New Type of Tracks - Chanel Tracks

[gusgus]

Found them on Kijiji, did searches for argo in ontario and quebec, they were listed for $1800, picked them up for $1650,
found a set of escargos for $1600 but for the 24" tires, and put the link up for the classifieds yesterday. mine are the 25" didn't want to blow the budget by buying another set of tires and rims.

[montague]

Just a quick comment on Chanel Tracks, after following this thread for a year or so, I made the plunge and ordered a set from Marcel, then drove up to Maniwaki end of July to pick them up. I cannot comment on how they work yet as I haven't had a spare minute to install them, but plan to do so in September.

However, they are solidly built and I have faith that they will perform when I put them on my Avenger.

But I can say that Marcel is a real gentleman and great to deal with. Along with the Argo track gig, he is pilot instructor and has built many aircraft from kits. This man knows machinery and how to build things right!

It was a real pleasure to meet him and the drive through rural Quebec to Maniwaki is incredible scenery following the Gatineau River. We took the highway to Portage du Fort on the way back and crossed the Ottawa River at Renfrew.

God's Country!

[valmet58]

chanel track grousers

could somebody be kind enough to tell me center distance between each grouser
and the inner distance between the belts..thanks

[thorn]

Center to center the grousers are 4 1/2" apart. If you are asking about the distance from the tub to the edge of inner belt , it is going to depend on how wide Marcel makes the belts and how wide of spacer you run.

I am in the process of putting my on right now and I am having trouble getting the proper tension due to the oversize tires I choose, which in the end should work out well.

[valmet58]

let say i have an 18 inch track on 10 inches wide tires....the belt would be 4 inches wide on each side of the grousers..I should have 2.5 inch spacers..what i want is the distance between the belts ( inside ). i figure it would be about 10.5 inches to 11 inches.
or if you want, what is the distance between the belt and tire on each side of the tire...I guess the belt should not touch the side of the tire...thanks

[valmet58]

What is the size of the bolts for the grousers..just curious..

[gusgus]

Here are the new mods to my channel tracks, put them on every 2nd channel (50 total), added 2 3/4" tuners also.
Front and rears are at 7lbs,
Mids are at 5lbs

Just traced the curve of the one crosser on a piece 1/8" board then did it again till it seemed to fit, added them to the outside of the crosser and made them a lil' bit shorter/lower to allow for the welds not to dig in the belt/tires and the cleat not catch in when turning on hard surfaces . Had a friend water jet and weld them on. He said it should add strength by creating a gusset. They are 12ga .104" .
Installing them I had to take both the front/rear tires off cause the added cleats wouldn't clear the tub with the front/rear tires on. Removed a cpl crossers (just on the outside) and that allowed for easy installation for the rear tire by pulling the tracks back till the belt was touching the front axle.
Seemed to swim ok at lower rpm (not great) but the weight of the tracks on the argo made it a bit nose heavy, wasn't moving too quick. At high rpm they threw plenty of water in the back of the tub but didn't improve speed at all. Think it kinda went slower.

Hope you guys like them.

IMG_20140925_170708.jpgIMG_20140925_170550.jpg20140923_142323.jpg20140923_142303.jpg20140923_142254.jpg

[gusgus]

here are some more pics
IMG_20141002_160259.jpgIMG_20141003_105336.jpgIMG_20141003_105423.jpgIMG_20141003_103515.jpgIMG_20141003_105319.jpg

[john swenson]

anyone have any ideas. i would be curious to know what a metal stamping co. would charge per tire grouser bar like the channel ones after the cost of the die. the steel channel itself is maybe around $ 2.00 a foot ? obviously the more quantity , the price goes down. johnboy va.

[thorn]

Finally put my Chanels on!!!

P1010015.jpgP1010013.jpgP1010018.jpgP1010023.jpgP1010016.jpgFinally put my Chanels on my 2004 Conquest. It was time consuming getting them sized properly and I felt that the overlap joint was too thick and came too close to the axle extensions for my comfort so i went with the Flexco 550 hinges. Marcel told me to have 2 1/2" sag under the center tires, but I have about 2 1/4". My center tires are bigger than the end ones by about 1/2 an inch though. I am going to put some type of paddle/cleat in-between every other grouser, but I don't know what yet. I am running 22x8x11 Carlisle Stryker tires, Adair Track Tuners on the centers and 2 1/2 Adair spacers on the end axles. I also upgrade the front axles and bearings to the HD. Here are some pics:

[rodp]

anyone have any ideas. i would be curious to know what a metal stamping co. would charge per tire grouser bar like the channel ones after the cost of the die. the steel channel itself is maybe around $ 2.00 a foot ? obviously the more quantity , the price goes down. johnboy va.

I think if you made the tooling yourself and had them pressed on a hydraulic press the cost would be pence. Setting up a mechanical press would cost more than doing the job.
We used to make tooling ourselves for a press we had (200t hydraulic) and it was pretty simple. Just make the shape you want (top and bottom), clamp them together and drill hole in each corner. We used to just drop bar in the drilled holes then to keep everything aligned when pressing.

[Old Tucker]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12798[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12797[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12800[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12801[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12799[/ATTACH]Finally put my Chanels on my 2004 Conquest. It was time consuming getting them sized properly and I felt that the overlap joint was too thick and came too close to the axle extensions for my comfort so i went with the Flexco 550 hinges. Marcel told me to have 2 1/2" sag under the center tires, but I have about 2 1/4". My center tires are bigger than the end ones by about 1/2 an inch though. I am going to put some type of paddle/cleat in-between every other grouser, but I don't know what yet. I am running 22x8x11 Carlisle Stryker tires, Adair Track Tuners on the centers and 2 1/2 Adair spacers on the end axles. I also upgrade the front axles and bearings to the HD. Here are some pics:

Good job there thorn. Now your cooking. Yes it takes some time to get it all just right but in taking the time now you have no worries. It a good idea to go the HD axles one less thing to go wrong.
Around here we are just waiting for the snow to start falling. The freezing level is coming down to about 5000 feet, soon the snow will start falling in the hills.

[rodp]

Hmm, getting chilly here as well, had to put a jumper on today on site

[riotwarrior]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12798[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12797[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12800[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12801[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12799[/ATTACH]Finally put my Chanels on my 2004 Conquest. It was time consuming getting them sized properly and I felt that the overlap joint was too thick and came too close to the axle extensions for my comfort so i went with the Flexco 550 hinges. Marcel told me to have 2 1/2" sag under the center tires, but I have about 2 1/4". My center tires are bigger than the end ones by about 1/2 an inch though. I am going to put some type of paddle/cleat in-between every other grouser, but I don't know what yet. I am running 22x8x11 Carlisle Stryker tires, Adair Track Tuners on the centers and 2 1/2 Adair spacers on the end axles. I also upgrade the front axles and bearings to the HD. Here are some pics:

Hey how much do these tracks stick ABOVE tyre's center across the tyre? I'm needing to see what size of tyre I would need to reduce to from 22's to fit something like this.

[valmet58]

I believe the track sticks 1/2 inch above the tire which is the thickness of the crosser..the crosser is 1.5 inch wide by 1/2 thick