GB Wheel-tracks project

[SHoppe715]

Possible project - currently in the category of "hairbrained scheme".

I've been kicking ideas around the wheel-track thread on AK4x4network http://www.alaska4x4network.com/showthread.php?p=438690#post438690 and I really want to build myself a set and I think I can do it for about the price of a set of bigger tires. I really like my current lift and tire setup for a DD. Tracks would easily give me another 4-6 inches of ground clearance without any more lift plus ridonkulous snow mobility. I'd only need a little utility trailer to pull the tracks to the trailhead. The trailer fenders would be built to flip under and act as skis.

What I already have and what I can sell/trade for more:
I have those widetrack waggy axles from the free cherokee stripping party. It'll be too many years before I get around to building a buggy and I don't want to sit on these for that long. All I need from them is the spindles, bearings, and hubs off the front. Up for sale or trade [any offer, even some ludicrous offers accepted] is every other part.

-Front: Flat-top knuckles, rotors, calipers, shafts, carrier, R&P, housing, HD diff cover, rims.
-Rear: entire axle rim to rim with parking brakes in-tact.


What I need and :confused: how to get it.
- I need 2 more spindle/hub assemblies. They don't need to be Jeep D44 - 2 different pairs is fine with the beefier of the 2 going on the rear. Action says $150 per side for an assembly - ouch. If anyone has or knows of a junk front axle they'd be willing to part out to me, my offer is some $ for the 2 spindle/hub assemblies along with my labor to tear the axle apart. You keep all the other sellable parts, I'll haul off the junk. Otherwise, please give me heads-up of any trucks spotted dumped at transfer sites with front axles still attached.

- I need 4 cheap steel rims. Anything with 5 on 4.5 bp. Jeeps, Exploders, Rangers, Excapes, Ford or Dodge minivans, whatever. Anyone have 4 junk rims that need disappearing? If not I can probably grab the cheapest crap Giant tire has on their lot and beadblast and paint them. They'll have the drive teeth welded to them so will need cleaning up for welding anyway.

- Ole, what size/thickness square tube can you bend? The basic design I'm looking at duplicating is the original Tatou ATV track with a bent bar going up and over the track hub and bolting to the hub at the bend.

Maybe another short bent piece under the hub too for more mounting surface and to use more of the lugs.

- 4" HD rubber wheels (X44) from Grainger.

- Snowmobile tracks will be the toughest part to get without breaking the bank. Again, I don't need 4 identical. I actually want to go with 121" tracks up front to keep steering manageable and 136" on the back. .5" - 1" lug trail/touring tracks. I think bigger paddle tracks would be unstable and/or be too prone to ripping lugs off. I've seen a few good deals on Craigslist and may end up going that route. I also plan on going around to shops and seeing if anyone can source me some good used tracks and maybe cut me a decent deal in exchange for free advertizing on a snow-tracked Jeep.


I'm thinking I could actually make this happen by next winter. Of course, if I do we won't get any snow...