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RedRaider
02-16-2010, 08:01 PM
Went to check out the half track job my buddy did to his 6x6 army truck. It's a 1960s 5ton 6x6 that he uses for his logging business. He wrapped the rear duallies with shortened tracks from a vietnam era apc. Problem is that in the snow, ice builds up on the inside of the tracks and the tires start to slip. The track is mostly rubber held together by small plates. I thought we might be able to weld cleats on the inside of the track, but there's not enough metal to weld to. Any inexpensive ideas to solve the tire slipping on the tracks?

btw, no you can't have the axles, I've already got dibs when he gets rid of it.

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp156/epm131/Misc/100_1034.jpg

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp156/epm131/Misc/100_1028.jpg

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp156/epm131/Misc/100_1032.jpg

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp156/epm131/Misc/100_1029.jpg

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp156/epm131/Misc/100_1030.jpg

ridgerunner97
02-16-2010, 08:07 PM
Man that is a sweet truck setup for logging, all it needs is a grapple :) As for the tracks, i'm not sure how you can solve that issue. Just an idea, do you guys figure just chaining up all the rear drivers wouldn't be easier and grip as well if not better? I think it would, you may lose some floatation which is probably the idea behind the tracks, i'm kinda ramblin out loud now...idk what to do cheap there.

joshs1ofakindxj
02-16-2010, 08:28 PM
SICK! Those tracks need tightened up. We have metal tracks on our new holland skid steer, and when the tires start to slip inside the tracks from mud or whatever, they're usually slipping because the track (all metal) has worn or the tires have worn so it's time to tighten them up by removing one section of track. They can be hard to get back on sometimes but that's what come-a-longs and pry bars are for.

Definitely better for flotation in deep snow. When is he putting skis on the front?

ridgerunner97
02-16-2010, 08:38 PM
I was trying to think of a way to tension them like a dozer has, but do you think you can pull a few shoes out of those? It might work, depends how those tracks go together.

DeathBlade556
02-16-2010, 09:41 PM
Thats not any track from a M113 that I've ever seen. Their solid rubber, cant be cut down easily. Your goint to need a way of mechcanilly driving the track. To fix your track slipping problems you need to make a drive sprocket to put between the tires I would take some flooring adhesive and glue together 3-4 sheets of plywood then cut a circle out of it 4-6" smaller in diameter than the tires. Then bolt a sheet of round piece of metal to each side, 1/4" thick will do. Then use a jig saw to cut teeth into the outside to engage the slots in the tracks. If you have access to a machine shop with CNC O/A torch, plasma, laser, or water jet, you could have the drive sprockets cut from 1/2" plate.

This picture shows you what you a need pattern of what you need to make, but to engage the slots on either side of the spurs on the bottome of the track.
http://www.dansdata.com/images/sherman/sprocket320.jpg

RedRaider
02-16-2010, 10:23 PM
We thought about making a sprocket, but it would be too big, too much money, and too much time. I think we'll try and tighten the tracks with a winch instead of a comealong and take out another link

jim91303
02-16-2010, 11:54 PM
you need a belt idler pully ... like on a serp belt.
bolt a bar to frame between wheels and at end of the bar make a jack up type of tightener with a wide trac pully from the acp. you know what i mean ?

Christopher
02-17-2010, 10:15 AM
from the pictures...
I would say cut the rivets and rubber near the seam to shorten the tracks a few sections.
Let the air out of the tires by pulling the valve out of the valve stems, fit the tracks as tight as possible, re-air the tires.

I'd cut the rivets with an abrasive so it could be kept cool and not burn the rubber.

Or....
Check to see if the axles were set up to be shifted/slid apart It is unlikely but I have no experience with those trucks

oros35
02-17-2010, 10:24 AM
For the tracks on our Bobcat, every so often when they start to slip I go and add a bead of weld to each pad. Keep the heat down so I get a tall ugly bead that gives it a good rough surface to grip the tire.

Not sure how you could do that with the rubber treads though. Maybe on the verticle pieces.

The sprocket would work but I would be worried about damaging the track. I'm thinking that a simple flat plate of steel samwiched between the 2 wheels might work.

oros35
02-17-2010, 10:26 AM
And whered thoes tracks come from? Never seen something like that, I like it. Did he just get lucky and find them or can you buy them somewhere?

Dyno Doug
02-17-2010, 11:39 AM
How about having a sprocket cut to be bolted in between the tires on each axle? I don't think it would cost much and it could be done with a plasma cutter & grinder. For tension, an adjustable slide underneath the top of the tracks & bolted to the frame, set it up like an older Hardly-Ableson primary chain adjuster.

jim91303
02-17-2010, 11:47 AM
How about having a sprocket cut to be bolted in between the tires on each axle? I don't think it would cost much and it could be done with a plasma cutter & grinder. For tension, an adjustable slide underneath the top of the tracks & bolted to the frame, set it up like an older Hardly-Ableson primary chain adjuster.


yeah ... that's what i was thinking ..... he word it alot better .

RedRaider
02-17-2010, 01:55 PM
I like the idler pulley idea for tension, maybe we'll try that. I was also thinking about riveting and glueing some rubber pads on the inside of the track to give the tires additional grip.

He got the tracks from Sam Winer Motors in akron. If you're unfamiliar with sam winer motors, they sell military surplus vehicles and parts, and they have many different axles, engines, trannies, tcases, and tires for sale. They got alot of cool stuff.

http://www.samwinermotors.com/

hglumac
04-07-2010, 11:35 PM
What if you let the air out of the tires...tightened with winch/comealong and put the air back in?