Mike B. ( B9-0429)

 

 

Updated: 11/26/2007:  

The treads are made from Rubber Horse Stall Mats, something like: http://www.thecrazyhorse.com/. I got mine at a local feed store so the link may not be the exact same ones. These were easily notched and cut with my radial arm and table saw. Stacking two of the same sized blades in a radial arm saw and setting the correct depth cuts great tread notches. Cost for one 4’x’6 mat is about $40. One mat is enough rubber to make about 6 sets of treads. Many mats are made from recycled rubber and anyone using this method needs to make sure they find the virgin rubber ones that won’t tear apart.

• I cut all the aluminum wheels on my metal lathe and used 3/8” steel axels. http://www.mcmaster.com/, has great nylon bearings part numbers 6389K445 and 6389K625 that work great in the tread section with the 3/8” axels.
• My motors are standard wheelchair motors and those with the casters make my B9 very mobile. The treads don’t actually touch the ground, but are rather driven by a chain drive that is connected to the wheel chair motors. The tread “drive” wheels are knurled for gripping on the treads all the other idle wheels are smooth. All the gears and chains can be found on http://www.mcmaster.com/.
• I used ratcheting truck tie downs to attach my torso section to the tread section. Something like: http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.prodInfo&productID=5336&categoryID=232 (I got mine at K-Mart). These are strong, easy to install and very easy to remove for disassembly.