snowmobile track

[Joe Sommer <anvilus9-at-adelphia.net>]

Mike,

At 12:51 PM 9/21/2004 -0700, Hunter Sgt Michael J 
<HunterMJ-at-3mawcpen.usmc.mil> wrote:
>Have any body tried useing snowmobile track for tank treads

About a year ago, I got a used snowmobile
track for free from a friend.

I cut a section to approximately the right
length for a tank and then slit it to 4 inches
wide.  Slitting required a bandsaw because
this track had metal rods molded laterally
into the carcass.  I kept the drive holes
approximately in the center of the new
width.  I joined the ends with hog-ring
staples.

I mounted this sample on two 5 inch DIA
wheels using steel axles in a 2x4 frame.
I did not have a snowmobile drive sprocket
to drive the track.  I simply turned it by hand.

Based on this quick and dirty test, I
have two major reservations about using
snowmobile track for R/C tanks.

1)  It was very difficult to join the cut ends.
I do not believe that hog-ring staples would
last under battle conditions.

2)  This track sample was very thick and
required a moderate amount of force to
bend around the 5 inch DIA wheels.  It also
required quite a bit of force to pull it around
the wheels after it was mounted.  I believe
that this very thick track would require
excessive motor torque and battery power
just to turn it by itself, let alone to move the
tank.

I also scrounged two used rubber snow
blower tracks.  Unfortunately, they are too
short for tanks.  Although I did not cut and
join them to make one tank track, I believe
that they would have the same problems
described above.

Very thin snowmobile track (racing track?)
with very short circumference (kid's snowmobile?)
might work if you do not need to cut it to length
and rejoin it.

Best wishes,
Joe


**********************************************
Joe Sommer
2378 Nantucket Circle, State College, PA 16803
814.234.4773     anvilus9-at-adelphia.net
http://www.anvilus.com