Do-it-yourself homemade 4x4 all-wheel drive ATV

The ATV perfectly combines the advantages of a motorcycle with its maneuverability and mobility and a mini-jeep with handling, maneuverability and power. But thanks, among other things, to high demand, buying such an SUV from a warehouse costs a lot of money.

To build an ATV with your own hands - what do you need for this, what components and assemblies, tools and materials? Which “donor” vehicle is suitable, from what components should the quad be assembled? Where to start the assembly and in what sequence should all the work be carried out? Let's figure it out!

How to make an ATV with your own hands is a difficult and responsible task, but feasible for a master who has mastered welding and turning. The effort and time spent are paid off not only by large savings, but also by the result obtained - an exclusive, original model of a quadric that no one else has.

Features of assembling a homemade vehicle highly depend on the chosen base - the engine and other elements that are used by the craftsman.

6 best options for a base (“donor”) for those who have set the goal of how to make an ATV.

1. Motorcycle "Ural".
2. Motorcycle "Izh".
3. Motor scooter "Ant".
4. Another motor scooter (scooter).
5. Car "Niva".
6. Oka car.

Most often, some structural elements are taken from a motorcycle, others from a car.

In addition to the parts (components) for the quadric, its creator will need:

• assembly “shop” - a fairly spacious garage equipped with good heating and lighting will be useful in this capacity;
• a set of equipment and tools;
• blueprints.

Preparation for work, tools and equipment

First of all, you need to carefully consider when, where and for what purposes the future ATV will be used - hunting and fishing, motorcycling in nature, transporting goods, etc. It is on this basis that you need to make a choice of a “donor” vehicle, deciding how powerful the engine is needed, what kind of suspension is suitable, what kind of trunk, etc.

The suspensions, like the steering system, must be taken from the car. On the front it is necessary to provide space for installing the gearbox.

Installing an all-wheel drive model requires not only special skills of the craftsman, but also additional labor costs. The alternative is to buy a ready-made all-wheel drive unit - it costs money.

Frame

Making the body is far from the simplest stage of the story called “how to assemble an ATV with your own hands.” Suitable materials are fiberglass and fiberglass; it is easier to make a body kit from the second.

First, you need to draw, cut and construct a “blank” of the body from pieces of durable foam plastic, glued or fastened with polyurethane foam. Then apply several layers of fiberglass on it, coating each with epoxy resin and inserting metal fasteners between them to attach the body to the frame. In conclusion, dry the body thoroughly, then prime, sand and paint.

Additional accessories

A cargo ATV with a body can be additionally equipped with various devices and accessories, such as:

• windshields;
• bumpers;
• arch extensions;
• trunks and trunks;
• steering wheels;
• lighting;
• seats and backrests;
• tires and wheels;
• electrical devices, etc.

The owner can supplement any model of a cargo ATV with all the accessories he needs.

All necessary accessories can be added to any model of a cargo ATV

Stages of assembling an ATV

To create a homemade ATV with your own hands, you need to go through 9 stages of work step by step:

1. Acquisition and preparation of everything necessary;
2. Welding (alteration) of the frame;
3. Installation of suspensions, brakes, chassis, shock absorbers, wheels;
4. Installation of engine, gearbox, drive assembly;
5. Installation of the fuel system;
6. Installation of electrical equipment - turn signals, headlights, dashboard, battery;
7. Case manufacturing;
8. Priming, sanding and painting the body, (if desired) sophisticated custom tuning;
9. Installation of the body and seat.

After the final stage, the finished miracle of home-made equipment will need to be thoroughly tested, gradually making road (and off-road) conditions more difficult.

Winter tuning

If you plan to operate the ATV in winter, it is recommended to make a number of modifications. You need to start with the wheels. The device is equipped with winter tires , which are characterized by a special tread pattern and rubber composition. The tires have special studs to ensure stability of the all-terrain vehicle on ice or compacted snow. Instead of wheels, you can install tracks, which will significantly increase the off-road capability of the vehicle.

If in winter the ATV is used for snow removal, you need to install a snow plow . This will allow you to clear paths in and around your garden plot during snowfall.

a heating system for the handles and seat . This significantly increases driver comfort when driving in cold weather.

Description of the vehicle

A modern ATV is equipped with four or six small wheels, but with increased maneuverability. The main technical characteristics include: light weight, all-wheel drive and low gear. Due to the unique configuration, the vehicle can easily travel on country roads. It can be used in summer and winter.

To make a homemade ATV, it is recommended to decide on its type:

1. Utilitarian. The model has a lot of weight and good maneuverability. The vehicle easily carries several people and accelerates to 90 km/h.
2. Stunt. Equipped with a narrow platform and radiator. The car weighs little and can accelerate to 137 km/h.

Vehicle assembly is carried out taking into account technical characteristics, equipment, and operating conditions. To perform independent work, you will need to have skills in working with a welding machine and a lathe. To build a car, you will need a spacious garage. Taking into account suitable parameters, a do-it-yourself drawing of an ATV is prepared.

Training for category AI driving license

ATV training is usually carried out at training centers or specialized centers. You can get an AI license from the age of sixteen. From the documents you need to have:

§ passport and photocopies of the specified pages;

§ medical certificate and its photocopy;

§ a copy of the tax identification number.

Don't forget to also take 4 3x4 matte photographs with a corner. If you have a driver's license of any category, you also need to take it with you and make a photocopy. An important point - before enrolling in courses, they check whether you have had your license revoked two weeks before the start of training.

The cost of training for an ATV depends on the chosen center. But it is relatively low - within 7-10 thousand rubles.

Training is carried out according to the following schedule:

§ 11 hours are allocated for theory;

§ 2 hours for practice.

This refers to primary education, that is, for those students who do not have the rights of other categories. If you have a driver’s license, then several options are possible:

§ 5 hours theory and one hour practice;

§ or they give you a manual with theory to take home, and you practice for 1-2 hours on the track with an instructor.

The theory includes basic safety rules, basic traffic rules, first aid, and the design of an ATV of this model. Practice includes performing simple exercises - figure eight, snake, corridor. If desired, you can additionally exercise on an ATV for an additional fee.

It is also possible to take exams externally. In this case, you need to bring all the above documents to the training center and pay for an hour of practical training - this will cost a thousand rubles.

As you can see, training is not something difficult, since the future driver will ride an ATV exclusively off public roads and a good knowledge of traffic rules is not required from him.

Preparatory stage

When assembling the structure yourself, the power of the motor, the type of suspension, and the need to install a trunk are taken into account. To perform the upcoming work you will need: a welding machine, drill, grinder, keys, hammer, pliers, jack. As a basis you can take:

1. Motorcycle Ural.
2. Motorcycle Izh.
3. Scooter.
4. Oka or Niva car.

If necessary, transport is assembled from motorcycle and car parts. If the frame is made independently, special equipment will be required to deform the pipes. In this case, it is recommended to separately make drawings of the frame for the ATV with your own hands. This will simplify the process of assembling components:

Selection of systems

The brake system uses new parts or with minimal mileage. It is dangerous to install old brakes. The muffler is removed from the old car or made independently from a pipe. If a frame from another machine is used, it must be securely bolted to the bottom of the motor. The power unit is installed at the rear or front. Experts advise securely attaching the drive and transmission to the frame.

If the frame requires reconstruction, the component elements are dismantled. The front part needs to be extended onto the frame. At the next stage, the components of the frame are welded. When reconstructing the frame of a motorcycle, the seatposts are moved back by 40-45 cm. Racks are cut out of metal and welded, which are then fixed to the frame. The resulting homemade quad part can be painted with any paint.

To make your own frame, use a regular pipe with a wall thickness of up to 3 mm. It is better to make the spars from a pipe with a diameter of 25 mm, and the struts from a 20 mm pipe. The elements are fixed by spot and then solid welding. In a similar way, the ears from the levers and shock absorbers are welded to the frame. It is recommended to fix the brackets when installing other components and assemblies.

Power unit

The motor is removed from a sports or regular motorcycle, scooter, or car. Auto mechanics advise using a four-stroke engine with a power of more than 15 hp. With. The power units of scooters differ from other analogues in their low fuel consumption. An ATV based on a scooter weighs little, so it can be pulled out quickly if it gets stuck in sand or mud.

To transport cargo or drive off-road, a stronger motor is installed:

• from Izh-1, Izh-2 or Izh Jupiter with a power of 24 hp. With.;
• from the Urals 32 or 36 l. With.;
• from Oka two-cylinder engine 35 liters. With.

To transport heavy loads, a three-cylinder engine is installed. To drive in hot weather, a motor with a cooling system is used. It is not available on older motorcycles. In such units, the cooling system will need to be modified.

Front and rear suspension

Homemade ATVs are equipped with front or rear suspension. It is easier to mount a ready-made front suspension from an old motorcycle. You can use other options:

1. Rear axle from the car. It must be shortened to fit the parameters of the quadric. The advantage of this method is the presence of a differential. The disadvantage of the bridge is its large mass.
2. Cardan + gearbox on the rear axle. An independent suspension with high ground clearance is suitable for an all-terrain vehicle. In this case, the suspension arms are fixed to the frame using bolts.

Features of cargo vehicles

Cargo ATVs were originally designed to transport cargo. After a certain period of time, they began to be used for recreational and sports purposes, forgetting about the original purpose of these types of vehicles.

Cargo ATVs were originally developed for transporting goods.

The traction force of a cargo ATV is quite significant. This allows you to use it to transport not only large items, but also very heavy objects. In addition, the vehicle can be equipped with several seats at once. This directly depends on the ATV model. It can be designed for 2, 4 or 6 seats.

A prominent representative of this type of vehicle is the Hummer Cargo 200 ATV. It has a full rear axle with a cardan drive. In addition, the vehicle has a cross-axle differential.

Gearbox and brakes

If the quad is assembled on the basis of a car, the chain drive is replaced. This greatly simplifies vehicle maintenance. A manual transmission is installed, as it improves maneuverability. The input shafts are directed to the front and rear axles. Wheels can be removed from small cars: Oka, Niva.

The brake system is selected taking into account the mounted wheels. The steering knuckles are removed from the Niva or Oka. To assemble an all-wheel drive model, you will need: car steering, transmission drive and differentials. In this case, the frame is not used. It is better to weld the structure to suit the engine size.

The suspension is also removed from the car. A gearbox is installed on the front-wheel drive model. The next stage is the manufacture of the body. For this you will need fiberglass, fiberglass. Experts advise using the first material, as it is easier to work with.

A drawing is pre-prepared and body elements are cut out from polystyrene foam. To fix them together, glue or foam is used. Fiberglass is glued to the foam. The resulting structure is attached to the frame. The body is well dried, primed, sanded and painted.

Tires of the required size are selected. If the vehicle will be used off-road, it is necessary to create the appropriate ground clearance (distance from the bottom to the surface of the earth). For this, R17 wheels are installed.

The resulting ATV is equipped with turn signals, headlights, a dashboard, and a battery. Electrical equipment is connected according to a pre-designed diagram. For this, wiring and a multimeter are used to check the voltage in the network. The next step is to install the seats. The vehicle is checked for serviceability, and the data displayed on the drawings is compared. A quadric, correctly assembled, is not inferior in technical and operational characteristics to finished vehicles.

We present the ATV of our regular author S. Pletnev from the city of Ocher, Perm Territory. The next machine he built testifies to the increased design level and professional skills of its creator. However, judge for yourself.

A year of work of 3-4 hours after work and on weekends - and the new car was ready for testing, only minor (and I would say pleasant) modifications remained: connecting lighting equipment, installing an ignition switch, rear-view mirrors and other little things.

Advantages and disadvantages of cargo ATVs

Before purchasing an Armada, Daf 200 or Hummer Cargo 200 cargo ATV, you need to pay attention to the following advantages of the models:

• practicality of use and versatility;
• high level of comfort;
• significant capacity, allowing you to place even very large cargo;
• reliability of operation over a significant period of time.

Cargo ATVs have some disadvantages.

Cargo ATVs have some disadvantages

They are as follows:

• low degree of mobility;
• low cross-country ability;
• significant weight;
• weak dynamic characteristics.

Thus, despite all the above disadvantages, cargo ATVs are still quite popular among buyers.

DIY Oka ATV

The power unit for my homemade ATV was the engine from the Oka car - 32-horsepower, two-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid cooled. And if its power was often not enough for a car, then for an ATV it should have been more than enough.

The machine frame is spatial, welded. Its main elements (two pairs of side members: upper and lower) are made of round pipes of the VGP-25 type (water and gas pipes with a diameter of 25 mm and a wall thickness of 3.2 mm), auxiliary (struts, cross members, etc.) - from VGT-20. The spars are bent: the lower ones are in the horizontal plane, the upper ones are in the vertical plane. I bent the pipes on a pipe bender, “cold”. Eyes (pairs of ears) for attaching suspension arms and shock absorbers were welded to the frame immediately, and various brackets were welded as components and assemblies were installed (in “place”).

The transmission of the all-terrain vehicle is unique. Although the car is all-wheel drive, it does not have a transfer case. As you know, in the Oka the engine is located transversely, while on an ATV it is installed lengthwise. This made it possible to direct the output shafts from the gearbox (Gearbox) not to the right and left wheels (as in a car), but to the front and rear axles. It’s just that the power unit itself, interlocked with the clutch “basket” and gearbox, had to be shifted slightly to the left relative to the longitudinal plane of symmetry in order to reduce the horizontal angle of the longitudinal articulated shafts of the transmission. Well, their vertical angles turned out to be insignificant.

The transmission is assembled from units of various domestic cars, mainly VAZ models. But ready-made industrial units also had to be modified. For example, from the gearbox (from Oka), to ensure optimal (reduced) speed and increase torque, I removed the main gear pair and replaced it with a chain drive. The gearshift rod was also made different - elongated, with outlets on both sides of the gearbox. The rod can be locked in three positions: to engage 1st and 2nd gears, 3rd and 4th and reverse. The lever for selecting these positions is on the right side, and the gear shift lever is on the left.

The inter-wheel gearboxes are from the rear axles of the VAZ “classics”, only their axle shafts along with the “stockings” were removed and replaced with shafts with CV joints from front-wheel drive models. CV joints are also used as hinges in the remaining intermediate shafts of the transmission.

There are no low gears or differential locks.

The steering is motorcycle type (lever and shaft) at the top and automobile type (with tie rods) at the bottom, only simplified, without a steering mechanism, with one bipod. At first I used the steering wheel from a Minsk motorcycle, with a pipe diameter of 22 mm, but it turned out to be a little thin. Later I found and installed it from a Ural motorcycle. The steering shaft is made of a pipe with a diameter of 20 mm and a wall thickness of 2.8 mm. It has a travel stop at the lower end. At the bottom, the shaft rests on a thrust bearing, and in the middle part it rotates in a detachable nylon bracket-sleeve.

The bipod is made of 8 mm thick steel sheet in a shape resembling the letter “T”. At the edge of the “rack” there is a hole with a diameter of 20 mm - the steering shaft is inserted and welded into it, and in the ears there are conical holes for the ball ends of the tie rods. These holes are reinforced with suitable welded washers. The bipod ears are bent down slightly so that they are almost parallel to the rods.

The wheels of the ATV are 15-inch, from a Chevrolet Niva car. Tires with the appropriate landing diameter dimensions 205/70 (width/height as a percentage of the width) with an off-road tread pattern. The wheel running diameter is about 660 mm.

The wheel suspensions are independent, on two triangular wishbones each (upper and lower) with shock absorbers from the Oka car (front). The levers are welded from round pipes of the VGP-20 type. Elastic elements (springs) and shock absorbers are from the Oka

"(rear). Wheel hubs and steering knuckles are welded into the wheel ends of the front arms - from a VAZ-2109 car. Both had to be modified. I installed studs for Niva wheels in the hubs, and homemade swing arms in the front knuckles.

Aesthetic tuning

To change the appearance of the ATV, as well as improve riding comfort, you can install the following components:

• Additional rear view mirrors.
• Windshield.
• A massive footrest.
• Wide trunk.
• Illumination around the perimeter, below and on the wheels.
• Alloy wheels and tires with an aggressive tread pattern.

Some drivers change the appearance of their ATV with interesting stickers . You can choose a standard option or order a special design that will carry some important information for the driver. There are many options for decorating a vehicle. Inexpensive stickers can be found on aliexpress.

DIY ATV body kit

Do-it-yourself ATV body kit - fiberglass. I glued it in for the first time, and therefore first studied the recommendations for performing the relevant work. But as it turned out, this process is painstaking, although the result is worth it.

First, I made the required contours of the body kit from a square steel pipe with a cross-section of 10x10x1 mm. Fortunately, this pipe bends easily even with your hands over your knee. The contour was welded to the frame using jumpers from the same pipe, in places where later (after gluing the body kit) the “tacks” could be easily cut off. Then I bent “wings” from hardboard (fibreboard) and fixed them with self-tapping screws to the contour and jumpers. Where the bend turned out to be steep, I attached separate strips of the same hardboard. The front end was made with polystyrene foam purchased at a hardware store. It was possible to use polystyrene foam or the same polystyrene foam, but polystyrene foam turned out to be a more suitable material - it cuts well with a sharp thin knife. I glued individual elements from it into the overall structure on polyurethane foam.

DIY ATV frame drawings

The false tank has a complex shape. It was not possible to bend it out of hardboard. Therefore, having wrapped the engine with plastic film, I began to fill the space intended for it with layers of polyurethane foam. After each layer, drying is mandatory, otherwise the thick volume of foam may not dry out inside. Filled until the layers went beyond the contour. Finally, after the foam had completely dried, I began to draw out the desired shape with a knife. The edges were smoothed with coarse sandpaper.

Part of the Oka dashboard was used under the instrument panel. I secured it to the blank also using polyurethane foam. Since the foam is large-porous, the pores were filled with gypsum and then processed. When the shape of the blank began to correspond to the intended design and its surface became more or less smooth, I coated the blank with PF-115 paint. Since I was not going to make a matrix for gluing the body kit on the block, but immediately glued the body kit on it, followed by finishing the surface to an ideal state, putting plaster and painting the block could be neglected.

So, the blockhead is ready and to glue a high-quality product, it was required: 10 kg of epoxy resin, 1 kg of plasticizer for it and 1 kg of hardener, 15 linear meters of thin fiberglass fabric, 5 m of glass mat, brushes, gloves. It is highly advisable to wear breathing protection. And the more expensive they are, the more reliable they are. But, as you know, you can’t buy experience, so I gained it in the process of work.

I used transparent tape as a separating layer between the block and the product. The whole idiot covered it with stripes carefully, without any omissions. It only took 1.5 rolls of wide tape.

I diluted the resin in 200 - 300 grams with a hardener and plasticizer. I used measuring cups and syringes, which is not very convenient. Before this, I cut strips of fiberglass in such sizes that large canvases would lie on flat surfaces, and on uneven surfaces, pieces of fabric could repeat them without making folds. By the way, fiberglass stretches moderately along the diagonal of the weaves, “flowing around” the desired shape.

First, I thickly coated one area of ​​the blockhead with epoxy resin, placed fiberglass on it and impregnated the top with resin again. The adjacent piece of fabric was glued using the same technology with an overlap of 3 - 5 cm. We had to work quickly - the resin sets quite quickly, and the higher its temperature, the faster. Yes, I also heated the resin a little near a powerful lighting lamp for better fluidity.

After covering the blockhead with fiberglass in one layer, I began to cover it with glass mat. The fiberglass mat I got was quite thick, and it turned out to be good for gaining the thickness of the product. But it does not hug uneven surfaces, so I used it only on flat (or slightly sloping) surfaces and without overlap. Impregnation with resin was carried out in the same way as when working with fiberglass. Just keep in mind that it takes a lot of resin to impregnate glass mat, so you need to dilute it more. After gluing the glass mat, uneven surfaces were glued in several layers with cloth. Each subsequent layer was applied after the previous one had set a little, so that the resin would not leak. And since the process of gluing the body kit took more than one day, after a day of break it was necessary to “roughen” the surface with coarse sandpaper and degrease it - after all, the resin cures completely during this time. The final layers on top of the mat were again covered with fiberglass, and not even just one layer.

Since I needed the surface, as they say, the smoother the better, and I didn’t have enough experience, dips and holes still remained - I filled them with resin alone, and with pieces of fiberglass applied there. There wasn't enough resin. I already bought more at the hardware store, in boxes. I liked working with it more because it was already packaged, and all I had to do was mix the ingredients. And it dried faster than the one purchased from the company.

After the glued body kit had completely dried, I made cuts in it, dividing the product into three parts: rear fenders and rear, false tank with seat, front fenders and front end. Carefully, slightly prying and pulling with his hands while picking, he separated the product piece by piece without much effort from the blockhead.

Now, having removed the parts, I began to process them separately, bringing them to the desired result. In general, ordinary preparatory and painting work using “all” technology: first, rough grinding with the removal of large bulges of resin and fiberglass; then painstakingly filling the recesses with putty and fiberglass; then grinding the outer surface and priming with a plasticizer. Finally - metallic painting and varnish with a plasticizer.

The blockhead also carefully cut it off and put it in the far corner - just in case. The body kit was attached to specially made and welded “in place” mounts on the frame.

Finally, I welded front and rear luggage racks from thin-walled steel pipes with an outer diameter of 20 mm, and in addition to them, “kangaroo bars” that replaced the bumpers.