hybrid crosser

[Buzz]

I like the tracks their buzz. It will be interesting to see how they work out. Looks like you have good paddle size on every crosser. Should give you lots of bite. 23.5 wide I like

thanks! I'll see what I can get on video for some input.

[rockrewls]

I await your vids sir they look interesting!! Have you weighed them??

Rock

[Buzz]

short video of the angle iron paddle track (I guess that's what you call it). You've seen some of the terrain around the house. Hopefully it helps to show the "bite" of steel when climbing. If I make another set of these, I'll make the paddle guides taller and the steel contact patch narrower. They still maneuver pretty well though.

[mightymaxIV]

short video of the angle iron paddle track (I guess that's what you call it). You've seen some of the terrain around the house. Hopefully it helps to show the "bite" of steel when climbing. If I make another set of these, I'll make the paddle guides taller and the steel contact patch narrower. They still maneuver pretty well though.

Wow that thing is a beast, climbing over trees going up hill? Stopping and counter rotating going up hill to miss trees? Knocking down trees while crossing tree trunks that have fallen to the ground. Impressive, Climbing up snow banks? Does that system swim? Do those steel plates tear up the tires??Looks as your track system has no limits crossing bad terrain, hope the rest works as well as their ability to navigate difficult terrain.

[Buzz]

Dan, no problems with the 3/16" angle iron. The vertical legs stay vertical under the tire and don't fold over. Crossers are sandwiched tight and stay plumb.
No wear or damage on the tire tread or sidewall. The belting is cut back/beveled as usual. The guides are uhmw and rounded-over. The edges of the horizontal legs of the angle-iron are also rounded over. The tread just rolls over them anyway.
Probably an average swimmer, but I don't know- we are just now starting to melt around here.
It works great, but like anything, there are a few things I would tweak.
I "might" come back to this crosser after a bit.
Dan, I really look forward to seeing some more 16" Vendetta action. I'm starting to look pretty hard at a set myself! I remember hearing you talk of a new machine too (I think)....

[garretttpe]

Hi Buzz
Would have said thanks for the info earlier but do to my out of state working and going back to northern Maine due to the floods last week. 4500 gph water coming into my house from the lake I live on, furtunatly my pumps and back up pumps worked as planned. So here we go, Thanks for the information and all the posts
Larry

[Buzz]

no prob larry. Sorry you had to deal with all of that- hope it's all under control. Priorities first you know.
For a rubber track- If you're still planning to use snowmachine belting, I really like the idea of using flat-bar inside the belting (like Mudd-Ox)........only under the tire/guide width area... That way you can keep the rigid part "under the tires only". You will limit any leveraging of the guides caused from the wider/outer part of the track being pushed up. If you do drive over an obstacle that pushes up on the rigid part, the entire tire and machine will move up...not just the outer part of the track trying to tilt/leverage itself and the guides. The outer part can simply fold up/down without any problem and always springs back. It works well on wide tracks anyway. I imagine you'll be using 15-16" snowmachine belting, so you'd probably already planned on keeping any metal no wider than that. Flat bar inside also makes tub clearance a non-issue when thinking about adding angle to the outside.
If you want to make more width/footprint on your track, simply add a bolt-on winter kit to the outside. You'll get traction and additional width that has minimal "leveraging" affect on your main track guides. And you can use taller angle (steel or aluminum) outside of the tub too if wanted for traction. You're not as limited by tub clearance.
This would make a pretty decent winter track.
A few thoughts on flat rubber tracks anyway-

[garretttpe]

Buzz
Thanks again, great points you made. Hopefully I will get a chance to do them soon

Larry

[Buzz]

here's a traction add-on using simple 3/16" flat bar. There is some flexibility in flat bar height and length. You can even drill the holes closer to one edge so that if you want a taller cleat, just simply flip the cleat ends around to have a larger/taller triangle "pick" protruding from the grouser. Pick a nice meaty part of the grouser to through-bolt.

[tbone9]

Wow! Nice work.

[Old Tucker]

I like the way your crossers and tires fit, Nice and snug. Just the way they should be. You will not get the track twisting and flopping around like there is on a more rounded tire. The extra belting on the outside will give you good flotation. Job well done .

[Buzz]

here's a couple avengers I've mounted up recently. Tweaked the grouser profile just a bit for improved tub clearances and small contact patch. 2.5" spacers. 1.5" thick grousers. Every other grouser is drilled for 3/16" flatbar "picks" to be added to the outer half if wanted. Both guys are using track tuners of course.

[Rock Doctor]

Those look good. Nice Top on the second machine too.

RD

[kghills]

Profile looks a lot like the Adair Classic tracks Tim had on the Adair Argo series Frontier at the Swamp Run.


Keith.

[rockrewls]

Nicely done Jeff!!