Types and design of snowmobile sleds and how to make them yourself

A snowmobile sled is a must-have attribute for comfortable long-distance winter travel. Having loaded all the necessary luggage into them, you can go hunting or fishing or on any other trip.

A sled is a great addition to a pannier that can hold all the essentials but cannot pack large, heavy items. Thanks to their use, the capabilities of the snowmobile owner are significantly expanded.

If you want to become the happy owner of such a design, you don’t have to buy them at all - you can make it quite easily with your own hands.

Peculiarities

There is a wide range of snowmobile skis on the market, but before you buy, you need to study their features and the suspension design of your model. Suspension mechanics and travel, strut and shock height, ski size and other components all affect the stability and handling feel of your snowmobile.

Snowmobile suspensions most often come in three types:

• lever (DSA, ADSA, RAS);
• telescopic (candle);
• spring

Most imported models are equipped with a wishbone front suspension with an A- or V-shaped link, ensuring a smooth ride and maneuverability. The disadvantages are that the dimensions of the levers have a large track width (almost equal to the body), which means that the sled can easily run into hidden obstacles in the form of stumps, sharp boulders, reinforcement, and the like. Skis run the risk of bending even from a small impact, which can be very difficult to avoid in wooded areas.

But “telescopes” are much more difficult to damage, and they are much narrower (not so wide). That is, in fact, the spark plug design travels well in a straight line, easily overcoming small obstacles and bushes - for those who like extreme sports and a lot of steering, it is not suitable.

Important: the levers, unlike the telescopic suspension, are completely repairable even with the use of non-original spare parts and can be adjusted to your own taste. Particularly pleasing is the opportunity to make the necessary part yourself using a simple tool (grinder and welding)

Its second function is to protect the plastic toe from cracks under high loads and collisions with obstacles. The skate is located under the ski and has a particularly strong pobedit soldering for moving on asphalt, ice and other hard surfaces. Its fastening is held on by bolts and is also subject to replacement.

Generally speaking, skis are designed strictly to suit their application. This is where their size and shape come from. Depending on the type of terrain in which you plan to ride, you can choose snowmobiles for sports, mountain, tourism, children's and utilitarian purposes (for sleds and cargo).

According to the type of design, they are divided into single-track with two skis (all imported manufacturers, such as Yamaha, Polaris, Arctic Cat, Ski-Doo and others) or two-track with one (domestic brands “Buran”, “Ermak”, “Eger”, "Freezing"). Thus, formally they all stand on 3 points of support, but the physics of driving has its own characteristic features.

Other structural elements

To increase stability and eliminate the possibility of skidding, skids are installed on the outer side of the bottom in contact with the supporting surface. Such structural elements are also used in sleds. But the sleigh runners are not mounted on the body, but on separate legs. This solution made it possible to significantly reduce the contact patch of the sled with the supporting surface. Thanks to this, the sled rides easier, but it is hopelessly loaded in deep snow.

In our case, the runners will be attached directly to the body. If it is wooden, then self-tapping screws are used for installation, and if the trough is plastic, then the runners sit on rivets. This structural element can be made by hand from aluminum slats, plastic or metal pipes. The skids provide stability, reduce wear and provide additional strength to the trough bottom.

The coupling of the body and the motorized towing vehicle can be achieved in various ways. The simplest one is a rope and a fire carbine. But in this case, when the speed decreases, the trough will move by inertia and hit the walk-behind tractor. A more rigid connection can be achieved through the use of hinges. You can use a car driveshaft or make a joint yourself.

Flooring is laid on the bottom of the plastic vehicles. This is necessary to provide additional rigidity to the body and prevent the feet from slipping. The flooring is made of plywood or wooden blocks. Plywood must have a special impregnation to resist moisture.

Drags for motorized towing vehicles are much more practical and safer than sleds. Unlike a sled, this vehicle does not create a large load on the ice. Volokushi will become an indispensable assistant in winter fishing.

Do-it-yourself sled-drags

With the right approach, homemade drags can be much stronger than factory ones. Despite the fact that the sled is made of durable frost-resistant plastic alloy, it is still not as wear-resistant as metal.

Plastic drags can be rubbed or broken on stone, asphalt and other hard obstacles and surfaces. In addition, the metal hitch fastenings of purchased models are usually of low quality? Bolts often become loose and connections become loose, which can lead to the loss of the sled.

When developing your own homemade drags, you can take all these nuances into account. Recently, a sled made of lightweight metal profiled pipe and plywood has become a very popular model of homemade drag sleds.

Their structure, as befits a skid, is very simple: a metal frame mounted on skids.

In order to make homemade drag sleds, start making a frame. To do this, you will need a welding machine, a grinder, drills and the necessary materials: a profiled pipe for the frame and drawbar, as well as plywood.

Take a lined square profiled pipe, say 20 by 20 mm in size and 2 mm thick (no less). You can make a frame with your own hands measuring 1900 x 300 x 900 mm.

The front needs to be rounded for better cross-country ability of the sled. There you need to weld a steel sheet to give the entire structure more stability.

After the skis and drawbar are ready, the hull is sheathed with thick plywood

It is important that the distance between the crossbars of the body does not exceed 400 mm and the plywood, bending, does not break

To make a drawbar with your own hands? steel coupling between the towing vehicle and the drags? two lightweight steel pipes with a diameter of 20 mm and a total length of 1700 mm are used. To ensure a strong connection, you need to make two crossbars with a cross-section of 20 mm.

To make a drawbar with your own hands, you use a rectangular pipe, but we used a round pipe. In order for the hitch to withstand additional loads and be protected from bending, it is necessary to weld a metal sheet into which a bushing with a diameter of 25–30 mm is cut.

Skis for a homemade sled can be made from sheet metal or using long plastic pipes.

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You can weld metal fasteners for the seat into a metal frame with your own hands, which is not available in purchased sled models. You can make sure that if necessary, for example, to tow a broken motorized dog, the seat can be easily removed.

Depending on your needs, you can make the sides lower or higher, modify the hitch with the towing vehicle and provide mounts for fishing gear, etc.

Well, plus everything, a homemade sled? This is an opportunity to save some money.

So, as we have seen, there is nothing difficult about making a drag sled yourself. You just need to have the necessary materials, tools and desire at hand. In this way, defects and weaknesses of purchased models can be avoided. In addition, homemade drags are much stronger than purchased plastic ones.

Greetings! In continuation of the previous article about a motorized towing vehicle on wooden slides, we will consider creating a homemade drag sled for it. Initially, it was planned to simply buy ready-made plastic drags, but later, after purchasing a sheet of galvanized iron, it turned out that it was just enough for both a motorized towing vehicle and drags.

Therefore, it was decided to buy some additional steel profile and spend several hours building the sled. Now first things first...

Case dimensions

The body or, as it is also called, the trough is a load-bearing element.
The performance properties of the drag directly depend on its size. The dimensions of the housing are the first thing you need to decide on at the design stage. Everything is simple here - the more things you plan to carry, the larger the trough should be. There should be enough space for the fisherman and his equipment. But there is one more nuance. To prevent the failure of a motorized towing vehicle from turning into a disaster for you, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of transporting it in a housing. Pulling a broken motorized towing vehicle is much easier than carrying it on your back. Depending on individual needs, the length of the trough can reach two or three meters, and the width - a meter. The height of the sides does not play a significant role. Everything is similar here - the more things there are, the higher the sides. You also need to take into account the height of the snow. The thicker the snow cover in your region, the higher the height of the sides you need to make. But if you have a wide motorized towing vehicle and narrow skids, then this indicator can be ignored, since the structure will slide on already compacted snow. The height of the sides ranges from 30 to 50 centimeters.

Calculation and assembly of caterpillars

The caterpillar is a tape, on the outer surface of which tracks are attached. Tracks are rigid lugs installed along the entire length of the tracks. Track options:

• Made from 3mm thick transport tape.
• From a car tire.
• From V-belts.
• Ready-made factory-made tracks.

The conveyor belt must be looped. Its strength is only sufficient for light snowmobiles with engines no more powerful than 10 liters. With. Car tires are stronger than tape and are suitable for powerful engines. Solid tires do not need to be looped, so the likelihood of a rupture is minimal. It is more difficult to choose a tire of the required length than a tape.

Finished tracks are removed from other similar equipment (snowmobiles “Buran”, “Sherkhan”). They are equipped with lugs from the factory. The products are not suitable for use with low-power motors from walk-behind tractors. Homemade snowmobiles made from Buranovsky tracks must have gears from the same “donor”.

The size of the caterpillar is selected according to the required driving characteristics: the larger the width, the lower the handling, but the higher the maneuverability. The minimum area of ​​the contact patch from the snowmobile (skis and tracks) must be such that the pressure from the equipped vehicle does not exceed 0.4 kg/cm2 of surface. Light snowmobiles use a 300 mm wide conveyor belt, cut lengthwise into 2 strips of 150 mm each.

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Preparing the Tape

The tracks are attached to homemade tracks with M6 bolts with a wide head. The bolts are fixed with a nut, a washer and a groover are used. Before fastening, leading holes with a diameter of 6 mm are drilled in the tape and tracks. When drilling, use a jig and wood drills with special sharpening.

The conveyor belt is also looped with M6 bolts. To do this, the edges of the tapes are overlapped with an overlap of 3-5 cm, the connection contains 1-2 rows of bolts. For a 150 mm wide track, the following distances are maintained:

• From the edge of the tape 15-20 mm.
• Between bolts on tracks 100-120 mm.
• Between the bolts when banding 25-30 mm.

Homemade lugs

The tracks are made of polyethylene pipe with a diameter of 40 mm with a wall thickness of 5 mm, sawn in half in the longitudinal direction. The entire section of the lug is adjacent to the tape. In light snowmobiles, one track connects the tracked pair. With a track width of 150 mm, the track length is 450-500 mm.

The lugs are cut using a wood circular saw. They use a special machine with two guides (metal and wood), rigidly fixed on a fixed tabletop. The walls of the pipes are sawed one by one.

The distance between the tracks depends on the parameters of the gears on the drive shaft. Typically 5−7 cm. The specified distance is maintained with an error of no more than 3 mm. Otherwise, the operation of the drive is disrupted: the lugs “run” onto the teeth of the drive wheels, the caterpillar begins to slip and fly off the rollers.

Manufacturing instructions

As we noted above, our sleds require plastic pipes. They are necessary for the runners, given that the runners must be flat and the pipes round, they must first be heated so that they straighten. They heat it either with a special heater or a hair dryer, but with the latter very carefully and carefully monitoring the heating. Otherwise, the pipe may be damaged.

After heating, the future runners are placed on a flat place under pressure until they cool completely. And only after that they mark the front side and bend it at an angle of 30 degrees. A strong frame base is welded from a profile metal pipe, on which the runners are subsequently placed. A drawbar is installed in front of our sleds, reinforced with a steel sheet, and a bushing is placed in it. Then the plywood flooring is fixed, welded and the connection at the welding points is checked for strength.

Considering that we make snowmobile sleds with our own hands, many technical solutions cannot always be implemented. A motorized stroller will make an excellent sled, just put it on runners. True, this design is only suitable for powerful snowmobiles, since its weight is still significant.

You can also use the sleigh principle to make a do-it-yourself cart with wheels for an all-terrain vehicle or ATV.

Volokushi

This device is a lightweight, often wooden structure, similar in type to a sled. Although sleds are typically used for dog or reindeer sleds, they can also be easily retrofitted for a snow machine. Drags are valued for their small weight and size, ease of operation and the speed with which the drags can be loaded and unloaded. Their body does not freeze. However, this equipment has a big drawback - due to its design features, the front is subject to deformation. The purchased version is presented in the form of a plastic trough on skids.

Passenger

Passenger snowmobile sleds are not much different from cargo sleds. Only the basic design of cargo sleds is made of a strong base, skis and a low platform, and passenger models are designed for one or two people. In Russia, even in specialized stores it is very difficult to find them. To use such a design, the snowmobile must be very powerful, such as the Yamaha, Buran, Yarmak, Russian Mechanics, Viking, Stealth and other machines.

To increase passenger comfort, the design of the sled can be supplemented with shock absorbers. The housing is made as a cabin, which also additionally contains lighting and heating elements. The booth itself is created from plywood sheet, plastic sheet or other similar materials. For skis, both sewer PVC pipes and thin HDPE pipes are used, but in this case, to create runners you need to use several pipes for each ski.

What are they?

In the good old days, metal skis were churned out by the thousands and fitted to virtually every model, and on spring sleds the design of the skis was not particularly important. For many years now, manufacturers have partnered with various snowmobile parts suppliers, who are constantly developing new models of plastic skis with improved performance. The use of high-tech plastic options allows the skis to flex to stay on track.

Some are suitable only for one specific model with the corresponding marking, while others have a more universal device for wide use. Efficient winter driving depends on proper design and provides improved handling in all conditions.

The weight of each plastic ski is about 2 kg, width from 130 mm, length from 1 meter. At the same time, the supporting area is about 1 m2, which makes it possible to demonstrate surprisingly high cross-country ability in powder. The thermoplastic from which they are made has unique properties, great flexibility and the ability to take on most of the load upon impact.

Necessary materials

What are skis for a snowmobile sled made of? Let's consider the construction of a simple version of a snowmobile sled from a metal pipe. In order to make such a design, you will need:

• profiled metal pipe 20×20, wall thickness - 2-3 mm;
• round plastic pipes for making skis;
• Metal sheet;
• plywood sheets 10-15 or more millimeters thick.

A sled with a metal frame is much more reliable and durable than structures made from plastic pipes.

Their disadvantage is their greater weight, but they will serve for a long time and without failure. The only thing that may be needed when operating such a design is periodic replacement of plastic skis, which will wear out over time or may be damaged when hitting rocks and roots.

General rules of constructions

Homemade products for driving on snow are varied in appearance, size, layout, power, and even the principle of movement. But in each variety there are components that provide the properties necessary for snowmobiles, namely:

1. Don't fall into the snow.
2. Move along the surface with minimal friction and in the desired direction.

Obviously, the probability of sinking into the snow and the friction force depend on the weight of the unit, the contact area, and the shape of the surface of contact with the snow. Of course, the condition of the snow has its influence, but this must be taken into account.

To fulfill its main purpose, the following components are always present in the design of a snowmobile:

• supports in the form of runners, wheels or tracks to support the weight of the structure with passengers on the snow surface;
• engine with gearbox, transmission device and fuel tank;
• movers pushing the structure along the snow surface;
• steering device that changes the vector of interaction with snow for turning;
• frame on which all components are mounted.

Making homemade products is simplified by the availability of parts from specialized equipment. Often spare parts are taken from Buran snowmobiles or any tools and vehicles with a motor - scooters, motorcycles, walk-behind tractors. The scope for creativity when creating each node is huge. There are many varied and proven solutions for every detail.

Homemade snowmobile sled made from plastic pipes: 10 steps to your dream

Polymer pipes are a universal material that is perfect for installing water supply, sewerage and heating systems in a house or apartment.

However, in the hands of a home craftsman who has remarkable imagination and an insatiable desire to make something on his own, PVC parts can turn into quite intricate, but no less useful products.

For example, in a snowmobile sled made of plastic pipes, the manufacturing process of which will be discussed below.

You can make a sled from plastic pipes yourself

Volokushi

A very common type of sled. Their design is extremely simple. They are sold in all specialized travel stores and are relatively inexpensive.

Dragging trucks have one big drawback - due to their characteristics, their leading edge and coupling device are often damaged.

But there are also advantages:

• little weight;
• low center of gravity;
• fast loading and unloading of luggage;
• no freezing of the body;
• the ability to transport small cargo by water.

Volokushis are absolutely not intended for transporting people. The entire surface of the body is in contact with snow, and therefore it is not possible to install shock absorbers. In addition, unlike models with skis, these sleds absorb the impacts of stones, snowdrifts and unevenness with the entire body, which undoubtedly affects comfort.

Sleigh-drag

Passenger

They are not very common in our country due to the lack of appropriate infrastructure (equipped snow trails and parking areas). Often such sleds are made independently by winter fishing enthusiasts.

They are a plastic or plywood body mounted on skids. The cabin can be equipped with a heater and lighting fixtures.

The disadvantage is the heavy weight, so for transportation you need to use powerful snowmobiles equipped with a four-stroke power unit.

Passenger sled for snowmobile

Design features of the sled

Before you begin design work, you need to understand what basic elements the sled consists of. The fact is that the manufacturing process includes several stages, at each of which some key part is made.

It is necessary that you have a good understanding of the purpose of each of them:

The main part of any sled is the frame, which is the basic supporting element for the entire structure. It must be as strong as possible, since the following depends on it:

• safety of operation of homemade sleds;
• duration of trouble-free operation;
• reliability of the device as a whole.

Considering that the snowmobile sled will be used in difficult conditions, the frame must be able to withstand negative ambient temperatures, as well as the impacts that the sled is constantly exposed to when driving through forests or bushes.

Sleigh design: 1 – frame, 2 – runners, 3 – racks, 4 – soldering point

Otherwise, you will be unpleasantly surprised when the loaded sleigh falls apart while riding and dumps all your belongings on the snow in the middle of a forest clearing.

The second important element is the runners. Strength is also very important here, however, another important detail is ease of control. This determines whether the sled will tip over when cornering or not.

The last point is the dimensions of the structure. This parameter is selected individually based on the tasks that are supposed to be solved with its help.

The sled may be small, but maneuverable and light. Or it will be a durable, reliable structure designed to move significant loads. You decide.

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Tools and materials

Once you have decided on the sizes, you can start working.

In order to make a snowmobile sled from PVC pipes, you will need the following tools and materials:

• polymer pipes for sleds (they can be purchased at the store, but you can also use old ones left over after repairing or dismantling an old water supply system);
• a hacksaw or special scissors for cutting plastic pipes;
• apparatus for welding pipes and fittings;
• an industrial hair dryer, with which plastic pipes will be heated and bent;
• sharp mechanic's knife;
• sanding paper, file;
• marker for marking parts;
• bolts and nuts for securing parts;
• metal corners that will strengthen the assembly points.

Plastic pipes for making sleds

Other types of sleds

In addition to drags, there are other types of fishing sleds that are used by “penguins”. Among them the most famous are:

• Finnish;
• inflatable;
• on skids.

Each option has the right to life, its pros and cons, design features.

Inflatable

Inflatable sleds for winter fishing are made of rubber and PVC. Products made from polyvinyl chloride are more reliable and durable. However, this option has its drawbacks:

• the need to inflate the sled before fishing;
• can be easily damaged by contact with hummocks or gear and sharp elements of equipment;
• it is necessary to additionally secure the equipment so that it does not fly off when moving on uneven ice or snowdrifts;
• an insufficiently loaded sled can easily be blown away or overturned by a strong gust of wind.

The main advantage of an inflatable sled is its compactness during transportation and storage. They take up almost no space and are light in weight.

On skids

Fishing sleds on runners are the oldest model used by winter fishing enthusiasts. Any children's, metal, wooden ones are suitable for going out on the ice. Most importantly, they allow you to transport equipment, tackle and gear, making it easier to move from one promising place to another.

The disadvantage of sleds on runners is their weight compared to plastic drags. Also, not every model is strong and durable. They are not comfortable when moving on uneven ice, but they do a good job on snow cover.

Finnish

Finnish sleds for winter fishing are popular in the northern region of our country, as well as among the Scandinavian “penguins”. Structurally, they are runners with special pads for positioning the legs. There is a stool installed in front, designed to secure equipment while moving and sitting during fishing.

Finnish sleighs are a good alternative to drags

The fisherman is positioned at the back of the sled. He puts one foot on the runners, and the other pushes, moving around the water area. There are options with a folding design, and there are non-collapsible modifications. Some craftsmen modify them by installing guides for attaching the drawer directly behind the seat.

***

Blueprints

Before you start building a trailer, you should carefully consider its purpose. The size of the device largely depends on this. In this case, the parameters of the trailer must match the specific walk-behind tractor to make it convenient to use them together. Based on the power of walk-behind tractors, the following types of trailers are distinguished:

• lungs;
• average;
• heavy.

Motoblocks with power up to 5 liters. With. fits well with trailers on one axle. The body of such devices has a maximum size of 1 by 1.15 meters and is considered lightweight. Medium trailers are suitable for walk-behind tractors with a capacity of 5 to 10 hp. With. The dimensions of such devices can be 1 by 1.5 meters or 1.1 by 1.4 meters. They are designed to transport cargo weighing from 300 to 500 kg.

For cultivators with a power of 10 HP. With. It is best to use a body with two axles. Its dimensions will be approximately 1.2 by 2 meters. In such a trailer it will be possible to transport cargo weighing up to 1 ton. These are the ones that are considered heavy.

A simple trailer consists of the following basic components:

• carrier, consisting of several parts;
• durable frame;
• convenient body with frame;
• wheels of the correct size.

The carrier includes such parts as a housing for the unit responsible for turning, a pipe drawbar, a footrest frame, a pipe stop, ribs for rigidity, and overhead parts in the form of strips. The parts are usually connected using a welding machine. The greatest load falls on the place where the drawbar connects to the swivel unit. It is this that needs to be well reinforced using stiffening ribs.

The frame is most often made of steel, or, more precisely, rods (pipes), the diameter of which is at least 3 cm. Connections on the frame are made using welding, gussets, side members, supports at the corners, and a longitudinal hinge body. Each frame must include a number of features depending on the terrain where it will be used: for example, holes, humps and much more.

The body can be made of both metal and wood. It can be solid or made of twigs.

In order to make a wheel axle, you should use a steel rod. Its diameter should be approximately 3 cm, and its length should be about 1.07 m. These parameters are best suited and do not allow the wheels to protrude beyond the trailer body. As for the wheels, they are suitable for almost any vehicle. The main thing is that they fit the design in size.

When preparing, it is necessary to take into account that the scheme includes a number of subtleties. An important point is the presence of not only main, but also auxiliary units

It is also important to choose in advance the method by which the knots will be fastened

Price issue

For my motorized towing vehicle with a 6.5 hp engine. and with the 380th caterpillar I didn’t see the need to buy large drags. Their purpose was to transport the driver and maybe a small load, nothing more. For more massive loads, homemade metal sleds will be used.

So, on the local market I found a suitable option costing only 1000 rubles. The dimensions of the drags are approximately one meter by half a meter. No reinforcement, just a plastic trough. The price of exactly the same trough, but with piping, was already about 3 thousand rubles. It takes a couple of hours to weld a harness from a steel profile, so I bought these plastic drags without reinforcement for, as it seems to me, an adequate price of 1000 rubles. In any case, I couldn't find it cheaper anywhere.

Tying plastic drags

The drag sleds will experience a relatively small load, so I don’t see any point in strengthening them thoroughly. This will only make the structure heavier, which is undesirable. Therefore, it was decided to just run runners from a 20x20mm profile under the bottom and connect them to each other at the front and rear.

At the front, 2 eyes from the same profile were welded into which the towing device was passed. And at the back there was a ring welded for coupling with more drags.

What else do you need to know?

Some necessary tools can always be replaced with cheaper and disposable ones. You can avoid unnecessary expenses, for example, on a sanding machine just for the sake of one sled. It will be replaced by sandpaper.

It is also not necessary to purchase wooden blocks separately; it is enough to use leftover wood from other buildings or repair work.

Screws can be replaced with nails and a hammer drill. You just need to buy good stainless steel nails.

There are a lot of options for sled designs. They can differ both in design (with a back, with a seat, with carvings, with boards, with additional runners) and in design.

After you can make a sled with your own hands, even for children, winter will become an even more long-awaited and fun time for you. Good luck!

Sources

• https://MachinSpec.com/spec-naznacheniya/snegoxod/sani-svoimi-rukami.html
• https://allremont59.ru/stroeniya/kak-sdelat-sanki.html
• https://SdelaySam-SvoimiRukami.ru/4095-sanki-iz-podruchnyh-materialov.html
• https://rubankom.com/materialy/proizvodnye/fanera/1787-sani-iz-fanery
• https://chudo-lobzik.ru/chertezh-podelki-sani/
• https://stroy-podskazka.ru/snegohody/sani-svoimi-rukami/
• https://o-krohe.ru/pokupki/zimnie-tovary/derevyannye-sanki/

Preparation

Before we start creating our winter structure, we need to decide what material it should be made of. Wood is perfect as a starting material if you want to make a sled like a sled or entirely made of plastic or metal with plastic parts. There are a lot of homemade models you can assemble. Sleds, thanks to their design solutions, are a very universal item; they can be easily attached to all models of snowmobiles. To optimally select sled models, consider these factors.

1. Travel route and terrain features. The factor must be taken into account when using drag-type structures.
2. Type of transportation. Taking into account the fact that not only heavy things are transported on sleds, but also people, this factor must be taken seriously.
3. Your driving style. This factor must be taken into account, since the service life of all equipment, and not just sled runners, depends on the riding style.
4. Amount of snow cover. This factor affects the maneuverability of equipment in difficult natural and weather conditions.

The best option would be to make a sled on a steel frame, as it will be more durable than plastic ones. The main disadvantage of such equipment is considered weight, however, this pays off with a significant margin of safety and a long service life.

Dimensions and drawings

Before preparing your masterpiece, you need to make a design for it, in which you need to constructively decide what size the sled will be. We have prepared a rough drawing of the sled, which we will describe later. As you can see, the dimensions of the structure are a little more than two meters in length, the height of the product is 98.5 cm, the width in the front part is 75 cm, and in the back it narrows to 74 cm. The drawing is very detailed in the height of all parts. Drawings can be found on the Internet, but it is better to come up with your own based on your technical considerations and calculations.

Stripping plywood

We clean our plywood with sandpaper. As you already know, “Medium-grained” and “Fine-grained” sandpaper is used for cleaning plywood when sawing. You've probably seen sandpaper in hardware stores, and that's what we'll need. In your work you will need “Coarse-grained”, “Medium-grained” and “Fine-grained” sandpaper. Each of them has its own property, but a completely different coating, by which it is classified. “Coarse-grained” sandpaper is used for processing rough plywood, i.e. which has many defects, chips, and cracks.

“Medium-grained” sandpaper is used for processing plywood after “Coarse” sandpaper and has a slight coating. “Fine-grained” or otherwise “Nulevka”. This sandpaper serves as the final process for stripping plywood. It gives the plywood smoothness, and therefore the plywood will be pleasant to the touch. Sand the prepared plywood in stages, starting with medium-grain sandpaper and ending with fine sandpaper. Sanding should be done along the layers, not across. A well-polished surface should be flat, completely smooth, glossy in the light and silky to the touch. How best to prepare plywood for sawing and which sandpaper is best to choose Read here. After stripping, check the plywood for burrs and small irregularities. If there are no visible defects, then you can proceed to the process of translating the drawing.

Translation of the drawing

For me, drawing translation has always been the main process in my work. I will tell you a couple of rules, as well as tips for high-quality translation of a drawing. Many people transfer the drawing onto plywood not only using a pencil and copying, but also using “Black Tape”, glue the drawing to the plywood, then wash off the drawing with water and the markings of the drawing remain on the plywood. In general, there are many ways, but I will tell you about the most common method. To transfer the drawing onto prepared plywood, you must use a copy, a ruler, a sharp pencil and a non-writing pen. Fasten the drawing in plywood using buttons or simply hold it with your left hand. Check if the drawing fits the dimensions.

Position the drawing so that you can use a sheet of plywood as economically as possible. Translate the drawing using a non-writing pen and ruler. There is no need to rush, because your future craft depends on the drawing.

Recommendations

The optimal type of homemade sled for constant use will be cargo models, and to increase the rational use of the design of such a base, it is equipped with railings and a closed box is made. At the same time, the skeleton is reliably sheltered from any unfavorable conditions. The selection of materials for homemade sleds must be carefully approached; the service life of your product depends on them and components.

It must be remembered that the sled is used in winter, therefore, it must be resistant to low temperatures. It should also be taken into account that during operation the structure is subject to impacts from protruding tree roots or small stones, and therefore must have an impact-resistant surface.

If you dream of creating a passenger sled model, then safety should be a priority, and this applies not only to the selection of materials and components for them, but also to all welded assemblies and parts. Since the speed of transportation on a snowmobile can be significant, and obstacles can be invisible, it is necessary to equip the sled with additional elements for reliable transportation. Making your own sled is much cheaper than buying it.

There is no sled that is perfect for all situations, and we would recommend several different models that will be useful for different situations.

When modeling the design, you must first focus on the power of your snowmobile, and then on the weight characteristics of the sled, since with low power the snowmobile may not be able to carry a heavy sled. It is best to make runners with an additional rigidity system; the distance from the bottom of the sled to the runners themselves should be at least 10 cm. Thus, your design will not touch the bottom of the snow, and wide runners will allow you to safely drive even on freshly fallen loose snow.

Don't forget about the guides for your runners, because they help maneuver while riding. A sled with flat runners at high speed without guides can tip over if it turns poorly. A self-made sleigh, with the proper approach to the selection of materials and the creative process, will become an excellent assistant and will last for many years.

To learn how to make a sled for a snowmobile, see the following video.

Snowmobile sleds are made from materials with increased frost resistance. The device must be light and durable, and have good glide on snow.

Why choose a self-made self-propelled gun?

Factory-made snowmobiles are indispensable for some professions: rescuers, foresters, geologists, surveyors. Wherever the quality of work performed and sometimes the value of human life depend on moving over rough terrain, a snowmobile becomes a vital means of transportation.

Homemade snowmobiles are used in households, when hunting or fishing, at festivals and just for fun, walking, playing with children.

This is a convenient, economical, practical winter means of transportation, which is successfully created by craftsmen in different parts of the country.

How to assemble a homemade snowmobile, see below.

Video

Evaluate how useful this thing is. It is very convenient for going on long trips through snowy fields, both for hunting and fishing. There will be enough space not only for friends, but also for necessary things that may come in handy during an active winter holiday.

The snowmobile as a means of transportation in the winter season is gaining increasing popularity. Sometimes you really want to ride on snow in a big group, but as you know, a snowmobile can accommodate a maximum of 2 people (pilot and one passenger).

The solution to this problem was the production of special passenger sleds for snowmobiles. Once you connect the sled to the towing device, the passenger capacity increases significantly.

Depending on the design features, 2-10 people can sit on the sled at the same time. Thus, with the help of this simple device you can take snowy walks and hikes with the whole company, with friends or as part of your family.

Sleighs will also help a large group go fishing or hunting.

Expert opinion Dmitry Timofeevich Tarasov Master of Sports in mountaineering. Author of scientific articles on the topic of survival in the wild

Basically, the mass of the sled is insignificant, which means it does not affect the reduction in the traction characteristics of the snowmobile. Skis are made in most cases from durable plastic.

This solution helps prevent snow from sticking, which is very common on skis made of metal. If necessary, the sled can be detached within a minute and moved to the desired location.

To prevent rain or snow from entering, most sled models are equipped with a special roof or awning.