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Making snowmobiles with your own hands. Homemade snow sled for a fisherman

Moving on ice and snow has many features. This type of transport, like an snowmobile, combines a lot of advantages. However, there are also disadvantages. You can make a snowmobile with your own hands, using the largest number of available materials and ready-made units. Moreover, they will be no worse than many industrial analogues.

When independently manufacturing any equipment from scratch, you must first complete a design project. It, in turn, is divided into four stages

  • Design of technical conditions, characteristics;
  • Technical proposal, at the stage of which the general layout of the product takes place;
  • A preliminary design, where a drawing of the product and its parts is made with the necessary calculations;
  • A working project in which product drawings are made taking into account current standards, existing components, mechanisms, and manufacturer capabilities.

Naturally, a do-it-yourselfer in a workshop will not carry out all the drawings in detail, and his education usually does not allow it. However, you need to try to make at least some drawings and calculations, especially if we are talking about complex off-road equipment, such as a snowmobile.

Ride quality

The first parameter that should be taken into account is the traveling weight of the sled, G. It consists of the weight of the sled itself, cargo and passengers, and fuel in tanks filled to capacity. This parameter is determined approximately; it is advisable to choose it with a small margin at the initial stages. When making preliminary calculations, you should start from the fact that the weight of the sled is no more than 14 kilograms per engine horsepower, then it can be determined more accurately.

If you want to make a snowmobile with a certain load-carrying capacity, then you can roughly take serial samples and see their traveling weight. Again, it is better to take it with a reserve, especially at the initial design stage. It is always easier to recalculate for smaller loads than for larger ones.

Thrust-to-weight ratio

The second parameter is the thrust-to-weight ratio, the dynamic coefficient D. It is determined by the ratio of the traction capacity to the traveling weight, D=T/G. This coefficient should not be less than 0.25, it is advisable to take it around 0.3. The thrust-to-weight ratio will show how quickly the snowmobile can move, accelerate, overcome inclines and other obstacles. Towing capacity and traveling weight are taken in kilograms.

The previous formula used the tractive ability parameter T. It is determined based on engine power and propeller parameters using several formulas. The simplest one is if the specific traction power of the propeller is known in kilograms per horsepower, T=0.8Np. Here N is the engine power, p is the specific traction power in kilograms per horsepower.

You can determine the traction capacity using another formula, which is suitable for most standard two- or three-blade propellers, T=(33.25·0.7·N·d)²/3. Here N is the rated power, d is the diameter of the propeller in meters, 0.7 is a coefficient that depends on the characteristics of the propeller. For ordinary screws it is 0.7, for others it may differ.

Other characteristics

Other characteristics, such as power reserve, speed, ascent and descent capability, will greatly depend on the selected engine, tank capacity and dynamic coefficient. It is worth paying attention to the area of ​​the skis so that their specific pressure on the snow is no more than 0.1-0.2 kg/sq.cm, and if they are intended for movement on ice, make an amphibious snowmobile in case of ice cracks. Such a machine is also very useful during summer fishing when moving among thickets of water lilies, otherwise the propeller will wrap them around itself and break. The Ministry of Emergency Situations uses similar snowmobiles to rescue people from ice in the spring.

It is worth remembering that the manufacture of large snowmobiles for several people is only possible when a powerful engine is used. Its use itself greatly increases the cost of the design, and fuel consumption in such snowmobiles will be very high. This puts an end to the homemade design in terms of cost savings. For example, the gasoline consumption of serial snowmobiles for 5-6 people is more than 20 liters per hour, and they move at speeds of up to 100 km/h on an icy surface, and up to 60-70 on snow.

The mobility indicators of such snowmobiles will be comparable to the cross-country ability of a snowmobile of the same load-carrying capacity. However, they will have less climbing ability, worse handling, the inability to walk at low speed among trees, and maneuverability will be inferior to a snowmobile. If you plan to travel through the winter forest, then it is best to use a snowmobile.

Low-power snowmobiles can easily be made on your own. Many home-made people make snowmobiles with a Lifan engine, chainsaws, which are designed for one thing and work successfully.

A good snowmobile for fishing has a propulsion device that can be easily transferred to a boat, including a rubber one, in the summer. It is, of course, advisable to use a boat with a hard bottom.

Snowmobile for fishing

It is optimal if they are:

  • Have positive buoyancy
  • Have a removable propulsion unit with the ability to rearrange it on the boat in the summer

If a snowmobile can be used as a full-fledged boat, then remove the engine for the summer not necessary.

Snowmobiles are mainly made by fishing enthusiasts in rural areas who live near large expanses of water. It is most rational to use them in the spring on clear ice, when the snow cover on it is minimal. There are very strong arguments here in favor of abandoning the classic ski design, and using the classic three-rib design for gliders on the bottom.

The stiffening ribs are reinforced so that they can perform the function of skates. When there is water on the ice, it will make movement easier. At the same time, the snowmobile will reach almost full planing mode, reducing the drag of the environment. In the summer, such a hull will be a full-fledged boat with high seaworthiness - overcoming small flooded spits and rapids on the river will not be such a problem for it as for a regular motor boat.

However, it is not advisable to use “Kazanka” or the old “Progress” for such things. The fact is that their bottom is not strong enough. And depreciation will suffer. And from hard impacts the bottom will fall apart even more. The design of most modern snowmobiles and airboats for fishing assumes the presence of a rigid bottom, which has an inflatable deck with flooring. This absorbs impacts when moving. Other designs should be considered not very suitable.

Budget snowmobiles: manufacturing process

Frame

The manufacture of the frame of the snowmobile should ensure that it is light in weight. Usually the lower part of the frame is made to accommodate the seat, rectangular or trapezoidal in shape. It must be placed slightly ahead of the center, since an engine, tanks, propeller, luggage will be added, and it is advisable to place the center of gravity in the middle of the frame. Next comes the manufacture of the frame for the engine, transmission and propeller. It is made triangular, the top will be the bearing on which the drive screw rotates.

This frame has wide gussets in the form of rods that are attached to the triangle posts and extend forward. It is not advisable to take up space at the back, as this will interfere with the rotation of the propeller.

The frame material is selected from thick polypropylene pipes with reinforcement. These pipes provide satisfactory strength, but may lose shape over time under load. If possible, it is advisable to use aluminum pipes and connect them using bends and tees. Aluminum connections for welding at home are quite a complex thing, and even with argon welding it will be inferior in strength to connections made with angles.

Propeller and engine

A fairly powerful Lifan 168f-2 four-stroke engine is used. Four-stroke engines start a little worse in cold weather, but are much quieter. A plastic additional gas tank from a walk-behind tractor is used. The power supply itself is quite sufficient for a snowmobile with a total traveling weight of up to 500-600 kilograms.

The propeller is manufactured independently, two-bladed, has a diameter of 1.5 meters, increased in size according to drawings for aircraft models. Making a screw yourself is a fairly complex process and will require carpentry skills. In addition, you will need wood from maple, hornbeam, beech, Karelian birch or other fairly durable wood, dry. If possible, it is better to purchase an aluminum screw with pre-known characteristics in the store.

From the engine to the propeller, a reduction gear is used on belts with a 1:3 ratio from a woodworking machine, with a tension roller. With the choice of speed modes for snowmobiles, everything is quite sad, and it’s difficult to talk about the gearbox here due to the fact that the propeller itself will only work effectively at fairly high speeds, and reducing them does not increase traction, quite the contrary.

It is important! The propeller must be completely enclosed on all sides! Most homemade snowmobiles you see on YouTube or other sources don't have one! The fence should be painted in a bright color and made of mesh with a maximum pitch of no more than 7-8 cm.

Layout, skis and handling

The seat is located immediately in front of the engine, and underneath is the trunk. There is additional storage space near the running boards. The engine is controlled using the gas pedal and clutch. You can take them from an old car and connect them to the engine using cables.

There are two additional handles on the front. They are connected using cables to the front pair of skis, which can turn left and right on a vertical thrust pad, and also synchronously with the steering flags, which are located in pairs at the rear left and right of the propeller. The left handle controls the left side, the right handle controls the right. They can be used independently, and when braking it is enough to bring the skis and flags inward by pulling both handles towards you.

The snowmobile has four skis, two front and two rear. The front two skis are short, made of alloy steel. The back two are longer, made of plastic. The rear skis take part in steering the snowmobile. The skis are mounted on special triangular supports, have a swinging stroke and are sprung in the front part.

Painting and lighting fixtures

The snowmobile must be painted in a bright color that will be visible from a distance in the snow. It can be red, brown, blue, purple or another similar color. It is also necessary to paint the propeller guard brightly, preferably in a color that is different from the main body of the snowmobile. Typically the color used for painting is orange.

Of the lighting devices, it is imperative to install side lights, as well as lights on the propeller - green to the left of it in the direction of travel, and red to the right. Headlights must have sufficient power. The fact is that daylight hours are short in winter, and it is usually not possible to move only in daylight.

Usually the battery lasts for 3-4 hours of travel, which is enough to get home in the dark. If you want to protect yourself so that the headlights stay on all night if you get lost, we can recommend installing lighting coils from an old motorcycle.

When should you use a snowmobile?

Of course, no permit is required to use snowmobiles in extreme conditions to ensure the livelihoods of a village or an individual. In order to drive them on ice, where you can meet a fisheries inspector, or even on dirt snowy roads, you will need to register them with the Technical Supervision authorities.

This is a rather complicated and lengthy procedure. You will need to obtain a safety certificate and design verification calculations. The cost of the procedure itself negates the process of making a snowmobile yourself in order to save money. It will not be possible to do without registration, since the engine capacity for them is usually from 150 cubic meters. You can’t install a smaller one, it simply won’t pull the propeller. To drive a snowmobile, you will need to obtain a special driver's license.

Therefore, in most cases, a snowmobile is not the best choice for an all-terrain vehicle, primarily due to bureaucratic reasons. The second reason is increased fuel consumption, especially in deep snow and in soft snow during the thaw. Compared to a snowmobile with a tracked design, snowmobiles consume 1.5-2 times more fuel for the same needs. The third is the inability to pass through the forest.

Therefore, snowmobiles, although they are a fairly simple and reliable form of transport, are not always a good choice for those who want to have their own all-terrain snowmobile, especially for a fisherman who would be more interested in focusing on fishing.

My first homemade product for fishing was an snowmobile... First, I got a disassembled head of a Whirlwind 30 outboard motor, which had to be sorted out and modified... A water pump from a Muscovite was installed in a homemade housing, water channels were drilled out in the cylinder block, conclusions were drawn from the cylinder head to remove hot coolant, a propeller axis with a tension roller and an expansion tank was installed on the cylinder head

, a new muffler was made... To cool the brake fluid, a radiator from Moskvich was installed...

Scraper-type brakes were installed on the rear skis, the brakes were driven by a handbrake from a Zhiguli, using cables...

The frame of the sled was made of profile pipes of square section, the seat and steering fork with steering wheel were installed from the Voskhod motorcycle... The skis were made of welded angle, with a sole pad made of an unrolled polyethylene pipe. Absorption of unevenness on the rear skis was carried out by springs installed on them, and on the front skis by the telescopic fork of the motorcycle...

A 1.5 meter propeller was made from three glued pieces of wood 150 mm wide... Followed by gluing with fiberglass and covering the cutting edge of the propeller with tin, so that you could mow bushes without consequences: D....

Then painted...



After finishing and painting they began to look like this

Then like this


Since the snowmobile was made before the snow, I tested it on the concrete ramp of the warehouse on skis... :D

then, without waiting for the snow, I put my fan on wheels...

Interest in snowmobiles as an individual means of transportation on winter off-road and as a sports type of motor vehicle has been evident for a long time. But the hobby for amateur snowmobiles, as widespread as it is now, was undoubtedly facilitated by the increase in the general technical level of young people. According to far from complete information, the number of snowmobiles built by amateurs since 1968 has almost doubled.

WHEN THE ENGINE...BRAKES

We can name quite a few settlements in the northern regions of our country, where there are from a few copies to 25-35 snowmobiles. They are built not only by individual hobbyists. They are created in school technical clubs, Houses and Palaces of Pioneers, at city stations for young technicians, and in vocational schools.

A big obstacle to the creation of snowmobiles is that our industry does not produce special engines suitable for working with a propeller in the harsh climatic conditions of the North with its low temperatures. Existing motorcycle engines, most often used on homemade snowmobiles, do not meet the requirements due to their relatively low power. Therefore, engines are usually paired (Fig. 1) or two or even three are adapted to work on one or two propellers (Fig. 2).

Recently, there has been a tendency to create engines of our own design. They. As a rule, they are carried out on the basis of serial parts and assemblies.

These engines (Fig. 3) are often distinguished by their original layout, high power and suitability for operation in winter conditions. A survey conducted by the editors showed that now about 8% of the total number of snowmobiles are equipped with homemade engines. It should also be noted that there has been a significant increase in the power of the snowmobile engines used: 24.5% of them are of their own design or motorcycle type M-72, M-61, M-63, K-750, Java-350, with a power of over 20 hp. With.; 4.2% - automobiles, with power from 40 to 70 hp. With.; and 7.2% - old aircraft engines such as M-11, AI-14, Walter-Minor, etc.

AESTHETICS AND COMFORT

Analyzing the materials available to the editors on amateur-built snowmobiles, I would like to note that recently the technical culture of structures has increased significantly, more attention has been paid to aesthetics (Fig. 4), comfort, and their external decoration. If 10 years ago, most snowmobiles were built according to the simplest scheme, without a body protecting the driver and passenger from the oncoming flow of air and snow dust, now 55% of the cars are made with semi-closed bodies and more than 20% with completely closed bodies. Moreover, these machines, as a rule, have a streamlined body and motor unit (Fig. 5 and 6).

Only 3.6% of snowmobiles are built according to the motorcycle design, which is most beneficial for low-power vehicles.

The three-skid chassis design still predominates: 73.5% of known snowmobiles are built using it. The number of four-ski cars has increased from 10 to 10% compared to 1965-1966. The four-skid design is more labor-intensive, but provides better sled cross-country ability on loose snow and good stability when moving over rough terrain, especially when making sharp turns at high speed.

Amateurs use mainly two-bladed wooden block propellers on their sleds, that is, made from a single block or blank glued together from separate thin boards - drek.

Only 5.5% of snowmobiles are equipped with three- or four-blade propellers; 3.5% of the propellers are made with metal blades and the same number are made with variable pitch blades (with the engine not running).

Very few (less than 1%) propellers change the angle of attack of the blades while the machine is moving (our magazine informed readers about such propellers - see No. 5 for 1969 and No. 2 for 1972). About 40% of snowmobiles are equipped with gearboxes; 25.8% of gearboxes are made of chain, the rest are V-belt and gear.

Below is brief information about some amateur snowmobiles that are of interest to a wide range of readers.

In the town of Zheleznodorozhny near Moscow, a group of amateur snowmobile designers has been working for many years. I. Lukin, V. Mashenkii, S. Kuznetsov and their young assistants have created and successfully operate a number of interesting machines.

THREE SKIS? FOUR?

I. Lukin built and tested the first snowmobiles in the winter of 1969/70. They had a three-ski design that was not stable enough. The designer converted the car to a four-ski (see tab). He installed the front, steerable skis on a tubular truss attached to the body, providing them with spring shock absorption. The ski suspension point, located low (almost at the very sole), provides good stability and significantly increases the machine's maneuverability on soft virgin snow.

The soles of the skis are made of stainless steel, which also helps to improve the running performance of the snowmobile.

Increased stability of the machine was also achieved by lowering its center of gravity. The engine from the M-72 motorcycle is placed on the body frame in the lower rear part on special units. The engine has a magneto and an automobile gasoline pump, powered by a cam shaft, driven by a V-belt from the propeller shaft. To do this, a Ø 26 mm pulley is installed on the latter, and a Ø 80 mm pulley is installed on the cam roller. The magneto is mounted on the crankcase cover, where the ignition distributor removed from the engine is located.

The transmission from the engine to the propeller shaft is made by two parallel V-belts. This eliminates belt slipping when transmitting full power. The pulley on the motor shaft Ø 130 mm is made of duralumin. The driven pulley Ø 260 mm is mounted on a key on the propeller shaft.

The shaft itself is on an external pylon, on two radial ball bearings and one thrust bearing.

The gear ratio of the driving and driven pulleys is 1:2, which made it possible to make a propeller with increased thrust. It is made from birch bars.

Currently, I. Lukin is working on creating a more powerful two-cylinder engine.

S. Kuznetsov became interested in snowmobiles when he was still an eighth-grade student. Interestingly, his first design was also a three-ski, single-seater with an IZH-49 motorcycle engine. The motor was located at the back, on top, on a tubular welded frame; the propeller was mounted directly on the shank of the engine crankshaft. The motor was equipped with a KATEK unit magneto.

The second design (Fig. 7), created by S. Kuznetsov in 1972, with the same engine, was built according to a motorcycle design. This is a single-seater car with a semi-closed hull. The engine on it was located below, on a transverse beam, with transmission to the propeller shaft by two V-belts.

This design is interesting in that the entire propeller-motor group was an easily removable unit. In the summer it was dismantled and used on the water without any changes.

The propeller is made from a single block of wood, with straight edges of the ends of the blades. The propeller shaft is mounted on ball bearings installed in special sockets welded to the frame.

The body of the snowmobile is assembled using glue and screws from bars with a cross-section of 20×20 mm, covered with plywood 2 mm thick. At the rear there is a cross board that serves as a support for the engine mounting brackets, the propeller frame and the ski suspension cross tube.

Snowmobile skis are equipped with steel soles and have undercuts that ensure stable running.

The next stage of S. Kuznetsov's technical creativity is a snowmobile with two IZH-49 engines, driven by one propeller.

AEROSANI “CRICKET” AND “KUPAVNA”

But the Vshivtsevs, who live in the Moscow region, build snowmobiles with the whole family: Kuzma Afanasyevich Vshivtsev is the head of the family, wife and schoolboy son.

The beginning was made with a sleigh, also of a three-ski design. They used a motor from the Zaporozhets car of the first production. The engine was located on top, and the propeller was mounted directly on the crankshaft shank. The screw was three-bladed, metal, each of the blades was screwed into the sleeve socket with its threaded shank and secured with a lock nut. This made it possible to change the installation angles of the blades if necessary.

The body of the car was made from an old motorcycle sidecar. Snowmobiles had good driving performance, but the high center of gravity made them unstable.

Therefore, in 1972-1973, K. Vshivtsev made a new, two-seater snowmobile “Cricket” (Fig. 8). The engine used is the same, but shifted downwards and mounted on the body frame. The propeller is driven by three V-belts. The propeller itself has also been changed: it has become two-bladed.

The Cricket snowmobile is original in that it can be quickly turned into an airmobile: it has 4 small-diameter wheels, on which, in fact, skis are put on, which have special sockets for this purpose and are fastened to the wheel axle.

The low landing of the machine provides it with good stability and allows it to move freely over rough terrain without fear of tipping over. The snowmobile "Cricket" took part in the winter festival in Zelenograd and attracted the attention of numerous participants of the rally.

In his free time from work, P. Semkin from the village of Kupavna near Moscow also likes to race on a snowmobile. He considers such walks the best vacation.

His snowmobile is a single-seater, three-ski (see sidebar).

The front and rear ski suspensions are original. They consist of movable rocking frames with spring shock absorbers. This suspension scheme helps the sled move, even if the skis are frozen. To prevent the ski tips from digging into the snow, tension springs are placed between them and the rocking frame. The snowmobiles are equipped with propeller guard trusses.

The two-cylinder two-stroke engine develops a power of 16 hp. pp., equipped with a gear reducer with a gear ratio of 1:3. The engine is located on a tubular under-engine frame at the top, above the rear edge of the housing. The propeller is wooden, block, mounted on the gearbox shaft with a key.

The body of the snowmobile is semi-closed, streamlined, and has a windshield. The dry weight of the structure is only 96 kg. The sled has been in use since 1965.

LIKE AN AIRPLANE

For the third year now, I. Svetchikov has been improving his snowmobile design, gradually achieving greater maneuverability, speed, and reliability..

Aerosleigh S-4 (Fig. 9) has a closed body. The cabin seats two people: the driver in a comfortable front seat and the passenger in the rear seat. The cockpit has a sliding canopy, similar to an airplane one.

The snowmobile is equipped with a 22 hp M-72 motorcycle engine. With.; it is located in the lower rear part of the body, with rotation transmitted to the propeller shaft by four V-belts. The diameters of the pulleys ensure a reduction in speed in the ratio of 1: 1.4.

The propeller is two-blade, wooden, block. With a diameter of 1.8 m, it provides a pulling force of 84 kg.

IN THE CABIN - TWO

For the sixth year now, M. Nosikov from Neftegorsk, Kuibyshev Region, has been independently building snowmobiles.

The sled was redesigned many times, but the results were quite satisfactory to the designer. ANOMI-4 (Fig. 10) is the fourth and most successful amateur design. The machine has a pleasant appearance, good driving performance, is stable, maneuverable and, most importantly, reliable in operation.

The design is made according to a four-ski design, with front controlled skis. The body is semi-closed and streamlined. It accommodates two people.

Unlike the usually accepted scheme, when the driver sits in front and the passenger in the back, in ANOMI-4 they sit side by side.

Despite the fact that the car has a partially closed body, the windshield and the upper glazed areas of the entrance doors protect passengers well from the oncoming air flow.

The rear part of the housing is made with a large bevel, providing a good air supply to the operating propeller.

The snowmobile uses a 22 hp M-72 motorcycle engine. With. It is located above the rear edge of the housing and is attached to the tubular motor frame. The propeller shaft is mounted above the engine on a subframe. The transmission is carried out through an intermediate shaft by a chain. The engine is connected to the intermediate shaft through a universal joint. On the intermediate shaft, which rotates in ball bearings, there are two sprockets: a leading one (to drive the propeller shaft) and a small one (from the rear wheel of the bicycle) to drive the magdin, which provides current for the lighting devices.

In the photo (top to bottom). An unusual transmission from the engine to the propeller - two bevel gearboxes with a rigid vertical shaft - was performed on the snowmobile of N. Melnikov (Tyumen).

The snowmobile is “in reverse”: the steering ski is at the back, the front ones are stationary, the propeller is in the front. Design by I. Tsipan (Rivne region).

Mini-sleigh L. Perchenko (Murmansk region) with a PD-10/IZH-49 engine.

Mini-sleigh by V. Mishagin (Gorky) with an IZH-49 engine equipped with a gear reducer.

Magdina is used from the M-105 motorcycle, but in a homemade body. It is located under the intermediate shaft and is bolted to the engine frame.

A two-spark magneto is installed on the rear cover of the engine, which significantly simplifies the ignition circuit and makes it possible to get rid of the heavy battery.

The propeller is left-handed, diameter is 2 m. Made from straight-layer pine timber. The propeller shaft is mounted on ball bearings.

M. Nosikov is working on creating a propeller with variable (while moving) blade pitch, with reverse for braking (while pin brakes located in the rear skis are used).

The snowmobile has a propeller guard made of pipes and a rare protective mesh.

The speed of the ANOMI-4 snowmobile on virgin snow with a full load is 40-45 km/h.

DOUBLE GEARBOX

Lightweight snowmobile with 20 hp engine. With. built by I. Melnikov from Tyumen (p. 16). The closed glass cabin provides good visibility and the necessary comfort for the driver of the car. At the front there is a powerful headlight.

To reduce the center of gravity and ensure good stability of the machine, the engine is mounted on rubber couplings to the lower duralumin profiles of the body.

The transmission from the engine to the propeller shaft is carried out in an original way: through two gearboxes. bevel gears and vertical shaft. Gear ratio 11:20. Gearbox gears are housed in special flanged housings. The vertical shaft connecting both gearboxes has soft cardan couplings that compensate for possible inaccuracies when assembling the machine.

The propeller has three wooden blades, each of which fits with its shank into the socket of a metal sleeve and is clamped with a special nut. The angle of installation of the blades can be adjusted on site, with the engine not running; the clamping nuts are locked with wire. The diameter of the propeller is 1.5 m.

The fuel reserve is 40 liters, located in two tanks, enough for 250-300 km. The maximum speed of the snowmobile is 90 km/h.

AEROSANI - REVERSE?

“Whirlwind-2” is the name of the snowmobile built by N. Tsipan from the Rivne region. They reach speeds of up to 50 km/h.

The snowmobile is made according to a “reverse” three-ski design - the two front skis are rigidly fixed to the transverse beam, and the rear one is steerable. Engine IZH-56 with a power of 13 hp. With. placed in front on the hull beam, the propeller is four-bladed, pulling, with a diameter of 1.4 m. The transmission from the engine to the propeller shaft is carried out by a motorcycle chain.

The upper part of the engine and the propeller shaft are covered with an easily removable hood, providing good access to all components of the engine installation.

The propeller blades are made of 10 mm thick plywood and their butt part is riveted into the double-sided tabs of the bushing, which is attached to the shaft with a key and tightened with a locking nut.

The snowmobile body is a closed type, with one door on the left side.

MINI SLEDGE

Several options for small snowmobiles, one of which - see photo - was created by L. Perchenko from the village of Olenya-1, Murmansk region. As an engine, he used an old, decommissioned tractor launcher PD-10, with minor modifications: the water-cooled cylinder was replaced with a motorcycle air-cooled one from an IZH-49 engine.

To supply fuel from a gasoline tank (polyethylene canister) located under the engine, a Veterok-8 outboard motor gasoline pump is used. To provide the engine with fuel before starting, a manual pump is installed between the tank and the gasoline pump.

The propeller is made of duralumin, block, with reinforcing linings in the butt part. Screw diameter - 1.1 m.

To increase the supporting area and reduce the calcination of the machine when moving on loose, deep snow, it has an additional fourth ski located between the rear skis, along the axis of symmetry of the machine. When moving, the rear ski follows the trail of the front, controlled one.

The main leaf of an automobile spring (1 plate) was used as a transverse beam for the rear suspension.

Snowmobiles are lightweight and small in size: length - 3 m, width - 1.2 m. The speed is up to 50 km/h.

cylinder down

To make a small, beautiful and light car - Valery Mishagin from Gorky also set himself this goal when developing his snowmobile design (pictured). He succeeded. The VAM-1 snowmobile is compact, elegant, and weighs only 80 kg. For these mini-sleighs, the IZH-49 engine is used, located at the rear, with the cylinder down.

To increase the traction force of the propeller, a gear reducer with a gear ratio of 1: 1.5 is installed on the engine, and the engine is boosted. This made it possible to reduce the propeller speed and increase thrust by increasing the diameter to 1.4 m. Wooden screw (birch), block.

The body of the snowmobile in the lower part has a power frame and a lightweight, streamlined superstructure that folds forward along with the steering column, making it easy for the driver to get into the car. The body length is only 2 m.

During testing, the mini-sleigh showed a speed of 60 km/h.

I. YUVENALIEV, engineer

Snowmobiles are used where there are no roads or where a tractor can hardly pass. This homemade vehicle does not have a clutch or complex transmission. There are also no hydraulic brakes, so it’s easy to make a snowmobile with your own hands.

In winter, fishermen have to travel long distances. Using homemade equipment makes casting to a pond quick and convenient. The vehicle is equipped with runners, making it possible to move on ice, crust and snow. The snowmobile is driven by an aircraft propeller. It rotates a motor that runs on gasoline.

When riding, the sled reaches speeds of up to 150 km/h. This is how they compare favorably with snowmobiles. With a soft suspension, the vehicle provides riding comfort. If we talk about the smoothness of the ride, then the snowmobile is comparable to a car. Cabins are often installed on them, this provides additional protection from wind and frost.

The bottom frame serves as the base of the structure; it is made in the form of a panel. The frame is assembled from beams, it is best to use pine. Foam filler is also required, and the structure is given rigidity using wooden cross members.

The frame is sheathed; for this purpose it is necessary to purchase plywood. Together with torsional bending and high rigidity, it demonstrates high quality characteristics.

Specifications

A homemade snowmobile is better than a snowmobile; You can make a motor sleigh for fishing with your own hands by installing a motor with a power of 15 hp or more on the structure. It's so easy to achieve the following:

  1. In 1 minute the engine makes 4700 revolutions.
  2. The diameter of the screw is 1300 mm, it spins up to 2300 revolutions. Maximum force - 62 kg.
  3. The fuel tank holds from 40 to 50 liters of gasoline.
  4. Without the driver, the weight of the structure is 90.7 kg. With load - 183 kg.

The choice of engine depends on the weight of the snowmobile, its size and load capacity. The motor must be of such power that the propeller makes the required number of revolutions. This value is selected by the designer. It is necessary to strive to ensure that the design is lightweight, then you can install an engine of small size and power. The equipment must have an air cooling system.

A car engine is often installed on snowmobiles. It is distinguished by great power; it is easy to equip a homemade snowmobile with an engine, because you just need to remove it from an old car.

You can install a motor from a Jupiter motorcycle on a sled; an engine removed from a Zhiguli would be a good option. You can use K-62I. This is a carburetor that has 2 cylinders. Ignition is carried out from the battery, and the fuel tank is designed for 30 liters of gasoline.

You can install D-30 or D-15 on light snowmobiles. The first develops a tractive force of 40 kgf, and the second - 60 kgf. D-15 has a gear reducer. On both engines, the tank is designed to hold 15 liters of fuel.

Load capacity

Load capacity refers to the ability of a vehicle to move cargo and passengers. This is the total weight of the vehicle including ammunition and people. Homemade units are designed to transport from 1 to 5 people. With a load, the weight of the snowmobile reaches 300 kg.

Range and speed of movement

If you install a 15 hp engine on a snowmobile, on hard snow they will reach a speed of 70 to 80 km/h, with an average speed of 40–50 km/h. The speed on compacted snow increases. Transport travels fastest on ice crust; the maximum speed on snowy terrain can be 110 km/h. But at high speed, the stability of the equipment decreases, and there is a possibility that it will tip over. Therefore, it is not recommended to reach speeds above 50−70 km/h.

Most often, tanks with a capacity of 40 liters are installed on homemade vehicles. The filled fuel is enough for 300 km.

Fuel reserve

Since snowmobiles travel in areas where there are no gas stations, it is necessary to take care of the fuel supply. It is poured into a canister; it is best to use containers with a volume of 20 liters. This supply will be enough to get out of the snowy wilderness.

Brake design

The brake system of homemade equipment cannot be called classic. Scrapers are made at the ends of the rear skis, and cables are pulled from the brake pedal, which, if necessary, activate them. When the driver presses the pedal, the scrapers move down. Because of this, the progress of the sleigh slows down.

How to make it yourself

You can make a snowmobile with your own hands: the bodies of homemade snowmobiles are created taking into account the laws of aerodynamics, so all elements of the equipment should be made in strict accordance with the plan. The quality of the assembly directly determines the operation of all components and the service life of homemade equipment.

Drawing of a typical snowmobile:

Frame

The assembly of the snowmobile begins with the body; it consists of a durable frame, which is covered with casing. It is given an aerodynamic shape, tapering towards the front. The case has 2 compartments: front and rear, into which the motor is installed.

The necessary rigidity of the structure is provided by 2 spars and power stringers. Frames are installed, there should be 4 of them. They are placed at equal intervals. Plywood is used to make them; it is best to purchase material 10 mm thick. Wide frames are reinforced with transverse beams.

Work begins with the installation of the lower frame; frames are installed on it. Be sure to make spacers; they are fixed to the frames using corners. When this stage is completed, they move on to securing the stringers. Transverse reinforcement with special beams is necessary, because loads are transported using homemade equipment.

The frame is glued; this can be done by applying casein glue. Gauze is applied to the joints, then it is impregnated with glue. Another option is also possible, when the gauze is first cut, the bandage is soaked in glue, and then a strip is wrapped around the joints of the elements.

To cover the body, you should purchase sheets of plywood; they are covered with a duralumin coating on top. The driver's seat is made of plywood, but you can install a factory one made of plastic.

Space for cargo is allocated in the rear of the structure, located behind the seat. In this compartment you can store spare parts and tools; a can of gasoline, fishing gear and passengers’ belongings can also fit here. There are different options for assembling snowmobile transport; design drawings must be studied before starting work.

Propeller system

The propeller system consists of several elements. The most common option is to install a motor removed from the IZH-56 on a snowmobile. The propeller shaft is mounted on a bearing; it is mounted on the frame. A wooden plate is required to mount the motor.

To regulate the V-belt transmission to the screw, a plate made of plywood or textolite is required. A fan is installed to cool the engine. It is fixed to the crankcase using a bracket for this purpose.

Suspension

Skis for snowmobiles are made of plywood 10 mm thick, and the bottom is sheathed with stainless steel. The skis are bent, for this purpose the plywood is placed in boiling water. The bend is made using a slipway.

When assembling, it is necessary to correctly select the thickness of the rear skis; different drawings are provided. A thick beam is used for reinforcement; the skis are attached to the body with M6 screws. In order for the snowmobile to be stable when turning, undercuts are made. They are constructed from pipes flattened at the ends.

How to equip it correctly?

The speedometer, ignition switch, fuel gauge and all main instruments are installed on the front panel. The control levers, brake pedals and engine start pedals should also be located here. If you are planning trips to unfamiliar places, far from populated areas, it is worth installing a GPS navigator on your snowmobile. A rear-view mirror is placed on the left; the air and throttle valve levers should be located in the cabin.

Snowmobile with chainsaw engine

The chainsaw motor has low power, which does not exceed 4 hp. This is not enough to travel long distances. The minimum engine power must be at least 12 hp.

If a body of water is nearby, then a low-power motor is sufficient. The chainsaw motor, despite this, will move the lightweight structure. Such snowmobiles can be used to transport fishing gear.

Alternative options

A car body can be used as a body for a snowmobile.

Here, for example, is a snowmobile made from a “loaf”.

Safety precautions during operation

When operating a homemade vehicle, the propeller poses a potential danger to passengers. To prevent accidents, the propeller is hidden in a casing. This element protects not only passengers, but also the propeller itself from foreign objects getting into it.

When assembling a snowmobile, you should monitor the quality of work. The main load falls on the skis, so the quality of the bolted connection must be high. Fastenings need to be checked and maintenance carried out on time. The propeller is regularly inspected; it is important to notice any defects that have arisen in a timely manner.

Trouble-free operation of the equipment is possible if the snowmobile engine is working normally, there is fuel, and the oil is poured to the required level.

When assembling equipment, they are guided by the dimensions presented in the drawings. The cabins must have a canopy; the snowmobile then becomes more convenient to use. There is no need to make changes to the design, this may cause problems.