribute weight well. Also, improving the performance of the suspension may be necessary if the snowmobile engine has been tuned. After all, in order for a vehicle to cope with new loads, a comprehensive modification is necessary, and the suspension in this case? not an exception.
First of all, suspension tuning includes replacing shock absorbers. The main types of shock absorbers for vehicle suspensions:
- simple shock absorber;
- telescopic shock absorber;
- shock absorber for enduro;
- shock absorber for crosses.
In case the main purpose of the snowmobile is? normal riding, then enduro shock absorbers are needed. They are applicable in production 440 Pro vehicles, but the price of such shock absorbers is also considerable. Shock absorbers for tuning sport snowmobiles are often equipped with additional volume gas chambers that allow them to be tuned for specific applications.
Also, the rear suspension often needs adjustment. The choice of adjustment level depends on what kind of physical load is planned for this vehicle, what the weight of the driver and passengers is, how the driver is used to driving the vehicle, what his personal preferences are, the speed mode and the condition of the roads. Each part of the rear suspension is responsible for specific functions. Therefore, in order to know what you will achieve by adjusting the suspension, you need to decide which part needs to be adjusted.
- The job of the rear springs is to ensure smooth movement.
- The purpose of the extension cord? provide reverse movement, taking into account the loads and condition of the snow paths.
- The shackle is adjusted taking into account the condition of the snow path and what the loads will be.
- How comfortable it will be to drive the snowmobile depends on the adjustment of the central spring.
- The tape limiter controls the redistribution of weight.
- Thanks to the shock absorbers, the snowmobile is easy to control and comfortable to ride and sit on.
Manufacturing of structural elements
Before starting to manufacture structural elements, prepare a drawing, required materials and tools. You can take ready-made drawings based on the Bullfinch or Vepr snowmobiles. Tools you will need:
- welding machine;
- pipe bender or finished frame;
- hammer;
- screwdrivers.
Since the design of the mini snowmobile is low, the seat is made of durable waterproof material. The fuel tank is made of metal. Its volume should be from 10 to 15 liters. You can use a motorcycle chain as a drive.
How to make a snowmobile track
A snowmobile track is created from tires or conveyor belt. The work will be difficult and time-consuming if tires are used as the basis. The sides are cut out of them, so the work requires a sharp shoe knife or an electric jigsaw. To facilitate the process, tires are selected with a suitable tread pattern. Making a homemade caterpillar:
- The sides of the tire are cut out with a knife. If the knife blade is periodically moistened in a soapy solution, the cutting process will become easier. When using an electric jigsaw, install a blade with small teeth and moisten it with water.
- If, when cutting, the track turns out to be hard or extra layers have formed on the wrong side, they are also cut off.
- Cutting a new structure is done when there is a mismatch in the tread pattern. The structure made must cling to the soil, so the structure of the pattern must be correct.
A caterpillar made according to this design is quite reliable due to the fact that it has a closed loop. Its disadvantage is its narrow width. To make a larger size, it is doubled. If the caterpillar is made from a conveyor belt, then it is combined into a single ring. This can be done in 2 ways:
- like a piano hinge (with a hinge);
- ribbon stripes.
You need to choose the appropriate thickness of the tape if it is sewn on. Its thickness should be suitable for the engine power. A homemade snowmobile from an IZH motorcycle requires the use of a 10 mm thick tape. To increase the service life of the snowmobile, the edges of the conveyor belt are stitched with fishing line. The seams are made according to the method of overcasting the edges with an interval of 1 cm.
Tackles
A trolley is a movable platform that protects the chassis of equipment from unnecessary mechanical loads. The platform is used when it is necessary to drive a snowmobile into a garage. For its manufacture, a metal pipe of medium diameter (6×6 mm), rollers and a bearing system are used. The wheels are installed with rubber coating and metal discs. Their diameter must correspond to the weight of the equipment.
Skis
Snowmobile skis consist of a base, a shock-absorbing part, a rod, a fork and bipod, and a link leg. Skis can be made in different designs from different materials. If plastic linings are used for the base, they are supplemented with expanders. The extensions are mounted with fastenings to the snowmobile chassis. The plastic design is suitable for small equipment. For large and medium-sized snowmobiles, you will need metal skis.
Their production:
- To give the skis a shape, cut out the base from a cardboard stencil. At the same time, a bend is formed in front. The amount of bending is done at your own discretion. A ski track with a large bend glides poorly and collects snow. And this creates unnecessary braking. Therefore, you should not make it too large. The approximate size of the ski track is 2.5 cm wide and 100 cm long.
- A pipe is welded along the edges of each part. This gives additional rigidity to the product and protects it from stones that come along the way.
- Where the bend passes, the pipe is welded along the contour.
- Shock-absorbing parts are fixed to the skis. Bolts are used as fastening elements.
- The platform and the nose of the skis are connected by a hydraulic pipe. The top part is ready.
- For the lower part, the hydraulic pipe is fixed at 4 points and compressed.
- Then the polyethylene pipe is attached with self-tapping screws, having previously cut it. Instead of a polyethylene pipe, you can use polypropylene.
Finished skis must be painted.
Slimes
Slides are removable guides along which the snowmobile track slides. They prevent the track from sagging between the wheels and protect it from abrasion. Snowmobile slicks can be purchased at a store or made from a water pipe. The thickness of the pipe should be about 10 mm. Strips are made from it and mounted to the runners.
Rollers
Rollers are the supporting elements of the tracked undercarriage system. They create tight contact between the track and the surface of the ground support. Steel sheets are used as supports.
Variable speed drive
A variator is a special mechanism that allows you to smoothly regulate speed in mini snowmobiles. Safari is the most popular CVT. It consists of 2 pulleys: driven and driving, therefore it is capable of adjusting 2 parameters. These are revolutions and movement resistance. The pulley will operate like a clutch if the engine speed reaches 2200 rpm. In this case, the engine and the reverse shaft are disconnected.
Engine
To make a snowmobile powerful, you need to choose a powerful engine. The best engines for assembling a snowmobile are Lifan type engines with a power of 15 hp. With. This model is equipped with a reduction gearbox and has a centrifugal automatic clutch.
Chassis and suspension
The rear and front suspensions are the shock-absorbing system of the snowmobile. The front suspension creates smooth movement for the chassis. At the same time, the driver does not feel any vibrations on uneven roads.
If you choose a suspension based on the principle of operation, then the telescopic one is the most popular.
It consists of a shock absorber and a spring. These parts are located in the rack and eliminate shock loads. Snowmobiles equipped with this suspension are agile in conditions with dense vegetation and trees.
Frame
Each snowmobile is equipped with a frame. This part can be borrowed from a moped, scooter or ATV, or welded from pipes. The pipe diameter must be more than 40 mm.
What is better: replacing the suspension with a factory one or a homemade one?
Should I buy a ready-made suspension for a snowmobile or make it myself? This is a question that must be decided by the vehicle owner himself. Several factors may influence the decision. If the snowmobile is purchased and not made yourself, then most likely it is better to buy a suspension for it. It will be easier to do this, because for each factory model of snowmobiles there is a certain type of suspension.
However, the rear suspension on a homemade snowmobile should most likely also be homemade? It can be difficult to find a factory one. Also taken into account is the purpose for which the snowmobile will be used. What if its purpose? professional winter sports, then you definitely need to take a professional factory suspension. If the main purpose of the snowmobile is to transport its owner, then it is quite enough to make the suspension yourself. In addition, if you make the suspension yourself, you can save a lot of money. [ads-pc-2]
Types of snowmobiles and parts for them
Before you buy a snowmobile or make one yourself, it is important to decide what specific task it will perform. All machines of this type are divided into the following types:
- mountain;
- tourist;
- sports;
- utilitarian;
- children's;
- mini snowmobile.
As a rule, they differ from each other not only in size, but also in the width of the leading caterpillar. Most often, snowmobiles on the market have two skis in front, which are attached to one suspension, it can be a lever or a spark plug.
They differ from each other as follows: the lever system is designed for easy control, but in the forest it can break from any stump; the candle system is worse in control, but is much more resistant to impacts.
Among Russian snowmobiles there are models with one ski in front and two tracks in the back. Such cars are suitable for driving on the highway and for maneuvering in the forest. The bad thing is that as the speed increases, they lose controllability. Models from different manufacturers may vary in width and shape.
Factory parts are standardly made of reinforced plastic. There are also metal skis. [ads-pc-1]
How to make a homemade suspension for a snowmobile?
Let's take, for example, the simplest type of linked rear suspension for snowmobiles? four-link suspension. Its main components are:
- chassis;
- two levers;
- sliding rails;
- connecting hinges.
The suspension design (it is used mainly for the Polaris Fusion snowmobile model) is as follows:
- its front arm is connected to the sliding rails using a hinge joint;
- at the other end, the front arm is attached to the chassis with the same hinge;
- next you need to connect the rear lever with the sliding rails with a hinge;
- at the other end, the rear arm is attached to the chassis by a hinge;
- the placement of torsion springs must be determined between the sliding rails and the rear reaction rod;
- the fastening of the first and second linear power element is located between both suspension arms (the first and second - respectively, and relative to the sliding rails).
To remove the old factory suspension, there are a few steps you need to take:
- lift and hang the snowmobile from the rear;
- remove the bolts on the front and rear arms;
- remove the suspension.
To attach the new suspension, you need to use the front and rear control arm clamps, which allow you to install bolts that attach the suspension directly to the frame.
How much does the base model and its modifications cost?
The Taiga Varyag 550 snowmobile in its basic configuration belongs to the middle price segment. Cost - from 349,000 rubles. This snowmobile is the most practical and powerful in its class. A used car is sold on Avito for 250,000-300,000 Russian rubles. In this case, the price fluctuates depending on the year of production of the snowmobile and the technical condition of the vehicle.
In addition to the main model, there are also modifications - Taiga Varyag 550 V and Taiga Varyag 550 Limited. Their price exceeds the cost of a basic snowmobile:
- Taiga Varyag 550 V. Features extended equipment. A power plant of the RMZ-550 model is installed, equipped with two Mikuni model carburetors, air cooling and a two-speed gearbox. It also uses the DUCATI CDI programmable ignition system, which ensures optimal operation of the power unit regardless of operating modes. Price: from 389,000 rub.
- Taiga Varyag 550 Limited. Key features of this configuration are two carburetors on Mikuni models, allowing the engine to develop a rated power of 40.45 kilowatts (55 horsepower). Instead of a conventional gearbox, the manufacturer equipped the snowmobile with a variator transmission (CVT). Otherwise, the Limited version is completely identical to the previous one; it uses the same programmable DUCATI CDI ignition system and air cooling. Price: from 394,000 rub.
In terms of maintenance, the Taiga Varyag is very simple and unpretentious; all parts are sold in auto parts stores for motorcycles. Here are approximate prices for some parts for this model (in rubles):
Is it necessary to register such changes with Gostekhnadzor?
Probably everyone already knows that when purchasing a snowmobile, it must be registered. You also need to have a category A license to drive such a vehicle. Using a snowmobile without a license or while intoxicated is strictly punishable by law. However, are there rules regarding the registration of small changes to the design of a snowmobile, such as rear suspension changes?
The law establishes the rule that owners of any vehicle must present it for technical inspection from time to time. Snowmobile? not an exception. The interval at which this needs to be done is determined depending on the terrain and type of vehicle. If a tracked vehicle is designed for eight or more seats for passengers, then it must be presented for technical inspection every six months. If this is an ordinary snowmobile, then it needs to be inspected every year. When undergoing regular technical inspection, there is no need for additional registration of minor changes in the design. Main ? ensure safe movement on a snowmobile.
A little history
As already mentioned, the Lynx 113 snowmobile has aluminum cylinders with a special coating, which was the main mistake of the designers. This circumstance contributed to the aluminum piston sticking to the mating surface, and even with a short mileage the engine could fail.
Production was discontinued by the Ufa Engine Production Association in 2009.
One of the obvious advantages of the model and this modification in particular is that the car is capable of covering significant distances in winter off-road conditions and towing a sled with a considerable load - up to a quarter of a ton. The machine can be operated at an ambient temperature of minus 40°C.
