New track bands for weasels

[04mustang]

hello everyone.
I'm farily new to the weasel world and haven't actually taken possession of my weasel yet. But after doing alot of research on here and other places I've come to the same conclusion as many of you have.....that there really aren't options for how to handle track repairs/restoration.

I have a manufacturer here in the US that I have worked on other projects with and they make urethane molds for conveyors. They are in agreement with me that the track bands are certainly a doable product.

Now my question here is, how large or a market is this? I understand that the weasel world isn't all that large, but are we talking about 20 people or 200 people that would need bands for tracks? My goal here is make an authentic looking product that a person can then use to restore their tracks. I would like to sell this as a kit with all the bands for the tracks and replacement pads that would be slightly different than oem on the track pads.
My other goal is to come in a price below what the European makers are offering and without all the international shipping issues.

I would like to have as much feedback as possible on this.

Thank you,
Corey

[hummermark]

Hi David yamulla (militaryvehiclessupply.net) has very good reproduction weasel tracks for $14k they look like the original ,unlike the European ones (but a lot cheaper)

[04mustang]

Well thats the first ive heard of that particular company. But still, at 14k thats alot for most owners to swallow. In particular because quite a few of these machines were bought for less than that. But if its good quality then my hats off to them.
However, their website has no information of photos. Just a one liner about them now making them. So Im still a skeptic.

I had a good conversation today with a well known weasel owner that knows this group well. Im going to be making a prototype set for myself and once the bugs have been worked out then I will move forward with offering my solutions for both the bands and track pads.
Thank you,
Corey

And PS. Im not new to the military vehicle hobby. Ive owned many vehicles over the last several years, from a 45 GPW, M151A2, M35A2, LMTV, and several different versions of the hmmwvs. Im a former national guard ordnance officer and spent alot of time with rhe M1A1, and M2 family of vehicles, as well as the M113, and M88.

[D Pizzoferrato]

Corey,

Although I'm not a Weasel owner, I've been around this hobby for a long time. Build it, and they will come.

[Xyzbuilt]

Hi All,

My sons Boy Scout Venturing crew has taken on the project of restoring an M29C weasel for D-Day Conneaut. We would be interested in a track band/track restoration kit. While I’m on here I’d like to mention that anyone wishing to help the boys out with parts, materials, donations would be welcome. The vehicle is owned by D-Day Conneaut and the boys participate in re-enactments as Crew 1944 which does B Cock.,5th Ranger Battalion, Normandy impressions. The boys are doing this as a public service project.

I can be contacted at:

Christian Weiss
440-494-2683
Xyzbuilt@aol.com

[D.R.H.]

I remember reading about new tracks for the HalfTracks more than 5 years ago here on the "G". One man spent a whole lot of time here in the U.S. and in China when he was there, actually DOING THE FOOTWORK to find a solution. The thread ran into multiples of pages in length, EVERYONE had an opinion but only this 1 guy put forth the effort. All the other guys were cheering him on from behind their keyboards, ready to pony up the cash when the time was right. When it came time to separate the men from the boys, the man who spearheaded the entire effort was left with his trouser flap blowing in the breeze. No one put their money where their mouths were and HIS efforts fell by the wayside.
The same thing has been happening with Weasel Track since I rebuilt my 1st. pair back in 2005, that's 15 years ago. Oh sure, there have been guys in Poland, Switzerland and even here in the U.S. who have built replacement track bands. But the pain and simple truth behind the effort is that there is NEVER enough demand to meet the overwhelming cost of manufacturing. This is the truth of the matter, but hardly anyone I have read about wants to or even can afford to shell out the big bucks for 100% accurate and functioning reproduction bands. The L.A.R. tracks resemble the originals and function well but at $14K, most folks have better things to spend THAT MUCH money on than some rusty W.W. 2 implement.
So 04mustang, You called me only to waste my time and ask questions about my solution, which by the way is finished and ready to install, when you already had something else in mind. I find it to be rude to say that, "that there really aren't options for how to handle track repairs/restoration" when several guys actually have found options. Did you think that I would not see this post of yours and not comment. As I told you over the phone, I had several guys cheering me on from the jeering section, wanting more and more pictures of my hard work FOR FREE. Perhaps I am just wasting my time again, perhaps I have just infuriated many readers with my neigh-saying and opinion. Good luck with your adventure, perhaps you can read through this mess, viewtopic.php?t=303806, by the time you're finished I'll be driving my Weasel in the snow.

[04mustang]

D.R.H.
I did not call to waste your time nor did I try to hide this post from you. I posted the exact same thing in the weasel forum.
And like I messaged you on that forum, I have planned to make my own versions but if you had something ready to go then I would just go your route and buy from you. But you never gave me a price or offered any more than some photos of your conveyor bands that are cut small and still need the clips slavaged from original bands. I would hardly call that an accurate reproduction. But thank you for showing me on here the kind of person that you are. I felt that we had a good conversation and I even told you what my plans were on the phone. So please tell me how I'm going around behind you and posting things about you. Look at the date this was posted. I created this post last Sunday. And we spoke on Wednesday.
You really need to grow up.

From where I sit, I dont see anyone making an accurate reproduction of original bands here in the US. So I see a need for it and will go my own way. If I only ever make a set for myself then so be it. Im restoring them for my track, and if I can help fill a need in a group where one doesn't exist then I'm glad to do so. You offered a solution and I didn't feel like it was good enough for me in my ventures. Im not stealing your idea. I have a US manufacturer here on the east coast that says they can make this and I am good friends with the owner of that company. End of story. And they will look like original track bands.

[D.R.H.]

Okay Pal, I'm the bad guy. Sorry for being so honest and sorry that you can't handle the truth.

[Hired Goon]

Good luck on your project 04 Mustang. I have a Weasel with LAR tracks. It works fine. I have seen a lot of good reviews and seen vehicles running the LAR/Yamulla tracks. Having a vehicle you can use and not worry about breaking track, is important. There should be a market for guys that want to use new bands instead of conveyor belt to rebuild original track. There is a lot of work taking the original tracks apart and installing new belting. There can be issues with rust in original grousers, which LAR addresses using new grousers made of channel, but they are relatively expensive and don’t look original.

As far as the comment on Chinese Halftrack tracks. I have a set, I have not used them, but they look good. As the Izzy sets get used up, there will be more demand for other sources. There are likely a lot fewer weasels than halftracks running around, so the market may not be huge and folks are reluctant to put money up for an unproven product.

More options are better as far as competition driving innovation and price, so good luck.

[Pasturepilot1]

I know of two halftracks with new rubber tracks on them. I don't know where they came from but evidently they are available.

[prc148]

I’m always interested in weasel bands. The ones from Holland are $2500 per track ($625 per band) plus $650-$800 for trans atlantic shipping. Ouch!

[DAVY]

You have to make a jig a little time-consuming but very easily done then conveyor belt I can find out how long you have to make them

[W. Winget]

Have two weasels that need track (and an M104 that needs M114 style track)
Would be comfortable in a kit for 2K or new around 5K for a pair.
I have one set of two replacement outer bands that have the metal footman loops in them, but the effort to grind the rivets off and install only two of four bands, and no roadwheel band replacements makes it hard to start.
So in response to the original question, would be interested in 2 sets.
V/R W. Winget

[nwarcade]

I would certainly be interested in at least one set maybe two.

[prc148]

I’d be interested in 3-5 tracks worth of bands.