homemade bobcat/skidsteer

[welder_kid_6]

:hi guys im looking at building a bobcat/skidsteer. i have been thinking something along the lines like this . two rear car diff's linked together with a sprocket welded on the bar that links the 2 diff's together. a 4 cyl engine mounted backwards on the back with a sprocket welded on the end of the gear box. a chain will link the engine and gearbox to the diff's. it will turn by braking one side of each diff.

dose this sound good or what??? got any idea's to make it better

the diff's with the wheels on them are about 5ft or 1500mm long are they to long to use???? should i try and shorten them?? if so how do i go about it??

what would be better to use a manule (spelling???) or auto gear box??
if the man gear box i would have to use clutch try and turn and use the bucket all at the same time and all that sounds a bit hard so what would be better???

this would just be the base bit then i would and the FEL bit and so on so any idea's would be great and i have like 10 cars to get bits off thanks john

 

[Taylortractornut]

Theres a man on Machinebuilders.net that has built such a skid steer. Think his Name was Nobull And DitchWitch also used this type in an old trencher. the thing about the brakes is when you stop onside of your differential the makes the other side go 2 times faster. I helped a friend build a carried out of 2 3/4 ton truck rears. You also have to flip one axle upside down to make the wheels run the right way. We built the carrier out of a channel framer and bolted the axles to it and bolted the the drive sprocketbetween the 2 halves of remaining u joints. It was short a about 10 feet over all with a 290 six cylinder engine to run run it with a manual transmission. Built to haul logs and dirt it turned super violently lol. The brake adjustment was pretty easy they put 2 clutch master cylinders with levers on it to work the brakes.

 

[welder_kid_6]

so ur say it would work?? i no i have to flip the diff to make the wheels go the right way

 

[Travelover]

Go for it. Even if it doesn't work exactly as planned, you will learn a lot.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Had another friend that saw our old rock hauler and made a small one out of a set of mail jeep axles. I got titckled when he first started it and the tireas all ran towards or away from each other. I told hime it would make a **** of a tire tester. The man that eneded up with the original carrier mines sland scaping stone with it. Hes aso used several sets of tire chains weded together to make a set of tracks for mud. I havent seen it in several years though. I thoght about building one with a hydrostatic transmission I have and a 90 HP engine all out of a road broom I bought.

 

[welder_kid_6]

sweet but do you think my diff's are a bit long??? should i try and shorten them?? if so how do i go about it???

and the gear box auto or manual??? im thinking auto because there will be no clutch

 

[Travelover]

Shortening an axle is no small trick as the inner shaft is heat treated and precisely machined. I'd start with axles that I didn't need to shorten. I'd also use an automatic transmission with a good fluid cooler.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Here is an old thread about a homebuilt skidsteer. His use of hydraulic drive motors is much better suited to skid-steering than your differential - brake plan. It will need hydraulics anyhow so the incremental cost is not too great.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/39418-home-built-skid-loader.html

 

[Renze]

If you havent bought an engine yet: Get a transaxle and engine of a front wheel driven car.
This way you have a very compact build, because of the transverse mounting of engine and transmission.

Shortening two driveshafts would be easier than to chop down a rigid axle. Then you can mount the shafts to a chain drive box that connects front and rear wheels.

An automatic transmission is best, because an automobile clutch isnt up to the job, and it will be a pain in the ***** if you also use steering brakes, and you will come a hand short when operating steering brakes, clutch, brakes, throttle, boom lift and tilt at the same time.

 

[Groo]

I've heard of, but never seen; people using a 2wd with big narow tractor tires around the original tires (front and rear 1 tractor tire) to make rubber tracks.
might be a way to get away with only 1 drive axle. I dont think an upside down drive would live long. no oil to the pinion bearing. I'd also get the heaviest duty axle I could, because the diferential is going to take a beating.

a better solution would be hydraulic drives. maybe an old hilo would be a source.