Wood frame
The basis of a snowmobile made from a walk-behind tractor will be its frame, which can be made of different materials. One of the most popular options for creating a frame is wood.
Wooden blocks are perfect for the structure, as they are light and at the same time very durable. In addition, you can find the right amount of timber in the yard. Essentially making a frame means assembling a sled for a snowmobile.
If there is no or not enough wood on the site, its cost is not very high. In order to make a frame from wood, in addition to timber, you will need the following: iron in sheets, a metal cutter, a drill, drills, bolts, nuts, a saw.
In order to rid the frame of burrs and make it as smooth as possible, you will need sandpaper or a sanding attachment on a drill.
A homemade snowmobile made of wood has many advantages over other models except lightness. It is very easy to repair such a frame not only at home, but also on the road, because the material can be found in any forest belt.
This option is unlikely to fall through the ice, and if this happens, it will stay afloat.
Construction of a homemade motoblock snowmobile
This is a sought-after invention that you can make yourself if you have quality parts. The walk-behind tractor is taken partially (separate parts) or used completely. If you decide to use it not fully assembled, you need to weld a supporting frame with a rear axle, steering fork and wheels onto it. The most difficult stage in this case is the transformation of the working shaft of the walk-behind tractor into a drive gear.
The most practical and universal solution in the manufacture of a self-propelled vehicle would be to use parts from a walk-behind tractor. You only need to remove the steering fork and engine from the finished walk-behind tractor.
The motor can be located at the rear of the structure.
Before you start making your own structure, draw a drawing, collect all the necessary materials, prepare the tools, and you can get started. The design is quite simple and anyone can handle it; technical education and any skills are not required.
If you have not graduated from the Faculty of Engineering and find it difficult to draw up a drawing, use ours.
Drawing of a simple frame for a homemade snowmobile
The drawing shows the frame that you will need when making a snowmobile.
The walk-behind tractor in a homemade caterpillar snowmobile is the main part due to which your vehicle will move.
If everything is done correctly according to the drawing, you will get a snowmobile based on a gooseneck.
Drawing of a snowmobile frame on tracks
Metal frame
Of course, a metal structure is not as practical as a wooden one. The material is very expensive and heavy, and creating a snowmobile will be more difficult.
In addition, the disadvantage of metal is its cold surface, which must be covered with something in order to move in it. But there is one big advantage of this option - the durability of the finished structure.
To create a metal snowmobile frame, you will need some materials and tools. The tools include welding and electrodes, a hammer, a grinder, pliers, a set of keys and fasteners for the system.
As for the material, here you will need to prepare metal pipes, a metal corner, steel sheets and a channel.
Before building the frame, be sure to make a drawing here with precise dimensions. This will help you select the quantity and type of material as accurately as possible.
Using a grinder, pipes are cut and welded into a frame. Fastenings for all parts of the snowmobile will be made from the corner. You can make them from channel wood.
Only after this is everything sheathed with sheet metal. In order to make a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor, it is necessary to provide a place to place the motor.
Making a snowmobile on caterpillar tracks with your own hands
Before starting work, decide on the tool. We can say with 100% certainty that you will need: various screwdrivers, a hammer, welding, a pipe bender (if you don’t have a ready-made frame).
Before preparing a drawing for making your own snowmobile, familiarize yourself with the standard configuration.
- Frame.
Every snowmobile has a frame: the more complex the design, the more reliable and stronger the frame should be. The best option is to take it from an ATV, scooter or motorcycle. If you don’t have such a part, you can weld it yourself from pipes with a diameter of at least 40 mm. - Seat.
The seat on the snowmobile must be durable, since the structure itself is quite low.
Mandatory condition: the seat must be made of waterproof material.
- Engine.
When choosing an engine, pay attention to its power. If you want a powerful snowmobile, then the engine should be like this. - Tank.
A container with a volume of 10-15 liters, made of metal, is perfect for a fuel tank. - Skis.
If you don’t have ready-made skis that can be adapted for a snowmobile, you can make them yourself from wood. It is better if it is at least nine-layer plywood. - Steering wheel.
When choosing a steering wheel, think about your comfort. It is best if it is borrowed from a two-wheeled unit. - Caterpillars.
Making the tracks is perhaps the most difficult part of the entire self-propelled vehicle. - Drive unit.
In order for the tracks to rotate, you will need a drive - it is best in this case to use a chain from a motorcycle.
Frame
If you don’t have a ready-made frame, you can easily weld it from a profile pipe and shape it using a pipe bender.
If you can’t make calculations and draw up a drawing yourself, then use the drawing from our website as an example.
Once the frame is assembled, treat it with an anti-corrosion compound and cover it with high-quality paint that will withstand both moisture and frost.
Caterpillars
Everyone who has previously designed a caterpillar walk-behind tractor on their own notes: making tracks is the most difficult process in a homemade project.
The easiest way to construct them is from car tires. This option is the most advantageous - high quality and low budget. The part is manufactured in a closed circle, so a tire rupture cannot occur.
Snowmobile tracks made from tires
Instructions for making caterpillars:
- From a car tire: take the tire and cut off the beads (it’s better to do this with a sharp knife). You need to cut so that the flexible part with the protector remains.
Tire caterpillar
- From a conveyor belt: cut the tape to the required length;
- sew the edges with fishing line;
- close it into a ring, sewing the ends together;
- We will attach lugs to the resulting canvas. As lugs we use plastic water pipes with a diameter of at least forty mm (cut lengthwise).
- We fasten the pipes to the canvas with screws.
Caterpillar made of conveyor belt and PVC pipes
How to make a caterpillar with your own hands is written in more detail in a separate article. You may be interested in other homemade accessories for the walk-behind tractor.
Skis
Skis are the simplest part that can be easily made. Again, for manufacturing you need a drawing that shows all the parameters. Below is a drawing according to which you can make skis for a snowmobile.
Ski
If you decide to make a snowmobile based on a walk-behind tractor, we hope that all the information provided above will be useful.
Skis and tracks
In order for a snowmobile to be constantly on the move, it is necessary to make high-quality tracked wheels and skis for speed.
In order for the tracks to be of the highest quality, their area must be large enough. If they are small, they will simply sink even in shallow snow.
You can purchase ready-made tracks at the store or make your own from rubber pipe. The video shows how to make a snowmobile in detail.
As for skis, they must be strong. Skis serve well in deep snow, as they are very easy to control and their speed is not low.
To ensure a perfect fit, skis are mostly made of metal.
If you want to make a wooden structure, then it is best to make it from birch or oak. The wood is thoroughly dried beforehand. Here are the basic rules on how to make a snowmobile with your own hands.
Advantages and features of a homemade snowmobile
- The vehicle has a mechanical drive and a tracked walk-behind tractor, when driving which you will not get stuck in snowdrifts.
- Steering is done by the skis and the steering system is located in front so you can control it easily.
- The price when purchasing a particular vehicle is important. Therefore, if you do the math, the cost of making a snowmobile yourself will be five times lower than buying it from a manufacturer. And it will be even cheaper due to the available walk-behind tractor and other parts.
- Reliability – where a person cannot pass and a car cannot pass, the snowmobile will overcome all obstacles with ease.
- If a snowmobile is made by hand, then the designer is very careful in choosing parts. By doing everything yourself, you are responsible for the quality of your design. In addition, by paying great attention to the components of the mechanism, you make the snowmobile all-terrain.
Photo tips on how to make a snowmobile
The best homemade products - a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor
When making a homemade snowmobile, they use tracks from other snowmobiles, or homemade ones assembled from scrap materials. After choosing a track, you need to decide what type of suspension to use. You need to choose from two main types: roller suspension and skid suspension.
Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages. After this, it is important to decide what kind of layout the snowmobile will have. Typically, a snowmobile is equipped with two steering skis at the front and a track block at the rear.
