Anything with an independent left and right brake ought to work. Would be looking at JD 318, 322, 332, 420, 430 or something along those lines.

 

Ok so if it doesn't have individual brakes I could add them?I'm worried about it pulling more left or right and not holding straight...if that doesn't work I thought of locking the diff and trying a belt and tensioner system.i was hoping to keep it simpler though haha

 

Do you already have a tractor you are building from, or are you looking for one to build from?
If you are looking for one, older Kubota B series have independent brakes (and the new ones still do to) You could also use Kubota BX series.
As Jere mentioned, some of the older John Deere's do as well, and I believe Cubs do to. What you want to look for is a tractor with two brake pedals, usually side by side so you can lock them together.

If you are building off one you already have, give specifics (brand and model number) so more info can be given.

 

The tranny I want to try is a craftsman Spicer 145607

 

I have a couple more buried in snow but this one I have mounted on rider chassis still..

 

I know it looms like a 3 year old drew it but this is just ideas I've drawing up on my phone

 

I would think that transmissions from a relatively heavy duty zero turn would work a treat for your purposes.

 

Yea that idea has come to mind but then I get into hydrolics and thats$$$ plus I've read most zero turn motors aren't meant to pull or push loads. And this is gona be a snow pusher primarily and a toy when not pushing

 

Zero turns have hydraulic motors/final drive gear reduction designed for relatively high speed travel rates. Crawlers have hydraulic motors/final drive gear reduction designed for relatively low speed travel rates. The difference is in the total gear reduction between the engine and the drive wheels. The same hydraulic motor can be used for both, but with a final drive gear reduction ratio aimed at a lower top speed comes more power for pushing/pulling.

 

to get away from too much speed he could use both trannies from a zero turn.. then put a smaller pully on the engine.. that would reduce the forward speed..

 

Yea all this is true I know but sourcing those parts for me in the Midwest is very expensive..so I've been thinking I might just lock the diff on tranny and use a belt system with tensioner pulleys to put power to the tracks

 

lockin the diff on the tranny could send the unit in unwanted angle to where u don't wanna go.. that is if one track looses traction.. the control levers would on a zero turn would let correct the angle.. the brakes on a normal dozer would allow u to correct it too..

 

Whirly, If I'm correctly understanding his thinking regarding the locked differential, he plans to actually power each wheel with its own belt and tensioner/clutch lever. That would work sort of the same as brakes would, except tight turns might not happen unless the tensioner arrangement also included a brake on the wheel pulley.

 

a locked diff will power to both wheels.. or tracks.. with a locked diff he will not b able to steer it cause the axle is locked.. there is no break in the axle to let one wheel rotate while the other is held still..

the other question is u said """"""""he plans to actually power each wheel with its own belt and tensioner/clutch lever'''''''''

I say Y power each wheel with a belt.. when the axle is already turnin.. I don't get ur understandin

 

Sorry guys it's hard explaining what's going on in head haha so yes if I lock diff and put a pulley wheel on each axle then add another pulley to the actual drive wheels run a belt between each and use a smaller pulley kinda like engaging the mower deck just creating tension and yes I will add disc breaks to each drive wheel helping the turn issue.only issue I see now is slippage and finding a belt that can handle power without burning up to fast...hope that makes sense

 

when u lock the diff the axle becomes a straight axle thro the tranny.. it then acts like one solid axle.. if each track will b hooked to the axle then both tracks will turn .. BUT u can't make one track spin faster than the other to turn the machine..

addin pullies to the axle or brakes to the tracks will do no good.. when the brakes r applied they will stop both tracks

by not lockin the DIFF & addin brakes to each track u can make it steer properly..

 

Yes you are correct I was thinking this 2 levers for the operator each lever connecting to a tensioner pulley on each side and 2 different brake master cylinders you pull both or one lever to the tracks to drive while pushing forward on levers activating one or both brakes so locking brake on say right track while pulling tensioner on left I only put power to that track since there's no tension on other and braking that non powered track will help steering..thats the idea any way

 

I wish I could find a t20 trans out of a bobcat or 6x6 cheap make life easier but I working with what I have on hand

 

Yeah ...if you could find a junk bobcat and just use that trans it would have the ability that you are looking for did you try any scrap yards in your area that take in junk heavy equipment?

 

I do not have much to add but quite a neat project Neonguy! I will be following along and learning also

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

 

WOW.. I edited second too last postin & I find a lotta posts since..

 

Thanks yea I over think all my projects haha I have not yet tried scrap yards with all the snow we've had lately..but I might have to go on an adventure lol

 

This sounds like it's going to be a neat project. Looking forward to seeing updates.

 

Yeah, I bought a walk-behind Husqvarna 52" mower, to steal parts from to make a small skid steer, and use the wheel motors to run a chain to both wheels on each side. A zero-turn would work as well, just more difficult, as you need the ZT hydro pulleys to line up with the motor, and line up output shafts with the wheels, hydro walk-behinds generally use separate motor/pump setups...

 

Dave...sounds interesting...could you post a few pictures of how it came out?

 

Most skid steers use a hydraulic motor at each wheel or one for each pair of wheels on one side,coupled to the pair by roller chain & sprockets,that are reversible to allow for it to turn 180 degrees without going forward or backward..

While a solid diff could be used with belts driving each track ,with an idler pulley to slacken the drive belt to the tracks make a turn,it wont be that efficient and belts may not last for long..

I would go with hydraulics to make a track driven vehicle,but yes,it is rather costly for pumps,hoses,and hydraulic motors,unless you can score some off a junked piece of equipment like an old golf course mower or an industrial machine of some sort..

 

I'm also interested in this il also put up pics here and their first got a see if I can find some old skid steer or something if that doesn't happen il have to go with the belt system

 

Out of curiousity Neonguy07 where are you located? I have a bunch of hydraulic parts cheap that would help you out if your interested in going that way.

 

Great state of illinois.....lol

 

look at an Argo and see how it's done.

 

I have most use t20 trans very expensive and hard to find used