Does anyone know where just the wheel/hub from a Cat Trax can be sourced from?
The balloon tires are cheap, Nanco N800's which can be had readily for under $50/tire.
The rest of the parts are trivial -- 2" aluminum tube 96" long, some Delrin rod cut to length for bearings, washers and cotter pins and such.
I have searched high and low and cannot find the wheels used on a proper Cat Trax. It could be that they are proprietary.
Could use a 8" x 9" steel or aluminum wheel which are cheap and available, but then you've got to deal with a 4 bolt 4" hub and it goes downhill from there, too complex and heavy for the beach.
The wheel hub is the key to success in fabricating these cheaply at home.
Cat Trax
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Posted: Apr 25, 2022 - 04:43 PM
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Posted: Apr 25, 2022 - 07:28 PM
So there is:
https://www.thebeachcats.…ictures/?g2_itemId=82564
and
https://www.thebeachcats.…ms/viewtopic/topic/12730
or
These wheels are the same price but 15 inches tall and 6 inches wide.
http://www.homedepot.com/…ogId=10053&storeId=10051
or
https://www.hobie.com/for…ewtopic.php?f=14&t=13279
Google is our friend.
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Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
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Posted: Apr 26, 2022 - 01:23 PM
I have a buddy who picked up aluminum 4-wheeler rims with the right OD to mount the Nanco tires. Then he bolted 1/2"? starboard/plastic cutting boards on each side with a 2" center hole to ride on the pipe. (ie: no bearings). They are a little heavier than the real deal but sooo much better than plastic wheels on powder sand.
After 12 years of cat sailing my advice is bite the bullet and get a set. Never sell them with the boat as you will certainly get another boat one day. I once got used cattrax for $35 from someone who didn't know what they were. They can be had used for $300-400.
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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat & Farrier Tramp
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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Posted: Apr 28, 2022 - 08:29 AM
I said as much when I first made this album,
https://www.thebeachcats.…25fa3af62e60d4f0eef418ca
After much thought, I just bought a used set. There is simply no way to obtain all the parts & save any reasonable amount. IF I only dealt with a paved ramp, there are other wheels, but as you mentioned, the hubs, & their associated bearings make an inferior product.
With some patience you can find them in good shape for around $300. It’s just not worth getting an inferior product, for the same $
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Posted: Apr 28, 2022 - 10:03 AM
The only place that I have seen just the wheels for sale is Cadkat in Germany. They sell the plastic eurotrax wheels for around $80 US. I never looked into what it would cost to ship. East coast catamarans that advertises
on this site sells eurotrax for Nacras, so they might be able to get the wheels.
Edited by gdog on Apr 28, 2022 - 11:39 AM. -
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Posted: May 02, 2022 - 11:13 AM
The plastic wheels can be bought from places that deal in floating docks, and fairly cheap. Those specialty aluminum rims for the cattrax are elusive; I ended up getting a set of cat trax that were trashed and had to replace the tube (I think it was 1.5", schedule 80 6061 T-6 pipe = 1.90" O.D.) and replaced the tires. Never did find suitable alternate rims; golf cart rims and tires was closest, but too small to work effectively, I think.
Usually not the case, but these catrax rims MIGHT be spun for them; they appear too light for anything else serious.
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Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
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Posted: May 02, 2022 - 11:58 AM
The Nanco N800 tires are available on Amazon and other generic tire re-sellers on Google. You just have to look. I just got a pair last week. They are expensive ~$75 each, but you might get free shipping as they are "oversized". Don't expect to see them at sailing supply retailers like Murrays or West Coast for another month or so.
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Posted: May 02, 2022 - 02:02 PM
It isn't the tires - I got mine from wally-world on sale for like $35 each. It's the aluminum rims that have the special tunnel through them that are the rare part...and, I'm guessing patented and controlled or something.
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Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
Hobie 21se (sold)
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Posted: May 02, 2022 - 03:57 PM
Okay then, wheels/hubs/rims/tires/tyres... -
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Posted: May 02, 2022 - 04:03 PM
(I guess you can't use your own emojis)
Okay then, wheels/hubs/rims/tires/tyres...
I have a Cat Trax with NEW tires you can get IF you buy my boat!!! Here's the link.
https://www.thebeachcats.…5-a-class-catamaran.html
Edited by sidecar on May 02, 2022 - 05:07 PM.
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Posted: May 14, 2022 - 09:37 PM
https://liquidsurfandsail.com/tire-and-rim-assembly-for-cat-trax/
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Prindle 18
Texas Gulf Coast
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Posted: May 14, 2022 - 10:07 PM
