Tracked craftsman

Hello, im looking to build a tracked tractor this summer, i want to use the older craftsman lt6000 (the one with the big box front end and square head lights). ive got 2 snowmobile tracks without the rubber knobs inside, so they are smooth inside. im thinking of using 3/16 x 1" flat stock and making u shape guides, what my plan to drive it is, is to get 2 hydro static zero turn wheel motors, take out the rear transaxle, weld the front spindles and articulating suspension up front so it wont move and turn, keep the tires on the front, and mount the trans axles to the frame towards the back but so the tracks fit snug when tires are deflated, then i want to put a 3rd wheel in the middle on each side, so it would have a total of 6 tires, and if people are concerned about the wheel motors... ive done something similar in the past where i had a zero turn mower and put tracks on it. i want this to be a snow dozer... obviously it wont be used for heavy snow but why not build it... my only problem i had in the past with the zero turn is it was always throwing tracks, not sure if its due to low tire psi (i had a couple that continuously leaked air) or if my alignment was spot on and the fact that i had my track guides all the way to one side of the track so the wheels were to one side opposed to centered but snow groomers work like that... but when i would over inflate the tires so it would take longer to drain out of air... it was like a tank! it climbed snow banks and was an absolute blast to drive! there is a guy on youtube (Kent323is) that made something similar but used snowmobile drive cogs and syspension... here is another guy doing the same tracks and guide idea but for an argo (http://kramerville.net/mbn/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=13204). any input would help as far as track guides and placement of them. im doing this very cheap. its alot cheaper to but flatstock in a long section than buy nylon track guides for argos.

Awesome!! Seems like more and more people are getting hooked on tracks for there rigs, LOL. I'd be glad to throw some ideas your way. Pics of what you got would help and maybe some drawings  of the outcome too.

Sounds really cool!

Here is a link to help with pictures:


How to upload pictures.

not sure if i did the pic right but anyways i tried to insert a picture i drew up on paint... its a bad drawing but you guys should get the point

here is a picture of what im going for. im planning on painting it cat yellow, with a gloss black grill, replace the headlights with LED, i want to put led lollipop lights on the rear fenders for running/ hazzard flashers. the exhaust stacks with clap caps... u know it!! plow will hopefully be made of a metal frame with lexan blade (the curved part) so its see thru.. kinda think that would look cool! and to keep the weight down. it will more than likely be either winch or actuator opperated up and down and manually turned for now. i will post pics as i go, but being 6 degrees F here in Vermont... its going to be a while till i start.

If you got the original transaxle, should be strong enough for diff steering. Just a thought.

prancstaman wrote:

If you got the original transaxle, should be strong enough for diff steering. Just a thought.

HMMM... dunno if I buy that Prancstaman.... Think of the belt slippage probs you had when trying to steer you rig... kinda depends on the size of axle on the original.... I'd say 3/4 min axle diameter... seen some of these newer rigs running 5/8, and I'm pretty sure that wouldn't hold up when the tracks grip on a sharp turn

That GT18 is about a 90 model.  Looks just like what I am using for my build.  Should have a 122419X transaxle with a 1 inch axle that is like the Roper 633. I agree belt slippage is something to overcome.

should be good to go with a 1 inch axle brother

thanks for the ideas guys. the problem is, i dont have access to alot of welding stuff, there for i have to make it as simple as i can, as in, i could rig up brakes for each side but i personally think thats more work than needed. i figure hydrolic wheel motors is pretty simple. mount them, run the steering levers/linkages, mount the tires on, throw the tracks over and last put the belt on and a tensioner pully inline somewhere..

also how should i make my guides? 90* bend or flared out???

Camdg2010 wrote:

thanks for the ideas guys. the problem is, i dont have access to alot of welding stuff, there for i have to make it as simple as i can, as in, i could rig up brakes for each side but i personally think thats more work than needed. i figure hydrolic wheel motors is pretty simple. mount them, run the steering levers/linkages, mount the tires on, throw the tracks over and last put the belt on and a tensioner pully inline somewhere..

Problem I see with this set up is it will sit and spin in circles unless you make sure one gearbox is opposite drive direction... better to use a double pulley on the motor, and one belt to each drive with it's own tensioner clutch. 2 sticks instead of steering wheel. the sticks engage the tention and allow the tracks to turn... Just my take on it brother

not sure i understand. look at a zero turn mower. they use one belt to both wheel motors. it only moves if one or both levers are pushed forwards, on a zero turn (if u push one forward and pull the other handle backwards it will spin in a circle, u push them both forwards and it goes forwards, pull them both back at the same time and it goes backwards. im pretty much building a zero turn... but with tracks and a lawn tractor frame.

im buying both left and right hand zero turn wheel motors. i tried to upload a picture of the wheel motors but its not letting me upload pics

OK, you already got a source for them. Yah, you got the right idea on the hookups, (single belt for both). Those zero turn gearboxes are pretty strong. On another forum I'm on, I seen someone build a scaled Abrams tank with those and his tank is well over 1000 lbs. You should have no problems.

On the guides, you want the guides to go straight up. You want the same angle as the side of the tire. Other wise while turning, the tire will roll up the side if on an angle.

Found it, what you are shooting for. Yes, you are right on the belt hookup.



This is the tank done, LOL.

gotcha... if getting the zero turn gearboxes, one is already reverse rotation to the other, so good to go. I mentioned this because I saw a kid try the same thing using identical off the shelf right angle gearboxes... most expensive sit and spin ever made LOL

yes that is the idea im going for! im buying from surpluscenter.com and as far as strenght, im fallowing a guy on youtube that has pulled a car trailer with a miata on it with his cub cadet zrt zero turn... it made the swivel wheels come off the ground but it pulled it!. ok i will go with the straight up guides and flare the ends out and i was thinking about cutting up an old garden hose and putting about 2 inches over the very end of the guides so they arnt so sharp and to prevent tire from popping. now what about the wheels being centered in the tracks or off set to one side? i think if its off set and i aproach an angle sideways it will roll the tracks up on the outside and make them pop off but if i center them it shouldnt roll up so bad and it would have about 2 inches on each side to fight compared to the 7-8 inch center. (where the tires are).. im just wonder how snow cat tracks stay on that are off set unless its the steel angle iron pieces they have. also im not using any studs so it should make it easier to skid the tracks more or less.

Lawren Wimberly wrote:

gotcha... if getting the zero turn gearboxes, one is already reverse rotation to the other, so good to go. I mentioned this because I saw a kid try the same thing using identical off the shelf right angle gearboxes... most expensive sit and spin ever made LOL

Oh, in my Scorpion, the transaxle diff is locked. My scorpion is not diff steering. It's drive/neutral/brake controlled by the belts.

Camdg2010 wrote:

yes that is the idea im going for! im buying from surpluscenter.com and as far as strenght, im fallowing a guy on youtube that has pulled a car trailer with a miata on it with his cub cadet zrt zero turn... it made the swivel wheels come off the ground but it pulled it!. ok i will go with the straight up guides and flare the ends out and i was thinking about cutting up an old garden hose and putting about 2 inches over the very end of the guides so they arnt so sharp and to prevent tire from popping. now what about the wheels being centered in the tracks or off set to one side? i think if its off set and i aproach an angle sideways it will roll the tracks up on the outside and make them pop off but if i center them it shouldnt roll up so bad and it would have about 2 inches on each side to fight compared to the 7-8 inch center. (where the tires are).. im just wonder how snow cat tracks stay on that are off set unless its the steel angle iron pieces they have. also im not using any studs so it should make it easier to skid the tracks more or less.

Yah, you won't need the hose on the tips of the guides. As long as the tracks are tight the tires will never touch the tips of the guides.

OK, a snowcat, if you look closely at the tracks, you will notice that the tracks are V-shaped where the point of the V is where the wheels roll on, on the inside of the track. The guides are not that tall to where the track can pivot some, not alot or the wheels will roll out of the guides and you got a thrown track. Shouldn't matter where the wheels roll at on the track whether in the center or on the inside some. Some tanks are made like that but nothing drastic. I would put the wheel in the center of the track though. I thought of that when I designed my tracks. I put the road wheels on the edges of the tracks so what ever you roll over, it will be between the road wheels. The sprockets on mine are in the center though and are made so the track can twist on them, not that that will ever happen though.

Good idea on no cleats or studs. Mine has 1/4 cleats and are going to tear up some grass, LOL.

ok, so i went looking down behind my house... and you will never guess what i found... a 1984 MTD wizard! its got the same front look im going for, only thing im worried about is fitting 2 wheel motors under it... it seems narrower than a standard riding mower... besides that i think im going to start the tear down. unfortunately i have to do the tear down out side on my porch due to the fact this tractor will not fit through my garage doorway and the overhead door wont open. oh well. it will give me something to work with for now! i will post pics of my progress. mine is just like the picture but a lot more beat up..

There just happened to be a tractor behind the house?

LOL, can't wait to see your progress on the build.

yes, i was out walking the property the other afternoon and i came apon this old caved in shed... i just had to start looking through it and i see something orange/red under a tarp... i lift the tarp and there it was! the tarp had alot of debris and pine needles on it so its been there for a couple minutes lol! no front wheels, the motor obviously doesnt belong in it, steering wheel is broke but both rear wheels hold air! the downfall is, is that the rear wheel is not like a regular hub, its got an ovel shaped hole in the hub where the axle goes and there is a bolt that holds the rear wheels on... i hoped to use these wheels for ront wheels but doesnt look like i can ... oh well, i have a few more sets

an old MTD...wheels can be bored with the correct size drill bit


(edited due to the stupidity of NOT reading all the posts above FIRST!)

well guys heres the pictures of what i started with, and what i hope for it to look like






the picture with tracks is what im going for. i know im going to need something in the middle to help support it so when i go over uneven ground it wont bend stuff