UHMW tracks with covers.

[MIteyMT]

Here's an idea. Usesome bearing collars and a short shaft extension of the front of each wheel to secure a piece of 1/4" UHMW on either side of wheels. This cuts down drag in water.





I think this is a big part of the reason the fast track amphibious vehicle (youtube) is so fast, and it's light enough to plane. I did some shopping, and if I used reprocessed UHMW, I could make this for cheaper than Adair tracks, and it may outperform them. As for just the track design, without the wheel covers, this has some merit on it's own.




These lightweight tracks could be shipped to you in a box consisting of 4 rolled up 3" sections of conveyor belt, and about 100 3/4"x5"x20" track sections, and secured to the conveyor after assembly with some 2" sections of steel OR UHMW angle stock, many short bolts, and of course some fender washers. Does anyone do any CNC router work?

[MIteyMT]

Mistake

Sorry, those slots for the conveyor were supposed to be flush with the bottom of the tire tread. I am pretty happy with the design, but before I drop a thousand dollars on UHMW, I would like to know what issues you smart guys see with the tracks, either with or without the wheel covers. I am curious how many members would want to be able to purchase these track sections on here, and string some tracks together at home. Maybe we can work this out so that track sections are inexpensive, and very common. Again, the sections secured with angle stock.
I realize that the 3 inch track retainer is quite small, but this is because with the wheel cover installed, you don't need a 6 inch track retainer. These sections could be built taller if the wheel cover idea is a bust, but this design is MUCH less expensive because of lack of waste in cutting. My other idea was to machine in a small cut that hugs a chain link tightly, so that you could have a chain or a cable holding the retainers together.

[MIteyMT]

[Stonewall]

That looks like an awesome track system, but I have a feeling that your side plates will turn into mud retainers...unless you put covers in the wheels before adding the plates...another thing is if the tracks sit over the plates, you would have to take the whole system off were you to have a flat tire.

I'd buy a set if you can get the price to about $600

[mudbug3]

I'd say build a track design and then run it in swamp conditions like we run through in east Texas that has a big swamp with thick mud, limbs, logs, and swamp grass and then see how it will perform. Like Stonewall posted , the side plates will probably retain a lot of mud and this will put a lot of added stress onto your tracks. This will also make a machine a lot harder to steer and also cause additional fatique onto the attachments that hold the UHMW lugs onto the converyor belt.

[MIteyMT]

I think you are right about the mud trap. I am going to redraw today with your suggestion, and figure out the wheel cover idea a bit better. UHMW is VERY low friction, however, there would be some wear over time on the rotating sidewall against the stationary cover. I wheel cover will take care of that, protecting the tire. As far as the flat tire issue, I think I have an idea that will make swapping the tire no worse than any other track rig.

As for 600 dollars, I think I could get the materials to make UHMW tracks, no wheel covers, for around that much, but I need to find somebody that does CNC router work, or it will end up being an extremely labor intensive DIY project. I would appreciate leads on that, and leads on cheaper UHMW. Right now an 8x8 will require 2 48"x120" sheets of 3/4" reprocessed UHMW, that retail for $575 each. Add $100 for the conveyor belt, and then keep in mind that the hardware and angle stock are not going to be free, and you can see, we are not quite there yet, but getting there.

I have 2 ideas in that respect. One is a cheap source for UHMW, and that is old bathroom/butchershop teardowns. Bathroom stalll doors are often made of 1" UHMW in terrible colors, but if anyone has acces to a bathroom teardown out of a walmart or something, that would help a lot. You may have to drive for a while to get the limmericks and hate propoganda to wear off! (Sheldon Jones is a ******, etc).
The other is less desirable, but I don't know that it would not work, and that is to build the sections out of 1/2" UHMW, and maybe replace the conveyor belt with 1/4" UHMW. This would be similar to the adair tracks. For this plan, I will call it "100% UHMW track", I have a plan to incorporate a chain, but without impregnating it into the UHMW, like the Adair tracks.

Stay tuned, let's get some affordable tracks!
NEEDS:
Wholesale UHMW or salvage UHMW
CNC router dudes
World renowned 6x6world smarts and teamwork!

Thanks

[MIteyMT]

Here is a deal on the material for someone near Marietta Square in Atlanta, Georgia. I would expect this to be 1". The color is white. I have emailed the guy for dimensions. Still searching for a CNC cutter

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/bfs/2523975511.html

[mightymaxIV]

Mitey, save your self all the time and money and buy a pair of proven mud and swimming tracks that has already been built, tested and has the bugs already worked out. Adair swimming tracks are absolutely awesome! Check out any of the videos I have alreay posted.

[MIteyMT]

Mitey, save your self all the time and money and buy a pair of proven mud and swimming tracks that has already been built, tested and has the bugs already worked out. Adair swimming tracks are absolutely awesome! Check out any of ther videos I have alreay posted.

I appreciate the input. However, I am on MEDEVAC duty in Afghanistan, so TIME is not at it's usual premium for me this year I don't see any harm in shooting for a more economic solution to tracks, and I have never seen anyone make an attempt at it with this type of material.

You can go on www.mosdal.com, and see some other things I have wasted my time on over the years.

I think it looks promising for people with more time than money. I have contacted several distributors today regarding factory seconds, blemished sheets, since they are just going to be cut up. I am also looking into just making a jig and using a router. Although very time consuming, if I can't find someone to cut the components, I may be forced into it.
I have some concerns about the width and shape of the track on the inboard side, and would appreciate specific measurements for UNEXTENDED aatvs from top of tire to body, and sidewall of tire to body. I also wonder if extensions could not be machined from the same material, utilizing longer studs (weight savings, and probably strong enough). Ultimately, if I have a run of these manufactured, I would like them to be in a shape that could be useful for MOST aatv folks (max, argo, attex, hustler). I think it could be nice to have a simple, reliable, AFFORDABLE track solution that never got more complicated then replacing a section of conveyor belt, or ordering up a box of precut track sections.

[hydromike]

I don't see any harm in shooting for a more economic solution to tracks, and I have never seen anyone make an attempt at it with this type of material.

Bravo. It's always more rewarding excercising the imagination over the wallet....

[Stonewall]

I wouldn't mind cuttin mine out from a pattern or jig to save $$$...

I was just thinking, I ride on alot of gravel to get from one muddy place to another; how well will this UHMW stuff hold up on gravel? It eats the crap out of our pickup tires.

On the note of CNC, my dad has been looking at CNC tables for his new shop for a while, and there is a possibility that he may purchase one this winter. If he does, I may be able use it to make your track design. (but there's only about a 20% chance of him getting one...)

[MIteyMT]

Well, I found my jobber. I got a hold of a guy in Michigan doing hotshot work like this, and i am pretty excited. I also googled and found a small app to export CAD drawings from Google Sketchup. Last night was the first time I ever used that sofware, and it sure makes a nice picture. All my sketchup drawings are to scale, so it takes out the guesswork, and is ready to go in the machine. What I am looking for the most is accurate measurements, design improvements. I know many of us will have troubles with a tall paddle, like an escargo track. I think I will install a thin abrasion strip of UHMW or LDPE riveted to the bottom side of my old sagging bodies. Give it some thought, and get it on the site, I am going from the drawing board to the prototype in the near future from the look of things. I am focusing more on just a good cheap track, and less on the wheel cover idea at present, I think

[mudbug3]

The Argo and deep tub , Hustler 980 bigfoot are both exellent machines to install tracks on because of the inner tub shape around the inside of the tires on both machines. Another good thing about these two machines is that you can run 25" inch tires and still have sufficent clearance to run tracks. The problem with all other machines is the clearance that you need between the tracks and the lower tub. On a Max II and Max IV you have to run 21" inch tires to install the tracks that Recreatives sells, and a 20" inch tire is the biggest tire that you can install on a Max 6x6 with Adair tracks ----> if you don't plan on modifying the lower tub for clearance. I really don't think you'd have a market for the older amphibs. You'll loose floation and really kill your swim speed if you run smaller tires and UHMW tracks.

[Stonewall]

So are you saying that these tracks wouldn't work well on my 950?

[MIteyMT]

The Argo and deep tub , Hustler 980 bigfoot are both exellent machines to install tracks on because of the inner tub shape around the inside of the tires on both machines. Another good thing about these two machines is that you can run 25" inch tires and still have sufficent clearance to run tracks. The problem with all other machines is the clearance that you need between the tracks and the lower tub. On a Max II and Max IV you have to run 21" inch tires to install the tracks that Recreatives sells, and a 20" inch tire is the biggest tire that you can install on a Max 6x6 with Adair tracks ----> if you don't plan on modifying the lower tub for clearance. I really don't think you'd have a market for the older amphibs. You'll loose floation and really kill your swim speed if you run smaller tires and UHMW tracks.

Well, I guess I better learn how to modify a tub. I would think it would include heat, and clamps. Went back to the drawing board. This is not it, but I am gonna think a little before I spend money on a prototype. Not really trying to market, as much as I am just trying to create opportunities. I know I have very little room on my old green argo, seems like less than an inch. If I was in America, I would measure my red argo, it is a splined axle affair circa 1990