My Senior design project - a "Swamp Thing" tracked vehicle clone

[Garauld]

FWIW, the tracks are going to be 14" wide.

 

[ArlyA]

FWIW, the tracks are going to be 14" wide.

You must be building them?

 

[Garauld]

Yes, I plan to build them from 5/16" conveyor belting. I have alligator lacing to stitch the strips together. I fired up the cad system tonight and cranked out a rough design of a possible cargo hold-down frame. The attached images show this and the engine hatch raised for access. I thought a pair of gas-assist cartridges would work well on keeping the hatch up.

 

[ArlyA]

Yes, I plan to build them from 5/16" conveyor belting. I have alligator lacing to stitch the strips together. I fired up the cad system tonight and cranked out a rough design of a possible cargo hold-down frame. The attached images show this and the engine hatch raised for access. I thought a pair of gas-assist cartridges would work well on keeping the hatch up.

View attachment 628831 View attachment 628832

Alligator stitching is not how the manufacturers do it. The ends overlapped and are bolted together with plates but I'll try get you some photos. It works very well and you can take the tracks off in just a few minutes. Bully uses a hydraulic cylinder to maintain track tension.

 

[ArlyA]

These photos will show how most manufacturers keep there tracks bolted together.. First one is the profile of the track belt clamp. 2nd is what the inside look like and one has its spacer. The clamps are made from aluminum and you can see the track side is ribbed for grip and have nicely rounded edges so as to not cut the belting. Do note that our tracks have two and three bolt clamps so you'll here see both styles here. The PB belting you see in the third photos shows the spacers that are found inside of all clamps. Lots and lots of them! Last one is the track clamp to take them apart or back together. The machines come with them.

 

[Garauld]

Thanks for the photos! How wide are the individual belts? Mine are 5" x 2 per side with a 4" gap.

 

[ArlyA]

Thanks for the photos! How wide are the individual belts? Mine are 5" x 2 per side with a 4" gap.

I did measure them but gee, I can't recall right now. The narrow belt is like 6" and total track width about 39".

 

[PILOON]

When I commented on weight I forgot it was to be tracked, thought wheels.

I once owned (wish I'd kept it) a tracked Wesmizerskinner tracked vehicle.
Was all VW based with aluminum cab, and wide tracks.
Dang thing could climb cliffs and do 40 MPH on the flats.
Problem was that it overheated easily as most baffles were long gone.

I gathered it was used in the alps to access alpine cottages.

While the concept was well thought some additional engineering, like zerks on shafts would have helped.
That dang thing could turn like a O turn mower.

I sold it as time was missing and I had no place to store it other than park under trees with a tarp.
Rust was the enemy.

 

[Garauld]

tracked Wesmizerskinner tracked vehicle

What kind of system did they use for steering it? Mine has brake steering.

I spent the last couple of days assembling the grab rails:

 

[airbiscuit]

Is that free light from Harbor Freight?