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Table of Contents
Getting Started With The Parts
What is a personal tracked vehicle?
This personal tracked vehicle (PTV) is a single-person vehicle that utilizes tracks for the physical ground contact. The advantages of this over a simple wheeled vehicle are that it is able to better cope with rough terrain, wet conditions, and other conditions with low traction. While systems to allow wheeled vehicles to work more effectively in these conditions exist, these may be very complex. Tracked vehicles offer a simple and effective alternative.
Build Setup and Requirements
Setup
We'll need a few things, but primarily some build plans. The plans I have used are under copyright, which means I will not be presenting all details, but rather, the general ideas of the build. The plans I have used can be bought here
Within the build plans are the materials necessary, where to find them, dimensions, general guidelines, and many suggestions to improve your build.
Requirements
The plans make note that you must have a considerable mechanical aptitude and that it will take 80+ hours to construct this with the requisite skills. I don't recommend to let that discourage you. I've learned to weld, how to connect transmission components, and even some of how to use a CNC mill for this project.
This is a picture of what I am seeking at completion.
Building the Machine
Below you will find links to different components of the build. This is just the order in which I put things together. It is possible to do this in another order.