compact track undercarriages?

superfly611 · Jun 6, 2012

I'm looking for a small track undercarriage that I can put hydrostatic motors on. I'm looking for tracks about the size of a toro dingo. I know some of you might say just buy a used dingo but the cheapest I've seen is $6000. what I'm trying to do is make a remote control lawnmower. For now we created a small tracked robot to pull my flail mower with. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ-NyZ5kw50]Track Robot with Flail Mower - YouTube[/ame]
I know the hitch set up is incorrect and that's why it does wheelies. we were trying to make it like a gooseneck hitch or fifth wheel. I know the way hitches are set up on tractors and such they are below the wheels center. A little bit of trial and error is what it takes sometimes.. my goal is to create something like the robogreen by energreen [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb_vGVK1d10]ENERGREEN presents ROBOGREEN: Remote Controlled Slope Mower - YouTube[/ame]
or the lynex lx 1000 [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YI_K0OWDtE]Introducing the new Lynex LX 1000 - YouTube[/ame]
can someone point me in the right direction to find some undercarriages?

thanks in advance

aczlan · Jun 6, 2012

I realize that you are looking at tracks, but what if you got a hydro walk behind zeroturn such as: 52 inch Exmark Hydro Walk behind
and replaced the deck with your flail deck (modifying the front forks to fit the flail under them).
A hydro walk behind in working order can be had for under $2000. If you really wanted to get fancy, you could setup a vertical jack-shaft going into a gearbox and a PTO shaft to power the flail from the gearbox.

Aaron Z

Zick · Jun 6, 2012

That small robot towing the flail mower is pretty sweet! Go any more information/pictures of it?

superfly611 · Jun 6, 2012

i will be posting more video and pictures soon.

superfly611 · Jun 6, 2012

aczlan i sort of need something that can go where there's adverse terrain but yet can still be used around the house. i would like to be able to snow blow and use a few other implements on it but thats later on down the road. those remote control mowers that i posted cost around $60000 +. i have a 3 cylinder Kubota diesel engine that i will use for the engine and i have various hydraulic components i can use. i would like to keep it close to the ground but yet have the clearance I need. A 3 to 4 foot track system would be great.
thanks for the suggestion though.

swick1 · Jun 6, 2012

Why cant you use a regular mini skid steer undercarriage? Tracks just sound like a complex solution to the problem. How about over the tire tracks?

superfly611 · Jun 7, 2012

I'm not sure how the over the tire tracks would do on my lawn. The way it looks to me the tracks like the Toro dingo won't dig into the ground when turning as much as the over the tire tracks. They have some tread on them but not so much as to scuff the lawn. I know with any skid Steer your going to have some scuffing but if the machine is light enough and the tracks not too aggressive it should be fine. With over the tire tracks the track edges are more abrupt. Does anyone have experience with them and think the same? Also, even mini skid steers are quite a bit expensive. My dad is retiring so I figured I'd give him something to do customizing my machine. LOL.
also anyone know of a mini skid steer for under $3500

Here is some more photos and video of the robot. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N1OzUWRIIo]Track Robot with Pull Behind Flail Mower - YouTube[/ame]

aczlan · Jun 7, 2012

superfly611 said:
aczlan i sort of need something that can go where there's adverse terrain but yet can still be used around the house. i would like to be able to snow blow and use a few other implements on it but thats later on down the road.

What kind of terrain are you thinking of (do you have any pictures)? It is amazing what a zero turn will go through with the right tires and weight on it.

Aaron Z

superfly611 · Jun 7, 2012

Aaron, i would like to be able to do around the house and around the edge of the fields by the woods. it can get wet by the woods. in a few spots i buried a bobcat 770 in one spot. i had a bush hog on it and i tried curling my way out but it was a no go. i did a demo of the radio control system on it and it was sweet. its a 9000lb machine so its heavy to be working in some of the areas i go and then when cutting around the house i'd be leaving ruts all over the lawn with that sort of weight i'm not sure how a mini skid steer will do in areas and slopes that i am on for the waterways around the fields. they are only wet in some areas but they are somewhat of a slope all the way around. anyway, have you used a mini wheeled skid steer and if so did you like it?

aczlan · Jun 7, 2012

superfly611 said:
Aaron, i would like to be able to do around the house and around the edge of the fields by the woods. it can get wet by the woods. in a few spots i buried a bobcat 770 in one spot. i had a bush hog on it and i tried curling my way out but it was a no go. i did a demo of the radio control system on it and it was sweet. its a 9000lb machine so its heavy to be working in some of the areas i go and then when cutting around the house i'd be leaving ruts all over the lawn with that sort of weight i'm not sure how a mini skid steer will do in areas and slopes that i am on for the waterways around the fields. they are only wet in some areas but they are somewhat of a slope all the way around. anyway, have you used a mini wheeled skid steer and if so did you like it?

Never used a mini wheeled skidsteer. I have used a full sized skidsteer, tractors, backhoes, front mount mowers, several commercial zero turns (both the ride on and walk behind type).

Which version of the 770 did you get stuck? It looks like there are wheeled and tracked versions.
Most zero turns are light enough and have big enough tires to get through places where a wheeled skidsteer would sink (a 72" Exmark Lazer Z S series with a 72" deck for example is ~1200#).
If you took one of those (such as this one), replaced the seat with a 5 gallon hydrualic tank and a oil cooler, replaced the drivers foot area with an arch for a flail mower to go under and put a pump/motor in to power the flail off of the deck PTO belt you could probably put it together for a decent price.
If you have a good motor, that broadens your options for mowers as you can find one with a bad engine and/or deck.

Aaron Z