Hi Guys. I recently completed this 1-16th scale model of the Russian ChTZ T-800 (T.75.01) bulldozer with Tilt-Blade and Ripper. The model is completely accurate in dimensions to the original 1:1 machine. The 1:1 machine sits in between the D11N and D11T or just above the Komatsu D475-2 or just under the Komatsu D475-5 for a size comparison, weighs 106 tons with blade and ripper and has an 820hp engine with 4-speed power shift trans. It was made in the early 1980’s and at the time, was the largest crawler tractor in the world. At present, it still remains the largest crawler tractor to be manufactured on the European continent. Nine machines only were allegedly built. One machine still exists at the factory museum in Russia. The model is designed in a Russian CAD program from the original factory machine plans by my friend in Russia. From those CAD drawings I made 2D DXF files myself and had the all the parts laser cut in metal. So I want to point out that I did not design the model, my friend in Russia did that, I did the 2D drawings for the laser cutters. The tracks are made in 3D SLA laser-sintered aluminium polyamide compound. The frame is all welded 3mm steel sheet. The 8 per side bottom rollers have pre-loaded suspension rated 4.5 kg each. The model is 34'' long, 15.75'' wide at the corner tips and weighs 60.5 lbs. It has Radio Control using a Turnigy 9XR Pro 8 channel radio, power is by 2 x 25Amp 12 volt dc car seat motors @ 190 rpm with a final drive reduction of 4:1 at the sprockets. Battery is a 12v 12Ah SLA. Motor controllers are one DE 2x32 for the drive and two DE 2x5’s for the blade and ripper respectively. Final drive is #35 simplex chain drive to 8mm drive shafts. The model can push or pull 34.54 lbs at traction break on concrete (tested with a digital bag scale). The blade and ripper are operated by screw actuators. The blade tilts and the ripper tooth can be angled as well. Time to make drawings: Approx 300 hours. To build model approx 2000 hrs. Here is some links to the machine being tested at a closed coal mine. You'll find 6 videos all up. (Just type in CHTZ-T-800 model in youtube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McxEmBQQzOM (above = 4 minute walk around) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u0fJL94y5Q (above = 4th field test)
Update Update. Some more pics of the big Russian. Blade parts laser cut, blade fabrication, finished blade, Ripper parts laser cut. The finished ripper.
Man that is nice
Looking good. That looks amazing. I wish I had half the patience and skill you've got!:cool2
Update Here's an update. The model has been super-detailed off the 1:1 machine, those embarrassingly stupid looking actuators for the blade and ripper are gone. They are replaced with a set of ripper barrels and blade lift rams correctly scaled off the 1:1 machine plans that I made myself and turned up on the lathe. The model is now completed. I'll run some new vids down at the coal mine in November and put up some new tube links. Next model I am intending to start next year is the Komatsu D575A-2 SR with straight tilt blade (not super dozer) in 1/16th radio control. Currently working on the plans for that. I expect that model will weigh 80lbs +.
Wow!
Hi Tournaphil, I think I met you at the little coffee shop in Santa Margarita, CA last spring when 8 or so of us were setting up antique equipment for the show there. I think I recall that Phil was your name. That is a very cool model and it was fun when you showed us your book of pictures and explained it all to us. I look forward to your next one. Are you going to make the show again. It will be the ACMOC National show this year on Memorial Day weekend.
Hey OIH, yep, I remember you at the Santa Margarita coffee shop - Glen got us the lunch. I'd just got over from Chicago for the BOTW after Brownsville PA show. Sorry for the lateness of my reply,forgot to check back here. Yes I'll be there again,in fact I'll go a few weeks early and help Glen with getting all the machines down from Petaluma or wherever they are. Look forward to catching up again. Cheers
I'll see you there. We are going to get there a week early also and take in the engine show the weekend before. I am hauling out a 1/2 scale steam Pheniox log hauler that a friend built. It still weighs 5,000 lbs.
Sounds good. Didn't know about the engine show, assume it's at the ranch?. Ill go to that show too.
No, I think it is in Paso Robles this year. My friend is the engine builder. Year before last he took half of an extinct engine he drew up on CAD. His buddy in Washington built the other half and they assembled it and had it running during the show. He has more faith in his fabrication than I do.
Update december 2016 - new video links UPDATE: I've shot some new vids of the T-800 model down at the closed coal mine. The earlier videos (youtube links) above this message have now been deleted and replaced by these since the model is super-detailed now and finished. So the old links above this post are no longer active. Here's the new links: Overburden Push – 6 mins https://youtu.be/6oUw-TBDPPA Ripping And Bulldozing - 9 mins https://youtu.be/MI1NXRn4El0 Machine Walkaround - 3 mins https://youtu.be/4nIuJepg-iE This completes this model of the big Russian. The next model is the Komatsu D575A-2-SR. (Straignt-Blade, Single -Shank). I've been doing some of the drawings for the main frame in prep for the laser cutter. Won't be much now till end January. This is the version I am building: (Photo taken by kayakrazy) Cheers
Some interested persons have asked about progress on the Komatsu D575A model in 1/16th scale, radio controlled mentioned above. So here's the current progress: The model is being built using the manufacturers parts drawings and also using photos to drawings scaled as best I can. Tracks are finished and the drive line has been test-fitted for alignment prior to TIG welding the main frame. I'm very happy with the track chains and grousers, they should be unbreakable. I've turned up the carrier rollers on the lathe recently. This thing is already weighing in at 45lbs so its going to be heavy, I'm guessing about 70lbs with straight blade and either a single or 3-tine multi-shank like the dash-2 models had. Those motors are 12V - 25 Amp stall torque each and then they are geared down by 15.78:1 at the output shafts and again by 4.92:1 via chain drive to the final drive output shafts. The track frames are prototypes at this stage to test fit the track tensioner which is fully adjustable and can be pre-loaded to any lb rating. Though heavier by about 35 tons than the Russian T-800 in 1:1 with a straight -blade, it's about the same size as the T-800, the T-800 being longer in the track frames by nearly 2 yards. That T-800 is a big tractor in 1:1. According to reports on the internet, the D575A is no longer in production, the last machine went to Australia and, according to reports, some eighty D575A's were built. The world's two largest production crawler tractors are no more. More progress after Best Of The West. View attachment 169056
And here's another pic of the finished T-800 model being field tested at a closed coal mine. And here's a pic of the 1:1 at home in Russia.
Thanks for the update Phil. Nice to see the progress photos.
Y You're welcome OIH, thanks for your interest. Look forward to seeing you at BOTW if it works out for you. I'll be there as of Mon 15th.. Cheers.
That is awesome would you happen to know where I could buy a rc tractor for my son he would get a kick out of playing with something like that I admire your creativity I don't think I could do something like that
Can you elaborate on this engine show? What is it?
It's of California built engines only. I found out a few weeks ago that's it by invite only. My friend has a buddy in the club. It's called the California Gold Show. Maybe being a Californian you qualify.
Interesting, like vintage or antique engine builds?
Thanks for your interest Jakebrake. I don't know of any off the shelf RC model dozers that are not simply plastic toys with little electric motors like those in a model boat and wouldn't last five minutes. There are a couple of websites around devoted to making them on a hobby basis. Most though not all seem to be those Cat Bruder models with small electric motors rero-fitted using parts from expensive hobby suppliers. The models I am making are in a differentiated by the fact that they are built using industrial components, not hobby shop lines. So to summarize my builds are really industrial builds. Anything I bought from hobby shops quickly failed, hence I'm using industrial components or I make my own which is way more rewarding. Look at my crawler tracks as an example. Half and half. You can do that too. Why not consider building one with your Son together instead of buying one at Walmart. I don't know how old he is but that doesn't matter if he's using hand tools. You could draw up the plans together, and teach him skills such as scaling drawings from manufacturers photos and drawings, designing the basic model, creating the plans to send off to a laser cutter and get a shop to TIG the thing together if you don't weld and then start building. There's an awful lot of marking out, drilling and filing and hand work involved in these large models. You can teach him to use hand or 12V hand held drills, the art of hand filing and all the other hand skills he needs. And then he can learn the art of setting up radio control to run it it which case he'll learn about basic electricity. It would be a good project for you and your son to do together and he can learn hand-tool skills and tech drawing then he can make anything he likes. If that's all too big to start off, you could get a large Tonka metal dozer from Walmart which puts you half way there and fit some motors and controllers and a drive arrangement and install radio control. The bigger the better since it's easier to fit components inside the thing. Again, you'll be doing plenty of hand metal work so you can teach you Son those skills and build it together. Of course that's gonna be a toy, not a scale model. I'll be at BOTW and have a build photo album with me so ask around for me and I'll be happy to show you.
Yes. Antique engines manufactured in CA.
Thanks for the advice I will defiantly have to look into something along those lines he's 4.5 years old and loves equipment I was hoping to make it to the tractor show on the coast next weekend since it's only 2 hrs from me but I'm going to be in Japan and Hawaii cooking for a bunch of troops for a week hopefully next year I can make the show
It's always a great show. We just got squared away today so I can now go. I am leaving probably Tuesday. The thing about this years show is that it is also the ACMOCs national show. There will be more old iron than ever and also a lot of other stuff including tanks, other military, trains, WW2 warbirds, and many one off machines. We also have a memorial tribute and flyover at noon each day. Bring the troops and participate. If you can pull that off I'll get you free admission.
Man that sounds like an awesome show this year wish I could make it I'm going to have to shoot for next year we have had this trip in the works since October it's going to be a fun trip thank you for the offer I appreciate it I will have to see if my brother and some of his wounded warrior buddies would like to go
Well after a few months at the historic tractor shows, mostly at Best of The West which was indeed was a great show, I've got busy on the 1/16th D575A-2 again. Here's a couple of progress pics. As can be seen, the frame is welded, (yes that's my welding and I'm proud of it), the drive system has been fitted, tested and removed and I'm currently working on the track frames, equalizer bar and belly pans for the tub. You can see by the design of the 1:1 frame from the parts book is actually a welded tub hull, like the Russian T-800, as opposed to the standard crawler tractor frame.
Hi Phil, Your work is amazing and top notch. It was good to see you again at BOTW. Thanks for all the hard work you put in helping to set up the show. I got there to late to be of any meaningful help. Everyone said you came onboard early and did more than any one persons share. Also thanks for updating us on this model. I look forward to see it in action. Roger
Here's an update of the progress on the 1-16th scale radio controlled Komatsu D575A-2. The bare tractor is nearly completed and has has been field tested, mainly to test the tracks and rolling gear. We were unable to flip a track off even on a steep side slope so we are confident its going to work. We tested the drawbar pull at 32lbs at traction break on an airport-type bag scale. It will probably go to 40lbs drawbar with the added weight of the tilt-blade and singe-shank. The severe-service rock guards are all bolted up now as can be seen, top carrier rollers are on and the track frames are finished. The tensioners took me weeks to get working right to allow enough for running slack while keeping the chains tight enough to prevent a roll off. We got there in the end and the tensioners work nicely. The paint is preliminary, just to get it into the difficult places during assembly. The whole thing will be repainted again on completion. The paint was matched by a paint supplier correctly to the Komatsu paint colors for 2000 year machines. The straight-tilt bull blade and single shank are being cut at the laser now and I expect to have them tig-welded in a few weeks. It's the same blade that can be seen in the background pics. Draft arms are made and fit the trunnion balls with a bolted ball cap I got made on a mill by a specialist engineer. I'm going to replicate the Komatsu K-Link setup for the tilt. More soon. Cheers Phil
Here's the finished model. Its weighing in at 77lbs. Fully raido controlled, everything works. It's a D575A-2 with straight-tilt bull-blade and variable-pitch multi-shank ripper. Here's a photo of it beside the 1/16th scale Chtz T-800.
That's awesome! Lets see some vids of it working please :0)
That's some very nice work!!
The 41's have now been completed and a seperate build thread has been added here.