foam core snowmobile chassis

General Composites Discussions Engineering Talk
#21

Steel construction is not composite construction.

I have not seen many snow mobiles in person, but in general the trick for weight saving is in integration.

I can imagine the thing might get lighter if you can toss the steel frame all together, and just have a carbon monocoque on which you bolt the engine, track and steering.

This does not need to be cored, many pieces can benefit by adding stiffness due to design. Mounting points can be beefed up to accept and spread loads.

When you are up to that, manufacturing techniques are critical. You want lots of carbon, and little resin.

An other option is to rely on the steel frame for all loads, and just close things with very thin carbon paneling.

#22

That’s a pretty mean looking machine you’ve got there! Nice one! Do you have any videos up on YouTube or anywhere else? I’m interested to see how it goes…

Anyway, nice project! If you really want to go light weight then integration is the way, like herman says. Monocoques like that are popular on motorcycles to replace the subframe and tail fairing with one composite piece, I’d start looking at your project like that and see what you come up with. Of course then it can get a lot more complicated, but no one said weight reduction was easy!

Don’t forget that the actual shape of the part will add some inherent strength. I’d think that using a more curved design rather than trying to copy a steel frame would be the ideal way?

Looking forward to see how you progress with this one! :smiley:

#23

I would watch the road salt with the 7075 al tunnel. It is very subject to intergrannuler corrosion. Other wise it is probably one of the most efficient ways to go. I build exp aircraft parts all the time and always try to balance between weight strength. I always run number first on aluminum alloys vs carbon layups alot of times aluminum makes more sense it is very efficient material which will have more yield than a composite.

#24

Sick sled ! I’m a big sled head and local Alaskan with the carbon composite bug. I’ve done a quite a few carbon projects with wood and foam cores and would love to offer some ideas and talk about crappy over priced alaskan composite supply!!! One good guy to talk to would be the landis ski manufacture up here as they build all the carbon helicopter skis for the Blackhawk helicopters for the air Gaurd. Shoot me a email at mvockner@colaska.com . Hopefully this rain turns to snow soon so riding season can start!