3 wheeler snowmobile

[DohcBikes]

Cool vid but sorry hes just pushing that front tire around.
I would be surprised if a three wheeler performs well at all with tracks on it.
With three feet of track on the ground pointed straight forward on each side of the rear its gonna push a tire, a ski, or whatever else you put on the front. With TWO front skis, it MIGHT work.
The one on the vid is going super slow and it can already barely turn. Turn the bars at 20mph with tracks on a three wheeler and its just gonna keep goin straight.

I like codys idea, but using Tattools Threetrax. Track on the rear, make some bolt on skis for the front. Something like that would handle great in the snow.
Oh wait a minute, that's just a snowmobile.

If I'm wrong about the three wheeler with tracks, it won't be the last time.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

[CodyRosa]

He was pushing it quite a bit.. but if you throw a ski on there with carbides if should turn better.. should. I just thought 1 single track in the back would be a cool idea sense dirtbikes are doing it.. and we have missile kits. Why not a snowmissile kit.

I'm thinking he was going slow because he was in 1st or 2nd gear because when he goes downhill you can hear the engine braking or whatever that is.

[DohcBikes]

Far be it from me to dissuade anyone from trying, building anything crazy. I've built plenty of crazy stuff and some ideas just don't end up working practically.
While a WELL BUILT ski with a carbide would almost definitely perform better than a tire, I just can't see any scenario above 5-10mph where those long straight tracks on a locked axle would perform well with a single, centered ski.
If the ski does cut hard enough to turn the trike while being pushed on by the tracks, the frontend is gonna see one heck of a side load.

Are our trike frames designed well enough to handle that kind of load over time?...because snapping the neck and getting ran over by tracks doesn't sound all that appealing to me lol.

Pretty sure four wheelers are the way to go if you must have a convertible dual purpose machine with tracks, even though they also have a little trouble with the push from the tracks. Wide skis that steer correctly, and a frame that can handle the load safely.

My 2¢.

[CodyRosa]

I see exactly where your coming from and it makes perfect sense. I don't believe you could turn that well with 2 tracks (one on each side).. it'd be just like a sled with no wear rods. To much weight in back and none up front therefore you wouldn't turn. So that brought me to the single track just like the dirtbike one. I believe you could turn with that, as long as you have a carbide up front. Plus you could lean and use body weight to turn then.. i don't think any body weight would help you turn with the 2 tracks.. unless you leaned forward the whole time haha.

I'd prefer not to get ran over by tracks as well.. doesn't sound to appealing to me.

[DohcBikes]

Yes, that's exactly why I said I liked your idea, because it has one track. The motorcycles with tracks, I call them snowtorcycles lol, look like they work well in deep snow. I have not had the opportunity to ride a bike in that configuration yet, so I'm gonna have to speak from the reviews of people that have.
While they are great in deeper snow, even with the extensive engineering theyve done it still does not work that well on hard pack and is downright dangerous if you hit a dry spot. This all makes total sense.
The other prevailing negative review is that people are disappointed with the power when you use a 250 four stroke. Most people are recommending 450 or bigger, even some of the manufacturers.
With most of the four stroke 250s running 30hp and more these days and the 450s over 50hp, that's a lot of power to wring from a four stroke trike engine.

My previous posts are pertaining to my concern with a dual rear, centered ski setup.
Excellent topic you have sparked in my opinion, I like hybrid toys a lot...

P.S. I've only been a member here for a short time, but I've been following this site for a lonnnng time.
I think that if anyone here has the resources and gumption to pull this off and make me eat my words, its probably dougspcs...

P.P.S. I noticed that in one of the recent ski frontend threads, someone already has shot the stem bearings.
Maybe its a coincidence, but could this be the effect of the side load that I have mentioned.....

[hokeplaya05]

here is the first part of my 3 wheeler snowmobile



next up is to figure out a way to put tracks on it, i am thinking about using a snowblower track set up, but they maybe too small. something like this

[czac]

Hey why not try it? Anything is possible if you throw enough money, time and weld at it lol they have cars that sail, bikes that fly, even motorized surfboards! Why not a trikemobile? Or would it be a snowmotrike? Or a snrike. Or maybe a trowmobilke? Lol

[DohcBikes]

Skis work great in the snow with tires on the back.

Wouldn't a set of bear claws or 4snows give the traction necessary?
Would the traction increase from tracks on the back be a worthwhile trade off for a downgrade in handling? And once again, will a centered ski setup being pushed by tracks wear out the stem bearings, or flex and break the frame over time?
All questions that I am looking forward to seeing answers for...

Good luck and
Keep us posted!!

[Xhumeka]

Interesting conversation! I'm interested in this because maple syrup season is fast approaching, and with the amount of snow we've had this year there's now way I can get a tractor or ATCs back in the bush this year. I was considering something like a ski doo alpine (a snowmobile built like a tractor meant for pulling and working) but then wondered about the whole tracks-on-atcs idea.

I definitely understand the concern about not being able to turn, but just to play devil's advocate, how did the ski-doo alpine or AKTIV Grizzly do it? Both were two-tracked snowmobiles, but I don't know much about either. Did the tracks turn at different speeds at times somehow? Was it simply easier to turn because the tracks are close together allowing you to lean-in and carve turns?





What about the Yeti track system for the ATCs? How did that work, I can't find much info about them... were there two tracks on the bottom?

[czac]

looks like it may have had one big track like a sled. it would be pretty cool though, to take the wheels off it, throw on a ski and a track and ride it in deep snow.. then in spring, convert it back into a trike...

[sp8twn]

Yup 2tracks,,, here's a set missing the top plate,,http://www.kijiji.ca/v-vtt/saguenay/...ationFlag=true

[sp8twn]

few pics of mine,,,Bought it like that, don't even have a set of wheels for it,,LOL!!!

[Xhumeka]

few pics of mine,,,Bought it like that, don't even have a set of wheels for it,,LOL!!!

I saw your posting sp8twn:

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthr...ck-Kit-(2000-)

Is it still for sale???

[kowboy]

I'm building a Honda fat cat type thing and plan to once the bike is build to make it a snow bike as well as a fat tired dirt bike. I see that with the yeti track system the ski that they have in there is nice and fat and i would like to know where to get a ski like that. Then after the ski is done i will build a track for the back.
Check out my build thread.http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthr...n(THE-Fat-Ass)

[czac]

heres one for sale near me..lol well, its kinda a trike/sled/3 wheeled thing.. lol http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/mcy/4425525293.html