Homemade Amphibious Tracked Vehicle

[pinestumps]

Hello.

Inspired by the homemade Russian tracked vehicles I decided to have a crack at one myself. While it has its faults, it is by far the most powerful and versatile vehicle I have built so far .

https://youtu.be/Fc8Klc9amI0

[dirtdobber]

That is cool!! You must tell us more, engine, transmission, etc.

[tbone9]

Nice rig. Thanks for sharing it with us. I agree, tell us more. Welcome to the site. We’re always happy to have new members.

[Noel Woods]

Very impressive! Sprocket drive, looks like a torsion bar suspension? What about powertrain? Would like to see a walk-around video of this remarkable machine. I do see the Eastern-block influence, but those guys have the terrain demands to build the machines we see from there. Most use some form of the suspension you almost have, developed by Walter Christy in the late 1920s and perfected in tens of thousands of T-34 tanks during WW2. Your tracks even look similar to a T-34s.

OK, found your walk-around video:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_XKTCFOx3bA?ecver

I agree that an automatic transmission gets you a neater package that is probably more usable. I would also suggest a hydraulic booster for the brakes, it will perform much better and your steering effort will improve dramatically. You could just find a wrecked front drive automatic car, and splice in the thing along with cv joints and have everything inside the tub for protection as well. The Toyota motor is bullet proof. You could easily get away with a smaller radiator with electric fan, tap into the lines and put a heater in there as well. You have plenty of room for mods. Excellent build so far.

[Noel Woods]

https://www.youtube.com/embed/SZI0KqQQATY?ecver

[John8x8hdi]

Wow that's really nice! What's the body made of aluminum?

[JoeMeg]

Very nice!!!

[john swenson]

great job !! just like many off the ones those wizard russian guys build . johnboy va.

[pinestumps]

Thanks guys. Yeah those russians really know how to build tracked vehicles. Second after them has to be Canadians or Swedes!



I'll try out the brake boosters and see if those help.

[john swenson]

i've seen the videos of the ones that have the same track design as yours..with the metal grousers and the '' u '' shaped guides. how did you bend all those guides ? also the wheel rim with the welded on '' track sprockets '' to pull the tracks. j.b.

[pinestumps]

Yeah I copied the track design from the "Zhuk" or "Beetle" vehicles built in a fellows garage in Novosibirsk, really high class work. The crimped tube crossmember goes as far back to 2010 from a guy in Chelyabinsk I remember (thanks Internet).


I built a bender out of scrap to bend the round stock guides. I will try to get a picture of it tomorrow.

Aha here is their website , I knew I had it bookmarked!

[snackmaster]

Can I have it?

[pinestumps]

[onlyonce]

Really appreciate you posting the results of all your hard work. Please keep it coming.

[pinestumps]

No prob