help with building a small tracked vehicle.

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**master of ordinance**

A freind and myself are planning on building a small tracked vehicle.
It has to be capable of carrying atleast 4 people and all there gear for a camping expidition, crossing rough ground(think the lake district and the forest dean), moving at a decent speed(not fast but say 20-30MPH), tracked(a must), have a good range, and be affordable. We also have to be able to build it ourselves. any ideas fellow Dakkanoughts?

There are 3 junk/scrap yards within 3 miles. Our budget is undetermined. We can most likely get the tools we need and build what we havnt got. We know 2 certified expert and experienced mechanics to get advice from. And a new criteria-it needs to be able to tow around 1/2 a ton..... My friend is thinking of starting a drag racing club and i suggested we could use it as a recovery vehicle-therby increasing its usabilitie.

**Ahtman**

I hear Rose Hulman has a good Mechanical Engineering program.

**Jihadin**

What type of track? Metal or rubber?

**kronk**

What's wrong with a horse and buggy?

**AustonT**

What kind of resources do you have?

**Jihadin**

Now thats a Smart Car

**marv335**

How skilled are you at engineering tasks?
What kind of budget do you have?
Do you have a well equipped workshop?

**Jihadin**

Is there a junkyard nearby?

**AustonT**

Jihadin wrote:
Is there a junkyard nearby?

There is. No matter where you are in America whether you know it or not there is a junkyard.

**Jihadin**

Is there another grp um....competing here?

**master of ordinance**

There are 3 junk/scrap yards within 3 miles. Our budget is undetermined. We can most likely get the tools we need and build what we havnt got. We know 2 certified expert and experienced mechanics to get advice from. And a new criteria-it needs to be able to tow around 1/2 a ton..... My friend is thinking of starting a drag racing club and i suggested we could use it as a recovery vehicle-therby increasing its usabilitie.

**Grey Templar**

I'd start by searching the junkyards to see if there are any workable tracked vehicles there already you could fix up and modify. If not then the second option is to scavange all the parts.

Tracked units are difficult to build from scratch, not to mention expensive.

**Chrissy_J**

My first thought, when I read the OP, was 'get this guy a BV206'... but that takes the fun out of building one, and it'll be expensive.

http://www.one35th.com/attc/attc_intro.htm

My considered advice, as a mechanic, fabricator and modifier, is that you'll have much more success at converting an existing tracked vehicle, than at building your own.
Your biggest problem will be finding a suitable donor vehicle.
And no tracked vehicle ever built, could claim to be 'speedy'.

**Rimmy**

we're been working on a project similar for about a year now (lack of time)

Ours is an RC capable of hauling one person (or 2 kids) based on an electric wheel chair and a snow mobile track.

not an altogether unique idea, but its fun.

the RC portion is fabbed up, I drive my daughters around the neighborhood with it (they love it) just gotta make the tracks work now.

**BolingbrokeIV**

A tracked vehicle which can go that fast will be expensive to build. Why does it need to have tracks? Unless you're going over felled trees or rubble I don't see the point.

**dogma**

You'll probably find this interesting.

**Leigen_Zero**

Also, please remember it is a criminal offence to drive a tracked vehicle on a UK road (to do with the tracks chewing up the tarmac), so you will need a means of getting this vehicle to wherever you are competing

**Medium of Death**

Presumably, unless you are fitting these in a tank like fashion there might be a danger of them slipping while turning? Like with the guys that had fitted them onto trucks.

**Grey Templar**

Chrissy_J wrote:

And no tracked vehicle ever built, could claim to be 'speedy'.

Never heard of the Ripsaw I assume?

http://www.popsci.com/invention

**master of ordinance**

Leigen_Zero wrote:
Also, please remember it is a criminal offence to drive a tracked vehicle on a UK road (to do with the tracks chewing up the tarmac), so you will need a means of getting this vehicle to wherever you are competing

I thought that was only metal tracks....