1.5" thick repro UHMW crosser (elevated-belt) with 1/8" steel insert

[Buzz]

Here's a few preliminary pics of another batch of crossers from the same batch as Spookum's. All inserts are cut, now it's drill press time. These will be used on centaur-style dual-track for the Ox.

I've got some cross-linked crazy tough UV stable UHMW en-route for some similar crossers.
These repro crossers in 1.5" get the first go!

[Buzz]

couple more. The tire profile has a very tight radius, very square. Fits turf tires perfectly. Had to add 1/8" additional width either side for the tires and tighten up the radius to be very square. Carlisle AT101's 24x12x12

[Old Tucker]

I think those crossers will work very well with the flatter tread on the turf tire. You will not get any track roll. And be far more stable over rough ground and snow.
Well done.

[Beeman]

That 1.5" UHMW must have been crazy expensive.. $1600 or so for a 4X8?

[Buzz]

That 1.5" UHMW must have been crazy expensive.. $1600 or so for a 4X8?

No....more like $1250 landed in Alaska. Places in the lower 48- along the trucking routes wouldn't have to pay as much freight as us.

Started fastening the inserts today. The crossers are incredibly rigid when everything is sandwiched/tightened down.

The labor for an elevated-belt track is what gets you. Once you start fabricating crossers on top of assembly ( layout, drilling rubber, washers/backer plates, bolts, put crossers on, hand-tight fasteners, flip track, final tighten, trim/bevel belting etc) in addition to doing the hinge. This style track takes a long time to build even if all you're doing is bolting on crossers. Fabricating like Escargo does or doing steel inserts is definitely a labor of love...or something

[spookum]

Yah... With the extra labor involved I hope the steel inserts will be with it! How much steel do you have sticking out?

[Buzz]

Yah... With the extra labor involved I hope the steel inserts will be with it! How much steel do you have sticking out?

3/8"
I used 1 1/4" flat bar, .125 thick. UHMW height under tire is 7/8 for a total of 1.25" cleat height including steel. Next time I'll use a smaller routered edge and maybe another 1/8" UHMW...maybe. Once the 1/4" bolts x 3 (grade-8 overkill) are tight, that thing is a real stiffy. So I don't think a guy "has" to go taller on the UHMW, especially if a stronger more abrasion resistant grade is used? We'll see. The steel insert I think will really protect the UHMW from hardpack that might "mushroom" reprocessed UHMW over time.

[Buzz]

What I've found with the UHMW so far (up here) is that it goes from looking "brand new" to basically getting scuffed up / gouged up more or less immediately. Then it stays like that for a long time. You'll slowly scrape small pieces away from any mushroomed edges, but it takes a long time. The process kind of repeats itself over the "wear-life" of the cleat. Cleat height/thickness comes into play too. A better grade of UHMW would hold up a lot better, but extra thickness if using reprocessed helps.

[kghills]

I've found the "mushrooming" as you refer to it sort of aids in traction. My Max IV has about 150 hours on it's tracks and I really can't detect much wear even with a caliper.

Keith.

[Buzz]

Had a little garage time today. I think I knocked out about 50 crossers. Haven't tightened the inserts yet, but it's starting to look like something-

[spookum]

Looks good buddy! Takes a while dont it! Since they are grade 8 bolts I just lined up the holes, set a bolt in and hit it with an air gun to drive them in. Works slick if the holes are just a little bit off. The steel also does a killer good job cleaning out the slots before assembly.

[spookum]

Do you think that the dual track set up would work on an 8 wheeled work get?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BYHg8L8WGos

[Buzz]

I don't know, but looking at the wheel travel, my guess would be "maybe." I don't really know for sure. But I know the elevated belt half-track can be run very loose without coming off. I think you might have to allow for a little less track tension so that slight changes in axle centerline could still happen with 2 wheels tracked with an independent suspension. I couldn't really tell how much the tire centerline changed laterally either as the independent suspension moved up and down. Tires seemed to stay fairly aligned with each other.....maybe I should watch it again. That's a pretty cool set up. It would be fun to try!

[MAX IV Mark]

I don't know, but looking at the wheel travel, my guess would be "maybe." I don't really know for sure. But I know the elevated belt half-track can be run very loose without coming off. I think you might have to allow for a little less track tension so that slight changes in axle centerline could still happen with 2 wheels tracked with an independent suspension. I couldn't really tell how much the tire centerline changed laterally either as the independent suspension moved up and down. Tires seemed to stay fairly aligned with each other.....maybe I should watch it again. That's a pretty cool set up. It would be fun to try!

You need a job that pays you by the word. It's surprising how many you can use to say "I don't know"

[Buzz]

you're right