Making One Tire Into Two.

[Iplayfarmer]

I was once pronouced by a group of phychiatrists that I worked for in college to be the most sane person they knew. This thread may prove them wrong.

Here's what I want to do: I want to take a rear lawn mower tires in the first picture and make each one into two narrower tires. And, I want to do this without ever taking the tire off the rim or the rim off the axle.

Crazy, huh?

The whole purpose is to make drive wheels for the tracks in the second picture. It could work quite nicely. The wheels are the same width as the track, and the diameter of the wheels works real well with the size of the tracks to. All I need is a gap in the middle of each wheel for the chain in the middle of the track to ride in. The project is a small scale half track for the kids (and me) to drive around. I'm planning to use the transmission from the mower to drive the half track.

Here's how I plan to do it. I'll remove the valve stem and fill each tire with enough of some kind of resin or liquid something-that-hardens to make one side of the tire. I'll set the whole assembly on end to allow the stuff to cure. Then I'll flip the whole thing over and do it again. When everything has set, I'll cut the middle of the tire out. Voila! One tire is now two.

Here's the question: What kind of liquid something-that-hardens should I use?

 

[rambler]

I'd say just use the tire foam like a forklift or other type of punture proof tire would get.

But.

You are going to put a lot of stress on that middle gap. I'm not sure how the foam will handle that type of stress? The foam likes to have the old tire case holding it all together. Cut out thew middle stripe, and it might get all wobbly & not very tough any more....

--->Paul

 

[woodlandfarms]

good luck cutting the tire.. It is not easy...

 

[Redneck in training]

You might be better off to glue two rings in example made from tires of larger diameter to the tire to create the gap. Or make new smooth inside tracks by cutting sides of large tractor tire off.

 

[bobodu]

Use some space saver spares from cars...

 

[mcd176]

What are you putting the tracks on?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Thanks for the replies so far.

I thought of the foam, but I had similar concerns as Rambler. Whatever I use is going to need some serious durability to withstand the friction and the forces of the center cleat. I've also considered covering the molded tire halves with something after the fact to protect them. Possibly something replaceable. It would be nice if there were some kind of liquid galvanized rubber that sets up nicely at room temperature, but I think that would be asking too much.

I may glue some kind of strip on the outside of the tire. The center part of those tracks is abotu 3 inches tall. I'd have to probably use multiple layers of some kind of rubber. The problem there is that it increases the diameter of the end result by 6 inches. No a deal killer, but I kind of like how the halftrack would look with the diameter of the tires as they are.

If I were to glue strips on the outside of the tires, what kind of glue would you recommend?

Space saver tires from cars would be way too big. The actual O.D. of these tires I'm going to use is only 16".

 

[bigtiller]

It sounds like some Unobtainium would be the perfect fix for your project.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

It sounds like some Unobtainium would be the perfect fix for your project.

I would love to get some.

In the mean time, isn't there some kind of liquid resin or epoxy that would fit the bill? I have time on my side as we'll be taking a few months to make the frame, get the engine running, etc. Cure time is not an issue.

 

[BrentD]

Epoxy resin should do the trick nicely. You can buy it by the 5-gallon bucket. (or equivalent. It's 2-part stuff) If you want extra strength out of it, shred some fiberglass mat into the mix before pouring into the tire.

 

[JMynes]

Build the center sprocket, then go to a box store and get a couple or four no-flat tires to put on each side of the center sprocket you just built. They come on nice steel rims that you could weld to your sprocket.
You'll need a similar split wheel for the front, without a drive sprocket.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Build the center sprocket, then go to a box store and get a couple or four no-flat tires to put on each side of the center sprocket you just built. They come on nice steel rims that you could weld to your sprocket.
You'll need a similar split wheel for the front, without a drive sprocket.

I'm actually thinking no sprocket. I'm planning on the friction between the rubber tread and the rubber track to move the track. If you take a look at the picture of the track, you'll notice that part of the chain the sprocket rides in is missing. That's why I have it.

I looked up some of the epoxy resin and realized that it's not cheap. The more I think about it, the more I'm liking Redneck In Training's idea about gluing additional strips of tread around the outside of the existing tire to make the "double tire". Half the fun of this project is to do it on the cheap.

I'm still wondering what kind of glue I could use for this. It would have to hold well.

 

[eastexan]

It sounds like some Unobtainium would be the perfect fix for your project.

ROFL

 

[Kernopelli]

Look at some google images of some bombardier snow cats, particularly the Bombifor ideas. Maybe use a rim of some sort and weld in some "sprocket teeth" in the center. A rail with a couple of bogie wheels and another rim or wheel in front. You could also buy a cheap solid wheel of some type and groove it to engage the track chain for rear drive wheels. Just throwing some ideas out there.
Probably the best resource for ideas is to check Youtube. Do a search for "tracked vehicles". My son has been collecting parts for the same type project and we have seen so awesome homemade tracked play things. Here's a good one that looks super simple. YouTube - Personal Tracked Vehicle

 

[JMynes]

I'm actually thinking no sprocket. I'm planning on the friction between the rubber tread and the rubber track to move the track. If you take a look at the picture of the track, you'll notice that part of the chain the sprocket rides in is missing. That's why I have it.

I looked up some of the epoxy resin and realized that it's not cheap. The more I think about it, the more I'm liking Redneck In Training's idea about gluing additional strips of tread around the outside of the existing tire to make the "double tire". Half the fun of this project is to do it on the cheap.

I'm still wondering what kind of glue I could use for this. It would have to hold well.

I see the missing teeth now. If you're going to rely on friction between the tire(s) and the track, you'll have to get the track tension right. Too loose = no friction, too tight and stuff breaks. Throw in some morning dew, rain, mud, or snow, and all bets are off.

Good luck, and keep something handy to pull it back home with.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I see the missing teeth now. If you're going to rely on friction between the tire(s) and the track, you'll have to get the track tension right. Too loose = no friction, too tight and stuff breaks. Throw in some morning dew, rain, mud, or snow, and all bets are off.

Good luck, and keep something handy to pull it back home with.

I'm planning for adjustable tension using a treaded bolt. I'll probably have some springs in there too for good measure. I know that this is not going to have the same kind of brute force strength as a positive engagement kind of drive mechanism. The ultimate goal here is to spend some time with the kids building something that they'll have fun with after it's done. I want to pass on some of the ingenuity and creativity that you don't get from just buying whatever you need off some shelf and putting it together.

 

[eastexan]

The ultimate goal here is to spend some time with the kids building something that they'll have fun with after it's done. I want to pass on some of the ingenuity and creativity that you don't get from just buying whatever you need off some shelf and putting it together.[/QUOTE]


I totally agree.
Spending time with your kids is time well spent, and they will remember those times the rest of their lives.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Probably the best resource for ideas is to check Youtube. Do a search for "tracked vehicles". My son has been collecting parts for the same type project and we have seen so awesome homemade tracked play things. Here's a good one that looks super simple. YouTube - Personal Tracked Vehicle

I've spent many hours watching "tracked vehicle" videos on youtube, sometimes with the kids, sometimes without. We've been planning this project for at least a year. Originally the plan was a fully tracked tank. I got to thinking that it would be much more fun to have two vehicles with which to have mock wars about the same time I acquired these tracks that were too small for the tank project. My 5-year-old son was the one that hatched the idea for a halftrack, and now we're off on that project.

The plan is still to end up with two vehicles. We're going to learn our lessons on the halftrack, and then we'll build a 2/5 scale tank.

 

[bobodu]

Wheelbarrow tires then...

 

[Taylortractornut]

I Know a man that built a track assembly to hold a convery boom up on soft ground down in a ditch. He used an old excavator track and he bought an old set of foklift tires and axle off a junk 5 k hyster 50. they have about 3 inches of rubber around the rim. He left them on the axle and let a drill motor run the input shaft o n the axle. he tokk a grinder and ground out a profile to fit his track guides. Did that on bot wheels then used the tireds and axle to hold the track on. The lift tires are about 8 inches wide to start on. I cant remeber him using the tack afte rthe job was over I may can get a picture.