Hydrostatic ATV

[kubotakid USA]

Hi Keith, Ive done alota reading and reasearch on building a wcatv prototype. As usual in my shop, The cost of quality is the first thing I plug into a project, Most people dont come to me saying,..Moneys No Object, Just build it! Besides the challenge of working on limited funds makes life much more Intresting.. In my opinion the best machine for the buck, is a wheel machine. The track machine offers more ability to cross a creek/swamp,climb over down trees , And has a real (COOL) factor. IF you dont need those things mentioned, Track machines have more negatives than positives, especially on a limited budget, Ive never seen a low dollor set of tracks that didnt look like high maintence, and unrealiable, Not to mention, they suck alota horsepower at higher speeds. If your looking at mostly just cruzin 4 wheeler trails, I would strongly consider a modified zero turn mower chassie, with low pressure aggressive ATV tires, It will take you threw sum nasty stuff, And finding parts for a zero turn, New or Used, is pretty easy, even on the weekends, If you want a more terrian tough machine, like goin on 4 wheelin trips with your friends, Then the 4x4 machine will probably be worth the xtra investment, Ive got a pretty good Idea on a simple, 4x4 hydro set up that will be pretty easy to build, Lots of ways to go I know, Take your time and reasearch everything, Eric

 

[David Devuono]

This what you are looking for>

 

[Jay4200]

the unfortunate part about the Rip chair is that it is designed for someone with a low level disability compared to me. I'm not able to wheel a manual wheelchair, so I'm limited to an electric one. Which makes me in the chair about 600 pounds. Almost everything all-terrain out there is designed for low level disabilities.

I recommend retro-fitting your existing chair with 27" swamp-mudders all around, then trash the electric motor and stuff in a CRF450R engine. If nothing else, you'd turn a lot of heads and make quite the racket while cruising through the supermarket...

JayC

 

[kdlklm]

I recommend retro-fitting your existing chair with 27" swamp-mudders all around, then trash the electric motor and stuff in a CRF450R engine. If nothing else, you'd turn a lot of heads and make quite the racket while cruising through the supermarket...

JayC

my wife would be really impressed as well, me driving that in the house.

 

[kdlklm]

Hi Keith, Ive done alota reading and reasearch on building a wcatv prototype. As usual in my shop, The cost of quality is the first thing I plug into a project, Most people dont come to me saying,..Moneys No Object, Just build it! Besides the challenge of working on limited funds makes life much more Intresting.. In my opinion the best machine for the buck, is a wheel machine. The track machine offers more ability to cross a creek/swamp,climb over down trees , And has a real (COOL) factor. IF you dont need those things mentioned, Track machines have more negatives than positives, especially on a limited budget, Ive never seen a low dollor set of tracks that didnt look like high maintence, and unrealiable, Not to mention, they suck alota horsepower at higher speeds. If your looking at mostly just cruzin 4 wheeler trails, I would strongly consider a modified zero turn mower chassie, with low pressure aggressive ATV tires, It will take you threw sum nasty stuff, And finding parts for a zero turn, New or Used, is pretty easy, even on the weekends, If you want a more terrian tough machine, like goin on 4 wheelin trips with your friends, Then the 4x4 machine will probably be worth the xtra investment, Ive got a pretty good Idea on a simple, 4x4 hydro set up that will be pretty easy to build, Lots of ways to go I know, Take your time and reasearch everything, Eric

thanks for your input, I did research the track system, and I don't want to build one myself. And I called about 20 different companies that make them. And none of them would meet my needs. They're either too big or too small. So I'm going with the tire machine.

I do have a hydraulic set up that I have been working on, with a hydraulics company. I'm going to post those results for some feedback. But I'm pretty happy with what they've come up with and it's a price that I can live with as well.

I don't want to go with the zero turn system for doing off-road it. Because if you ever get it loose dirt or mud and have to back up, you're pretty much screwed. I have a zero turn lawnmower and it's not very good in dirt. My chair is also a zero turn and it will go pretty good as long as you don't have to stop or backup. The four-wheel-drive system is only going to cost me about $500-$600 more. I'm probably going to have close to $10,000 into it anyway. I'm fortunate enough to be able to get almost all the labor done for free so that would probably be half the cost as well.

 

[kdlklm]

Here are some photos of the new design, for the front-end. It has a lowering floor rather than a kneeling system. I like it better. Just looking for some feedback.

 

[aczlan]

Here are some photos of the new design, for the front-end. It has a lowering floor rather than a kneeling system. I like it better. Just looking for some feedback.

I think that a system where you have a sloping ramp/floor and/or a ramp that folds down would be better. Less moving parts, you could have a way to easily pin it up to take the load off of the rams and if the rams spring a leak, you can drive backwards and drag the tail to get home (instead of having a blade like edge that will catch on everything).

Aaron Z

 

[kubotakid USA]

Here are some photos of the new design, for the front-end. It has a lowering floor rather than a kneeling system. I like it better. Just looking for some feedback.

I like the concept, but I think the frame will crack/break, right where the base end of the cylinder is attached,.I like the orignal design ,..the one made in sweeden, the kneeling system looks simple, strong , and you dont have to worry about mudd getting in the joint, at the floor and frame, also I remember seeing a cad drawing you did incorporating the ramp with the kneeling system and thought That would work good, I wish I could find a cad program that my brain could get. :laughing: Iam intrested in seeing the system your getting designed looks like, Hopefully its simple, Eric

 

[kdlklm]

I tried every approach I could think of, using a ramp. To make the ramp slope adequate, the front-end have to lower at least 6 to 8 inches. There is 12 inches ground clearance underneath.

 

[kubotakid USA]

I tried every approach I could think of, using a ramp. To make the ramp slope adequate, the front-end have to lower at least 6 to 8 inches. There is 12 inches ground clearance underneath.

Keith I dont see anything wrong with the orignal design, Ive studied the pics on your first post, and I Like It, I cant see any reason for changing a proven design, Eric

 

[aczlan]

I tried every approach I could think of, using a ramp. To make the ramp slope adequate, the front-end have to lower at least 6 to 8 inches. There is 12 inches ground clearance underneath.

How long is the drivers compartment? What if you had the "floor" hinged at the end and drop ~6" over its length and had a ramp off of that (as seen in the attached drawing)


Aaron Z

 

[kdlklm]

Keith I dont see anything wrong with the orignal design, Ive studied the pics on your first post, and I Like It, I cant see any reason for changing a proven design, Eric

the problem with proven design, is that I don't know exactly how it was built. I've never seen any photos of the machine without one of the tires on.

 

[kdlklm]

How long is the drivers compartment? What if you had the "floor" hinged at the end and drop ~6" over its length and had a ramp off of that (as seen in the attached drawing)
View attachment 208827

Aaron Z

that is a really good idea, the inside of the box where the chair parks is 54 inches deep. The only concern I have with that, is that the hydraulic Rams will have to hold the weight all the time. When the machine is operating. I could reduce my ground clearance a couple inches. But I will definitely have to put some thought into this.

That's why I love posting here, there's some very creative people. Thanks for the illustration.

 

[kubotakid USA]

the problem with proven design, is that I don't know exactly how it was built. I've never seen any photos of the machine without one of the tires on.

OK, Well if thats a problem for you, I wont try and push the pros of it, Ive built that type of axle before. I see flaws in your false floor design, but, if your more comfortable with that design, go ahead with it, Eric

 

[aczlan]

that is a really good idea, the inside of the box where the chair parks is 54 inches deep. The only concern I have with that, is that the hydraulic Rams will have to hold the weight all the time. When the machine is operating. I could reduce my ground clearance a couple inches. But I will definitely have to put some thought into this.

I didn't put this in before, but I would highly recommend a backup way to hold up the ramp. I have added a latching system to the drawing I made before. The idea is that the drop down gate would latch much like the swinging door on a dumpster. That way the pressure is taken off of the hydraulics during normal operation.
I wasn't able to put the latches (L shaped pieces) in place because I was working with Paint not Visio, but they sit so that they hold the round bars (which stick out from the side of the gate) onto the piece that sticks out..

I might attach the linkage to pull up on the gate differently now, but that is the general idea.

Aaron Z

 

[kdlklm]

I didn't put this in before, but I would highly recommend a backup way to hold up the ramp. I have added a latching system to the drawing I made before. The idea is that the drop down gate would latch much like the swinging door on a dumpster. That way the pressure is taken off of the hydraulics during normal operation.
I wasn't able to put the latches (L shaped pieces) in place because I was working with Paint not Visio, but they sit so that they hold the round bars (which stick out from the side of the gate) onto the piece that sticks out..
View attachment 208932
I might attach the linkage to pull up on the gate differently now, but that is the general idea.

Aaron Z

I put together the hinged floor, I haven't done anything for the ramp yet. But it is a 6 degree slope. Not too bad. Here are a few photos

 

[kdlklm]

OK, Well if thats a problem for you, I wont try and push the pros of it, Ive built that type of axle before. I see flaws in your false floor design, but, if your more comfortable with that design, go ahead with it, Eric

I don't disagree that there is a flaw in my design, where the RAM is, is definitely a weak point. I would have to come up with a way to make that stronger. Do you have any photos of that axle system that you built before.

 

[aczlan]

I don't disagree that there is a flaw in my design, where the RAM is, is definitely a weak point. I would have to come up with a way to make that stronger. Do you have any photos of that axle system that you built before.

The weak point I see would be that you have 2 sides with motors mounted and no side support to keep them from flexing inwards or from doing a split.
I think that a swing arm axle like Iplayfarmer posted with a mechanical latch to keep it upright would be a better system. Less possibility for the box to get bent when stressed.

One other thing that you might want to think of, how will you strap your chair in? Given how heavy a powered chair is, I would suggest a system to latch it in separately from yourself. That way if you end up sideways it isnt pushing you down onto the seatbelt and cutting you in half with that.

Aaron Z

 

[kdlklm]

The weak point I see would be that you have 2 sides with motors mounted and no side support to keep them from flexing inwards or from doing a split.
I think that a swing arm axle like Iplayfarmer posted with a mechanical latch to keep it upright would be a better system. Less possibility for the box to get bent when stressed.

One other thing that you might want to think of, how will you strap your chair in? Given how heavy a powered chair is, I would suggest a system to latch it in separately from yourself. That way if you end up sideways it isnt pushing you down onto the seatbelt and cutting you in half with that.

Aaron Z

where would you suggest putting in the hydraulic Rams to lift it, on this particular design.

 

[aczlan]

where would you suggest putting in the hydraulic Rams to lift it, on this particular design.

See my drawing below:


Aaron Z