Processing a land plot, even a small one, is a rather complicated and tedious task. Digging, loosening or weeding requires serious physical effort and a lot of time, so many gardeners acquire additional equipment, in particular, walk-behind tractors. Any such unit performs a wide range of work and is an indispensable assistant in the household. However, its functionality and cross-country ability can be further expanded, and the crawler attachment to the walk-behind tractor will help in this.
Modernization of a two-wheeled walk-behind tractor
Today, there is a huge variety of models of wheeled walk-behind tractors on sale, but tracked options are much less common, and their price is higher, since they differ in design, power and capabilities. Of course, the universal tracked attachment to the walk-behind tractor will make the wheeled device more functional, but such a pleasure, again, is far from cheap.
If you can’t afford such an option, but you are friends with your hands, you can make equipment for your iron “assistant” yourself. The crawler attachment to the walk-behind tractor is put on four wheels, so if you have a two-wheeled device model, you need to transform it into a four-wheeled one. An additional pair of wheels can be fixed permanently or made removable, so that if necessary it was possible to quickly return the unit to its original design for garden work.
The second pair of wheels can be fixed to an existing axle by means of a rigid or flexible transmission. This is the most appropriate solution to do without welding additional wheels.
Features of the caterpillar for the walk-behind tractor
A do-it-yourself crawler attachment to a walk-behind tractor can be made from a variety of materials, but you should choose such an option that it optimally matches the walk-behind tractor model itself. First of all, the engine power of a particular technical device should be taken into account. Most often, such units are equipped with low-power motors, therefore, the crawler attachment to the walk-behind tractor should be light. Caterpillars should not be used, like a collective farm bulldozer, since they will simply be "too tough" for a weak engine. For low-power models, you can make a caterpillar move from car tires. Ideal - tires for SUVs. Aggressive tread will provide reliable adhesion to any coating, including on a snowy or icy surface.
A suitable drawing of a crawler attachment for a walk-behind tractor can be found without problems on specialized sites and forums. There are also recommendations for the manufacture of such options. We will consider the most common options for crawler consoles, which can easily be made, as they say, from improvised materials.
Sprocket roller chain and conveyor belt
Do-it-yourself crawler attachment to the walk-behind tractor is made from these materials quite simply. Moreover, there is no need to use special tools and machines. The conveyor belt can be connected to the ring by stitching or using a hinge. Stapling is not a particularly reliable method, so it is better to use a hinge.
Owners of motoblocks with high-power motors are recommended to use a tape with a thickness that can be changed within 7-15 mm. These types of conveyor belts are usually used in agricultural machinery. At the same time, installation of such a tape should be done very carefully due to its impressive weight.
To make a homemade crawler attachment to a walk-behind tractor longer, its edges need to be sewn with fishing line with a distance of 2 cm.
Car tires
This material is ideal for creating caterpillar tracks in light walk-behind tractors. The main advantage of this technology is the lack of the need for additional lugs. This prefix is performed by trimming the side surfaces of the tires. Preparation of the work track is a rather difficult task, especially if rubber with a deep “off-road” tread is used. Even with the sharpest knife, this operation is very difficult, so it is better to use an electric jigsaw. So that the rubber does not burn during cutting due to the high friction of the blade, it should be periodically moistened with soapy water or water. If the tire tracks are too hard, excess layers can be removed from the wrong side of the belt.
The closed circuit of the tracks provides them with high reliability, and this is the main quality that a tracked attachment to the walk-behind tractor should have. Owner reviews about the operation of such home-made products are only positive. The only problem is the limited tire width, but this problem is solved by the simultaneous use of two or even three tread stripes on each pair of wheels.
Belts
A crawler attachment can also be made from belts. This method is convenient and simple. Belts must be used with a wedge-shaped profile. The connection is provided by lugs, the fixation of which is carried out using screws or rivets.
Chains
A more reliable version of the tracks is obtained from the old chains (they should be the same). Two chains are required per tape. After giving the product the required size, the chain links must be connected and welded. The finished structure is fastened with lugs made of thick steel plates.