Swamp vehicles are vehicles that are characterized by a high degree of cross-country ability. These cars are able to move where there are no roads at all and where a person cannot pass without special transport. Swamp vehicles cope well with this serious task, which is why hunters, fishermen and tourists are interested in them to see and admire untouched nature.
You can find some factory-made models on the market. Unfortunately, such products are not cheap. In addition, they do not satisfy most buyers with their characteristics. In this regard, some hobbyists make them themselves. Even the fact that this is not an easy task stops them. Without certain knowledge and skills, especially for the first time, it is unlikely that you will get a working copy.
As a rule, novice fishermen are not interested in this aspect, but experienced fishermen, who will not be surprised by anything, will certainly be interested in this machine. The presence of a swamp vehicle allows you to solve a lot of problems. For example:
- Overcoming impassable areas. After all, there are more fish where no human has gone before.
- Searching for new fishing areas.
- Fishing trips where there are no normal roads. This is very important in conditions where the weather does not pamper vacationers with sunny days, but rains heavily.
What is better, buy a swamp vehicle or make it yourself?
People who have enough money don’t think twice and buy whatever they see fit. As a rule, their interest is concentrated on making money. Those who do not have much money are thinking about making it themselves: in any case, the machine will cost much less. In addition, such people have a genuine interest in the manufacturing process itself. But this does not mean that everyone can do it. Despite this, self-production has its advantages: it is quite possible that you will be able to assemble exactly the machine that is needed. Most fishermen prefer small-sized devices, which cannot be said about factory products that cannot satisfy all customers. They are either too big or too wasteful.
If you decide to independently produce this type of transport, you will have to face some difficulties. For example:
- Automotive knowledge required.
- You must be able to work with many plumbing tools and equipment.
- You need to be prepared for the fact that this will take a lot of time and you shouldn’t expect that you will get a good car the first time.
- In addition to time, other costs will be required, including money.
- At the initial stage, it would be good to study some options for manufacturing such machines in order to decide which option is more suitable.
The process of making a swamp vehicle with your own hands
Regardless of the chosen version of the machine, the technological stages of manufacturing have a certain standard and are suitable for the manufacturing process of any type of similar product. The following stages are distinguished:
- Selecting the type of product and providing it with working drawings. If you have no experience in such work, it is better to entrust this work to a professional. Any inaccuracies in the drawings will negate all the work.
- Choosing the main frame for a swamp vehicle. There are many options when a motorcycle, car or other homemade structure is used as a frame. As a rule, amateurs try to use what is at hand. This approach saves both money and time.
- Making or using a suitable, ready-made pendant. Despite the fact that using a ready-made pendant saves a lot of time, making a pendant yourself has its advantages. In this case, it will be possible to create a device that will meet all the requirements for cross-country ability and comfort.
- Installation of wheels that are installed on the rear axle. Basically, metal hubs are used for this. The best option is to use low pressure chambers, which can be borrowed from large trucks or their trailers. This approach will increase not only the safety of off-road vehicle movement, but will also increase the degree of controllability of the product in such extreme conditions. The use of tracks instead of wheels is accompanied by prohibitive complexity in the process of their installation. They are difficult not only to make, but also to get.
- Engine mount. This stage is accompanied by the installation of the engine cooling system, as well as the installation of other additional systems related to exhaust gas removal, the clutch system, housing installation and on-board electrical wiring, without which the headlights and interior lighting will not work.
- At the final stage, you will have to start the engine and test the swamp vehicle, which will allow you to assess the degree of correctness of its assembly and confirm all the calculated characteristics. If any defects are found, they should be corrected immediately, since the safety of the device must come first.
Engine selection
The main characteristics of the product will depend on the choice of engine. As they say, you can squeeze in any suitable engine, but it is better to pay attention to its power, since swamp vehicles operate under heavy loads and for a long time.
In conditions of independent production of swamp vehicles, it is possible to use:
- Motorcycle engines. In fact, this is not the best option, since you will have to take care of good engine cooling. In addition, motorcycle engines do not have enough power. If we get a device, it will be too weak.
- Engine from a car. The issue of using an air-cooled engine from a ZAZ car is especially relevant. These are engines that have all the necessary characteristics for the manufacture of a swamp vehicle. As practice has shown, they are trouble-free at both high and low temperatures.
- Other engines from domestic cars are also suitable, although many of them are not air-cooled, which makes their use difficult.
- Engine from walk-behind tractor. This option is also considered promising. Quite often, hobbyists use parts from tractors, as well as from other engines.
Chassis
As stated earlier, making your own chassis should be a priority. But everything is not so simple here, since you will have to pay attention to the following:
- The quality of the suspension will affect the final result in terms of ride comfort and cross-country ability. This will be felt by both the vehicle owner and passengers.
- Various drawings and diagrams will help you make a pendant, which indicate all the materials for manufacturing, such as pipes, angles, channels, etc. For manufacturing, you should use only durable steel, which will allow your homemade device to last for at least 20-30 years.
- The frame design can be either coupling or articulated. The second option is more difficult to implement, but the swamp vehicle can gain additional cross-country capabilities.
Track or low pressure tires
The design of the swamp vehicle can be implemented either on tracks or on pneumatic drive. Each type is characterized by its own data.
Homemade vehicles on tracks are found, but much less frequently, compared to pneumatics. This is due to the complexity of manufacturing. Despite this, the maneuverability of such devices is much higher, which deserves attention. The disadvantage is the fact that such engines require high fuel consumption. The difficulty of implementing such a project also lies in the fact that such running gears are practically not produced by factories, so you have to assemble all the parts by hand, and this is very expensive, both in time and money. Most likely, high costs also affect the production of such devices in factory conditions.
Our country occupies so much space on the world map that not all parts of it can be easily driven by a regular car. For example, in Russia there are so many swamps that sometimes it is simply necessary to have a real all-terrain vehicle. If you don’t want to buy such a machine and don’t know how to make a swamp vehicle with your own hands, then this article will definitely be of interest to you.
Which type is best to choose
Of course, every person tries to build a swamp rover that would fully correspond to his ideas about a good and reliable car. I want it to be economical, small, and reliable. But, unfortunately, it is quite difficult to find one on sale, so self-assembly is the best option. Today, the most popular all-terrain vehicles are tracked and have low-pressure pneumatic wheels.
Crawler or pneumatic - which is better?
Making caterpillar swamp vehicles with your own hands is quite simple. Such products have both advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages, first of all, it is worth highlighting the fact that they are very passable. Even the biggest swamp simply won’t stop them. However, it should be remembered that such swamp vehicles, created with your own hands, require automobile power units that require high fuel consumption. Also, not everyone can easily create well-passable tracks on their own. More common swamp vehicles are machines with low-pressure pneumatic wheels. They need simple and fairly cheap components. The disadvantage is the low level of comfort.
Where to start creating a swamp rover
First of all, choose what type of swamp rover you want to create. Of course, if you do not consider yourself an expert in this field, then it is better not to try to work immediately with tracked mechanisms, but to first try to assemble the device using pneumatics. Next, you need to decide in what conditions you are going to operate the machine. Think carefully about the unit of what load capacity and capacity you want to have for use. Only after this should you move on to creating sketches. They should indicate in general terms the layout where all the components, seats for the driver and passengers will be located.
Next step: engine selection
When you choose a motor (a swamp vehicle assembled with your own hands will be just a pile of garbage without it), you should take into account that not any of them is suitable for such a complex machine. First of all, pay attention to the fact that the engine is equipped with a forced cooling system, because all-terrain vehicles, as a rule, do not drive very fast, and conventional engines can overheat greatly. In addition, you need to understand that such a car must go where others cannot. Therefore, if you create swamp vehicles with your own hands, then choose motors with a large power reserve. If you are going to drive it all year round, it is better to choose a four-stroke engine.
Creating a chassis
Remember that in the chassis, if you assemble swamp vehicles with your own hands, you need to use independent wheel suspensions. Despite the fact that they are more technologically complex, these design elements help to add more comfort to both passengers and driver. Moreover, such suspensions will be simply irreplaceable if you are going to create a swamp vehicle based on pneumatic wheels with low pressure.
The frame can be selected in the form of a spatial structure. You can also choose to use either a solid frame or an articulated one. The latter is best used if you are planning to build tracked swamp vehicles with your own hands. However, such a design is considered very difficult to create.
The article was compiled based on materials from the site - link to source
All-wheel drive lightweight swamp vehicle, frame "fracture". A very light and passable karakat with an economical engine. The photo after the overhaul with painting, so to speak, brought it into divine shape and corrected a few things.
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This is before painting, so to speak, in the field
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Now a little about the design. The ZiD engine, single-cylinder, four-stroke, power, in my opinion, is only 3 l/s, seems to be intended for spinning an electric generator, I got a new one, so I started making it based on it. The Moskvichevskaya box, which I shortened. The engine and gearbox are connected through a homemade clutch made from the flywheel of a “humpbacked” Cossack, its basket and clutch, and the release clutch guide is homemade. The Zaporozhye disk had to be riveted to fit the spline part onto the input shaft of the Moskvich gearbox. A reduction gearbox is installed on the engine.
Rear drive
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About 600 km have already been covered on this caracate. Fuel consumption is about 1.5 liters per hour. If you noticed that the steering wheel is on the right, this was done because the cord used to start the engine came out from this side, and it’s more convenient to start it while standing on the frame with your right hand. Karkat is transported on a trailer, the trailer is from the Taiga farm. The wheels are removed before packing into the trailer and the caracat drives into the trailer under its own power on bare rims. It can be transported by any passenger car, it can be unloaded and assembled on site in about 20 minutes, there is a standard engine-driven compressor to inflate the wheels, the caracat is loaded with everything necessary and off-road.
Despite the fact that the caracat does not have mudguards, it does not splash with mud and water; in the worst case, only the swamp boots suffer from the mud. And even then only along forest ruts. The speed of movement is low, so nothing is thrown from the wheels in all directions, and in the swamps there is nothing else except grass and water, there is no dirt.
The all-terrain vehicle is more designed for traction; it travels freely through the swamp with a load of 500 kg (fish, driver, passenger) at a speed of about 8-10 km/h according to GPS. Which is completely fine. When the car is not loaded, you can drive faster, the empty speed is higher. And for severe cases, there is also a reduction gear, which makes it possible to load the vehicle to pull the UAZ out of the mud, or cross deep ravines. There are no differential locks on both axles, but there are separate front hydraulic brakes on the front axle, which makes it possible to brake a slipping wheel, thereby transferring torque to the other wheel. Such brakes are very helpful if a wheel falls through a “window” in a swamp.
Lightweight all-terrain vehicles with huge cameras are able to overcome severe off-road conditions that other types of off-road vehicles cannot traverse. Self-made vehicles of this type are simple, since they do not have a complex technical base, which is why they have won the recognition of most home craftsmen. Such equipment is especially in demand by residents of rural areas, where precipitation greatly reduces the quality of roads, as well as by lovers of hunting, fishing and extreme recreation.
Types of homemade all-terrain vehicles
Depending on the type of design and chassis, the following types of homemade all-terrain vehicles differ:
- Swamp boats. They have a simple design and are relatively cheap to manufacture. They are equipped with an outboard motor and allow you to move around shallow bodies of water.
- Crawler swamp vehicle allows you to drive through overgrown reservoirs, but is quite complex and expensive to manufacture, as it requires the attachment of a special type of tracks.
- All-terrain vehicle on low-pressure tires- the simplest and most promising type of swamp vehicle, the performance of which depends on the design and reliability of the tires.
Some homemade products later become serial models. This happened to which is now known throughout the world.
Types of homemade all-terrain vehicles with low pressure tires
Homemade all-terrain vehicles on low-pressure tires, having the same principle of off-road movement, may differ in type of design. There are the following main types of vehicles of this type:
1. Four-wheel drive karakat. In its design, it uses transmission and chassis elements from outdated types of passenger cars. It has all-wheel drive, a transfer case, and the adapted boat hull in its lower part and the tightness add buoyancy to the all-terrain vehicle. Designed to overcome swamps and swamps, capable of delivering cargo and people to inaccessible areas.
2. Tricycle on low pressure tires. It has a very simple design and can be made by almost any car enthusiast in a garage. The IZH Planet 3 motorcycle is often taken as the basis for such an all-terrain vehicle, due to its endurance and unpretentiousness.
3. Homemade karakat with SZD motorized stroller engine. Its peculiarity is that the engine is located not under the frame or gas tank, but under the seat or in the rear of the all-terrain vehicle’s frame. Chassis parts are traditionally taken from cars, and elements of motorcycles are used in the front part. Pipes, channels and angles are used to make the frame.
4. All-terrain vehicles with low-pressure tires based on passenger cars or ATVs. They are manufactured using ready-made main units by reworking the transmission and chassis, as well as equipping them with low-pressure tires.
How to make an all-terrain vehicle on low-pressure tires?
Work on manufacturing an all-terrain vehicle begins with drawing up an action plan, the full implementation of which means achieving the desired result. The following tips will help you save time and money:
- Availability of free time, allowing you to regularly carry out work on assembling the all-terrain vehicle. If it is absent, it is better not to start at all.
- Budget planning. Creating an all-terrain vehicle yourself allows you to save on purchasing a production model, but in order to eliminate unnecessary expenses, you need to make all the calculations and buy the necessary components and parts, and also leave a certain amount for unforeseen expenses or breakdowns.
- Developing a plan. If you have experience in developing vehicles or the inclinations of a design engineer, it is possible to independently create a drawing of an all-terrain vehicle. In the absence of such, they use other people’s experience and ready-made drawings, of which there are a sufficient number on the Internet.
DIY low pressure tires
Tires of this type visually resemble huge pillows that support the entire structure. The degree of grip in such wheels allows the vehicle to be passable on any off-road terrain. Depending on the design features, such tires are divided into the following types:
- Arched. They are 5 times larger in size compared to a standard wheel, and have a thickness of up to 700 mm. The pressure in them is like in a regular ball - 0.05 MPa. Installed exclusively on the drive drive.
- Wide-profile. They are distinguished by an oval design and pressure up to 2 times lower than standard. Most often used in lifting vehicles.
- Toroidal. They are manufactured in tube and tubeless versions and are highly popular among car enthusiasts.
- Pneumatic rollers, having lugs to improve cross-country ability, and ribs to increase rigidity, giving the entire structure stability and strength.
The cost of factory-made low-pressure tires may be unaffordable for many car enthusiasts. But for your own all-terrain vehicle, it is quite possible to make such a wheel yourself. The work is performed in the following order:
1. Selection of source material, for example, agricultural or aircraft tires, as well as other types of industrial transport.
2. The tread is cleaned, washed and dried, after which the desired patterns are drawn to create your own design, as well as to remove excess wire and rubber.
3. To remove excess wire, the inner part of the wheel is trimmed and the cord is removed using.
4. Excess rubber is also removed with a winch, making cuts around the circumference, and securing them to the cable with pliers, carefully pulling them and cutting them with a knife.
5. After removing the tread layer, the surface is cleaned with sandpaper.
6. Disk assembly. To do this, use a standard disk cut in half, or welded from plates and pipes, and then carefully polished to prevent damage to the camera.
7. The tire is pulled onto the rim and secured with belts or a fire hose, and then inflated. The wheel is ready.
What type of tread should I choose for an all-terrain vehicle?
5. Installation of additional systems. Includes connecting the brake system, exhaust communications, clutch, etc. At this stage, the body of the all-terrain vehicle and lighting fixtures are installed.
6. Completion of work and implementation of a trial test, which shows the performance of components and systems. If there are problems or points that need to be improved, the shortcomings are eliminated, after which the all-terrain vehicle is ready for use.
Video testing a homemade all-terrain vehicle
Snow and swamp-going vehicles are a very useful device that is necessary not only for villagers, but also for fishing/hunting enthusiasts. After precipitation, most of the country roads become, to put it mildly, impassable, and even a Niva cannot drive on some of them. The only salvation in such cases may be an all-terrain vehicle with low-pressure tires, designed specifically for such difficult driving conditions.
Snow and swamp-going vehicles are universal all-terrain vehicles for which there are almost no obstacles
What are these snow and swamp-going vehicles?
Numerous videos highlight the cross-country ability of this miracle technology. So, in the video below, you can clearly see that for the described all-terrain vehicles there are no obstacles in principle.
And it doesn’t matter whether the terrain is rocky, swampy or sandy - the snow and swamp-going vehicle will cope with it perfectly, mainly thanks to these same wheels.
Note! It has been proven that the maximum cross-country ability of this type of equipment is achieved under conditions where the area of the flat part of the tire in contact with the surface corresponds to 1/3 or 1/4 of the diameter of the tire itself.
As a result, the pressure on the surface under the weight of the vehicle is minimized. Moreover, if the tire pressure exceeds the surface pressure on them, then plastic deformation disappears. The car simply cannot move on such surfaces, so the pressure is reduced (within reason, of course).
Design features
A distinctive feature of all representatives of the class of equipment under consideration is that their frame is articulated. It is thanks to this that the wheels are able to be located at almost any angle (not exceeding the indicator provided by the design) in relation to the others. And this, in turn, significantly increases the cross-country ability of snow and swamp-going vehicles. This frame also reduces the risk of the car turning over on its side, which is extremely important in extreme driving conditions - for example, on rocky ground.
All-terrain vehicles can have two or three axles, the specific number depends on operating conditions. The engine can be of two types:
- diesel;
- carburetor
If the car will be used for hunting, then it is better to give preference to the second option.
Types of all-terrain vehicles on low-pressure wheels
The classification of the described equipment is based solely on what kind of soil it will move on. As a result, there are only three such varieties, let’s get acquainted with them.
- Swamp walkers. As the name suggests, they are designed for driving in marshy areas. They are considered a universal technique, since there are no obstacles for them - they are not afraid of stones, shallow reservoirs, or snow.
- Snowmobiles. These vehicles are used mainly in the northern regions of the country, where snow lies almost all year round. For such harsh terrain, this is, as a rule, the only possible technique for movement.
- Amphibians. Inside the wheel rims of such cars there are floating fillers, the bottom is completely sealed. In order to move along the water surface, a special water cannon is often used. By the way, in some modern models the driving force in this case is the rotation of the wheels.
How much does such equipment cost?
There are many types of all-terrain vehicles equipped with low-pressure tires. As an example, let's look at the most popular of them.
- The most widespread of them is, perhaps, "Niva" on MARCH, created on the basis of the VAZ-2121 back in 1995. Externally, the car is no different from the original, only the wheel arches have changed. Due to the movement of the wheels, this Niva is capable of moving on water, albeit at a speed of only 4 km/h. To date, no more than 400 of these all-terrain vehicles have been produced, which is not surprising; the price of the Niva Marsh starts from 1,200,000 rubles for the basic model (i.e., even without a winch).
- Another serial swamp vehicle is SHERP, released last year by the company of the same name. It looks compact and unusual. The suspension is pneumatic circulation (in other words, when one of the wheels hits an obstacle, part of the air from it passes into the common system; thus, all tires are balanced). This is the main disadvantage of the SHERPA swamp vehicle: if one wheel is punctured, then all four will be lowered. The cost of the standard configuration is approximately 3,850,000 rubles.
Note! Some craftsmen make such all-terrain vehicles with their own hands, which is understandable, because it costs at least several times less.
This requires not only appropriate skills, but also special equipment. Let's look at how this process occurs.
Do-it-yourself snow and swamp-going vehicles - is it possible?
Perhaps, but the procedure, as noted above, is not easy. You should start with choosing an engine. For high cross-country ability, the following units are suitable:
- engines from ZAZ models;
- motorcycle engines;
- walk-behind tractors;
- engines from domestic cars.
As a rule, craftsmen use motors from walk-behind tractors for this purpose. As for the chassis, independent suspension is required. You can make it yourself from pipes, angles and channels, both articulated and solid. But in general, the manufacturing process consists of six main stages.
Stage one. First, a base is selected on which all the parts will be installed. This could be a frame from a motorcycle or car, or a homemade structure.
Stage two. Next, the suspension and rear axle are created. The suspension must be independent - this is quite labor-intensive, but the cross-country ability of the all-terrain vehicle, as well as the level of comfort while driving, will be higher. To connect the suspension to the rear axle, a steering bushing and a special rack are used.
Stage three. After this, wheels are installed on the suspension. Iron hubs are used to secure the cameras.
Note! Here you can use ready-made wheels with low pressure from KamAZ or Ural. This will increase the adhesion of a home-made vehicle to the surface, and driving safety will significantly increase.
Stage four. The previously selected engine is installed, and a cooling system for it is also equipped.
Stage five. Exhaust and brake systems and clutch are installed. In parallel, the building of the future design is being built. At the end, the wiring is arranged and all light sources are connected.
Stage six. A trial run is being carried out. This way you can check how efficient the created all-terrain vehicle is. If there are any problems or malfunctions, they must be corrected immediately.
How to make a swamp rover with your own hands (video)
What is important to consider?
- Attention should be paid to work daily. If you are not sure that you can do this, then it is better not to start anything at all.
- Create a project for the future design in advance. If necessary, use the drawings of other inventors, fortunately there are a lot of them on the Internet.
- Plan your budget correctly. Yes, making it yourself will help you save a lot, but to do this you need to calculate the cost of consumables and purchase them in advance. You also need to set aside a little in case there isn’t enough.
As you can see, the described snow and swamp-going vehicles are very useful for difficult terrain. They are quite expensive, but if you have the skills and appropriate equipment, you can save a lot by building a vehicle with your own hands.
I live in a small town in the north of the Sverdlovsk region. I am fond of hunting and fishing, I have favorite places for these purposes, but getting to them on foot is not possible. And it’s not always possible to carry the results of fishing on yourself. Therefore, we need equipment that can drive off-road in any weather and with a load of up to 300 kg.
I had an old all-terrain vehicle, but it was rather weak and, having been so old, it was already starting to fall apart. I decided to make a new swamp rover with my own hands, reliable and powerful. Preparation for construction turned out to be much longer than the assembly itself. It was necessary to purchase a bunch of components and assemblies, but there was no money for them. I had to collect from what I had and what I could find for little money.
The principle of the all-terrain vehicle will be a tricycle. Why a tricycle? Because it is more maneuverable in the forest and in swampy areas. The engine will be from a disabled woman, the wheels will be from a T-150 Tractor. Frame from a motorcycle Izh. Damper from GAZ53, axle shafts from GAZ 66
So, we have all the components prepared, let's start assembling the trike.
We install the frame, by the way the frame is from an Izh motorcycle. Why from Izha? Because the engine will be an IZH, there is no need to redo the mount and the frame is quite strong in itself.
And we weld the frame of our all-terrain vehicle to this frame. The frame is made of pipes with a diameter of 40 and 32, ordinary, not thick-walled. In the center is corner 63. We try on the rear axle.
As you can see, we have already started installing the engine. The engine, as I already wrote, is from a disabled woman. It is good because it has forced cooling and an electric starter.
To reduce the speed and increase the traction of the all-terrain vehicle, we do a double chain reduction.
We will also lighten the rims for the swamp vehicle wheels. We will make them detachable so that the tire does not become beaded. To do this, we cut out windows in them. Assembling the wheel.
We make a rigid frame for the swamp vehicle and install the entire transmission.
Well, we put the all-terrain vehicle on wheels.
The seat was installed from a Voskhod motorcycle because... it was available. To install this seat, we had to take part of the frame and weld it from the same Voskhod. The battery was temporarily tied with wire for a test run.
We put a headlight from Voskhod on the front fork and make a fender from scraps of corrugated sheeting left over from the construction of the garage.
We also make fenders for the rear wheels from scraps of corrugated board. Wings are definitely needed, because... We will drive mainly on mud.
Well, between the rear wings we are making a box in which we will carry things and crafts. A toolbox was made behind the seat behind the seat.
That's it, the all-terrain vehicle is ready for off-road travel. Now is it clear how to make an all-terrain vehicle with your own hands? As you can see, from old things with minimal costs and skillful hands you can make a worthwhile thing that will serve you for many years.
Sergei liked the process of assembling the all-terrain vehicle so much that he decided not to stop, sell this all-terrain vehicle to purchase new spare parts and begin manufacturing a new one, based on the GAZ 66.
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Homemade all-terrain vehicles and other off-road vehicles are often made on the basis of a walk-behind tractor. There are several reasons for this:
- there is an energy-rich transport unit with high traction characteristics, assembled on a frame;
- engine and transmission controls have been moved to comfortable handles;
- The weight of walk-behind tractors is low; they can be transported to the desired location in the trunk, body or on a car trailer.
For hunting and fishing, a lightweight mini all-terrain vehicle is quite in demand. But the industry has not yet seen commercial prospects in creating sets of attachments that convert a serial walk-behind tractor into an off-road vehicle. There are quite interesting examples of the creation of such machines. Do-it-yourselfers created role models with their own hands. There is room for ideas when developing new interesting devices.
Features of all-terrain vehicles made from a walk-behind tractor
The main components that you should purchase or make yourself for a vehicle based on a walk-behind tractor:
- frame, it serves to organize a mobile vehicle;
- the rear axle is needed to install the rear wheels;
- a seat for the driver, it is advisable to protect it from moisture and dirt from under the wheels;
- A lighting system is needed to move safely at any time of the day.
An all-terrain vehicle based on a walk-behind tractor is created as a single-seater vehicle. Its load capacity should be about 200 kg. The width is calculated based on the conditions of resistance to rollover, usually it is 1100 mm or more.
Modern walk-behind tractors Neva, Ugra, MTZ and others are equipped with engines with a power of more than 10 hp. This power is enough to move at speeds of more than 10 km/h. On off-road roads, when passing through mud or swampy places, the speed may decrease to 1-2 km/h.
How to make a homemade wheeled all-terrain vehicle
An example of a drawing of an all-terrain vehicle on low-pressure tires
It makes sense to equip the basic unit. The reason is that gasoline and diesel engines have the best torque performance at a crankshaft speed of approximately 75-85% of the maximum.
The engine must have a forced cooling system. When driving at low speed, the oncoming flow will not be enough to maintain optimal thermal conditions.
All-terrain vehicle frame
An example of a frame-fracture drawing
A frame is created between the front and rear axles. It is better to use profile pipes of rectangular or square cross-section as the basis. They provide greater rigidity than rolled angles, channels and I-beams of the same mass.
The joining of the frame elements of a wheeled all-terrain vehicle can be rigid, then it will be formed in a single-volume format. When using heavy Neva or MTZ walk-behind tractors, this option will be preferable.
As an option, a breakable frame (fracture) is made; this option is used for areas with a complex profile. Here the articulation is performed through the king pin. The front and rear axles have independent suspension from each other. Craftsmen create such all-terrain vehicles based on the Neva and Ugra walk-behind tractors.
For hunting and fishing, it is better to have a wheeled all-terrain vehicle with a breakable frame. Its maneuverability is higher than when using a rigid frame design.
Rear axle and suspension of a homemade all-terrain vehicle
To simplify the design, some DIYers use a ready-made rear axle from a passenger car. For example, from the Moskvich-412 car: its low weight allows installation on a light all-terrain vehicle. The suspension is performed on shock absorbers for a smooth ride and reduced vibration.
Other craftsmen make independent suspension on each rear wheel. This approach is implemented on the Ant scooter. When driving, a slight rocking is felt, at the same time the wheels experience less resistance on uneven surfaces, and fuel consumption is noticeably reduced.
The rear axle is connected to the frame with long, hardened bolts. For elastic joints, rubber inserts are used, for example, silent blocks. This improves the performance characteristics of an all-terrain vehicle based on a walk-behind tractor.
The rear axle on skis is used in winter. The resistance to movement is minimal, the design is greatly simplified.
Wheels (low pressure chambers)
To move on wet and unstable ground, you can use lugs. They provide high grip. Large-diameter low-pressure chambers perform even better. Pneumatics have minimal ground pressure, and the presence of air contained in the all-terrain vehicle’s chambers will make it possible to create a floating all-terrain vehicle.
For installation on the rear axle, homemade or special wheels for all-terrain vehicles, swamp vehicles and snowmobiles are used. They can be purchased assembled or as separate elements: tire, tube, disc. The wheel is easy to assemble.
You can increase the cross-country ability of regular wheels on low-pressure chambers by creating an additional tread. For example, additionally secure the cameras with chains, conveyor belts, homemade tracks or another method.
Another option is to cut a patch lug from the tire. The depth of the structure’s hook reaches more than 20-25 mm. Rolling resistance increases, while at the same time the slip coefficient decreases sharply.
Assembling a homemade all-terrain vehicle from a walk-behind tractor
When all the tools, spare parts and components are prepared, you can begin assembly. This is a rough plan for how to assemble a homemade all-terrain vehicle, it all depends on the chosen design.
- A walk-behind tractor is installed on a welded or finished frame.
- The rear axle and, if necessary, the front axle are mounted.
- The seat is placed on the frame.
- If provided in the drawing and diagram, the steering control is installed.
- The protection is attached to the frame; it is made of plastic or metal sheet.
- The future driver should try out the comfort of the seat; if necessary, provide auxiliary devices for adjusting the seat.
- The functionality of the brakes is checked.
- Electrical circuits and lighting fixtures are installed.
As individual elements and assemblies are manufactured, their performance is checked. A fivefold safety margin is provided here.
After completing the bench tests, they begin the field tests. You need to know how the car behaves in difficult conditions.
Buy a hitch and a trailed one for a walk-behind tractor in online stores
DIY tracked all-terrain vehicles
The use of tracks will help reduce the specific pressure on the ground. The weight is distributed over the entire area of the tracks. Such an all-terrain vehicle propulsion system based on a walk-behind tractor is capable of overcoming sand, wetlands, steep climbs and other obstacles.
Some DIYers make metal tracks for tracks from plates more than 5 mm thick. Rings from water pipes are welded to the plates. Another option for making tracks is made entirely of PVC pipes, cut lengthwise. The tracks are attached to each other on a conveyor belt or other base.
It is easier to make tracks from composite materials. For this purpose, fiberglass and epoxy resin are used. Glass-polymer reinforcement is used as a frame. Track tracks are made in special molds. After making the required quantity, they are assembled into a caterpillar. When making tracks from composite materials, articulation elements made from wear-resistant steels are used.
There are options for using tracks made of wood. They will need to be impregnated with protective mixtures.
The easiest way to make tracks for an all-terrain vehicle based on a walk-behind tractor is to use a conveyor belt. One track requires two stripes. They are connected into a ring, and then a caterpillar is created using sections of steel pipe.
In the video you can see an option for making a waterproof case that is kept afloat. In this case, the caterpillar propulsion device will allow you to move not only on land, but also on water. The result will be an amphibious all-terrain vehicle. It will be indispensable for hunting and fishing.
There are areas where for comfortable movement you need a car that has a higher cross-country ability than usual. But what can modern industry offer us for this? Are there inexpensive, economical, small all-terrain vehicles? Unfortunately, there are no such offers on the market now. Therefore, in this article we will look at how to make an all-terrain vehicle from a walk-behind tractor with your own hands, and the video will help you more clearly understand all the features of the procedure. Today, the most popular are two types of homemade all-terrain vehicles: tracked units and mechanisms running on low-pressure pneumatics.
Turning a walk-behind tractor into an all-terrain vehicle
Before you begin converting a walk-behind tractor into an all-terrain vehicle, you need to decide on the type of all-terrain vehicle that suits your needs. If you have no experience working with mechanisms on tracks, it is recommended to start with pneumatic machines.
Next, you need to decide on the operating conditions, carrying capacity and spaciousness of the all-terrain vehicle, then make sketches of the future design. To do this, it is necessary to outline the location of all components and assemblies of the future machine.
To create an all-terrain vehicle, you cannot use just any engine. It must be equipped with forced cooling. Motoblock engines with air or water cooling are perfect. In addition, the engine must have a large reserve of power so that the all-terrain vehicle can move almost anywhere.
ndoor max.=10-3Nsp.n.
Here nmotormax is the maximum speed, Neud. – specific power per ton of weight. Power limits range from 20-35 hp. With.
Which engine is better for an all-terrain vehicle - gasoline or diesel?
There is no specific advice on this issue, since each has both pros and cons.
Domestic engines performed well in all-terrain vehicles: M-67 motorcycle engines and ZAZ automobile engines. Engines based on tractor starters are quite common. Recently, all-terrain vehicles made from walk-behind tractors have become widespread. This is explained by the fact that there are many cheap Chinese walk-behind tractors on sale, equipped with fairly powerful engines. Such motors are inexpensive, reliable and unpretentious.
To create a chassis, it is advisable to use independent wheel suspension. This technology is more complex, however, it will be more comfortable for both the driver and passengers. An excellent result can be obtained if you combine them with low-pressure pneumatic wheels.
The frame is made of two types of structure: spatial and flat. The frame of the tracked vehicle is solid, while the wheeled vehicle is articulated. Although tracked all-terrain vehicles can also be made on an articulated frame, which will allow better development of constructive thought.
But highly complex frames are rarely used in homemade all-terrain vehicles. To make an all-terrain vehicle frame, you will need channels, angles and pipes of various sections and sizes.
Converting a walk-behind tractor into an all-terrain vehicle with your own hands
As an example, let’s look at making a lightweight all-terrain vehicle from a walk-behind tractor. Such machines are called caracats or simply pneumatics. It is equipped with large cameras, which increases cross-country ability on severe off-road conditions. As for the design, such home-made all-terrain vehicles turn out to be very simple to manufacture, since they do not have a complex technical base. Due to this, they are preferred by many home craftsmen.
Let's look at the main stages of creating an all-terrain vehicle design from a walk-behind tractor.
- Stage 1. We select the basis for the all-terrain vehicle. You can use frames from URAL or IZH motorcycles, and any other parts that you have. An all-terrain vehicle built on the basis of the IZh is more maneuverable, so it is excellent for crossing slopes and ravines.
- Stage 2. We manufacture the suspension and rear axle. To do this, it is necessary to connect the spars used with a special stand, a strut, and also a steering bushing. This will result in independent front and rear suspension. Any lightweight all-terrain vehicle should have such a suspension. It is thanks to this that the all-terrain vehicle will smoothly and maneuverably navigate uneven terrain.
- Stage 3. We install the wheels. Each type of lightweight all-terrain vehicle is equipped with cameras from trucks. The cameras are attached to the suspension with a metal hub. Strong ribbons are installed on it, braiding the wheel across. Low pressure chambers are suitable for KamAZ, Ural, and their trailers. Due to this, the steering will be light, and this in turn makes movement on such an all-terrain vehicle safer.
- Stage 4. We mount the engine with additional systems. Having finished installing the suspension and wheels on the frame of the future all-terrain vehicle, we proceed to installing the walk-behind tractor engine. At the same stage, you need to connect all the necessary systems: gas emissions, clutch, brakes. Once assembly is complete, the all-terrain vehicle must be tested. If no deviations were found during testing, you can begin full operation of the all-terrain vehicle.
Operating a homemade all-terrain vehicle
It is also necessary to pay attention to the possibilities of using a lightweight all-terrain vehicle. Popularly, such models of all-terrain vehicles are usually called pneumatics, since they have low-pressure wheels. You simply cannot do without such machines in conditions of passing along river beds, swampy areas, and mud. Such vehicles are distinguished by good buoyancy and cope well with small water obstacles.
It is also comfortable to use pneumatics for fishing or hunting, when you need to travel a considerable distance. As a rule, such an all-terrain vehicle can accelerate up to 75 km/h. When there are no roads, this is quite enough.
A selection of videos about do-it-yourself all-terrain vehicles made from walk-behind tractors:
In the vast expanses of the Russian Federation one can still find areas where there are no signs of civilization. Travel by conventional vehicles is impossible, except on swamp vehicles.
For most compatriots, the cost of the factory version is unaffordable, as is its further maintenance. So it turns out that it is easier for a resident of some godforsaken village to create a swamp vehicle from the components that are literally lying under his feet.
Features of a homemade swamp vehicle
Success in creating a homemade off-road vehicle will come with minimal technical skills and experience, a flight of fancy. In this case, you can count on the fact that a swamp vehicle assembled with your own hands will turn out no worse than its factory counterpart. To this we must add significant savings in the family budget. Homemade products such as swamp walkers can facilitate movement in swampy areas and villages where there are no roads.
All the variety of designs of homemade all-terrain vehicles can be divided into the following types:
- The all-terrain vehicle that is designed on tires with low air pressure deserves the most attention. Tires are one of the most important components of all-terrain vehicles. High cross-country ability and quality of operation are directly dependent on the design of the wheels.
- Making a boat-type swamp rover is justified in cases where you have to overcome shallow waters.
- It is advisable to operate a caterpillar swamp vehicle in areas with very overgrown bodies of water. On the one hand, it is characterized by high cross-country ability, but, on the other, the assembly process is labor-intensive.
The procedure for making a swamp vehicle with your own hands
If an old Soviet motorcycle IZH Planeta-4 is gathering dust on the farm, then it can be disassembled, leaving only the frame. After some modifications, it will serve as the basis for a future swamp vehicle.
As for the question of choosing an engine, saving is inappropriate here. It would be great if you manage to find a new motor from the Tula motorcycle, for the following reasons: the presence of a forced cooling system and optimal use of energy. Due to the fact that the car will have to almost constantly move through swamps, battery failure can cause a lot of trouble. Therefore, the engine should replace its “native” ignition with a magneto from the tractor, with the help of which the vehicle’s engine is started.
The gas tank, seat and handlebars from the Voskhod-2M motorcycle are sequentially mounted on the frame. The old motorcycle will serve as a donor when it comes to installing the front fork. Any motorcycle model will do, as long as the part is easy to disassemble. In most cases, this is a Ural motorcycle model.
The gear and chain drive must be coordinated with each other. This must be taken into account when choosing a chain. The old Soviet SUV UAZ-469 comes in handy when the question arises of installing a rear axle with axle shafts.
The specifics of the “road surface” and operating conditions are such that you can do without a braking mechanism. A homemade swamp vehicle will stop with a short braking distance after the engine is turned off. There are no special requirements for the front wheels. An excellent solution would be to install wheels removed from the combine. Before this, the top layer will have to be removed from the tires. Homemade swamp vehicles are a fun hobby for those who like to make vehicles with their own hands.
Before installing the rear wheels, you will have to work hard to improve the tread. The tire size must correspond to the design features of the homemade swamp vehicle. There may be several options, including wheels from Oka cars, ZIL-131 or GAZ-66 trucks.
The tire tread pattern should be selected taking into account their functional purpose, and at the same time there should be a self-cleaning effect of the tread, which is important for a swamp vehicle. Better wheel grip on peat bogs can be expected when the tires have a relatively shallow and low tread profile. Otherwise, the top layer of the tires may be destroyed. If the car will be used on sandy or snowy terrain, it is advisable to choose tires with a sparse tread pattern.
To adjust the disks to the cameras, you will have to use special inserts. In one case it may be a liner strip, and in another - basin discs. Fixation of disks with cameras is carried out with belts or transport tape.
