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

[Garauld]

I spent a good deal of time the last few days working on the gas tank and battery area. The tank came out nice but was a PITA.

 

[Garauld]

I got the cargo frame section that covers the gas tank and battery box all welded up. The temporary plywood panel defines the electronics area where I plan to mount the ECM, fuse/relay panel and junction box.



Here's some current CAD layouts that I've been updating. I thought I may place some aluminum tool/storage boxes in the rear unassigned cargo zones. Any other ideas out there? The frame covering the engine has a piano hinge in the front - I plan to mount a couple gas lift supports on it. The radiator fan will be reversed to push air out the rear and suck it in thru the two louvered side panels.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Two thoughts. Your "A" pillars in your drawings are to wide for good visibility and the piano hinge might not be robust enough for the engine cover.

 

[Garauld]

The steel piano hinge will be 30" wide and the engine cover frame & fascia will be aluminum. Still think it is not robust enough?

 

[Garauld]

I will look into making the front window wider. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[ArlyA]

On snow machines like this, visibility is paramount. Maybe this applies to swamp machines as well?? I'd make all windows as large as possible.

Seems your piano hinge would be easy enough to change, if its fails. Thanks for posting your project.

I will look into making the front window wider. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[pmsmechanic]

The steel piano hinge will be 30" wide and the engine cover frame & fascia will be aluminum. Still think it is not robust enough?

I would say it depends on what size you use. It would also depend on whether the cover fits into a "pocket" to hold it secure while traveling over bumps etc. If the piano hinge is the only thing that's holding the cover in place then I don't think it's robust enough. I could be wrong. I'm just throwing out what I think.

 

[Garauld]

...then I don't think it's robust enough.

I guess we'll find out during the testing phase.

 

[Fallon]

I would say it depends on what size you use. It would also depend on whether the cover fits into a "pocket" to hold it secure while traveling over bumps etc. If the piano hinge is the only thing that's holding the cover in place then I don't think it's robust enough. I could be wrong. I'm just throwing out what I think.

Ya, youd need a pretty beefy hinge if it was the only support. But if the hood is sitting on the frame or supports when closed & appropriately latched the hinge wont see that much load.

 

[John_Mc]

Sorry if you've already mentioned this, but are you going to have a mount point in front where you could add a snow plow?

 

[Garauld]

I don't have plans to add a plow although the front bumper brackets are made from 3/8" plate. I may add a 60" snowblower however. I have an underutilized 20hp Onan 2-cyl engine in my shed. I thought it may be possible to mount it on a frame that plugs into the rear trailer receiver. I could then use a vari-drive pulley setup similar to a snowmobile drive to turn a driveshaft mounted in pillow blocks under the tub frame. The shaft would power the front-mounted snowblower unit. Nothing has been drawn up in Cad at this point. I want to get Snowzer running around the yard first.

 

[Garauld]

I spent the last couple of days connecting the original Echo wiring harness back up to the engine, fuel pump and battery to see if I could get it to turn over. Yes, it did, so I guess it should start (assuming I reassembled it properly) when I push it outside once the weather gets a bit warmer. I'll start dissecting the harness to remove superfluous wiring and keep working on the cab frame in the meantime. I wish I could figure out how to remove the sockets from the connector housings. I bought a special toolkit off EBay that should help with that. Does anyone have a trick on how to do it?

 

[MossRoad]

I spent the last couple of days connecting the original Echo wiring harness back up to the engine, fuel pump and battery to see if I could get it to turn over. Yes, it did, so I guess it should start (assuming I reassembled it properly) when I push it outside once the weather gets a bit warmer. I'll start dissecting the harness to remove superfluous wiring and keep working on the cab frame in the meantime. I wish I could figure out how to remove the sockets from the connector housings. I bought a special toolkit off EBay that should help with that. Does anyone have a trick on how to do it?

View attachment 592327

With the wires all over the place, it now resembles most of my projects just before I give up. :laughing:

But seriously, looking good and enjoying your progress. :thumbsup:

 

[Dave M7040]

The steel piano hinge will be 30" wide and the engine cover frame & fascia will be aluminum. Still think it is not robust enough?

Some doors on schools and institutional buildings are piano style. They support very heavy doors so if the item you are going to use does not stand up there are products which will.

Dave M7040

 

[The Fred]

Couple of thoughts,

Cab frame rugged enough to protect you during a rollover?
Radiator fan pulling hot air into the engine compartment or out so cool air will come in and evacuate the heat off the engine, fuel tank area?
Have you considered using the stock vapor canister for the gas tank? Not much worse than smelling raw gas during a nice ride.

Those connectors are a PITA, I have plenty of the special tools but still they are quite miserable to deal with. I use a pair of 300 magnifier readers and a bright light too, taking apart those things is like trying to pick a lock.

Looks nice!

 

[Garauld]

Cab frame rugged enough to protect you during a rollover?

-> Probably. The c.g. is pretty low and it would be tough to roll it.

Radiator fan pulling hot air into the engine compartment or out so cool air will come in and evacuate the heat off the engine, fuel tank area?

-> if you look at the cad images a page back or so, you would see the louvered panels near the rear of cab on each side - they are air intakes. The rear engine fan will be reversed to push the air out the rear.

Have you considered using the stock vapor canister for the gas tank? Not much worse than smelling raw gas during a nice ride.

-> I have not considered using it. The gas cap is vented and the tank is sealed. Where would the vapors come from?

 

[KubotainNH]

Cool build. Looking forward to seeing more.

 

[The Fred]

The gas cap is vented and the tank is sealed. Where would the vapors come from?

Place a gas can in your garage tonight and leave the cap cracked, in the morning after your wife ******* you out think about utilizing at the very least a charcoal canister.

Things you think are minute are easier addressed now during the building stage. Like the wiring you want to delete, it might be ok to leave some of that in case you decide to use that part of the system later. Case in point the charcoal cannister, purge valve and vent valve; they are all there for a reason just like the catalyst.

A clean running auto engine with a catalyst emits 90% less unburned hydrocarbons than a new push lawnmower.


Regards, Fred

 

[John_Mc]

The gas cap is vented and the tank is sealed. Where would the vapors come from?

Place a gas can in your garage tonight and leave the cap cracked, in the morning after your wife ******* you out think about utilizing at the very least a charcoal canister.

Things you think are minute are easier addressed now during the building stage. Like the wiring you want to delete, it might be ok to leave some of that in case you decide to use that part of the system later. Case in point the charcoal cannister, purge valve and vent valve; they are all there for a reason just like the catalyst.

A clean running auto engine with a catalyst emits 90% less unburned hydrocarbons than a new push lawnmower.


Regards, Fred

How is this any different than the lawnmower, motorcycle, ATV, or generator in my various garage/workshops? All of them are simple vented caps. My wife has never mentioned a thing about fumes from them.

 

[ArlyA]

John, I'll agree with you. From looking at Garauld's photos and prints, it appears the fuel tank is in a separate compartment from the people.

How is this any different than the lawnmower, motorcycle, ATV, or generator in my various garage/workshops? All of them are simple vented caps. My wife has never mentioned a thing about fumes from them.