# Snowmobile Sled - first go at it



## jmack (Jan 8, 2010)

Here is my effort at building a snowmobile sled. I really needed it quick this year because I moved up to the bush and I park my truck at the main road about a mile away. I looked into buying one but it would be about $400 once you got all the stuff needed and I kinda put it off for awhile.. then the major snow came and I couldn't be lazy about it any more.

For a quick home job it actually turned out alright. It got the maiden voyage yesterday. The 'play' in the hitch assembly actually works out pretty well in keeping things from binding up. The plywood bottom with some stain protection has surprisingly little resistance for a 5x2 or so foot print. It weighs about 50 pounds or so but you can't even feel it with my 'small' snowmobile, a 1995 Skidoo Touring LE (380cc).

To keep the large dowel from completely falling out I drilled a hole through the dowel and hammered in some trim. That's not in the pictures though. Not exactly what I wanted to do but I had to put the thing to use to get out yesterday so I couldn't be picky :yes:

Biggest problem was tacking down the bottom ply, the first piece I used was a disaster and had to start over. Second piece was notched and soaked in hot water and I got it on with only a couple points starting to crack :thumbdown:

I like the design enough that I might make another next year and brush up on my skills a bit. 

Sides are 1x12 rough cut pine, spruce 2x4s and 2x8 and fir plywood. Nothing special really. I stained the bottom and sides with some Cetol just to get something on there as I had to leave it out for a couple days.

I'll post more pics as I make improvements.


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## toolman Steve (Jun 11, 2009)

Nice job , just keep it waxed good.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Ready for some questions and suggestions?*

How will the sled track without runners? Won't it tend to slid/swing around and catch up with the front on a down hill? That's one question.
The other is a suggestion on the pull handle. All the forces in tension are around the end grain on the handle where it attaches to the dowel. If it were me I'd replace the dowel with a pipe and wrap the rounded end of the pull handle with a metal strap. This is based on years at the farm observing how wooden wagons and other devices made of wood had metal reinforcements. 
The other way to locate the handle in the center is to box or strap the attachment around the pipe so it can't slide. More like a coaster wagon handle with the triangular brace. I don't mean to be critical on your first project, but I would like you to take these as positive suggestions.
Failure in a design system is always the best method to find the weakspots, and this may work just fine for you, time will tell. :thumbsup: bill


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## jmack (Jan 8, 2010)

The sled actually tracks pretty well especially if you are on flat terrain. The play in the whole system allows it to dip according to bumps and unlevel surfaces a bit a but so far it hasn't even come close to tipping over, and my snowmobile trail is really choppy at times. I might take a video to illustrate it better 

It seems to pull straight on during forward motion. I won't be using it for any high-speed running as it wasn't intended for that. The cut out I made for the hitch allows it to stay within that 4-5" area but not move outside of it.

The hitch assembly definitely needs some work because the end attached to the snowmobile does not allow for much float and is starting to crack a bit. I have some oak trim sitting around that I might use to reinforce both ends of hitch. It's about 1/4 inch thick and 5" wide so it could be glued and screwed to the 2x4 to give it some needed strength there. Good thing I can make a new hitch out of $1.25 worth of 2x4!! 

Metal would be a nice addition to strengthen and give it some charm I need to keep my eye out for something suitable to work with.

Thanks for suggestions, 

John


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