New Wheel Horse for the kids to ride around at shows!

[bowtiebutler956 649]

That copper pipe looks great, and thats one serious exhaust flange you built to attach it to the engine!! Very Nice.

Matt :flags-texas:

[fireman 1,021]

That flange started out as a flange for a hot water circulator for a furnace. I just machine it to fit. It is a serious piece though. I just hope that the assembly will hold up to the vibration that engine gives off. Only time will tell!

[bowtiebutler956 649]

That flange started out as a flange for a hot water circulator for a furnace. I just machine it to fit. It is a serious piece though. I just hope that the assembly will hold up to the vibration that engine gives off. Only time will tell!

I'm sure the flange will hold up, but it might be wise to build an extra support bracket from the block to the pipe, right before the elbow. Just in case.

Matt :flags-texas:

[fireman 1,021]

I was thinking the same thing. I will look into designing a brace.

[fireman 1,021]

Well I got home this morning from work and went gang busters getting this thing put back together. I got everything done except the hour meter and that was only because I was just dying to get it outside and fire it up. I have to wet sand and repaint the hood but I will tackle that at work tomorrow. I think it sounds great without the muffler. It actually sounds better in person than in the video (click on the fourth image below). Let me know what you think.

[bowtiebutler956 649]

I vote for no muffler! Nomally I prefer to have a muffler, but I think it sounds great without. If it was a worker, and you had to listen to it for hours on end, it might get on your nerves, but for a really unique, and cool tractor like this, I think its perfect! Plus, the kids will LOVE it!

Matt :flags-texas:

[Ken B 3,116]

Not gonna be any mufflers on mine! For a little 4hp Kohler its louder than you'd think it would be but its a good loud. If I thought it was obnoxious or if it back fired I'd muffle it. Yours has a nice tone to it as well, so my vote is......NO MUFFS!

[fireman 1,021]

Yah I think I like the sound the way it is without the muffler. After dinner I finished installing the hour meter, cut an angle at the top of the exhaust stack, and added a piece of thin diamond plate to the gas pedal so the paint won't get worn off. Once I paint the round bar foot rests I'll slide clear rubber tubing over those to protect the paint. The hood and all the supplies to wet sand and paint it are loaded up in the truck for work tomorrow.

[bowtiebutler956 649]

Looks Great!!

Matt :flags-texas:

[fireman 1,021]

I changed out the pulley on the transmission today. Went from a 4" down to a 3". Had to go 1" smaller on the belt too. It made a big improvement on the speed. I think I am going to pick up a 2.5" pulley tomorrow just to see how much more I can get out of it.

[bowtiebutler956 649]

I bet your boys are going to love that !!! Better keep a close eye on them.

Matt :flags-texas:

[fireman 1,021]

I had to raise the hood when I put the diesel in. In doing that I had to lengthen the steering shaft. I cut an piece of 3/4" steel rod and made a coupler so I could remove the steering wheel in in order to remove the hood to access the engine. That was a temporary fix till I had time to modify the actual steering shaft. So tonight I removed the shaft and chucked it in the lathe. Center drilled a hole to accept a roll pin and put a chamfer on the edge for welding. Then I took the little extra piece of 3/4" steel rod and did the same. Tapped in a roll pin and joined the two pieces. Rolled out the welder and welded them together then ground it down nice and smooth. You can't even tell it was once two parts. Re-installed the shaft and checked off another thing from the list. Tomorrow I have to head to a different Tractor Supply then my local one as they are out of the 3/4" X 1 3/8" bearing for the front rims. The original sintered bearings are really worn and are causing the tires/rims to wobble when we drive the tractor. At the same time I am going to replace the front tires as the originals are dry rotted. Hopefully that should be the last thing I need to do the tractor before the Kent show this weekend.

[AMC RULES 36,954]

Did you find any more ground speed with the new pulleys Jeff?

[fireman 1,021]

There was definitely a ground speed increase. I can't say how much but I sure can tell it's faster. We'll see what happens with the 2.5" tomorrow!!!

[fireman 1,021]

OK, New front tires and wheel bearings are installed. Dropped the transmission pulley down to a 2.5" pulley and went down to a 63" belt. This thing really moves out now! Let the kids try it out when they got home from school. It goes even better with their lighter weight on it.

Disclaimer: I know the car in the video looks close but the kids know better not to ride the tractor, bikes etc. into the actual roadway.

I just realized I posted it as a 2" pulley. It was a 2.5" pulley I put in there.

[bowtiebutler956 649]

Looks like its moving along pretty good now!

Matt :flags-texas:

[AMC RULES 36,954]

Seems much quicker to me.

[Ken B 3,116]

Awesome job Jeff! Where did you purchase the pullies? TSC?

[fireman 1,021]

Seeing as everyone likes pictures, here is the tractor in it's current state. I tapped the steering shaft 5/16-18 all the way through and counter bored the steering wheel on both sides to recess the heads of the screws (hate when the steering wheel is loose on the shaft). The only other things I'm gonna do to it is a battery disconnect switch, tachometer, in/out solenoid to shut down the engine and diamond plate floor boards.

Ken, yes at TSC.

Steve, in the fourth picture you can see the oil on the wall from my "little" explosion!

[dclarke 4,011]

This build is so cool, very nice work Jeff!! :thumbs:

[fireman 1,021]

Stopped at Best Buy and picked up a door lock actuator. Mounted it on a bracket and installed it on the throttle assembly on the engine. It is aligned so that when I activate it, it pushed down on the lever that kills the engine. I also installed a large momentary push button switch on the dash to activate it. I got it finished the night before the Kent show and it works perfect.

[bowtiebutler956 649]

Fantastic work on that kill switch! You come up with some great ideas how to do thing, and do a great job of making it happen! That is Sweet.

Matt :flags-texas:

[Martin 2,130]

just came across this thread, really nice work and great ideas there, jeff.

your boy riding it in the vids looks like he is really enjoying it, too.....

[fireman 1,021]

Thanks for all the comments guys! It really helps me to keep the momentum while putting the long hours into a project. I have been working on this tractor for 6 weeks now at least a few hours a day with exception of work days. Some days were over 10 to 12 hours. In the end when you see the finished product it makes the hours worth the effort. Not to mentioned it was at it's first show yesterday and was a big hit. My kids kept fighting over who was going to take it for a ride. I should have brought an hour glass and used that as a mediator!

[Ken B 3,116]

It looks like you'll need to make another one Jeff so that they both have one to ride.......