(+20 photos) How to make a snowmobile from a motorcycle with your own hands

In regions with heavy snowfall in winter, using two-wheeled vehicles is not advisable. But you don’t always need a car. In such cases, a snowmobile comes to the rescue, but this type of transport is expensive. If you wish, you can make a snowmobile with your own hands, and there are many ways to do this.

What kind of motorcycles can I use?

Back in Soviet times, motorcycles were created that are prototypes of modern technology. You can very easily make a snowmobile out of them. Let's remember some of them.

"Ant"

It was used as a cargo vehicle, had a body and three wheels. This model had wheels located as follows: one in front (drive), and two more at the edges of the body. The snowmobile from this motorcycle was the most popular among the residents of Russia. This is where it all started. One of the villagers dismantled his old motorcycle, installed a motor on a ski and tracks that were made from an ordinary fence. The product had its drawbacks, but people quickly figured out how to fix them.

"Dnieper"

It had various modifications: MT-9, 10, 11, 16. These models were equipped with engines from 27 to 32 horsepower. It was distinguished by a cradle for the third passenger. Almost all motorcycle parts are used for a snowmobile, however, in case of repair, it will be difficult and expensive to buy spare parts.

"Ural"

This motorcycle was usually equipped with military equipment during the Great Patriotic War. The power is very pleasing, it reaches 40 horsepower. In this regard, the motorcycle is one of the best for creating a snowmobile based on its engine. The model is three-wheeled and has additional space for a passenger.

"Sunrise"

It became the next model after the Kovrovets (K-175), which was produced from 1957 to 1965. The engine is two-stroke with one cylinder, volume 175 cc. cm, power - 20 horsepower. Good characteristics, thanks to which it will be very easy and cheap to remake the motorcycle.

"IZH Planet"

Years of production: 1962-1967, 20 horsepower. Many people still have this model; it can also be used to create new equipment.

"Minsk"

A two-wheeled motorcycle, which began to be produced in 1951. And even then, many people had a desire to convert this motorcycle into a snowmobile, but things didn’t go further than ideas.

Drawings, options for finished work

The design of a snowmobile must begin by creating a drawing of the desired product. He will help in the process of making practical and functional equipment that will serve for many years.

Finished work option

If you can use ready-made drawings to create a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor or a motorcycle, they are not provided for a design from a chainsaw, since each tool has its own technical characteristics and features.

How to make: instructions

First, the frame is welded. Obviously, the larger the frame, the heavier the device will be and the slower it will move. The optimal frame length is 2 m plus/minus.

The following are sequentially fixed on the frame:

• drive shaft with receiving star;
• power plant with a transmission star and gas tank;
• front wheel axle (fixed fastening to the frame by welding or bolts);
• rear wheel axle (fixed with a movable guide element);
• front suspension with steering structure and guide ski(s);
• seat(s) and body.

Caterpillars are made of drive V-belts or conveyor belts. The optimal track width is from 40 to 50 cm. With a smaller width (40), the snowmobile will be more maneuverable and better controllable. With a higher value (50+), the patency of the device improves.

The function of lugs is performed by PVC pipes of the diameter indicated above, sawn in half lengthwise. They are attached to the rubber base using bolts and nuts. V-belts of insufficient width can be fastened to each other with metal grousers.

In order to be able to adjust the tension of the track, the rear wheel axle is attached using a movable guide element, which allows you to fix the position of the axle in a certain position.

Additional notes:

• The center of gravity should be approximately the center of the structure. Since the power plant is mounted at the front, the driver's seat should be centered over the front axle or slightly offset to the rear.
• The distance between the drive shaft and the power unit should be minimal to minimize losses of energy transmitted to the shaft.
• If you install a shock absorber under the seat, then the front seat support is rigidly mounted on a profile arch, and the rear seat rests on the shock absorber.
• If you are making a snowmobile with a heavy load in mind, then to remove some of the weight from the tracks, it is advisable to install an additional ski in the middle of the base (between two tracks). This ski, 50-70 cm long, is attached directly to the frame. However, this design requires a more accurate preliminary calculation with subsequent leveling of the height of the “leg”, which complicates the manufacture of the snowmobile.
• It is advisable to maintain low pressure in snowmobile tires to avoid rapid wear of parts and high fuel consumption.
• The considered version of the snowmobile is the simplest in design. If you have the tools and a welding machine, it can be assembled in the garage without any problems.
• As soon as winter begins in our country, given the climate, two-wheeled vehicles are put away in the garage until spring. It may be impossible to use a car for transportation due to heavy snow. And here, a snowmobile on tracks, which you can make from a walk-behind tractor with your own hands, comes to the aid of all motorists who want to move along a snowy road.
• Not everyone has the opportunity to buy an additional vehicle, but everyone can independently construct a homemade tracked snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor.

Steering

Assembling an ATV with your own hands is not an easy task. And, perhaps, the most difficult thing is to make the steering. To do this, first weld the frame of the front part of the ATV. Then you will need steering knuckles from a car, for example from a Niva, but any others will do. After which you need to build suspension arms

Pay special attention to the design of the mounting of the levers, since when they are connected to the frame, large loads arise, so additional stiffening ribs will not be superfluous. Levers are usually bolted through silent blocks

This is a rubber-metal joint that is an essential link in the suspension. It dampens wheel vibrations, preventing vibration from being transmitted to the frame. Levers can be made according to these drawings.

Go ahead. What is the front suspension without shock absorbers? Here you can use 4 motorcycle shock absorbers, one for each arm in the front, and two for the swingarm to dampen the rear axle. Rear shock absorbers from Izh will do, but if you are willing to shell out for gas-oil shock absorbers with pumping, this will give you the opportunity to adjust the suspension to suit road conditions, which is very useful for equipment such as an ATV!

Telescopic suspension

Perhaps this is one of the most common and simplest types of suspension based on the principle of operation. Most often, this suspension is used on snowmobiles of the “utilitarian” class. The design of the telescopic fork consists of a spring and shock absorber, which are located directly in the strut. Thus, the telescopic stand is able to smooth out shock-type loads. It is worth noting that the stroke of this type of suspension is limited according to the stroke of the shock absorber itself.

As a rule, snowmobiles with such suspension have incredible maneuverability in dense forest conditions, since the ski base is small.

Also, one of the simplest and most common suspensions is the spring system. This engineering solution was used on the legendary domestic car "Buran". This model has one ski track, as a result of which the equipment does not have the necessary maneuverability. It is generally extremely difficult to enter the required turn at speed. But in general. The suspension performance itself is quite acceptable.

Manufacturing

Snowmobiles of various types are created on the basis of old motorcycles, adding one or two skis. A chain or wheel suspension system can be mounted to the rear of the snowmobile. It all depends on how difficult the snow cover you have to overcome.

You can make a snowmobile at home (garage). It can be used for hunting, fishing, or just driving through the forest in winter.

To make a snowmobile, and we are considering a budget option, we will need any of the above models of old brands of motorcycles and various parts.

What will we get as a result?

Simply put, there is a ski with steering in front, a frame with a motor and a seat, and a caterpillar track at the bottom or rear. The frame will be suitable from IZH Planet or Voskhod, but additional fasteners will need to be reconstructed. The engine can be taken from the Voskhod motorcycle (20 horsepower) and put on caterpillar tracks.

A snowmobile with such an engine can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour. For household use this is quite enough.

You can use a ready-made frame or make it according to drawings from scraps of pipes with a small diameter. It is also important to strengthen the frame using welding. In some cases, temporary fastenings are used. If necessary, instead of the tracks and skis, you can return the wheels. The assembled structure must be strong and reliable. The chain drive is used from the main propeller shaft (you can use IZH Planeta or Ural) to the drive shaft of the tracked structure.

To make a caterpillar engine, you can use a part from the caterpillar belt of another unit (for example, Buran) or purchase it separately in a factory variation. However, this is not always possible. In this case, you can assemble it yourself.

To create a caterpillar with your own hands, you need slats (plastic or tin), a conveyor belt and tin slats, fasteners and drawings. When making slats for lugs, you need to make parts (plastic or tin) of pipes with bends of the same length and width, and then attach them to the transport belt at the same distance. Three pairs of wheels, different in size, will serve as the drive shaft in the tracked structure.

• For the drive shaft you can take larger wheels, for the other two - smaller ones (they will serve as rollers). The rollers need to be “shod” in rubber to have a better connection with the caterpillar track. It should be borne in mind that all home-made structures are not very durable, so you should not subject such a snowmobile to high speed loads.
• The shock absorbing system on the rear suspension can be left over from the original motorcycle (its basic design). On the front, you can use springs from a car or a motorcycle. Shock absorption is very important during turning movements; the stability of the entire structure depends on it.
• The fuel tank with a volume of 15 to 20 liters can be placed in a more convenient place, according to the drawings you choose, but basically it remains in its original place in the motorcycle version.

• There is also an option for making two tracks based on the Ant motorcycle. Since the side rear bases are made for wheels, they can be used for two track structures. The fuel tank may also remain under the bar, but may be moved to the rear, depending on the design chosen and the conditions in which the sled will be used.
• You can also consider the option of a snowmobile based on the Minsk motorcycle. For the front part with one ski, use the option discussed above. The back is more difficult. We will replace the driven gear of the bridge with a rear sprocket from the IZH Planet motorcycle. The intermediate shaft serves as a drive to the axle, remaining a chain shaft. If you don’t have the parts you need for the job, you can purchase them from the aftermarket.
• Some people like to modernize modern motorcycles for different types of units, for example, instead of a caterpillar mover, install large tire frames covered with a chain, which prevents slipping on snow. In this version, the snowmobile looks like 3 or 4 huge wheels and a small part of the engine, frame and seat. You can also replace parts of the ski-tire. There are options where instead of a ski there is one wheel in front.

Snowmobile with wheels or tracks

The easiest way to make a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor is on wheels. To do this, you only need special wheels and (if desired) a small trailer. A wheeled snowmobile has greater maneuverability. The wheels mounted at the rear have a relatively low specific weight. To prevent the unit from slipping on loose snow, you will need to additionally install special chains.

Snowmobile wheels can be made from inner tubes from trucks. When deflated, they are put on the wheels of the walk-behind tractor and wrapped with chains, the ends of which must be secured, and the chambers must be inflated with a pump.

Another option is to put metal hoops on the wheels of the walk-behind tractor and trailer, 1 for each wheel. The required dimensions are determined by the size of the wheels. The diameter of the hoop should be slightly smaller, and the width should be 2-3 times greater than that of the wheels.

To improve the grip on the surface and the stability of the snowmobile on the hoops (from the back), you need to weld 5 or 6 metal plates. The required thickness is 25 mm. The result will be an imitation of lugs. You need to put the prepared hoops on the deflated chambers, which, after inflating, will press tightly against them.

A tracked snowmobile is a device of a more complex design. In fact, this is a snowmobile tracked attachment to a walk-behind tractor, powered by the main motor. Such homemade products are stable, reliable, and have high maneuverability. In regions with abundant snow cover, such a snowmobile will be simply irreplaceable in winter.

It’s easy to make tracks for a walk-behind tractor with your own hands. To do this, you can use available materials such as:

• water pipes;
• motorcycle chains;
• conveyor belts.

In order for the tape on the tracks to remain in working condition longer, its edges must first be stitched with fishing line. Stitches should be made every 10 mm. To close the ribbon into a ring, you need to carefully sew the edges.

Important How to properly assemble (install) crow's feet cutters on a motor cultivator and whether they need to be sharpened

A tracked snowmobile will not slip even in very deep and loose snow. However, with high cross-country ability, its maneuverability will be noticeably lower, because a walk-behind tractor on tracks is much heavier. The weight of the crawler snowmobile chassis will be up to 30 kg.

Recommendations

When working on a snowmobile, it is important to follow the main manufacturing rules - evaluate engine power, stability, balance, wear resistance and replaceability of parts and the structure as a whole. It is better to use a motor with a volume of 125 cubic centimeters, with one or two cylinders, two-stroke. The desired power is from 15 horsepower. The speed of the snowmobile you assembled can reach up to 80 km/h.

Based on the parts, capabilities and desires you have, you can create the basis of a snowmobile at home. And then they usually work on modeling, improving the seats, you can even attach a cabin - for protection from precipitation or a trailer part during the transportation of goods.

When creating a snowmobile with your own hands, the most important part is the motor. It must be tested before installation on the structure prior to assembly.

When using a homemade snowmobile, you must follow safety rules - have a protective helmet, appropriate clothing and gloves (gaiters). First of all, you should conduct a test drive and make sure that there are no problems with the chassis and engine parts.

Photo gallery

We bring to your attention a selection of do-it-yourself snowmobile photos from domestic motorcycles. But it turns out that such “crafts” can be made not only from old motorcycles, but also cars and bicycles.

Features of creating a snowmobile from a Ural motorcycle

In order to make equipment based on the Ural, you can use the circuit from any Buran model. The caterpillar system is designed in the form of rollers. You can make them yourself. The power transmission is transmitted through a chain. At the front of the snowmobile there will be several racks for attaching skis. They are equipped with springs from the shock absorbers of the Ural motorcycle.

• Snowmobiles based on the Ural motorcycle are in most cases used with tracks installed. This is due to the fact that the structure itself is very heavy. In addition, there is a cardan drive at the rear, which makes the installation of a conventional track unit with a chain drive mandatory.
• It is worth considering that when creating this tool with your own hands based on the Ural model, the modular design will be noticeably more complicated due to the organization of the drive through a gearbox. That is why some changes must be included in the frame, because the height of the Ural hull may increase, which will entail an overestimation of the center of gravity and a decrease in stability parameters.

The Ural engine has a fuel consumption of no more than 6 liters per 100 km of route. The maximum speed of such homemade equipment can reach up to 60 km/h. This model is capable of towing up to 1 ton of cargo.

Engine selection

Gasoline engines are used for walk-behind tractors or strollers. Engine speed is controlled by a throttle handle located on the steering wheel. To make a homemade tracked snowmobile with your own hands, the easiest way is to use ready-made small-volume engines for walk-behind tractors with pre-installed:

• Fuel tank.
• Ignition system.
• Reduction gearbox with a ratio of 1:2.
• Centrifugal clutch, automatically activated when the speed increases.

The power of these engines does not exceed 10 horsepower, but they are easy to install: the technician does not need to separately assemble the ignition system, connect fuel pipes, adjust the clutch, etc. There are different options on the market:

If it is not possible to purchase a ready-made engine from a walk-behind tractor, then you can use an engine from a stroller. Such engines are 10-15 horsepower more powerful, but require self-assembly. The system includes:

• Engine.
• Clutch.
• Gearbox.
• Gas tank (volume 5-10 liters).
• Muffler.
• Generator.
• Electronic ignition switch and coil.

Features of creating a snowmobile from Izha

You can make a snowmobile from Izh with your own hands in several ways. The first is a wheeled ski option. At its core, the design does not change, only the wheels are removed. Instead of the front one, a ski made from a pipe is installed. It is attached to the axle shaft to the front fork.

• For the rear of the future snowmobile based on the Izha, a tracked module is being manufactured, which will be attached in place of the wheel. In addition to the frame, it will include a rear axle from a UAZ vehicle, the driven gear of which must be replaced with a rear sprocket.
• A snowmobile from Izh must have a chain intermediate shaft. The wheeled version uses cameras from PTS-2-4. Discs are made by welding rods and attaching wheels using belts. A snowmobile, which you can make yourself using the Izha base, is capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h.

Manufacturing of caterpillar propulsion

• In the first case, a track-type mover for snowmobiles can be made on the basis of a classic roller-bushing chain and transport belt. When making a caterpillar, no special tools are required. To extend the service life of the tape, you need to stitch its edges with fishing line. The rings are connected by connecting the ends of the element.

The thickness of the tape is selected based on the power of the motor. When using domestic motorcycle engines, a tape up to 10 mm thick, which is used in agricultural conveyors, is ideal. This type of track can be easily repaired if it breaks.

• The second option is to connect V-belts to lugs that are attached with screws or rivets. The result is a caterpillar track with holes for the drive sprocket. There is a small gap left between the belts.

Review of factory products and homemade products for snowbike

• The Canadian company Timbersled offers several versions of its own systems for Japanese-made motorcycles. At first glance, the design is quite reliable, but the price of the product is not affordable for everyone. Manufacturers are asking $5,500 excluding delivery for the most inexpensive kit in the line. The weight of the products is slightly more than 60 kilograms.
• The Russian brand VORTEX offers kits, which they claim have no analogues in the world, for enduro and cross motorcycles with power from 250 to 750 cm3, which enable motorcyclists to engage in sports in winter. What’s important is that the kit comes with a set of bushings, with which the track and ski, according to the manufacturers, will exactly fit your motorcycle.
• The Tyumen company “Alpha Drive” is a manufacturer of Snowrider kits. The line includes three models differing mainly in the length of the tracked chassis. The weight of the set ranges from 60.5 to 64 kilograms.

“The adapter kits produced allow the track kit to be installed on almost any modern lightweight enduro or motocross motorcycle with a left-hand chain, with an engine capacity of 250 cubic centimeters or more.” -indicated on their website.

The price of product sets is from 318,000 to 342,000 rubles, delivery will be at your expense. The set of adapters is not included in the price, but is sold separately, the cost of the set is 10,000 rubles.

Let's go down the price range closer to the people.

• “Price without canister and case.
• The 101″ track kit is ideal for groomed trails as it does not require snow to lubricate the track. The set is suitable for riding in fields and forests.
• Suitable for any motocross or enduro motorcycle
• KTM. Yamaha. Husqvarna. Kawasaki. Honda. Suzuki. Kayo. BSE. Avantis. GR7. 125. 140. 150. 160. 190. 230. 250. 350. 400. 450.
• Caterpillar for a motorcycle. Snowbike. Snowbike. Snowmoto.fun. SMF. “
• Track kit SMF CROSS 101″ from 136,000 rub.
• Track kit SMF 129″ from 185,000 rub.
• Track kit SMF PRO 127″ from 250,000 rub.
• The Samara company SNOWBIKE LLC offers a set with adapters that are included in the price of the set. The issue price is 76,600 rubles. + delivery by transport company.
• For motorcycles with a volume of 110-250 m3, the company offers potential buyers a kit costing 62,500 rubles. which is suitable for motorcycles from Japanese, Chinese and European manufacturers.
• And from the same company, an offer and, in my opinion, not a budget offer.
• Electric Crawler Fat Bike Conversion Kit.

“Although the fatbike itself is quite a passable device due to the wide tires, its passability ends in loose snow. At speed, it will still be able to travel some distance in the snow, but if you drove into a snowdrift 30 degrees or deeper, then its cross-country ability will not be enough. In addition, on snowy climbs, of course, any tires, even the widest and studded ones, will slip. Therefore, we are developing a kit to increase cross-country ability. In effect, you get an ultra-light single-seat all-terrain vehicle.”

• -Assembled weight: 15 kg
• -Speed: up to 45 km/h
• -Distance on one charge: up to 70 km
• - Load capacity: 140 kg
• -Motor power: 2.2 kW
• -Battery capacity: 26 Ah.
• -Tracks width: 15-22 cm

They are asking 80,000 rubles for this device.

This is not a complete list of devices that will turn your motorcycle into a maneuverable, smaller, but more unstable and injury-prone version of a snowmobile.

For people with a technical mindset, skillful hands and a desire to create their own creation, on the vastness of the World Wide Web there are enough technical developments for the production of such kits. Good luck!