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...

[TJVigilante]

I have a pair of waggy D44 spindles and Ford hubs w/ used warn premium lockouts that I was going to use on a 5x5.5 bolt pattern swap on a waggy D44 front but I think I'll just make the jump to one-ton axles so this stuff isn't necessary anymore. Make me a (reasonable ) offer.

The hubs shouldn't need to be THAT strong as you're going to have a bunch of reduction in the tracks themselves. You'd probably be able to run them in 4hi and it'll be similar to your current setup in 4lo. Then again there will be a ton of leverage on the spindles, so it's not really going to matter which end the stronger hubs and spindles will be on. I'd be apt to say the front will see the most overall stress with steering.

[SHoppe715]

With a 15" rim driving the track (15" plus a little added diameter of the drive teeth setup I'm envisioning) I'll have about a 2:1 reduction from 33" tires. Should only need 4lo for slow gentle maneuvering.

The hub strength is needed because of the leverage the track will put on it especially on side slopes. Beefy trailer spindles could work too, but the 4x4 axle spindle just looks way too easy to slap on top of the steel rim, drill 5 holes, and use the main lugnuts to hold it all together.

With the volume of vehicles that get dumped and me not needing a specific part#, I'm kind of holding out for something near "$free" on the spindles and hubs. I'll sell you the flat-top knuckles so you can turn them around with the rest of your parts, though...hifty:

[TJVigilante]

You know that's going to be murder on your stock parts, right? All that stress will be transferred to your D44(actually closer to D30) knuckle/hub and ball joints in the front, and onto your axleshafts in your semifloat rear axle. You're going to toast rear axle bearings, front unit bearings and ball joints with all that leverage. You'll also probably need hydro assist steering to turn those things in the winter-spring hardpack snow.

[SHoppe715]

Sure, if I drove it like it had wheels, but it would be a whole different mentality of driving. Soft surface, moderate speeds, easy on the go pedal, try to only turn when moving. It shouldn't be any more abuse than guys wheeling the p!$$ out of 37's on TJ Rubicon axles. BigDan ran those GINORMOUS UnaTracks on a bone stock FSJ all over Hatcher Pass.

[SHoppe715]

I've considered building these for the GB since I have those 4 split-rims I'm not using. Of course, then I'd need 144" tracks...:twisted:...muah ha ha ha... but those full-floaters would fare a lot better.

[SHoppe715]

Hmmmm...GB tracks....All it would take is some big pipe - like 5"id - over the center holes to clear the drive hubs. Cap that flat and there's the mounting face for the D44 spindle track-frame hub. It's also waaaay easier to come up with an "anti-torque-over" device on leaf sprung axles.

Can you hear him burnig up his little wheel? ...that little gerbil between my ears...

[Zukman]

I have been reading about this on AKnetwork. I cannot post reply's on there. Kev should have some 10 bolt front spindles no one wants 10 bolt stuff anyway. The GB would be cool with some SUSV tracks on it. I want some ATV tracks for my zuk.

[Stumblinman]

I have some front HD D44 outers. came off a chevy. I guess the only downfall for you would be they're 8 lug.

[SHoppe715]

Nope, 8lug wouldn't matter. That's just where the track frame bolts to it. Can be 5, 6, 8, whatever.

You want to donate them to the cause?:whistle:

[Stumblinman]

you know where I live. Come check them out and see if they'll work.

[Dr Brian]

Years (actually a couple decades) ago there was a chevy pickup (I think) running around summit lake with skis on the front and tracks on the rear.

should be an interesting project, but I'd advocate winches on both ends =)

[SHoppe715]

Years (actually a couple decades) ago there was a chevy pickup (I think) running around summit lake with skis on the front and tracks on the rear.

I wonder if that's the same one that's sitting at the Tatlanika Gift Shop.

[SHoppe715]

Can I get an Admin to change the thread title to "Grizzlybeaver Wheel-tracks Project"?

[SHoppe715]

you know where I live. Come check them out and see if they'll work.

Monday morning OK?

[AKBronco]

Wouldn't you have way way less trouble putting skis on the front and make it a snowmachine? Or are you planning to run these tracks in the summer too?

[Stumblinman]

Monday morning OK?

Yep, but remember I'm on civilian hours.

[SHoppe715]

Umm, yeah, me too.

[Stumblinman]

Hey, did you come by ?

[SHoppe715]

No, sorry, said I would but ran out of time. Some time tomorrow late morning OK?

[Stumblinman]

yeah that's cool whenever. I was just making sure we didn't hear the door or something. It's been known to happen..

[Angler]

K
I
S
S

[Stumblinman]

I ran across a thread talking about the alaska track thread on pirate today. The russian ones seem interesting using mud tires with the sidewalls cut out..

http://www.off-road-drive.ru/index.php?link=160279

[SHoppe715]

K [eep]
I [t]
S [tupid]
S [imple]

I couldn't agree more. I've decided that tracks will be the simplest way for me to conquer the snow. I've never really found my niche and I think that may be it seeing as I'm not a big fan of mud, there just aren't that many places around here to crawl rocks, and many trails are impassable by wheeled vehicles 6 months out of the year because of the snow...yeah, I know, unless you're really light with great big tires. Seeing BigDan's wintertime Hatcher Pass trip in his stock FSJ on UnaTracks made my mind up.

[SHoppe715]

Sweet! Thanks for the hubs, Mike.


So I've made my mind up and the tracks will be for the GB. I really want these done for next winter.

Now all I need is:
-4 snow mobile tracks
-some square tubing
-about 2' of 5"pipe
-some steel plate
-lots of little wheels
-some misc hardware



I'm a bit hesitant to take the spindles and hubs off that Waggy axle since it's complete and in pretty good shape. It just seems like kind of a waste unless there's enough demand for other parts like the shafts or the flat-top knuckles for a crossover conversion. Maybe I'll be able to sell both axles as a package if I let them go dirt cheap - basically just enough to score another pair of hubs from MSI or Action. I got them for free anyway, so why not. I'm also still watching the transfer sites for abandoned trucks with useable front hubs.

[Stumblinman]

OK it maybe be just me but I think you should keep it SIMPLE, stupid.