Introduction To Sally.

[OhioFisherman]

I didn't remember the Sidekick and just stumbled on that while looking it up Dan, glad the info may help. I have seen a lot of projects, some are very interesting.

[BillM]

That thing needs a mechanical ALH TDI swap

[DanD]

On 12/13/2019 at 8:08 PM, jjcanoe said:

 

She was looking pretty good today Dan,

 

Thanks JJ. 
Your boy’s Ranger will be looked after with the same care as if it were my son’s vehicle. 

As for Sally; just wait until the track frame goes on. May have to change the name to Sally the Bruiser? LOL

 

[AKRISONER]

Dan is literally building a Home made tank...where are you looking to source the turret cannon dan?

[DanD]

Great idea!

I have a potato cannon; just have to find it. LOL

I wonder how much trouble I could get into?  Second thought I may just leave sleeping dogs lay. LOL

Dan.

[jjcanoe]

On 12/15/2019 at 3:09 PM, DanD said:

Thanks JJ. 
Your boy’s Ranger will be looked after with the same care as if it were my son’s vehicle. 

As for Sally; just wait until the track frame goes on. May have to change the name to Sally the Bruiser? LOL

 

Thanks Dan!

 

[DanD]

Took a break from working on Sally and started building a bobsled or my smitty on roids. LOL It's based on the design of an old horse drawn sled; that the loggers used back in the day. 

The front & rear skies will turn via a set of pivots below the deck. The cross chains you see in the schematic; makes for front & rear steering. As you would turn to the right, the front skies follow right; but rear skies would turn out left. Allowing both sets of skies to follow the same arch and not be dragged sideways on a sharp turn. I've got the ski and ski frame welded up and the 5X8 foot deck frame. Still need to install the turntables (pivoits) and the draw bar. Once that's done, I'll get my brother in-law out here to build the wooden enclosure, on top of the deck frame.  

 This last pic shows the approx position of the turn tables. Two plates for each set of skies. One plate welded to the ski frame and the other to the deck frame. Then the two plates bolted together, in the center with a single 1 inch (diam) bolt. Also found a 4X8 sheet of 3/4" thick puck board (Kijiji) that I'll cut four 3" strips from and attach them to the bottom of the skies. I know it looks heavy; but with the beating this thing will get; anything lighter (smaller) than 1" tubing would be junk first trip out.

Dan.

[Sinker]

Holy, that is a crazy heavy sleigh!! 

 

 

[misfish]

Is that for the arctic Dan ?

[DanD]

LOL@ Sinker and misfish. There’s been so many times that I’ve seen walkers red faced, exhausted and cold. My old set up I couldn’t pick them up; no room in my pull behind sled.  Plus I hated packing and unpacking the crap we take out every weekend. Now I’ll have room for both. Met so many nice people last season by inviting them into the hut for a warm up and a cup of instant soup. One guy crashed in the hut with me for the night. He was planning to walk back out the next day. The next time I went out to the hut (a week later) there was a 40 pounder stuck in the snow bank by the door. LOL

Dan.

 

[lew]

32 minutes ago, DanD said:

The next time I went out to the hut (a week later) there was a 40 pounder stuck in the snow bank by the door. LOL

Dan.

Great story Dan, always pays to be a nice guy.

[Sinker]

On 1/2/2020 at 3:53 PM, DanD said:

LOL@ Sinker and misfish. There’s been so many times that I’ve seen walkers red faced, exhausted and cold. My old set up I couldn’t pick them up; no room in my pull behind sled.  Plus I hated packing and unpacking the crap we take out every weekend. Now I’ll have room for both. Met so many nice people last season by inviting them into the hut for a warm up and a cup of instant soup. One guy crashed in the hut with me for the night. He was planning to walk back out the next day. The next time I went out to the hut (a week later) there was a 40 pounder stuck in the snow bank by the door. LOL

Dan.

 

Yep, I could see that happening. 

I could also see that sleigh getting you buried LOL.....What do you think it weighs?  You're going to want to make sure that the trails are wide enough for it where you want to go too. I know, on the lake you will be fine, but other places you could have problems, like trails getting to the lake etc.  The issue I see is if you did get stuck, as hard as it may be, that sleigh will be a monster to unhook and move by hand. That's why wood is the way to go. Wood also flexes, instead of being rigid. 

Heres one we built to haul logs. Hauled hundreds of cords out of the bush with this sleigh with a 250 elan, then upgraded the machine to a yamaha V540. Its crazy how much weight you can load on that sleigh, and still have control of it. 

I'm not saying theres anything wrong with your sleigh, just offering some advice from experiences I've had pulling heavy things in snow and across lakes. 

S. 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Sinker

[DanD]

On 1/3/2020 at 5:18 PM, Sinker said:

What do you think it weighs? 

I figure about 250 -275 lbs.

Not planning on doing any bushwacking or trail running. If (which I likely will) get stuck; the winch should get me going again. Also planning on quick connects for the winch at both ends of Sally and the sled. Pop a hole in the ice, drop down my Ice anchor and out we come.

Had to do that quite a bit, when pulling the hut with the quad. A single line 2000lb winch, was able to pull the hut and quad out of a foot deep slush. The new winch is a 4500lb with a wireless remote.

 

All said and done, it wouldn't be the first time that I had to say "I should have done this" when I was finished building something. LOL

Dan.

[DRIFTER_016]

Dan, you should put a 1/4" UHMW disk between the two turntables.

I used UHMW disks on my komatik's hitch to keep things tight but smooth.

[Sinker]

16 hours ago, DRIFTER_016 said:

Dan, you should put a 1/4" UHMW disk between the two turntables.

I used UHMW disks on my komatik's hitch to keep things tight but smooth.

At least a 1/4" thick. The discs on the sleigh I posted above are 5/8" and we replace them every couple years. Hard to see them as they are painted, but they are there, top and bottom

[Sinker]

On 1/6/2020 at 8:22 AM, DanD said:

I figure about 250 -275 lbs.

Not planning on doing any bushwacking or trail running. If (which I likely will) get stuck; the winch should get me going again. Also planning on quick connects for the winch at both ends of Sally and the sled. Pop a hole in the ice, drop down my Ice anchor and out we come.

Had to do that quite a bit, when pulling the hut with the quad. A single line 2000lb winch, was able to pull the hut and quad out of a foot deep slush. The new winch is a 4500lb with a wireless remote.

 

All said and done, it wouldn't be the first time that I had to say "I should have done this" when I was finished building something. LOL

Dan.

That's a lot of heavy kit to haul around.  Too much for me. I don't even have a trailer heavy enough to get it to the lake LOL.....

S. 

[DanD]

20 hours ago, Sinker said:

That's a lot of heavy kit to haul around.

Go big son or go home. LOL I blame my Dad for the way I am; he always over packed but we never did without. Maybe I shouldn't say this on a fishing board; but the fishing (catching) is secondary to the adventure of being out with the people I enjoy being with.

On 1/8/2020 at 5:01 PM, DRIFTER_016 said:

Dan, you should put a 1/4" UHMW disk between the two turntables.

I was going to put a disk of HDPE (Puck board) between but decided to go with old fashion donkey crap (grease) and put in a couple of zerk fittings on the bottom ofeach disk.

I've widened the width between the rear wheels of Sally by welding two rims together. Now the 14 inch wide track has all the body clearance it needed.  

Going to start putting the track together this weekend. I have all the 14 inch long channel/cleats cut. 4 Lengths 13 feet long of 4 inch wide conveyor belt cut and decided on the design of the guides to hold the tracks true to the wheels.

I'm just wondering how far North I'm going to have to go to find some ice to try this rig out on?

Dan.

[DanD]

Oh yeah. 

If you ever need to borrow a trailer; just let me know? LOL

Dan.

[NAW]

Are you going to match the ski centers to the same centers are your truck tires/tracks..?

 

First few pics I thought your trailer deck was welded to the ski's already.  I couldn't figure out how you where going to steer the sleigh!  But now I see that you just had it sitting on the ski's!  I no longer doubt your ingenuity! 

[DanD]

The front wheels/tires should run about 3 inches on the inside of the rear track's foot print. Shouldn't be an issue, with the front tires having chains on. If anything it'll give the fish hut an or the sled more packed down area for their skies to follow on?

Dan.

 

Edited January 10, 2020 by DanD

[NAW]

2 hours ago, DanD said:

The front wheels/tires should run about 3 inches on the inside of the rear track's foot print. Shouldn't be an issue, with the front tires having chains on. If anything it'll give the fish hut an or the sled more packed down area for their skies to follow on?

Dan.

 

When I built my sleigh, I made the runners match my exact centers of my skis on my snowmobile.  I think it helps..   But im towing with a yamy bravo, and not an SUV with tracks!!  So every little bit helps me, when it comes to getting through slush pits! 

 

 

[AKRISONER]

With the weather we are having it looks like you are gonna need to drive sally down the trans canada to lake Winnipeg lol

i think February will give you a chance to get it out. Long range looks much colder

[DanD]

5 minutes ago, AKRISONER said:

Long range looks much colder

I sure am hoping.

Need to get back in my weekend home.

Dan.

[Terry]

I think one week and they will be out from Beaverton 

[DanD]

21 minutes ago, Terry said:

I think one week and they will be out from Beaverton 

Well that sounds promissing. Sure hope you're right.

Dan.