"Goliath" Mini Tank - Jeep2003 MT2W 2014

#1
I will be building my version of a WWII Goliath mini tank for this years 2014 buildoff. Using 11hp Briggs and riding mower transaxle. Homemade tracks from old tires and angle iron.
 
#2
Four bogies per side from old 6" snowblower wheels. they will pivot in pairs but no spring suspention. for the top bogies ill use cut down lawnmower wheels 12 of them 6 per side. I think thatll work . Foot clutch with tiller brakes. for the brakes i may just wrap a belt around a pully on eack side of the transaxle. That seems the best option at the moment without spending any money. $0. sofar and i have like everything i need to build it. The tracks are going to take a while since i have to cut down bed frame about a million cuts and drill 1000 or so holes :eek:ut: But iv got it mostly thought out in my head so hopefully itll go pretty quick . I got a bunch done today already. Frame started and a little bit of work on each of the seperate progects to test my ideas. Iv got some military tail lights to put on it and a hand winch ill mount hidden under the transaxle. Going to run a car battery in the side pod and maybe the gas tank if it doesnt fit behind the seat. Car brake rotors cut out for the drive sprockets. going to cut the tires into two strips for the tracks linked with the bed frame . about 10" of ground clearance. im going to drive the transaxle from the top of the motor and put a pulley out the bottom so i can pull start if the battery dies.
 
#4
I decided while mocking it up today that i will run the engine a bit cockeyed. itll give me an extra couple inches of leg room side to side. the body is 28" wide and the whole thing will be like 46" wide 5' ish long and about 2' high. no turrett but maybe some kind of gun on top :shrug: The tracks will need atlleast 8 tires to build.




 
#5




stainless shelving for the frame. Wow does this stuff weld nice.






more square tubing for the suspention pivots

started cutting up a tire. that works pretty easy with the sawzall so that should go pretty smoothly
 
#6
Really glad to see you attempting something of this magnitude. It's going to be cool! By the way, that is one huge roll of TP:freakout:
its a big one for sure. Thats why im only tackling one entry this year. but iv been thinking about it all month so iv got a good plan so it should go smooth enough. TP close enough :smile:
 
#7
This thing looks pretty neat. I was thinking of making something like this a few months back, but decided to work on some other stuff instead. The toughest thing is making reliable tracks.
 
#8
This thing looks pretty neat. I was thinking of making something like this a few months back, but decided to work on some other stuff instead. The toughest thing is making reliable tracks.
yup definatly the tracks will be the hardest part. i was originally thinking of making it like the real goliath all steel tracks. but then i thought of this rubber design will be way easier and work better than homemade steel ones. Iv got a plan maybe start on that tomorrow to see how it will work
 
#13
I just went back to re-read your builds from the past and I'm just blown away by your creativity and fabrication talent. If you don't mind my asking, what do you do for a living? And who is your fortunate employer!?

Best of luck on this tank build and I'm sure it will be amazing :thumbsup:
 
#14
Thanks Tass :thumbsup: I was a carpenter since high school for about 10 years. I quit a year and a half ago and havnt had a job since then. I just tinker around on my own stuff and fix neighbors stuff and cars sometimes sell stuff on ebay. It gets me by. I was just as inventive with capentry so yes my employers were lucky to have me :laugh:. Not sure what i want to do for my next career but im done with carpentry. I hope to prolong getting a job for as long as possible
 
#15
extended the axles . im probrobly going to box those bearings out as far as i can to support the drive sprockets and put less stress on the axles. i doubt they will bend since they just have drive force on them and no weight but why chance it. the rear axle was solid bar. no wonder it was so heavy :) i had to cut it in half to widen it

 
#16
Heres how im making the tracks. to cut the tires i first cut the beads in 4 places and cut the sidewall then around the tire. I ended up with jaged wavy pokey cuts so i smoothed those out with the grinder. Funny grinding the rubber seems to wear out grinding wheels even more than grinding metal :shrug: Anyway I ended up with pie cut sidewalls that will be easy to trash so i dont have to pay a disposal fee :thumbsup: Also cut a few of the cleats and guides. each side will have two bolts. the outer bolt will hold the guide on the inside. Ill stagger the ends of the tires for added strength when linking them together. Ill show that part when i get to it.
Then to drive it ill cut a brake rotor in the shape of a big drive sprocket to fit down the center and drive the whole thing by locking into the cleats.






 
#18
:laugh::laugh: i just realised your building a TANK better do a good job.

Awe hell I know your doing a great job.

Creative tracks i was thinking links with tyre bolted to them not tyre with brackets bolted to it.

Awesome :thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
#20
Very aggressive and cool build idea. Of course the burning question in my mind, is how you're going to manufacture the rifle, and what bore it will be. I might want to rent it later. :thumbsup:
 
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