Newbie from northern MN

Hi guys, I just found this great forum and thought I should be a part of it. I've owned a Tucker for 4 winters now and have had a lot of fun enjoying it with the kids exploring old logging roads which are mostly swamp and cannot be accessed in the summer. It started out as a 1978 1642 mid engine. Which was obviously not usable for our eight member family. I spent all last Fall and winter doing the 65 Chevy van conversion and now it has seat belts for eight. I have plans to finish the interior and paint the outside Tucker orange and white when time permits. Unfortunately it is currently 10 miles out in the woods frozen up after dropping the front tracks through bad ice into about 4 1/2' of water. I've learned many lessons from this experience and will be designing a system to keep those darn tracks from tipping up when trying to drag it out of a hole! This problem made the extraction take two days, broke a PTO shaft on one Bombi and nearly ripped the front end out from under the Tucker. I'm planning to pull it to where I can load it on a trailer Monday and get it in a warm shop to thaw it out and make repairs and service all the wet parts including the engine! Hopefully nothing cracked from freezing.
p.s. I am still loyal to the four track system because it rides oh so nice
Glad to meet all you fine folks who share a love of tracked vehicles!
Aaron

Welcome aboard Aaron!

Besides crayons, I think you'll find most of us on here like pictures. Lots of pictures! Especially of our 'transgressions', intentional or not.

Mtn-Track said:

Welcome aboard Aaron!

Click to expand...

Ditto


Awesome country up there. As a kid we used to go up to Baudette a lot. Have not been that far up north in thirty years though. As far north as I get now is Virginia or east of you along the north shore.

The only pictures I have of it in the water are on my cell phone and I don't know how to get them here? I'll get a picture of it when I go get it. It's been sitting out there like three weeks while I waited for a logger to establish a truck road to within 3 miles of it. We've had about a foot of snow since then and I will be going out by snowmobile to thaw and pull the axles to alow us to tow it behind a dozer. I can't stress enough how important it is to check ice before crossing even small areas of water.

Here's a picture from our first winter and one from last winter.

Now THAT's an interesting modification!

....and VERY functional given the size of your brood. Nice job!

You probably don't have a lack of cab-heat with the engine sitting in the middle do you?

Mtn-Track said:

Now THAT's an interesting modification!

....and VERY functional given the size of your brood. Nice job!

You probably don't have a lack of cab-heat with the engine sitting in the middle do you?

Click to expand...

I haven't insulated very well yet either so the noise is considerable although the tracks drown out the engine noise and then the kids have to talk above that so I don't really have to worry about installing a CD player right now
Speaking of cold thouh, It was -41 here last night so heat is an issue. I am using the stock van heater for driver heat and windshield defrosting; I installed a dual fan aftermarket heater behind the drivers seat blowing across the rear floor and then used the stock Tucker heater in the rear corner which can either blow on the floor or will be eventially routed through pvc piping along the top of the side and rear windows for defrosting.

Really cool conversion! Looks totally practical for your needs,and obviously a lot of fun. I finaly spent some time trying to sound proof my tucker,and It does make a huge difference.

Welcome to the forums Aaron.

Looks like you have put a lot of time into the new cat. That will be great times and memories for your family.

WOW -41 that is cold!!

Sorry to hear the it is stuck in the ice.

On the pics, I think if you email the pics to your computer you can then save them in my pictures and download them. See how much we like pics.

Again, welcome aboard!

Welcome, that is one sweet Tucker, very cool mod

Very cool! Your kids will grow up with some great memories.

Awesome machine great job!!!

Looks like a pretty cool rig!

Welcome to the group.

nice looking cat-van

got any pictures of the sinking


we all woul love to see what not to do

Welcome , from Grand Rapids , lets go riding sometime ? Tucker & Sno-Trac

wakeupcall said:

Welcome to the forums Aaron.

Looks like you have put a lot of time into the new cat. That will be great times and memories for your family.

WOW -41 that is cold!!

Sorry to hear the it is stuck in the ice.

On the pics, I think if you email the pics to your computer you can then save them in my pictures and download them. See how much we like pics.

Again, welcome aboard!

Click to expand...

Hey Thanks guys for the warm welcome! I'll try to get the couple of pictures I have into my computer. I guess I was more worried about getting it out than pictures of it. Go figure. The pictures I got were after the first day of trying when we had it up a couple of feet. Basically I tried crossing a ditch that was dug for drainage of the swamp. Usually there is plenty of brushy areas to crass where you have some base under you, but this was under a powerline and no real good place to cross. I was actually tramping a logging road for work and needed to get on the other side. I guess I was getting cocky about the machines abilities and thought it was a short enough distance that even if it started breaking through it wouldn't be that big of a deal. WRONG! When the front tracks had cleared the edge it went down like a rock. I had just shoved it in reverse When I had to get out of my seat before getting wet. No time to do anything but turn off the ignition. It basically stood on it's nose with the water covering the dash. Because the tracks swing freely, when you try to pull a Tucker out, the tracks dig in and tip up the wrong way. Because of the water/muck you can't get hooked to the track frame to get it to lift and you obviously can't hook to a grouser. We kept pulling it back and then chainsawing the frozen muskeg bank and shoveling. until we got it up far enough to put logs under the tracks and pushed it forward to get the rear of the tracks up out of the hole. I didn't realize until it was out of the water that we had bent the flat plate that the springs mount to. That PTO winch on the Bombi would have literally ripped the front end right out from under the Tucker if we had kept pulling. The Bombi was chained to a Big Tamarack tree by the way.
So the first day we broke a PTO yoke on a different Bombi and the Tucker had to sit in the water all night. We got a different Bombi the second day and after about 4 hours work got the Tucker out of the water. It was getting dark and the swamp road to get out was too soft to pull the Tucker through so we had to leave it there. Of course it was completely froozen so hopefully no further damage has happened since it has been there. I will be going out tommorrow to get it, Lord willing. And will leave it in a heated shop until I can get all the fluids drained and the engine turning over before trying to start it. The front end will come out and all bearings serviced. I'm almost positive that the trans didn't get wet and I know the transfercase and rearend didn't. My other problem is I don't have a lot of free time to work on it, but I'm hoping to get it back together before the snow melts. I'll be doing two modifications while it's apart. I'm going to remove the front section of the track slides to eliminate the slapping of the track as it comes off the sprockets. If it works, I'll do the rear tracks later. If it doesn't, I'll put idler wheels in like the later Tuckers had. The other mod will be to weld some anchors near the ends of the track frames and keep a chain hooked to each end so that no matter which end tips up when stuck I can get hold of the chain and be able to pull the end that is down in the hole. I know this is hard to picture, but I'll post some photos when I get it made. There have been other situation when it would be useful to have one end of the track chained to limit travel and this will work for this also. This is the third time in four years I could have used this setup, so I think it is time to do it.
Here are a couple pictures of the project just cause you claim to like pictures.Aaron

Aaron,

Welcome to the forum.

I've had three Tuckers and every one had what I assume you mean by "swing limiters".

These are brackets welded to the carriers. As the carrier pivots around the axle (to maximize the track's contact with the ground) these brackets (one bracket at each end of the carrier) contact the bottom of the leaf springs preventing the carrier from rotating too far, and preventing the grouser bars from contacting the frame, etc.

Perhaps yours were cut off by a previous owner?

Yes mine has those tubes that contact the spring hangers also, but the tracks hit the frame before those brackets hit the hangers. I'm Really wondering if track frames were changed at one time because My machine is a 1642 but only has 5 rollers? I am going to change the stops to do what they are suppose to when I have the tracks off. The van body is a few inches lower than the frame now as well. Keep in mind I'm just having fun with mine so I'm climbing over snow banks and up and down ditches, etc. ; not stuff you'd do if it was still a groomer. Basically I spent so much time doing the conversion that all the details have gotten left undone; but what fun would it be if it wasn't a work in progress?
Later, Aaron

Aaron,

A 1642 would have six idler wheels per carrier. (That's the correct term for what you are calling "track frames".) If your carriers only have five wheels, someone swapped carriers along the way.

Looking at the right front carrier in the photo you just posted I don't see the bracket I mentioned. Also the brackets differed slightly depending on the cab configuration. Some of the carriers I've seen had extensions welded to the brackets which restricted the rotation of the carrier somewhat more. I have seen those extensions on all of the front carriers and most of the rear ones.

I'm wondering why it would have had the track carriers changed? It couldn't have come with pontoons originally could it have? It was originally ordered by the National Park Service in NY and When I picked it up it had finished a couple of sentences grooming snowmobile trails in MN. It was 30 years old so who knows what it has seen? Mine has the stops coming straight out on 7 corners and one with a vertical extention on the passsenger side rear corner. It never made any sense to me why only the one, but if the carriers are a mixed set, that makes sense. Thanks for the info.
Aaron

Aaron,

I'm no expert, but I've never seen a photo of a pontoon equipped mid-engine Tucker. They did offer the pontoon style steel tracks up until about 1982 or 1983.

Changing carriers isn't that difficult, and buying one machine to swap longer (or shorter) tracks and carriers while not necessarily common, probably isn't all that rare, either.

On my Tuckers the swing limiter brackets are probably only two or three inches away from contacting the bottom of the leaf springs. That's with the machine parked level.

Looking at the photos you provided I don't see the brackets in front or on the left rear.

I noticed your rear differential cover has a pipe elbow and plug whereas your front one does not. One of my Tuckers came with those (front and rear). I think those are a good idea as it allows a higher gear oil fill level in the differential. I believe those are factory.

My impression is the mid-engine Tuckers sell at a healthy discount to the front engine ones because of the two man cabs and the perceived difficulty in making them more functional. Your conversion is clever and way cool.

Blackfoot Tucker said:

Aaron,


On my Tuckers the swing limiter brackets are probably only two or three inches away from contacting the bottom of the leaf springs. That's with the machine parked level.

Looking at the photos you provided I don't see the brackets in front or on the left rear.

I noticed your rear differential cover has a pipe elbow and plug whereas your front one does not. One of my Tuckers came with those (front and rear). I think those are a good idea as it allows a higher gear oil fill level in the differential. I believe those are factory.

My impression is the mid-engine Tuckers sell at a healthy discount to the front engine ones because of the two man cabs and the perceived difficulty in making them more functional. Your conversion is clever and way cool.

Click to expand...

I'd love to see some pictures of your brackets, They are obviously a lot different than mine. Mine are near the ends of the carriers, I'm thinking yours must be closer to the axle?

The front had the elbow on the filler also wich I removed thinking it was added later and it made it a little harder to fill, maybe I should put it back on.

You are certainly correct on pricing on the older mid engines. I bought it the winter of 07 and paid only $2500 for it in usable condition. I wanted a front engine model but who could pass up that deal! It worked extremely well with this style van which also was a mid engine design where the radiator was not all the way out to the grill with a hood like most van designs. I was looking for the Dodge A series just because of the 360 engine, but this Chevy was local and almost rust free so that was the way I went. I am a Chevy man for the most part anyway That said I know this things looks very "Red Neck" to most people but I think it looks cool "Monsterish" (if that's a word) and even kinda cute from some angles. It ways 7500 lbs without passengers which is a hair less than what it weighed before. (It had a very heavy fuel tank and add on racks,etc.) I also shortened the frame and moved the front axle back 16". Over all I'm pleased with the results, it just has some details to get ironed out and needs some fresh Tucker Orange!

Did you get it out yet? That van on it is a great idea for the family to be able to all go along.

Aaron,

I'll try and get some bracket photos tonight and get them posted tomorrow....

When you turn your steering wheel all the way, do your front and rear tracks hit? The reason I ask is the 1600 series tracks are asymmetric. They are 16" longer each than a 1500 series. IIRC 13" of that is on one side and three inches on the other. The longer ends are placed at the outside. So a 1600 series machine would have tracks six inches closer together in the middle with the tracks oriented straight. I believe Tucker put a block in the steering hydraulic cylinder to restrict its movement and prevent track-to-track contact.

Some may think "Red Neck"; I think it's cool. Particularly so when you consider what it was. Maybe the new Tuckers have some emphasis placed on ergonomics and comfort but I don't think that was ever a significant concern back in the seventies and eighties. Your conversion allows considerably more comfort. It allows you to bring your whole family.

Somewhere there is a thread with some photos of a LMC machine (3700?) with a Dodge van body. This was re-bodied to carry skiers into the backcountry somewhere in Idaho.

One of my Tuckers had been modified (that's putting it Very nicely) with an add on "cab" for a similar purpose. It looked (IMHO) ridiculous and the quality of the work was less than optimal (again, putting it very nicely).

So having seen a poorly conceived and executed conversion, I can appreciate the difference.

Thank you for the kind words. Yes as of an hour ago it is sitting in the heated garage (labratory) were it was put together. It took 7 hrs to get it there, but it feels good to have it inside again! Unfortunately when I got out there the batteries in my camera were dead so I took some photos with my phone again. I hope to text them to a friend who will inturn download them to his computer and email them to me I will put batteries in the camera and take photos tonight when I start tearing it apart.
No my tracks never hit. Before I shortened it there was plenty of room for 6 wheel carriers and even after shortening it 16" They still don't hit even when turning while climbing a snow bank. I had calculated that I could take 18" out but 16" worked better so that's what I did. There are steering stops welded to the front frame rails. I assumed those were so the steering cylinder could not bottom out. I assumed all models had them. My tie rods aren't exactly centered so it does not reach the stop when turning one way but does the other.
Is that conversion you are refering to, that pinkish colored 1642ME I saw a picture of in an old Thread with a full width second cab mounted behind the power unit? I thought to myself. "hey, I could have just done that...NOT"
Well I better go get my impact wrench fired up! Go make some tracks for me guys; it's gonna be a while.
Aaron

Greetings from Roseau Aaron, very cool rig you've got there.

Good to know there is another tucker guy up north here, safety in numbers lol!

northerndave said:

Greetings from Roseau Aaron, very cool rig you've got there.

Good to know there is another tucker guy up north here, safety in numbers lol!

Click to expand...

Thanks Dave, I've been reading other threads and you got a real good deal on that Tucker, It looks great and from the videos, I can see you're enjoying it

I tore into mine last night and got a lot of it apart (I've always been good at taking things apart) I was also able to straighten the bent 5th wheel plate in our press and straighten a few other brackets that got bent as well. I need to get three brackets stick welded (I only wire feed) back on the frame and a couple of cracks welded up then the damage from the extraction will be fixed. I'm doing some other mods to the carrier though and still need to service all idler bearings and sprocket bearings.

Sorry for the poor quality pictures, I only had an old camera that the flash doesn't work on and a poorly lit shop.

Nice work, i don't envy your task but it looks like you are making fast progress.

Aaron,

Glad you got the cat back! It must have taken some serious pulling to bend that fifth wheel plate.

I stupidly forgot my camera last night so it will be early next week before I can post pictures. I'm sorry for the delay.

In your last photo that shows the carrier assembly on the right side just above the plastic hyfax is a bracket that looks like a swing limiter.

When I had my carriers off the machine Jeff Godard at Tucker recommended I remove all the spindles from the carriers, clean them up and reinstall them after liberally coating them with Never-Seize. He said they get rusted in and it's a real pain to change one in the field after it has rusted itself to the carrier. I followed his advice. Some were a bit recalcitrant and I'm glad I did it.

It looks like your sprockets and idler wheels are in very nice shape. If you price those you'll see you got a steal on your Tucker!

I'm wondering if the mid-engine Tucker frames were longer than the front engine machines?

The machine I was mentioning was not the pinkish one. I've seen those photos and didn't care for that cab modification.

Here's the thread that shows a photo of the Dodge van bodied Thiokol:
http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/showthread.php?t=41504

Yes, that Bombi had a huge winch on it. We were trying not to pull too hard but we couldn't see what was going on under the water. I was disapointed to say the least to see the damage when it came out.

Yes that is a swing limiter just wondering if yours are different.

Freeing up the shafts is a good idea; I need to replace a few of my shafts now. I replaced two last time I had the front tracks off. I have two idlers that are seperating on the rear carriers but yes overall I got great sprockets and idlers. Those urathane ones came new as spares with the machine, but they didn't hold up well at all. Ice on the grousers chewed them up the first year I put them on. I will flip them now and use them up before putting rubber back on unless someone convinces me there are better quality urathane available now. They say sno-cat on them so I'm thinking they are Tuckers own sprockets?

I think you're right on the longer length of MEs The rear driveshaft is a slip yoke welded to a ujoint (no tubing) The machine could not have been any shorter as the radiator was very close to the cab and the cab was small the way it was.

That Full size Dodge van is one big machine with all the racks, etc. I didn't fill in my wheel wells because I like the monster truck look with the four track system. Looks better filled in on a two track though. IMO

Thanks for the good conversation.
Aaron

Hey guys, I finally got the beast back in the snow last week and got to take the family out for a couple of hours last weekend. I am very pleased with the performance of the tracks after removing the front slide sections. They are very quiet in the snow and I haven't noticed any problems with them whatsoever. I even opened it up on a hard packed road with no problem with vibration or flopping of the track. Both front tracks are in the loosest position and are by no means over tight. Here are some pictures as I put things back together. Notice the new fill plug I put higher on the diff covers. The only "problem" with this was it showed me that the front pinion seal and one rear sprocket hub seal are leaking; good things to know of course. The reason I did this was because all four hub bearings were pitted and after replacing them I figure the more lube they have the better. After filling the front diff with 9 pints of 80-90 I let it set overnight so the lube could run through the bearings, I was able to put 3 more pints in for a total of 1 1/2 gallons. It is now a little over half way up on the axle tubes. I'm also thinking I should run the vent tube up into my engine dog house just in case I ever dunk it again it will have a chance to keep out the water. Also note the shortened slides and new pull brackets and chains I installed. these can also be hooked to limit travel of the tracks when crossing soft spots in the swamp roads or ? One more mod I did was to put brass bushings in the springs and modify some bolts with grease zerks. This really tighted up the front suspension!