Another Mini-Dozer

[plumbstraight]

You might consider using some guides to keep the track centered. Having sprockets on both ends there cannot be any slippage on the front idler.
You have put a lot of work into the tracks and they look wonderful. I wonder if it wouldn't have been better to just have gone down and bought some conveyer chain as it comes in all guages and widths and sprockets are available for any of them. would have just been the process of making the pads to fit the chain.
I have ran all sizes of dozers from a 40C which I own along with a 350C to an D11 Cat. All have some sort of spring except the high sprocket systems. I guess the weight of the track off the high sprocket to the front idler is enough to hold tension as well as give enough slack as needed.
Good luck with your project, is fun to tinker.

 

[marklund]

Thanks for your reply. You might try to make a magnet mount for your video camera to really see what is going on. I suspect that the track is not hitting the notch in a place or two.
I'm sorry about your health issues, hopefully your doctors can offer a solution.

 

[Camdigger]

Sir, I have just read through the thread,Now that's a project,:thumbsup: your skills as a welder and fabricator are awesome, I also would like to see a video. Now I've retired maybe this would be a good project for me as well as She who must be obeyed will not let me buy a small dozer. Can anyone tell me where I can get build plans? I also hope your new doctor can sort your legs out. After reading what has happened to you my aches and pains are trivial. All the best and god bless. Kerry.

PM me if you want a copy of the Struck plans. They're old enough they're off patent protecetion, but may yet be copyrighted.

 

[Camdigger]

Sadly, I was down all summer with my bleeding feet and ankle problems (if you havn't read about it yet, keep reading). I haven't been able to see how well it pushes dirt because I am still working out a few problems. My daughters have been too busy to come by and help me with more test drives. I finally was able to get my wife to help me. She observed while I drove. It seemed that the left track would, in the course of a revolution, ride up on the sprocket as if it was trying to come off but then would, all of a sudden, snap back on again. I figure it might be something as simple as not having the tension springs equally tightened. If any one has any other ideas please post them. :anyone: Thanks in advance !

Is it possible there is an alignment problem? The tendency of the track to climb the edge of the sprocket might be solved by tapering (slightly) the sides of the sprocket teeth. Commercially made sprockets are not generally squaare cut, but have a "lead in" radius to help guide the chain onto the sprocket.

The "climbing" issue could also be a function of the track chain tension. A little more tension may help.

I know this is wayyy late, but in some of my research, I found that Struck did not use standard profile VEE belts on the belt driving the counter rotating shafts. They used a hex cross section belt specifically designed to drive standard pulleys from either side. They are common on older combines back in the grain sieve section. I bought mine from a local transmission supply house. They are big $ compared to a standard section belt . IIRC the84" or so HH section belt I bought was +/- $60 CDN.


Hope you are doing OK with the skin thing. Being robbed of your health and mobility sucks for most of us who aren't true couch potatoes.

 

[Marcle]

I have finished installing the additional bogey wheels which I had mentioned in my 2nd from last post. This should take the sag out of the track and relieve some of the stress on the individual links. I had posted my project on a welders web sight and one of the members spotted a problem, which, luckily, I was able to easily correct. He noticed that I had installed the engine-to-jackshaft idler pulley in the wrong location. Since the engine rotates CCW, the idler pulley should be on the return or slack side which in this case, is the bottom side not the top. If all goes well, I should be able to post a video of it in action soon.

Idlers.... I had the same set-up on a Rotavator/Tiller. The machine used to destroy belts in no time at all, even though the 'idler' was mounted on the 'slack' side. What I did in the end, was to mount the motor on some sliding rails to do away with the idler which forced the belt in to an non-natural position (breaking its back comes to mind). Since fitting the sliders, I'm very pleased to say its no longer eating the belts. The sliding motion is controlled by some rods to an old handbrake lever, so the ratchet on the handbrake mechanism holds the motor in position to give drive. I would post a photo, but but friend has 'borrowed' my machine..... so not available.

 

[Marcle]

Re Linear Actuators.

I fabricated a 3pt linkage type arrangement on the back of my garden mower to attach my rotovator/tiller on. Unfortunately it would lower fine, but struggled to lift. What I did to solve the issue was to fit a pair of large pull springs (I think they were originally used on 'up-and-over' garage doors to counteract the weight). These counteracted the weight of the attachments, so that all the linear actuator was 'position' the attachment at the desired height. This may not look as good as having just the actuator, but it does solve the issue.

 

[tundra2011]

its cool .would like to build one myself.any one have blue prints.

 

[Camdigger]

its cool .would like to build one myself.any one have blue prints.

PM me an email....

 

[tundra2011]

this is my email. tundra20112011@hotmail.com .

 

[semcx]

Hello Camdigger can I also get a copy of the blue prints of the mini dozer? Sounds like a great winter project. semcx@yahoo.com Thanks