Lawn mower gone snowmobile/offroad buggy

[85_Ranger4x4]

With our 2'+ of snow on the ground it is getting rather tough to just get from one place to another on foot, even the tractors about HAVE to have chains to garentee an arrival. And it is only going to get worse when this crap decides to melt.

Anyway, I have been thinking about making a go cart type rig out of a old lawn mower for the next go around, nothing for speed just getting from a to b without beating yourself to death. I know it would never be able to go thru the snow, so I figure it would have to be able to somewhat float on top like a snowmobile.

Right now the scheme in my head would be to make some old snowmobile ski's on the front (replacable with wheels for warmer weather) and maybe add another axle on the rear for more flotation/traction that I can adjust so if I don't need it I can pull it up so it won't be on the ground to effect my turning radius. I want something small enough to fit in the back of a pickup to transport around... like when I had to walk halfway across grandpa's farm thru snow over my knees the other day to work on his pumpjack.

I am thinking something with a rear engine would be balanced better for my 4x6 plan, with four wheels churning out back it will probably need the weight over the front to steer.

Thoughts? By the way, I know where there is a Snapper Comet that I think would be a decent foundation to start from...but it has been buried in snow since before I had my idea so I don't know how the drivetrian is set up for this.

 

[02RangerXLT]

Ah, so you're fairly close to me... dealing with the same crap as me anyway... I think you need an air-boat with snowmobile ski's on it... that seems like an idea to me...

I think you should build your own frame for it, and build it to your liking... I believe wider tires are good for flotation, but bad for traction, but as long as you don't sink you'd be fine...

Good Lucky

 

[wahlstrom1]

Lockers and chains on your truck.....I can push snow til I get blue in the face when I chain mine up.

I used to have a Snapper, and while easy to work with it's not a very hi torque system and may not work as you like for your application.

Snappers Drive system:

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Lockers and chains on your truck.....I can push snow til I get blue in the face when I chain mine up.

I used to have a Snapper, and while easy to work with it's not a very hi torque system and may not work as you like for your application.

Well that stinks, I doubt that drive would hold up to what I am planning to do.

I am mainly wanting something small to float across the top of the snow I can haul from place to place and use to do whatever. Here at home I have a tractor with chains and I know will go anywhere on the home place without a question, but is kind of slow (15mph without chains, dunno how fast I could stand to drive it with chains) and with subzero temps without a cab I have no interest in driving it too far if at all let alone 30 miles to my grandfather's place. With my lawnmower creation I could leave it in the back of my truck until I need it and unload it and go weaving thru the barn lot to fix the pumpjack or drag a deer up out of the timber when I deer hunt or whatever... tough stuff to do with a pickup on a good day... and usually you don't get good days to do that stuff.

I just buried my F-150 day before yesterday, the thing rode up on the drift until it lost enough momentum and fell thru, I was laying frame and the tires were hanging without any ground in sight... I don't think chains, lockers or anything short of dozer tracks would have helped it much. And if that didn't stick me, the next drift that was as tall as the pickup cab would have. (that we discovered trying to come in to pull it out from the front) And let me tell you, it is hard to drag a F-150 essentially without any wheels on it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Well, new plan. I now have at my disposal a Suzuki 125 (I think) three wheeler that needs a fuel pump and the front forks straightened. So I am thinking of somehow making the front wheel easily replacable by a ski. Growing up we had a Honda 110 three wheeler and with the big tire in the front they were darn near helpless in snow, the front wheel doesn't turn and once you reach the point where you can't play bulldozer anymore you are stuck.