Tracked Tractor Built For $150
"When I opened up a copy of FARM SHOW a couple issues ago, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the home-built tracked tractor put together by Jim Brown of Lincoln, Vermont," says Tad Schreiner, Prior Lake, Minn. "I had just finished building my own tracked tractor and I was surprised we had both used some of the same ideas."
Schreiner converted a Bolens garden tractor, adding an automotive rear end and tracks made from tractor tires.
"It was a fun project. Getting everything to work together was a bit of a challenge but it was worth every minute of it the first time I took it for a ride. It's powerful for its size and extremely maneuverable," says Schreiner.
He obtained a 1963 Bolens 800 garden tractor with a blown engine and went to work on it. He took off the front axle, replacing it with the rear end off a Dodge Caravan, which he narrowed up to fit the frame. The axle bolts solidly in place. He put donut-type 15-in. spare tires on front and left the 23-in. tractor tires on back.
He installed an 8 hp Briggs & Stratton engine, reworking the mounting blocks and modifying the hood. The original transmission remained in place.
A steel pipe subframe under the tractor's original frame allows the front axle to slide back and forth. "To put the tracks on, I slide the front axle all the way back so that the front and rear tires touch each other. After installing the tracks, I pull the front axle forward and drop a steel pin into place on each side to lock the tracks in place," says Schreiner.
To make the tracks, Schreiner cut the sidewalls off a pair of 6 by 30 bias-ply rear tires off a rear engine Allis Chalmers cultivating tractor. He ran a row of sheet metal screws through the inside middle part of the track, spacing the screws about 3 1/2 in. apart. The screw heads dig into the tires and help keep them from coming off when turning.
A pair of steering levers are used to control the drum brakes on the tractor's rear axle.
He used 11 ga. steel to build a 50-in. wide, 16-in. high blade on front of the tractor. The blade can be raised up and down and locked into place at six different positions, by pulling on a lever that used to raise and lower the mower deck. The blade can also be angled from side to side. A spring-loaded pin inside a steel cylinder mounted behind the blade is used to control blade angle. A cable runs from the pin back to a lever on the hood. Pulling on the lever releases the pin. Pushing another lever that's attached by linkage to the blade moves it either to the left or right.
"It works surprisingly well and does very little damage to the ground. It's also very maneuverable," says Schreiner, who finished building the rig last summer. "I painted it Caterpillar yellow and applied decals on the sides and front that read Taderpillar T 850. I call it the 850 because it has an 8 hp engine and a 50-in. blade.
"I chose the Bolens tractor because it has a cast iron rear end and transmission which is much stronger than aluminum and should keep the tracks from snapping the rear axle. The tractor was given to me. I paid $35 for the front axle and $70 for the tractor tires that I used to make the treads. I already had the engine. My total cost was only about $150."
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tad Schreiner, 16258 Suel Lane, Prior Lake, Minn. 55372 (ph 952 447-5421).
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Tracked Tractor Built For $150 TRACTORS Made-It-Myself When I opened up a copy of FARM SHOW a couple issues ago I couldn t believe my eyes when I saw the home-built tracked tractor put together by Jim Brown of Lincoln Vermont says Tad Schreiner Prior Lake Minn I had just finished building my own tracked tractor and I was surprised we had both used some of the same ideas Schreiner converted a Bolens garden tractor adding an automotive rear end and tracks made from tractor tires It was a fun project Getting everything to work together was a bit of a challenge but it was worth every minute of it the first time I took it for a ride It s powerful for its size and extremely maneuverable says Schreiner He obtained a 1963 Bolens 800 garden tractor with a blown engine and went to work on it He took off the front axle replacing it with the rear end off a Dodge Caravan which he narrowed up to fit the frame The axle bolts solidly in place He put donut-type 15-in spare tires on front and left the 23-in tractor tires on back He installed an 8 hp Briggs & Stratton engine reworking the mounting blocks and modifying the hood The original transmission remained in place A steel pipe subframe under the tractor s original frame allows the front axle to slide back and forth To put the tracks on I slide the front axle all the way back so that the front and rear tires touch each other After installing the tracks I pull the front axle forward and drop a steel pin into place on each side to lock the tracks in place says Schreiner To make the tracks Schreiner cut the sidewalls off a pair of 6 by 30 bias-ply rear tires off a rear engine Allis Chalmers cultivating tractor He ran a row of sheet metal screws through the inside middle part of the track spacing the screws about 3 1/2 in apart The screw heads dig into the tires and help keep them from coming off when turning A pair of steering levers are used to control the drum brakes on the tractor s rear axle He used 11 ga steel to build a 50-in wide 16-in high blade on front of the tractor The blade can be raised up and down and locked into place at six different positions by pulling on a lever that used to raise and lower the mower deck The blade can also be angled from side to side A spring-loaded pin inside a steel cylinder mounted behind the blade is used to control blade angle A cable runs from the pin back to a lever on the hood Pulling on the lever releases the pin Pushing another lever that s attached by linkage to the blade moves it either to the left or right It works surprisingly well and does very little damage to the ground It s also very maneuverable says Schreiner who finished building the rig last summer I painted it Caterpillar yellow and applied decals on the sides and front that read Taderpillar T 850 I call it the 850 because it has an 8 hp engine and a 50-in blade I chose the Bolens tractor because it has a cast iron rear end and transmission which is much stronger than aluminum and should keep the tracks from snapping the rear axle The tractor was given to me I paid $35 for the front axle and $70 for the tractor tires that I used to make the treads I already had the engine My total cost was only about $150 Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Tad Schreiner 16258 Suel Lane Prior Lake Minn 55372 ph 952 447-5421
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