Tire Paddles

[yellowargo]

Has anyone had any success using or creating tire paddles to help increase speed and agility in h20? I have been working on a plan but I don't want to rethink the wheel so to speak... I have heard that the store bought Mud Slingers do not help at all.

Or should I stick to the trolling motor?

Thanks

[blazenron]

I have a design in mind but needs to be tested

[mudbug3]

yellowargo


The forum member mightymaxIV tried the mud slingers on his Max IV and lost water speed and control in the water. The forum member BW6 designed the jetwheel that you can remove and installed very quickly.


Here is a Utube video of how wheel they work in the water.

[robertkbush]

looks like squirrel cage fan to me

[mudbug3]

robertkbush


Yes I agree . It sure does look like a sqirrel cage fan. But, after much trial and error, BW6 finally decided on this particular fan blade pitch and spacing for maximum water speed.

[blazenron]

I figured maybe to buy a squirrel cage fan and build my own bracket and see how that works I'm sure you would need to mount a bracket to your studs on the wheel then off the bracket you would mount studs to support the squirrel cage fan for easy removal and you want to make sure that its all centered well Im sure the extra speed is nice on th water but I would do it for more power to run against the river current

I realize too that you would need a squirrel cage that runs counter clock wise for the opposite side

here is a sight that sells them but pricy Blower Wheel Aluminum Single Inlet

[bilimrl1]

I built a set, they were made from thick belting ( to be a little flexible), approx. 4"x5", just under the tire diameter. They were mounted to a metal frame structure to space them properly. They worked, increased my speed a mile or two, but they only worked when part of the tire they were mounted to was out of the water, in other words part of the paddles were under water while the others where out of it, keeps them from throwing in both directions. I tested with a GPS to measure my speed. Since my argo is front heavy, and after testing in the pond, I determined the wheels in the back produced the most thrust and the most water thrown into the back. This was fixed by making water flaps or mud flaps. I only use these to race my argo against 4 wheelers at Mud NAtionals. I was one of just a few that actually completed the course, but not fast enough for the win. Next year, will be adding caged trolling motors and big battery!

[mudbug3]

bilimrl1

Since you used a GPS to do your water speed testing , how much did the water speed increase when using you home made paddles? Post a picture of what you,ve done in the gallery.

[blazenron]

Here is my paddle desighn maybe you guys saw it it helps out some it gives me more bite in the water http://www.6x6world.com/forums/max-a...i-paddles.html

[mudbug3]

blazenron ,


Sorry that you had to post those pics again. I now remember seeing them in the picture gallery. The metal paddles that you made look like they are mounted inside the rims? Or do they extend just a little out side the tire bead?

[blazenron]

They are inside the rim for protection but I wish i made them about 3 to 4 in inches wider but very cheap and inexpensive to make , I will have to do some modification on the with, If I make them wider and they work out better I will put up a post on how to make them from sheet metal

[zoood]

Any updates the idea?

[swamp donkey]

Anything new on the paddles

[Bw6]

Pinwheel Paddle Design

Here is a design that I never had time to build, but may work. Larger rim sizes will work better.

[zoood]

If you had that design up and working. Just how many wheels would you put them on?

Here is a design that I never had time to build, but may work. Larger rim sizes will work better.