A snowmobile sled is a must-have attribute for comfortable long-distance winter travel. Having loaded all the necessary luggage into them, you can go hunting or fishing or on any other trip.
A sled is a great addition to a pannier that can hold all the essentials but cannot pack large, heavy items. Thanks to their use, the capabilities of the snowmobile owner are significantly expanded.
If you want to become the happy owner of such a design, you don’t have to buy them at all - you can make it quite easily with your own hands.
Types of homemade sleds for snowmobiles
In general terms, a sled is a universal vehicle. There are several types, but they all simply attach to any snowmobile. To decide on a suitable model, you need to take into account a number of factors:
- the complexity of the route along which you have to navigate;
- thickness and quality of snow cover;
- terrain features of the site;
- type of cargo transported;
- travel distance;
- driving style.
Initially, it is worth finding the answers to each item. After this, it will be easier to choose a sled for your snowmobile, and all models are divided into three types:
- Volokushi are considered the simplest type of sled. In the factory version, they are often made of plastic and resemble a rectangular trough in shape. The drags do not have skis. While driving, the bottom slips on the snow. The weak point of the drag is considered to be the front part. It is most often destroyed. However, such a product is inexpensive, it is easier to buy it than to make it yourself. The drags are shaped like a rectangular trough, and the bottom is not equipped with skis
- Passenger sleds are extremely rare for sale. This is due to low demand. The design is a covered booth mounted on skis or a skid. There is one or more seats for passengers inside. Advanced models have heating and lighting. In such a booth it is convenient to go fishing together or just relax. Most often, passenger sleds for snowmobiles are assembled with their own hands, which significantly reduces the cost of the design. Their main disadvantage is their heavy weight. You can only attach it to a powerful snowmobile. Passenger sleds are convenient for going fishing or relaxing in winter, but they can only be attached to a powerful snowmobile
- The cargo sled took all the best qualities from previous varieties. They are more resistant to drag due to the presence of skis. With small dimensions, they are lighter than passenger sleighs, although they can withstand several times more load. Due to the presence of skis, maneuverability and maneuverability on difficult terrain are improved. The main purpose of the sled is to transport goods. However, people can ride them with success. Devices in the form of springs are usually installed between the skis and the bottom of the cargo sled to increase the load capacity.
Of all the options, the most popular on the farm are cargo sleds. Volokushi and passenger models are used by amateurs for entertainment and recreation.
In the video, a homemade sled for a snowmobile with your own hands in running-in:
Preparation
Before we start creating our winter structure, we need to decide what material it should be made of. Wood is perfect as a starting material if you want to make a sled like a sled or entirely made of plastic or metal with plastic parts. There are a lot of homemade models you can assemble. Sleds, thanks to their design solutions, are a very universal item; they can be easily attached to all models of snowmobiles. To optimally select sled models, consider these factors.
Travel route and terrain features. The factor must be taken into account when using drag-type structures.
- Type of transportation. Taking into account the fact that not only heavy things are transported on sleds, but also people, this factor must be taken seriously.
- Your driving style. This factor must be taken into account, since the service life of all equipment, and not just sled runners, depends on the riding style.
- Amount of snow cover. This factor affects the maneuverability of equipment in difficult natural and weather conditions.
The best option would be to make a sled on a steel frame, as it will be more durable than plastic ones. The main disadvantage of such equipment is considered weight, however, this pays off with a significant margin of safety and a long service life.
In such devices, it will be necessary to change the plastic slides as they wear out, but at least once every three years.
How to make a snowmobile sled
Assembling the sled is not that difficult. There are many simple designs that you can create in your garage. It is important to immediately determine their purpose. This will determine what type of sled to assemble for your snowmobile: passenger, cargo or drag.
Tools and materials
The choice of material will depend on the design of the sled. Basically, plywood, boards, and metal profiles are suitable for such work. Skis are made from stainless steel sheets or use thick-walled plastic pipe.
A universal set of tools will help you work with different materials
The list of suitable tools depends on the materials used for the work. However, when assembling a sled, a combination of wood, metal and plastic is often used. It is optimal to have a universal set of tools that allows you to process all materials. From complex equipment, the list must include a welding machine, an angle grinder, an electric drill, and a grinder.
Tools and materials
To make a snowmobile sled yourself, you need to stock up on the following materials:
- steel sheet;
- metal tubes with a cross section of 20 by 20 mm;
- PVC pipe;
- sheet of plywood 1.0-1.5 cm thick;
- welding machine;
- milling machine;
- hacksaw;
- grinding machine and other necessary tools.
Snowmobile sleds are made from any available materials, not just those purchased specifically for this purpose. Craftsmen can make a sled from a motorcycle carriage or a sled from wood, and some craftsmen even make sleds from barrels.
Homemade snowmobile sled made from plastic pipes
Polypropylene or PVC pipes can serve as material for sleds. The design will be lightweight and suitable for any snowmobile. The connection of individual elements is carried out with a soldering iron. The load-carrying capacity of the structure will be small, since the plastic tubes will not withstand heavy loads.
Pipe blanks are cut to size according to the drawing
First you need a drawing. It's simple. The design consists of two curved runners that act as skis. Vertical posts extend from them, which support the main platform.
According to the dimensions of the snowmobile sled indicated on the drawing, blanks are cut from the pipe with your own hands. Prepare shaped elements for soldering. Heat up the soldering iron. From the shaped elements you will need tees and 90° angles. On skis you will need to bend the edges. This can be done by soldering 45° corners. However, the disadvantage of this method is that the soldered fitting has an edge with which the skis can cling to obstacles on the track. You can go another way. Avoid soldering the corners and bend the PVC tubes to the desired angle, after heating them with a hairdryer.
You can give the pipe the desired angle using a hair dryer, heating the area required for bending
After cutting the tubes, begin soldering. First, clean the edges of the workpieces. Nozzles are inserted into the soldering iron. Install the fitting and pipe section. When the plastic softens and begins to melt, the blanks are removed from the hot nozzle and joined together. All elements are collected in a similar way.
Advice! If you have no experience in soldering plastic pipes, it is best to practice on unnecessary scraps to avoid defects in the main structure. The fittings are joined to the pipe using a soldering iron.
The skis are assembled first. They consist of three paired pipes. Tees are soldered at equal intervals along the runners. Racks made of pieces of pipe are attached to the central outlet of the fitting. Their upper end is connected with jumpers using tees and pipes. They form the platform of the future sleigh.
Stands with jumpers are soldered to the runners from pieces of pipes and tees, forming a sleigh platform.
A rectangle is cut out of plywood according to the size of the platform contour. To make the seat soft, the blank is upholstered with an old blanket or foam rubber, and covered with leatherette on top. The platform is secured to the jumpers with overhead clamps or bolts through pre-drilled holes in the tubes.
Important! The plastic structure cannot be used to transport heavy loads. Lightweight homemade sleds for snowmobiles will be a joy for children and can support one adult.
Manufacturing instructions
As we noted above, our sleds require plastic pipes. They are necessary for the runners, given that the runners must be flat and the pipes round, they must first be heated so that they straighten. They heat it either with a special heater or a hair dryer, but with the latter very carefully and carefully monitoring the heating. Otherwise, the pipe may be damaged.
After heating, the future runners are placed on a flat place under pressure until they cool completely. And only after that they mark the front side and bend it at an angle of 30 degrees. A strong frame base is welded from a profile metal pipe, on which the runners are subsequently placed. A drawbar is installed in front of our sleds, reinforced with a steel sheet, and a bushing is placed in it. Then the plywood flooring is fixed, welded and the connection at the welding points is checked for strength.
Considering that we make snowmobile sleds with our own hands, many technical solutions cannot always be implemented. A motorized stroller will make an excellent sled, just put it on runners. True, this design is only suitable for powerful snowmobiles, since its weight is still significant.
You can also use the sleigh principle to make a do-it-yourself cart with wheels for an all-terrain vehicle or ATV.
Volokushi
This device is a lightweight, often wooden structure, similar in type to a sled. Although sleds are typically used for dog or reindeer sleds, they can also be easily retrofitted for a snow machine. Drags are valued for their small weight and size, ease of operation and the speed with which the drags can be loaded and unloaded. Their body does not freeze. However, this equipment has a big drawback - due to its design features, the front is subject to deformation. The purchased version is presented in the form of a plastic trough on skids.
Passenger
Passenger snowmobile sleds are not much different from cargo sleds. Only the basic design of cargo sleds is made of a strong base, skis and a low platform, and passenger models are designed for one or two people. In Russia, even in specialized stores it is very difficult to find them. To use such a design, the snowmobile must be very powerful, such as the Yamaha, Buran, Yarmak, Russian Mechanics, Viking, Stealth and other machines.
To increase passenger comfort, the design of the sled can be supplemented with shock absorbers. The housing is made as a cabin, which also additionally contains lighting and heating elements. The booth itself is created from plywood sheet, plastic sheet or other similar materials. For skis, both sewer PVC pipes and thin HDPE pipes are used, but in this case, to create runners you need to use several pipes for each ski.
DIY sled on skis for a snowmobile
When a snowmobile is supposed to transport cargo or adults, the sled is made durable and can withstand heavy loads. For cross-country ability they are placed on skis. Good runners will be made from a thick-walled plastic pipe. You will need only 7 m of it. The pipe diameter is 230 mm, the wall thickness is 25 mm. A piece 3 m long is cut off for the skis. The pipe is unraveled lengthwise with a jigsaw or grinder. It turns out two stripes.
From a sawn piece of pipe 3 m long, two runners for skis are obtained
The remaining 4 m of pipes are cut into pieces 1 m long. These will be the jumpers between the runners. Part of the body of each pipe needs to be cut out, and rings left on the sides. They will act as shock absorbers.
The runners are connected by jumpers cut from a similar pipe
The runners are given the curved shape of skis. To do this, the edges of the pipe are heated over a fire and bent to the desired angle. The jumpers are fastened to the runners with furniture bolts, and they are placed with the cutout downwards so that while the sleigh is moving they do not cling to obstacles.
A metal frame with a towbar for a snowmobile is installed on top of the plastic platform.
When the plastic platform is ready, a frame is welded to its size from a profile pipe. It is equipped with jumpers. A towbar is welded at the front for hooking up to the snowmobile. The metal frame is bolted to a plastic platform. To ensure that the curved ends of the skis retain their shape, they are also bolted to the end of the frame. The metal frame is covered with plywood on top. You can lay thin boards.
Cargo homemade sleds for snowmobiles
A special feature of cargo sleds is their resistance to heavy loads. This is achieved by using durable materials, such as metal. Skis are made wide. Due to this, the runners do not fall into the snow. Improves maneuverability and stability when the snowmobile moves at high speed. Shock absorbers are sometimes provided between the runners and the platform frame. They smooth out impacts on bumps. The sled bounces less, which reduces the likelihood of damage or loss of cargo.
Shock absorbers smooth out impacts when riding a snowmobile on uneven terrain, thereby improving cargo safety
The snowmobile sleds shown in the photo are made from metal with your own hands. The platform is covered with plywood. The sides are welded from tubes. They won't interfere with cargo sleds. It is convenient to secure the transported cargo with straps over the sides.
How to make your own snowmobile sled from metal pipes
In general terms, the assembly of metal sleds follows the same principle as in the case of plastic pipes. The only difference is the technology for connecting the workpieces. If plastic was soldered, then in order to make sleds for a snowmobile from steel tubes with your own hands, you will have to weld them.
All elements of the metal sled are welded by electric welding
First, a rectangular frame is welded from the tubes. It consists of racks and a platform. Skis can be bent from a thick-walled plastic pipe or a stainless steel strip with a width of 20 cm or more can be used. The runners are attached to the frame posts. A plywood sheet is laid on the platform. A drawbar is welded to the front of the frame for hooking onto the snowmobile.
Dimensions and drawings
Before preparing your masterpiece, you need to make a design for it, in which you need to constructively decide what size the sled will be. We have prepared a rough drawing of the sled, which we will describe later. As you can see, the dimensions of the structure are a little more than two meters in length, the height of the product is 98.5 cm, the width in the front part is 75 cm, and in the back it narrows to 74 cm. The drawing is very detailed in the height of all parts. Drawings can be found on the Internet, but it is better to come up with your own based on your technical considerations and calculations.
Do-it-yourself wooden sled-drag for a snowmobile
It is difficult to make drag sleds from plastic at home. The easiest way to use wood for these purposes. In particular, you will need multilayer plywood and edged boards. To assemble a sled-drag for a snowmobile with your own hands, you don’t need drawings. It is enough to cut a rectangle measuring 3x1 m from plywood. The bottom is formed from it. The edges of the plywood blank are bent and heated in a steam bath.
Wooden drags do not have skis
Skis are not placed on drags. The sled will move through the snow with a plywood bottom. The sides are formed from boards. The plywood is attached to their ends with self-tapping screws. On the inside, the joints are reinforced with overhead metal plates. When finished, the drags resemble a deep wooden trough.
Advice from professionals
Experienced snowmobile owners say that there is no universal sled. In the snowy northern regions, this transport is used to perform various tasks. If you need to frequently transport cargo, want to go on vacation, give rides to guests, it’s best to get several sleds.
In the snowy northern regions, a snowmobile with a sleigh is a popular means of transportation.
The material for the sled is chosen taking into account the terrain on which it is intended to be ridden. Plastic is good for deep snow. To ride over bumps, you need a sled with wide metal skis. Passenger models are equipped with shock absorbers.
When transporting cargo, it is important to stow it correctly to achieve load balance. To protect luggage from getting wet, it is optimal for such transportation to have sleigh boxes.
Recommendations
The optimal type of homemade sled for constant use will be cargo models, and to increase the rational use of the design of such a base, it is equipped with railings and a closed box is made. At the same time, the skeleton is reliably sheltered from any unfavorable conditions. The selection of materials for homemade sleds must be carefully approached; the service life of your product depends on them and components. It must be remembered that the sled is used in winter, therefore, it must be resistant to low temperatures. It should also be taken into account that during operation the structure is subject to impacts from protruding tree roots or small stones, and therefore must have an impact-resistant surface.
If you dream of creating a passenger sled model, then safety should be a priority, and this applies not only to the selection of materials and components for them, but also to all welded assemblies and parts. Since the speed of transportation on a snowmobile can be significant, and obstacles can be invisible, it is necessary to equip the sled with additional elements for reliable transportation. Making your own sled is much cheaper than buying it.
There is no sled that is perfect for all situations, and we would recommend several different models that will be useful for different situations.
When modeling the design, you must first focus on the power of your snowmobile, and then on the weight characteristics of the sled, since with low power the snowmobile may not be able to carry a heavy sled. It is best to make runners with an additional rigidity system; the distance from the bottom of the sled to the runners themselves should be at least 10 cm. Thus, your design will not touch the bottom of the snow, and wide runners will allow you to safely drive even on freshly fallen loose snow.
Don't forget about the guides for your runners, because they help maneuver while riding. A sled with flat runners at high speed without guides can tip over if it turns poorly. A self-made sleigh, with the proper approach to the selection of materials and the creative process, will become an excellent assistant and will last for many years.
To learn how to make a sled for a snowmobile, see the following video.
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