How to make a snowmobile: 105 design photos and DIY assembly videos

Wood frame

The basis of a snowmobile made from a walk-behind tractor will be its frame, which can be made of different materials. One of the most popular options for creating a frame is wood.

Wooden blocks are perfect for the structure, as they are light and at the same time very durable. In addition, you can find the right amount of timber in the yard. Essentially making a frame means assembling a sled for a snowmobile.

If there is no or not enough wood on the site, its cost is not very high. In order to make a frame from wood, in addition to timber, you will need the following: iron in sheets, a metal cutter, a drill, drills, bolts, nuts, a saw.

In order to rid the frame of burrs and make it as smooth as possible, you will need sandpaper or a sanding attachment on a drill.

A homemade snowmobile made of wood has many advantages over other models except lightness. It is very easy to repair such a frame not only at home, but also on the road, because the material can be found in any forest belt.

This option is unlikely to fall through the ice, and if this happens, it will stay afloat.

Mini snowmobiles for winter fishing

A mini snowmobile is perhaps the most suitable type of transport for winter fishing, especially in regions where there is a lot of snow. Its advantage also lies in the fact that you do not need to undergo special training to operate it: everything is so simple. In addition, the prices for mini-snowmobiles are not exorbitant, and the transport is very functional. If you acquire such a vehicle, you can travel long distances with it, regardless of the amount of snow that has fallen.

Such models are very easy to disassemble and assemble, so they can easily be transported in the trunk of a car. What is also very important is that this type of transport does not require registration with the relevant authorities.

Metal frame

Of course, a metal structure is not as practical as a wooden one. The material is very expensive and heavy, and creating a snowmobile will be more difficult.

In addition, the disadvantage of metal is its cold surface, which must be covered with something in order to move in it. But there is one big advantage of this option - the durability of the finished structure.

To create a metal snowmobile frame, you will need some materials and tools. The tools include welding and electrodes, a hammer, a grinder, pliers, a set of keys and fasteners for the system.

As for the material, here you will need to prepare metal pipes, a metal corner, steel sheets and a channel.

Before building the frame, be sure to make a drawing here with precise dimensions. This will help you select the quantity and type of material as accurately as possible.

Using a grinder, pipes are cut and welded into a frame. Fastenings for all parts of the snowmobile will be made from the corner. You can make them from channel wood.

Only after this is everything sheathed with sheet metal. In order to make a snowmobile from a walk-behind tractor, it is necessary to provide a place to place the motor.

Hanging equipment

To make a snowmobile fast and strong, you need to put a good engine on the frame. If you install a low-power motor, then such a structure will move poorly. You also need to correctly calculate the caterpillar. If the area is too small, it will drown in large snow and will not pull even on flat terrain. Particular attention should be paid to skis, which should create good stability and safety when moving at high speed.

DIY rubber caterpillar

To easily move through the snow, it is very important to give your homemade snowmobile a good rubber track. It is not easy to make such a device with your own hands and it is better to purchase it in a store completely with rollers. Installing a standard factory track on a homemade structure is not difficult. To do this, you just have to secure the drive shaft and rollers with bearings to the frame. If your financial situation does not allow you to buy the entire device, then the most expensive parts can be easily made yourself. For this you will need:

Conveyer belt.
Plastic pipe.
Bolts, washers and nuts.

A cheap homemade snowmobile track is usually made using a thin conveyor belt. To do this, plastic pipe blanks are sawed off to fit the width of the rollers. Then they are cut lengthwise into two equal parts and holes are drilled for small bolts. After this, the halves of the plastic pipes are secured to the conveyor belt with bolts, washers and nuts. The caterpillar is ready and further construction needs to begin .

Homemade skis

It's no secret that in winter it is much more convenient to travel on deep snow on skis. They also serve well as a control device on a snowmobile. It is not difficult to make a wooden structure, but only strong boards made of birch or oak are suitable for this. They need to be well dried, planed, and then heated and the ends bent. It's no more difficult to make metal skis. To do this, you will need to cut two plates from sheet steel and weld a thin corner on the sides.

In order for the skis to turn freely, metal pipe stands are welded to them. In working condition, they are held in the front bushings of the frame, where they rotate easily .

Washers or large nuts are welded to the top of the racks, into which rods are inserted to control the snowmobile.

The steering wheel itself is easy to make with your own hands, or it’s easier to remove it from an old motorcycle. Thus, all that remains is to install the motor, as well as the driver’s seat, and you can hit the road.

Skis and tracks

In order for a snowmobile to be constantly on the move, it is necessary to make high-quality tracked wheels and skis for speed.

In order for the tracks to be of the highest quality, their area must be large enough. If they are small, they will simply sink even in shallow snow.

You can purchase ready-made tracks at the store or make your own from rubber pipe. The video shows how to make a snowmobile in detail.

As for skis, they must be strong. Skis serve well in deep snow, as they are very easy to control and their speed is not low.

To ensure a perfect fit, skis are mostly made of metal.

Characteristics of mini snowmobiles

Such designs are regularly improved, which leads to the emergence of newer and more comfortable designs, with simplified control schemes.

Dimensions and weight

Mini snowmobiles are characterized by small dimensions and weight. This is very important because the device is easy to handle. For example, one person is able to load this device into the trunk of a car and pull it out. If it falls into some kind of recess, it can also be easily pulled out by one person.

Design Features

The design of the mini snowmobile consists of several complete modules that are easily assembled and disassembled. Thanks to this, the process of transporting this vehicle is really simplified.

This approach to creating such devices allows you to save on repairs and maintenance due to the quality of workmanship and thoughtfulness of the solution.

The problem of storing the vehicle also disappears. Thanks to special clamping mechanisms, the product can be disassembled in a few minutes. When disassembled, the mini snowmobile takes up virtually no space and does not require a special room for storage.

Actual movement speed

Such a product is capable of reaching speeds of up to 30-35 km/h, which is quite enough to move on snow or ice. Low speed allows you to feel confident and safe in any conditions.

Additional benefits

There is a spacious trunk under the seat where the fisherman can put most of his fishing equipment.
The design of the mini snowmobile uses a centrifugal clutch with a drive, which really simplifies its operation.
The mini snowmobile is equipped with durable metal skis. They are stable and reliable, although they can be easily replaced if they break.

The main pros and cons of mini snowmobiles

The positive qualities of mini snowmobiles include:

Small dimensions and weight facilitate easy transportation of the product to any point, regardless of whether the device is disassembled or not.
Due to the fact that it can be easily disassembled, the storage process does not take up a lot of money and does not take up a lot of usable space, even in an ordinary apartment.
It is possible to assemble the unit in a few minutes without the use of special tools.
Even two people can travel on a mini snowmobile at speeds of up to 20 km/h.
There is enough space under the seat to transport fishing equipment. In addition, there are additional pockets for storing small parts.

Some models have additional functions, such as a heated steering wheel or providing 12-volt power to consumers.

In addition to their advantages, such devices have a number of disadvantages, which should always be remembered so that they do not remind you of themselves at the most inopportune moment.

For example:

The design of the mini snowmobile does not have a very spacious fuel tank. In this regard, you will have to take an additional canister of fuel with you.
Although the equipment is designed to be moved by two people, you should be prepared for a not very comfortable process. This is especially true when traveling long distances. If these distances are small, then this issue is not fundamental. In any case, driving poorly is better than driving well, especially in conditions where the snow is deep.
The legs do not have significant protection, so you should move very carefully and carefully, especially in thickets.

Photo tips on how to make a snowmobile

Collapsible snowmobile designs

Most anglers prefer collapsible snowmobiles and believe that they are much more convenient and practical. In fact, if it is not a mini snowmobile, such designs differ only in minor features. Eg:

The size and weight of the vehicle are significantly larger, so even when disassembled, its parts are unlikely to fit in the trunk of a car. Therefore, the transportation process is somewhat problematic.
The movement speed reaches 70 km/h, thanks to a more powerful engine.
Assembling such a structure is much more difficult, especially alone, since the structural elements have significant weight.
Large dimensions allow several fishermen to move around on the vehicle without any problems.
The carrying capacity of these structures is much greater than that of mini-snowmobiles.

Types of homemade snowmobiles

Even without major modifications, you can get a decent all-terrain vehicle by putting snowmobile wheels on the walk-behind tractor and securing a small trailer. As for snowmobile wheels, they can be made in the form of tracks or wheels themselves.

Crawler

The caterpillar drive is structurally considered more complex to implement. In essence, we are talking about a tracked attachment, the operation of which is ensured by the main motor. Units of this kind are distinguished by a high level of maneuverability, reliability and stability. If there is heavy snowfall in your region in winter, this technique will be indispensable.

To make tracks directly, a conveyor belt, a motorcycle chain and a water pipe are suitable.

Using fishing line to sheathe the edges of the tape will significantly extend its service life. Aim for 10mm spacing when making stitches. All that remains is to sew the edges so that the ribbon is closed in the form of a ring. Even if the snow is loose and deep, a homemade self-propelled vehicle will not slip, but remember that with high cross-country ability, maneuverability will decrease, since the weight factor will play a role. The tracked chassis of the unit can weigh up to 30 kg.

Wheel travel

If the snow cover in winter in your region is not too high, it is more advisable and economical to give preference to the wheeled option. All you need is a compact trailer and matching wheels. Maneuverability in this case is much higher, since the specific weight of the rear-mounted wheels is relatively small. Installing special chains will prevent equipment from slipping in loose snow. There are two ways to make wheels:

To make wheels, you can use inner tubes from a truck. Lower them and put them on the wheels of the walk-behind tractor. At the final stage, use chains to wrap the wheels, fix the ends and only lastly inflate them with a pump.
Equip the wheels of the trailer and walk-behind tractor with metal hoops. One per wheel will be enough. When choosing the size of the hoop, be guided by the dimensions of the wheel. The width should be 2-3 times greater than that of the wheel, and the diameter should be slightly smaller. To increase the level of adhesion to the surface and ensure the stability of the unit, weld several metal plates on the back side of the hoop. The optimal plate thickness is 25 mm. This way you can create an imitation of the lug. Before putting on the hoop, be sure to lower the chambers, they will be pressed tightly to it after inflation.

Do-it-yourself homemade snowmobile on tracks: where to start?

1 — rear light; 2 — tow hitch; 3 — body (plywood, s16); 4 — side reflectors; 5 — rear shock absorber (from the Dnepr motorcycle, 2 pcs.); 6 — gas tank (from the starter of the T-150 tractor); 7 — seat; 8 — main frame; 9 — electronic ignition switch (from the Voskhod motorcycle); 10 — ignition coil (from the Voskhod motorcycle); 11 — power plant (from a motorized stroller, 14 hp); 12 — muffler (from a motorized stroller); 13 — steering column; 14 — steering joint in a leather case filled with lubricant (joint from UAZ); 15 — limiter of vertical movement of the steering ski (chain); 16 — steering ski rotation limiter; 17 — steering ski; 18 — side ski (2 pcs.); 19 - generator; 20 — clutch lever (from a motorized stroller); 21 — drive chain guard; 22 — footrest; 23 — drive shaft drive chain; 24 — caterpillar drive shaft; 25 — lower track chain guide (polyethylene, s10, 2 pcs.); 26 — caterpillar chain (from the header of a forage harvester, 2 pcs.); 27, 31 — upper front and rear chain guides (polyethylene s10, 2 pcs.); 28 — shock absorber of the propeller articulated frame (shortened rear shock absorbers of the Dnepr motorcycle, 2 sets); 29 — support ski; 30 — rear spacer frame; 32 - rear axle.

A drawing of a homemade snowmobile is the most important step in the preparatory stage of manufacturing. Here, engineering skills come in handy, and in the absence of such, superficial sketches are made to create a general image of the future mechanism.

Before creating a drawing, you must determine the list of required components. The basis of a standard configuration snowmobile is:

Frame - depending on the complexity of the design, it can be borrowed from an ATV, scooter, scooter, motorcycle, etc. If they are not available, the part is usually welded from thin-walled metal pipes with a diameter of about 40 mm.
Seat - given the difficult operating conditions of the equipment, the material of this element must have high water-repellent ability.
Engine – selected based on the required speed and total weight of the vehicle. The most commonly used engines are walk-behind tractors, scooters, motorcycles, etc.
Tank – a 10-15 liter metal/plastic container will provide carefree travel over relatively long distances and will not take up much space on the unit.
Skis - in the absence of ready-made options, for self-production it is recommended to use nine/ten-layer sheets of plywood about 3 mm thick.
Steering wheel – selected for convenience and practicality. Like the frame, engine and seat are removed from the specified two-wheeled units.
Drive is a part that transmits rotating motion from the engine to the track. This function is performed well by a motorcycle chain.
The caterpillar is the most complex and important element. Their types and methods of self-production will be discussed further.