How to make a snowmobile from a Friendship chainsaw with your own hands

Having a snowmobile at your disposal is a real dream for many men, especially for those who love fishing and hunting. Not everyone can afford to purchase this rather expensive device. The seasonality of using a snowmobile also takes away from the purchase. You can’t ride it in the summer, and the winter is not always stable and snowy.

Therefore, the option of making a snowmobile using the power plant from the Druzhba chainsaw is very attractive. The article discusses the process of manufacturing a homemade snowmobile with an engine from Druzhba, and the attractive features of this design. Available drawings and videos of finished successful models.

Required tools and materials

The set of tools and materials depends on the selected modification and drawing. Basically, to construct a snowmobile using the Druzhba chainsaw as a basis, it is recommended to prepare the following parts and materials:

• directly from the Druzhba chainsaw - engine, fuel tank, gearbox;
• for the manufacture of the base - rolled metal (pipes, angles, profiles);
• to create protective covers - sheet iron;
• steering, quite suitable for motorcycles or mopeds;
• transmission mechanism - various motorcycle parts: chains, sprockets;
• caterpillar - from an old snowmobile "Buran" or conveyor belt;
• tracks - made of plastic pipes or aluminum profiles;

In this article, the main option is the manufacture of a snowmobile using a conventional snow scooter as the basic design. Therefore, to produce it you will need an unclaimed snowmobile.

Also, for any of the selected modifications, skis are required. You can use old hunting skis as skis, preferably plastic ones. Or make them manually from steel sheets, taking into account the required dimensions.

The set of tools used for work will require the following:

• electric welding;
• angle grinder (“grinder”);
• set of wrenches;
• electric drill, set of metal drills;
• marking and measuring tools (tape measure, square, etc.).

It is recommended to assemble the structure by welding. Such fasteners are more reliable and convenient to use. In its absence, it is possible to fasten the parts using a conventional bolted connection.

Other creation options

There are other ways to build a snowmobile using skis or a crawler rear. These makeshift snowmobiles and snowbikes use bicycle wheels.

Snowmobile from scooter

One of the simplest homemade options you can create yourself from any scooter or moped. The only differences here are the frames, the sizes of the tracks, and other parts. Such a snowmobile is unlikely to be powerful and will have difficulty moving through snow-covered snowdrifts. Therefore, they use wheels of a smaller diameter and increase the frame. This homemade moped moves well on light snow or crust. In the spring, you can replace the ski or track back with wheels and get a scooter or moped again.

Chainsaw snowmobile

Using a motor from a trimmer, many craftsmen can independently make various devices: cultivators, motorbikes, snowblowers and, of course, snow scooters (or snowmobiles).

The product is not particularly powerful, but reliable, lightweight and easy to use.

Snowmobile from a motorized dog

It is even easier to get a snowmobile from a motorized towing vehicle or a motorized dog; there is practically no need to reassemble it - just add skis with steering and make minor changes.

Snowmobile from ATV

The ATV undergoes even less alteration for better maneuverability in winter snowy terrain. Essentially, everything is limited to tuning, which consists of installing tracks, although this process is expensive and time-consuming.

Snowmobile on tubes

About homemade products using cameras or pneumatics has already been noted above. The homemade device consists of a control support ski and a leading support pneumatic.

The advantages include the high cross-country ability of the vehicle, and the disadvantages include low maneuverability.

Transformable snowmobile

A folding snowmobile is called a mini snowmobile or transformer. Its main difference is convenience and ease of use. It easily fits when folded in the trunk or even on the seat of a car.

Snowmobile from a cultivator

And another savvy option for inventive use - a snowmobile made from a cultivator. Usually, every farm has a cultivator and sits idle in the winter. Using the engine according to the assembly diagram, we make an apparatus for winter movement. The power is small, but in reality it is practical and effective.

Time to make a snowmobile with your own hands

The time that will have to be spent constructing a homemade snowmobile using the Druzhba chainsaw directly depends on the selected drawing and diagram. To speed up the process, you can select an existing working model from the Internet as a basis. In this case, you can use existing measurements and drawings. When developing your own version, you will have to spend additional time on this.

On average, it can take from one to several weeks to manufacture a complex snowmobile.

The available set of components, materials and tools will play a large role in the time costs. Your plumbing and design skills also play an important role. Plus, the time depends on the place of work. It is clear that in a workshop equipped with everything necessary, things will go much faster. Under favorable circumstances, it may be completely manageable in a couple of days.

Winch

The mechanism is designed for horizontal movement or lifting loads to a height. Does not depend on the availability of electricity, can be used outdoors, on hiking trips.

A prerequisite for this is that the engine power of a do-it-yourself chainsaw winch should not be less than 2.5 kW.

An important element of the device is the drum - it can be made independently or used from a hand winch. In addition, you will need:

• gearbox to reduce the speed of the chain saw;
• metal pipes or rolled profiles, levers, cam clamps, clamps.

The procedure for making a winch:

1. A rigid frame is made from pipes. Welding is used.
2. Attach the chainsaw motor to it. The gearbox is connected to it with clamps, and the drum is connected to the output shaft of the latter.
3. Install a lever equipped with cam clamps connected to the drum shaft. This control element allows you to control the work process: when you move the lever in one direction, the drum rotates, and in the other, it stops.
4. An anchor is made with which the winch will be secured in the soil or cling to any stationary object. Use pointed corners that are welded or hinged to the frame.
5. A cable is wound onto a drum, the free end of which is equipped with a hook. It is used to capture and attach to a load that needs to be moved.

The device exists in 2 versions. Do-it-yourself chainsaw drills are made for the ground or for drilling ice. In the first case, the device facilitates the construction of deep holes for poles, fence supports, and other structures. In the second, he helps fishermen drill holes in winter. They differ in the drill used.

The design of a gas drill involves combining a finished drill and a chainsaw engine into one unit. To make a motor drill from a chainsaw, the latter must have a high-power motor - at least 2 liters. With. In addition, you will need:

1. Gearbox. This is an important element of the device. It is necessary to reduce the speed of the saw motor, because when the drill rotates quickly, the engine power may not be enough, and it is difficult to work under such conditions.
2. Bulgarian.
3. Metal pipe.
4. Drill.
5. Welding machine.

Drill assembly sequence:

1. Two rectangular frames are made from a metal pipe. The size of one is 45x35 cm, the second is 10x10 cm.
2. The frames are connected to each other, placed parallel to one another at a distance of 30 cm. This is done with identical pieces of metal pipe, welding adjacent corners of the frames with them.
3. Inside the resulting truncated pyramid, a gearbox is attached to the smaller frame.
4. According to the drill assembly diagram, a motor is installed on top, connecting it to the gearbox with a short shaft (pre-made). The handle that regulates the fuel supply is placed on the upper large frame. It also houses an emergency engine shutdown system.
5. Connect a drill using a piece of pipe to the output shaft of the gearbox. The parts are connected with dowels or studs.

Pros and cons of homemade design

After looking at a lot of photos and videos, reading a lot of reviews, successful working models of snowmobiles using the “Friendship” chainsaw, we can quite conclude that the design is quite effective. The chainsaw engine is distinguished by its simple mechanism, reliability and fairly low cost.

The main advantage of a homemade model is the economic component. During the design process, parts and materials are used that are lying around idle somewhere in a garage or storage room. The necessary set of spare parts can be purchased for little money or found for free.

Also among the advantages of a homemade snowmobile are:

• the fully operational power of the resulting equipment is up to 4 hp;
• compactness, small dimensions and weight of the snowmobile compared to factory analogues;
• economical consumption of fuels and lubricants (fuels and lubricants);
• The Druzhba engine is not whimsical in terms of the use of fuel and lubricants.

Another advantage is that a handmade product will bring pleasure and pride to its owner. After all, for a real man it is important to do something with his own hands. He can calmly show off his homemade product to friends and acquaintances.

The main disadvantage of a homemade snowmobile is that in the end the homemade one will in any case be inferior to its factory counterparts in terms of power, comfort and ease of use.

The snowmobile is not capable of reaching high speeds, but this makes it safer than factory snowmobiles. In addition, in most cases, a homemade snowmobile has a very unattractive appearance.

It is also worth noting that a homemade version, no matter how it looks, most likely will not be able to be legally registered with the related authorities. Responsibility for its use lies with the person who made it. Therefore, it is better not to get caught by law enforcement agencies on such a snowmobile.

snow blower

The homemade product is simple and easy to do with your own hands. First, a frame is made, which is welded from pipes of 3-4 cm in diameter. Its shape is U-shaped, with 2 additional crossbars located at the rear of the frame at a distance of 20 cm from one another.

The longitudinal elements of the frame serve to move the snow blower, acting as runners. Their ends are made oblique, the holes are welded to avoid clogging with snow. Cross members are needed to accommodate the power unit.

The motor from the chainsaw is freed from the frame and rebuilt:

• remove the drive sprocket;
• install in its place a small sprocket, which is used as a drive in the Voskhod and Minsk motorcycles.

Making a homemade snow blower auger:

1. For the shaft, use an 80-85 cm piece of pipe of the same diameter as for the frame. In the center, 2 plates 13 cm long and 15 cm wide are welded to the sides. They are needed to throw out snow.
2. 4 circles with a diameter of 30 cm are cut out of sheet metal 2-3 mm thick. The internal parts are removed - disks with a diameter of 22-23 cm. The remaining circular elements are cut in one place and stretched, giving them the shape of springs.
3. Each pair of springs is positioned symmetrically to the shaft, welded at one end to different sides of the central plates at their end sections. The other ends are connected to the shaft through metal spacers. The direction of the turns is towards the center of the shaft. The length of the screw part is 70 cm.
4. A metal housing is made from sheet metal to accommodate the auger. It consists of 2 vertical sidewalls, the lower and front edges of which are straight, the back is made in a circle. The latter is covered with a sheet of metal. The dimensions of the housing must ensure free placement inside the screw. The gap size is 5-7 cm.
5. The auger is inserted into the holes on the sidewalls. The ends are placed in bearings welded to the latter from the outside. A driven sprocket from the same motorcycles is attached to one side of the shaft.

To make a snow drain, use a section (10 cm) of aluminum pipe and a box, which is welded from sheet metal. The first is fixed in a hole, which is located in the center of the housing cover approximately in the middle of its width. The box is bolted to the section.

The housing in which the auger is installed is placed in the front part of the frame. The sidewalls are welded to the longitudinal pipes. The motor is mounted on the frame cross members, placing the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket mounted at the end of the auger shaft in the same plane. The sprockets are supplied with a chain, not forgetting to install a tension mechanism (an additional sprocket bolted to the side of the auger body).

To control the unit, a tubular handle is installed, and a lever is attached to it that regulates the fuel supply to the engine.

Step-by-step instructions for making a snowmobile from a Druzhba chainsaw

As has already been said many times, the manufacturing process depends on the chosen design option and drawing. There are complex schemes, but there is one fairly simple option using a regular snow scooter as the basis for the design. It is captivating because it already has a ready-made supporting base, steering and a completely comfortable seat. The task is to strengthen the side skis, as well as mount the engine, transmission and track to the frame.

Step-by-step assembly instructions:

1. First of all, it is necessary to strengthen the side skis. This can be done by welding a profile or pipes to them. The support bearings of the front and rear tension shafts are also attached to them. The size of the reinforcing base depends on the diameter of the front shaft. For best grip, the bottom of the shaft should be level with the skis.
2. The next stage is the manufacture of the track mounting frame. It is made from a corner and a profile pipe measuring 30x30 mm. The length of the frame is taken to calculate the dimensions of the frame for mounting the engine with a gas tank in the rear of the snow scooter. The width is within the width of the snow scooter.
3. The track is tensioned using shafts. It works on the principle of tensioning the chain in a chainsaw. The tension shaft is moved by a bolt, which in turn is fixed to the frame. As tension shafts, you can use tubeless wheels from hand trucks, rollers from agricultural machinery, or make them by hand cutting them out of plastic. It is also necessary to install support rollers for the caterpillar, only without a tensioning mechanism. They are made in the same way as tension ones. To ensure the required clearance and prevent the rollers from moving, insert bushings are installed on the axle.
4. The caterpillar is made of a conveyor belt with a thickness of at least 3 mm. Gear wheels from the Buran snowmobile are mounted on the tension shafts in the center. The tape is cut into two parts and placed along the edges. Between the pieces there is a distance commensurate with the width of the gears. Hitch tracks can be made from halves of a plastic water pipe or an aluminum profile. The thickness of the tracks is recommended to be more than 5 mm. The tracks are fastened with bolts or rivets. The gap between the tracks should correspond to the pitch of the gear wheels from the Buran.
5. A platform with an engine is still mounted on the back of the snow scooter. A gas tank is also installed on it. A drive sprocket is mounted on the drive shaft, and a sprocket is also mounted on the engine. The power transmission is carried out by the drive chain. To ensure chain tension, the frame with the engine must be movable, the sprockets must be at the same level.
6. After securing the main parts to ensure safety during operation, the moving parts of the snowmobile are covered with protective covers made of metal or plastic.

The engine speed control is displayed on the handlebar of the snow scooter. To do this, you can use handles with cables from a walk-behind tractor or moped.

How good should it be?

The most important element in this device is the engine. All other details, such as a chain or tire, do not play a significant role in the design of such a vehicle, so the main thing is to monitor and control the operation of the motor. If it is in good working order, the snowmobile will always be on the move. If you decide to take the engine from imported chainsaws, you don’t have to purchase a new device under warranty in the store. A used option is also quite suitable.

The only part in a chainsaw that must also be in working order along with the engine is the gearbox. It will also be useful to us in our work.

Examples of drawings and diagrams of other working structures

It is possible to develop your own version as a diagram and drawing. But it is also not forbidden to use successful working designs offered on various sites as a basis. The first on the list will be the most popular, frequently encountered drawing of a snowmobile from the Friendship chainsaw.

For this model there are detailed drawings of the main parts:

1. Rack.

2. Caterpillar.

3. Drive shaft.

Drive shaft

It will be tubular type with a diameter of 28 mm. A round flange with holes for the gears should be put on it. Press and weld solid pin tips into the ends of the drive shaft. The latter must be machined for bearings.

It should be noted that the left tip should be slightly shorter than the right one. On the extension, make a keyway to fit the driven sprocket of the second stage of the chain drive. This part is also called the track drive shaft sprocket and is secured with a 14 mm nut. The appropriate thread must first be made on this part.

The dimensions of the tension shaft tips must be the same and fastened similarly to the drive devices.

Benefits of the product

The essence of the benefit of a homemade design is tangible savings in money. A good factory snowmobile will cost a considerable amount of money. In addition, the situation often occurs that having bought a snowmobile, ridden it for a short time, then it sits idle and is used extremely rarely. Lack of free time, banal dependence on the availability of sufficient snow.

A homemade snowmobile can be assembled from existing scrap metal and unnecessary spare parts, spending a little money. The engine of the Druzhba chainsaw is economical and is not picky about the oil and fuel used. In the future, if the snowmobile is no longer needed, it will not be such a shame to give it away, sell it, or even just throw it away.

Having free time and an interest in engineering work, a homemade snowmobile can be reconstructed, modified, or made changes. It's like a children's construction set, only for adults.

What will be required during assembly?

First of all, the operator needs to carefully study the drawings. Focusing on them, he will be able to quickly understand the assembly order and the dimensions of each part used.

After studying the drawings, a manufacturing scheme should be drawn up.

The procedure is as follows:

• creating front skis and choosing a method for attaching them;
• organization of transfer methods to the wheel;
• welding of the support frame;
• installation of attachments necessary for operating the snow scooter.

To assemble a snowmobile yourself, you will need to prepare pre-polished metal corners, ties and spacers, sheets of plywood and steel, bolted joints and clamps.

Examples of making a snowmobile from a Druzhba chainsaw

Various Internet resources offer several working examples of a homemade snowmobile from a Druzhba chainsaw.

The first option is a hand-made frame, an overall simple but powerful snowmobile:

Second option. Almost the entire Druzhba chainsaw is used here, with a regular snow scooter taken as the basic basis. The manufacturing process of such a snowmobile is discussed in detail in the article above:

Third option. Motor sleigh for moving on ice:

Based on the work of craftsmen, we can conclude that a homemade snowmobile from a Druzhba chainsaw is generally a practical unit. It doesn't have enough power or speed and will most likely be illegal. But taking into account the costs of its assembly and further operation, it has its own advantageous differences from the factory analogue. When making and using a homemade snowmobile, it is strongly recommended not to neglect safety precautions.

Models of chainsaws for conversion

We choose a model for remodeling - Ural, Druzhba, Husqvarna, Shtil. You can use an old tool with a worn saw blade.

The most popular option is the Druzhba saw, which has a simple device with a minimum number of components and components. The disadvantages include the heavy weight of the unit (12 kg) and the low level of safety. In addition, this technique is low-power 1 kW and is far from meeting the requirements of today - it is morally outdated even for creating a snowmobile from a chainsaw.

If we consider the Ural, then this is a more suitable modification, since it was originally developed as a powerful machine for felling forests. Therefore, in terms of technical parameters, the Ural is fully consistent with the expected loads on the snowmobile. With almost the same weight as Druzhba, the Ural saw is much more powerful - 3.7 kW.

A homemade snowmobile from a chainsaw, Shtil, Husqvarna, are very suitable options, given the sufficient power of 1.5 -3.0 kW with a low weight of 4 kg and the modern design of the tools.

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.

Racks

To install the systems, it is necessary to work out the frame base. Usually in practice the central part is made from a 63x50 mm corner. The track rollers are secured with brackets that are welded to the bottom of the frame.

To install the chain drive and gearbox, a sheet steel platform is provided, which is welded to the frame. A ready-made seat from other equipment is used or a module is formed from plywood, it is covered with fabric with foam rubber or a suitable material. Before installing the seat, be sure to provide support for it. Racks are made from a 30x30 mm corner.

As a beam connecting the traverse and the front part of the frame, craftsmen recommend using an ordinary water pipe onto which the drive axle will be attached. A stand for mounting the motor is attached in the center, and skis are attached to the sides. The caterpillar can be taken new or from Buran. The drive shaft can be a 14-15 mm pipe.

Next, the engine is mounted on the cross member, the gearbox is installed, then the fuel tank. A brake system is usually not installed, since the speed of a snowmobile using a chainsaw is assumed to be within 25-30 km/h. Parts from sorting equipment are ideally suited as support rollers and axles.

The control system is based on the movement of support arms via a two-handed steering wheel. You can use the steering wheel from an old bicycle. The chain drive consists of two stages. The first stage is with a large driven sprocket, the second stage is with a driving sprocket. Additionally, for safety reasons, the chainsaw snowmobile is equipped with headlights and various limiters.

Operating rules

In general, the rules for operating children's snowmobiles are very similar to similar requirements for using ATVs. Without going into complex technical details, let's start with the fact that the baby will probably show great impatience when he finds out what kind of toy he was given. However, it is unacceptable to let him go on an independent journey before he masters the controls. The first step is to carry out a global briefing, which begins with the principles of correct seating: hold the steering wheel with both hands, place one foot on the near step, then the other is thrown over to the far one.

After this, you need to explain to the child that while riding he must wear a helmet and other elements of protective equipment.

It is also very important to keep both hands on the handlebars and both feet firmly planted on the footpegs at all times. You need to turn the steering wheel smoothly

Before setting off on the first trip, you need to clearly explain to the little driver the meaning of all the buttons and levers, make sure that he understands correctly and remembers everything.

The first training should take place in the presence of an adult, on a level surface, at a speed no faster than a human step - the severity of execution is best controlled by forced restrictions. An adult must literally follow on the heels of the vehicle. In the first lessons, smooth turns are practiced, only after mastering them can you choose more complex sites (with a slope or hills, with sharper turns and obstacles). The speed limit should be removed gradually, only after making sure that the child is responsible and demonstrates skillful control.

For a review of the children's snowmobile RM Taiga LYNX, see below.

Suspension

When converting a vehicle into a snowmobile, special attention is paid to the rear suspension. It definitely needs improvement. To make it you need to prepare:

To make it you need to prepare:

• chassis;
• two levers;
• connecting rails;
• hinges

After preparation, you can begin making the pendant:

1. The front arm is connected to the sliding rails on one side and to the chassis on the other using hinges.
2. Do the same with the rear lever.
3. Position the torsion springs between the sliding rails and the rear torque rod.
4. Place the fastening of two power elements between the suspension arms.

To secure the suspension, use tie rods.