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Snow Cats are expensive so I Built this.

farm-tim

New member
Snow Cats are expensive so I Built this. I tested it last weekend, we used it for the 14 mile off road adveture to our cabin in Michigans upper paninsula. It worked incredibly well on the groomed snowmobile trails and I was really pleased when we left the trail for the last four miles to the cabin. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKr61XRRAd4"]YouTube - Ford explorer Snow truck, Half Track. pt.4[/ame]
 

farm-tim

New member
hears more
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSnlRPFXGmI"]YouTube - Ford Explorer half track on the trail.[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I2iQMp3zDk"]YouTube - Ford explorer Snow truck, Half Track. pt. 5[/ame]
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I'd be willing to bet that is a lot more comfortable to ride in than a typical snow cat, a lot quieter too.

Did you build the rear tracks or were those pre-made bolt on units like Mattracks?

How about some close up photos of the ski-construction? Ditto close up photos of the tracks!!!
 

farm-tim

New member
How can to get that on the snowmobile trails? Way over the width limitation... ?
The main trail we use is a seasonal road after that its all nonmaintained roads. I checked with the DNR they said no prob. Then I told them my wife was disabled and they said go were you want just be carefull.
 

farm-tim

New member
I'd be willing to bet that is a lot more comfortable to ride in than a typical snow cat, a lot quieter too.

Did you build the rear tracks or were those pre-made bolt on units like Mattracks?

How about some close up photos of the ski-construction? Ditto close up photos of the tracks!!!

I built the whole thing.. I had good help too , It took about 40 hours or so.
 

weatherby

Member
Welcome to the Forum Farm Tim

I took a look at your creation last week when you were in town (Paradise) "very nice":thumb:

I live about eight mi north of town.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I built the whole thing.. I had good help too , It took about 40 hours or so.

Very impressive.

Its nice to have you here at the Snowcat Forums of the ForumsForums :smile:

What else have you built? Oh, and we need photos :hammer:
 

farm-tim

New member
Welcome to the Forum Farm Tim

I took a look at your creation last week when you were in town (Paradise) "very nice":thumb:

I live about eight mi north of town.
Cool thanks... I also need to say Coodos to the Paradise snowmobile club, Especially Mike who when it broke pulled it up to the groomer barn and welded up my weak spot. Verry cool people and fellow gear heads.
 

farm-tim

New member
Ive also built This....
 

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weatherby

Member
Cool thanks... I also need to say Coodos to the Paradise snowmobile club, Especially Mike who when it broke pulled it up to the groomer barn and welded up my weak spot. Verry cool people and fellow gear heads.

If Mike Dezs hasn't seen this yet, he needs to, he has been creating something close to your design for his Jeep. I'm assuming your back in off of farm truck RD.
or Betsy lake?
Did Mike C. pull you in with the Bombi?
 

farm-tim

New member
and rebuilt these...
 

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farm-tim

New member
If Mike Dezs hasn't seen this yet, he needs to, he has been creating something close to your design for his Jeep. I'm assuming your back in off of farm truck RD.
or Betsy lake?
Did Mike C. pull you in with the Bombi?

Mike Dezs took pictures. and yes they pulled it in with the groomer but it broke in their parking lot, after about the third trip to the cabin. and yes, our place is about a mile north of the New bridge.
 

Cletis

New member
Cool.
How's it steer? Did you have to put a rib on the bottom of the skis to get some bite while turning?

Also, I call dibs on the army jeep!!!!!!!!!!!

Cletis
 

farm-tim

New member
Cool.
How's it steer? Did you have to put a rib on the bottom of the skis to get some bite while turning?

Also, I call dibs on the army jeep!!!!!!!!!!!

Cletis
The skis are really simple, They are a 4 inch channell with the ends bent up under that I used a piece of 3/8" plastic that we use on the bottom of semi trailers (kind if a bed liner on royds) it is sandwiched in place by a 1"x3/4" piece of flat stock. It will turn in its normall radious in most cases, I would say it turns better than my sled.
 

luv2weld

New member
SUPER Site Supporter
Welcome to the forum!
I just found my next project!!!!!
Can you give me the details on the tracks???
The skis look pretty easy to fabricate. The drive wheel looks like it is a wider
than stock wheel with bars(???) welded across it. And a track (belt) from a
snowmobile. Track adjustment with the magenta boogies on the rear??

I've got an old Bronco II just begging for this modification!!!

Ralph
 

farm-tim

New member
Welcome to the forum!
I just found my next project!!!!!
Can you give me the details on the tracks???
The skis look pretty easy to fabricate. The drive wheel looks like it is a wider
than stock wheel with bars(???) welded across it. And a track (belt) from a
snowmobile. Track adjustment with the magenta boogies on the rear??

I've got an old Bronco II just begging for this modification!!!

Ralph
The tracks are 138" snowmobile tracks on standard 121 frames. you need to add front bogies, yes tension with the rear set. The wheels are or were 15 x 8, you need to turn them down a little and weld on 20 1/2" round stock bars.
I thought about using a 4x4 unit for this thing but after building this one I see no need for four wheel drive. we were in 2 feet of undisturbed snow in the video on the trail and have no truble with it.
Or ya'll could just be patient, ... Im going to sell this one in late feb...
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I am sure it works on a flat trail with 2 feet or less snow. But less sure it would work in a wide road ditch full of snow 4-5 or more feet deep. What keeps the front ski's from coming around if they are bolted onto the hubs? That would be nasty of you nosed it over into a ditch full of snow and they caught, rolling them into the rocker panels.:ermm::doh: If you weigh it and divide it by it's foot print in inches, to get PSI, I am betting 5lb/in sq. and that is good for say mud, but so good in snow, especially deep non reactionary snow. ( deep enough it doesn't put the weight to the actual ground under the cat) Good "snow cat" territory is more like 1.5lb/in.sq. and less....

I do however live in flat farm country and see the utility of this for accessing fields in the winter, if you use field drives to get into them.:clap:

Neat work for sure. Nothing like a farmer with a good shop and some time on his hands.......Winter! I know, I am one too!

Best regards, Kirk
 
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farm-tim

New member
I am sure it works on a flat trail with 2 feet or less snow. But less sure it would work in a wide road ditch full of snow 4-5 or more feet deep. What keeps the front ski's from coming around if they are bolted onto the hubs? That would be nasty of you nosed it over into a ditch full of snow and they caught, rolling them into the rocker panels.:ermm::doh: If you weigh it and divide it by it's foot print in inches, to get PSI, I am betting 5lb/in sq. and that is good for say mud, but so good in snow, especially deep non reactionary snow. ( deep enough it doesn't put the weight to the actual ground under the cat) Good "snow cat" territory is more like 1.5lb/in.sq. and less....

I do however live in flat farm country and see the utility of this for accessing fields in the winter, if you use field drives to get into them.:clap:

Neat work for sure. Nothing like a farmer with a good shop and some time on his hands.......Winter! I know, I am one too!

Best regards, Kirk
Actually I weighed it before we ever started (another reason to go 2wd) The Tracks put down 900 Sq Inch while the skis only put down 720. Times that by 2 and get 3,240 sq inchs ... put a 3,970# vehicle on top and your putting down 1.2253086419 Lbs/sq in. about . :whistling:
While I do agree that Im not exacly distributing the weight properly (but I could with bigger skis) I Am running down the trail at up to 50 mph while most sno cats go about 12 mph while trying to remove your fillings and cost $15,000 for a piece of $#!t.
I have also welded a piece of steel to the back of the brake roter wher the caliper used to be to limit travel.
As for crossing a ditch,.... Ill just stay on the trail.
I dont really need to check a field during the winter, I just wanted to go to the cabin.
But for now Im off to the bahamas for a week,... Ill check back in a week. To see if anyone has any constuctive critisism that may help further projects.
Tim
 

sutluc

New member
Do you happen to have a picture of the back side of your track assembly? I'm interested in how you mounted the track frame.
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Calling the snow cats here a 12 mph, $15K piece of @&%$ is not what I had in mind when I was looking at your machine.....
As for your ride, I don't think this would do well against a machine with 1.5 lb. ground preasure, as most groomers are in this area of down preasure. The true snow cat is not pushing ski's, all the area is under powered tracks, not ski's. A 40 some year old Snow Trac is at .75 psi. and goes 20 mph (nearly 30 mph with gears) and the ride is smooth if the snow is 6" deep. And it will go places in deep snow your creation will not go....:whistling::doh:

As for the $15K you suggest is too much to pay for a true snow cat...Well just ask the snow cat owners here about that.... I guess in your mind we are all fools?:w00t2: for spending our money on one?

Gee thanks,

Kirk
 
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