Homemade Amphibious side by side (aatv)

[EZM]

Looking great .......... can't wait to see it out there bombing through the bush - you are going to have to field test it .....

[Twisted Canuck]

Posi, you should raffle off the first insane trail ride in the muskeg with that! You could probably get part of the build paid for. I'd buy a half dozen tickets.

[Phil McCracken]

All I have to say is WOW...

Amazing work.

I can't wait until you show pics as to what this thing will do in muskeg!

TYVM for sharing the birth pics, and the subsequent "growth" pics.

[Positrac]

Managed to get the front including rails all welded out. I figure I could easily get a quartered up moose strapped down up there. With the motor in the rear the back box may get a bit warm and if nothing else I’d like to keep any animal I get away from the exhaust.







I also got the exhaust finished. 2” diameter tube and one 24” stainless muffler. It should be pretty quiet.

[Kingfisher8]

I'm curious if you finished your buggy? Hunting season is fast approaching and this unit will come in handy.

[urban rednek]

Originally Posted by Kingfisher8

I'm curious if you finished your buggy? Hunting season is fast approaching and this unit will come in handy.

He's working on it.

[Positrac]

Bahahahaha! That meme pretty much sums it up…

I’ve been collecting parts the last few months but haven’t made a lot of progress on it. Summer holidays flows into fall hunting. It will probably be December before I commit much time on it.

[Mb-MBR]

Hey OP, any updates on the build?

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by Mb-MBR

Hey OP, any updates on the build?

I suck at updates and taking pictures apparently. It’s almost more work than building the thing.

Progress over the late summer and through the fall hunting season was nonexistent. I’m back at it now though. I hope to have it done for summer but with moving this year that may not happen.

My wife calls it my retirement project…and I’m 10 years from retiring…lol.

[Positrac]

I’ve done such a poor job of updating this thread that most people have wrote it off as a project that will never be completed.

Lots more time on the buggy lately. I took a weeks vacation which gave me 3 weeks off so it’s been 10 hour days for the last 20 days. It’s coming. The drive train is 100% done, although most has been removed right now. I’d say the body is 85% done. Just the motor cover in the rear bed, window frames on 4 windows, dash, front hatch and tailgate to do. Most of the hard stuff is finished though and I have most of the parts to complete the rest. Lots of welding and grinding…

[Smokinyotes]

Looks very good. Does it have any suspension.

[JBE]

Any idea on weight when it is done?

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

Looks very good. Does it have any suspension.

Zero suspension other than the tires. Just like a Sherp or Argo in that respect. 52”x27” balloon tires on double bead lock wheels set to run from 1-11 psi so they can take out a bit of the bumps.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by JBE

Any idea on weight when it is done?

I’m looking at 3500-4000 lbs all done. So it will still float with 1/2- 1/3 or the tires still showing.

[Phil McCracken]

As I said before...WOW!

Excellent job so far frendo...

[Mb-MBR]

Very impressive and some serious mad skills at work here. Can hardly wait for the test drive results.

[nimrod]

Originally Posted by Mb-MBR

Very impressive and some serious mad skills at work here. Can hardly wait for the test drive results.

Same here been watching this build for a while now.

[Dean2]

Have really enjoyed following this thread. It truly does amaze me what tremendously talented people hang out on AO. Not only do they have amazing skills and knowledge, they are happy to share it with the rest of us. I have learned a tremendous amount from so many people and so many posts here.

Really look forward to seeing the finished product of all the hard work, and serious dollar commitment, you have invested.

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Have really enjoyed following this thread. It truly does amaze me what tremendously talented people hang out on AO. Not only do they have amazing skills and knowledge, they are happy to share it with the rest of us. I have learned a tremendous amount from so many people and so many posts here.

Really look forward to seeing the finished product of all the hard work, and serious dollar commitment, you have invested.

And videos of it tackling Albert Muskeg

[Positrac]

Thanks for the kind words guys. I’ll most definitely post up some videos of it going through some Muskeg once done.

[burbotman]

Originally Posted by Positrac

Thanks for the kind words guys. I’ll most definitely post up some videos of it going through some Muskeg once done.

Sherp who? Very much look forward to seeing the end result, the journey has been informative and entertaining for us on AO!

[Positrac]

Window frames and removable rear inner fenders done. Listed the house today so work on the old Donkey will be a bit slow in the next while.



post pics

[RandyBoBandy]

INCREDIBLE!!

[burbotman]

Wow……..

[1886]

What’s the turning radius on that machine? By the looks of those huge tires on it looks like it will only go straight ahead.

[marky_mark]

Must be a skid steer ?

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

Must be a skid steer ?

on the first page pics you can see the front diff and axles with Ujoints for steering
Cat

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by 1886

What’s the turning radius on that machine? By the looks of those huge tires on it looks like it will only go straight ahead.

It actually has full 33 degrees steering on the front Dana 60. The custom machined high steer arms sit on top of the Reid Racing Dana 60 knuckles and face rearward with the perfect Ackerman angle for a 96” wheelbase vehicle. The frame is only 14” wide in the front and that’s one reason the motor sits out back. The PSC double ended ram mounts behind the front axle where it’s protected. Unlock the OX locker and it should turn really well. As for the exact turning radius I don’t have that number yet so I’d just be guessing if I gave you something. The PSC hydraulic system all came straight from PSC in Texas after I chatted with one of their Engineers and explained what I was building. It has a steering control valve (orbital) that’s only 2-1/2 turns lock to lock. They put the package together specifically for my buggy. If I was doing 100mph down a road I’d want something in the 3-1/2 to 4 turns lock to lock but since this thing will rarely see anything over 30mph and more likely sub 5mph on a steady basis the faster turning will be fine and help when I need to get it turned around in tight quarters.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

Must be a skid steer ?

Sherps are skid steer and a skid steers makes the best use out of the space available. But they suck to drive so I never considered going that route. I’ve driven a couple Sherps now and they are really only fun for the first few minutes. Between the stick steering, 4-speed manual transmission, brake, clutch and gas pedals it makes for a herky-jerky ride. I wanted to be able to put it in drive and steer with one finger.

And don’t get me wrong, Sherps are a very capable machine and their tires are second to none. Mine won’t be as capable but it doesn’t need to be either to go where I want to go. It also isn’t costing me anywhere near the $140,000 that a Sherp starts at now. Not that you can presently import one. Which makes me wonder what guys are going to do for parts when their Sherp breaks down, and they break down a lot. I can go to Napa and buy over the counter pretty much any part that may break minus the tires.

[Positrac]

This is obviously an old pic but it shows the steering locked to one side. The centerlink out front is just used for set-up purposes and won’t be there once the double ended ran is installed. The pic also shows the high-steer arms. With the correct Ackerman steering geometry the inside tire always follows a smaller circle than the outside tire. This helps prevent scrubbing and the vehicle from wanting to push straight forward when turned. The axles have both been narrowed 54” wheel surface to wheel surface from the stock 69”.