Bruder Skid Steer Conversion

[motocrawler]

I have been really digging (no pun intended) doing these Bruder conversions, I am so impressed that with a little will and good equipment how functional these models can become. This time around I am doing a skid steer conversion...this was probably the hardest conversion I have done to date, mainly because of the size constraint of the model.

Step 1:
Cut out the back area for the the boom lift servo:

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/DSC03088.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/DSC03088.jpg.html)

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/DSC03085.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/DSC03085.jpg.html)

Step 2:
Make the bucket curl automation, this proved to be extremely difficult because of the various pivot points and size constraint. It was very hard to get a position where the bucket would curl all the way down and up:

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/DSC03081.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/DSC03081.jpg.html)

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/DSC03079.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/DSC03079.jpg.html)

[motocrawler]

From there I went to work on the propulsion system. I used 298:1 geared motors soldered to the circuit board of a hi-tec continuous rotation servo. I then used a v-tail mixer from rc planes to be able to mix the motors in order to have a tank drive system.

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/P1013051.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/P1013051.jpg.html)

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/P1013055.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/P1013055.jpg.html)

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/P1013058.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/P1013058.jpg.html)

I attached the drive wheels by use of a aluminum hub, I first filled the wheel with JB Weld so I had a way of mounting the hub.

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/P1013048.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/P1013048.jpg.html)

From there I made the sprockets using zip ties-this method has been documented and used on several other conversions online (credit to smallhaul for this).

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/P1013068.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/P1013068.jpg.html)

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/P1013069.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/P1013069.jpg.html)

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/P1013070.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/P1013070.jpg.html)

[motocrawler]

Here are some final finished pictures and a video will come shortly. So impressed with how steep an angle it can climb. A few things I need to change to are: a more powerful lift boom servo and change the existing ESC to a castle creations 6V BEC so I can get max rpm from the gear motors and max torque from the servos. But beyond that it is highly functioning and so much fun to operate!

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/P1013072.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/P1013072.jpg.html)

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/shahrestani/P1013073.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/shahrestani/media/P1013073.jpg.html)

[SmallHaul]

Motocrawler, i found that if you place a pin every other notch (same place as you put the zip tie) the tracks run smoother.

[motocrawler]

Motocrawler, i found that if you place a pin every other notch (same place as you put the zip tie) the tracks run smoother.

Thats great to know! I actually cut the ends of the zip ties at 45 degree angles and reduced their width and that has really helped as well.

[motocrawler]

Here is a video of it working in the yard. Operator needs to get a little smoother with the controls, I spent about 1.5 hours yesterday digging, making roads, etc on a 1100mah battery. This is too much fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f7_7VbFo50