Wheel horse XL build

[Pullstart 59,645]

Good to see you have a shop helper 

[redbeard22 123]

13 minutes ago, pullstart said:

Good to see you have a shop helper 

Yea i actaully have 3 of them they all love tractors so hopefully one day they will want to build one too. I may not have an update on this project till this coming weekend. I dont have alot of time in the evenings to work on stuff and i have 2 customers vehicles that need attention this weekend also. I think im going to try to get the center console cut down the center and mock it up so i can see where i need to drill holes for the clutch and brake pedal shaft that will run through the frame. My running boards will also attach to the same shaft. Does anyone have any pictures on how the running boards attach on some of the other model wheelhorses?

[redbeard22 123]

Here is a pic of the tractor im "barrowing" all the parts from. It was a comando 6 that i stretched the frame about 5 inches to use the longer hood and have a little longer of a wheelbase. Its got a k181 on it thats on its last leg. Very stubborn to get started but once its running its great, plowed 10 inches of snow this past winter with that tractor. Just cant beat how tough the old wheelhorses were, made to work

[Sarge 3,462]

Most of the running boards just attach with clips and carriage bolts - think conduit wall clamps, just a bit heavier material.

One major weak point to the WH angle iron frame design is the area/plate where the transmission attaches - with only 4 bolts, they have a bad habit of either cracking the plate or pulling the bolts out of the diff case.

Might want to spend some serious time beefing that area up - a lot considering what you're building and plans for working it hard.

 

Sarge

[redbeard22 123]

I did think about that. The plate i made is 3/8 thick which im going to add gussets on the front side which will double as a hookup for possibly a grader blade and then the 2 bolt holes on top of the trans will have a plate going across the top to the 2 pieces of angle and bolted with those 2 holes also. If i ever have any problems i suppose i could modify the trans case maybe step up to 1/2 inch bolts drill and tap the case. Just an idea will have to see how it holds up. I ran the angle iron past the trans so i can build a 3pt hitch off of the angle instead of attaching the arms to the axle housing hopefully that willnput less stress on the housing

[redbeard22 123]

16 minutes ago, Sarge said:

Most of the running boards just attach with clips and carriage bolts - think conduit wall clamps, just a bit heavier material.

Ok i think i can pull that off i have a set of nice running boards off of another tractor that i want to use i think that method should work fine. I may have to use button head bolts i dont have a tool to make a square hole for carraige bolts but ill get it figured out, thanks

[Pullstart 59,645]

Possibly you could use square U bolts off the axle housings of the trans case for another frame mounting point?  Where tiller or snow plow frames mount.

[Sarge 3,462]

Hunt around on the net or Ebay and find both a 1/4" and 5/16" four - corner (square) files, drill the base size hole, then make it square, done. It's easier than you think and takes only a few minutes on steel up to 3/16" or so, heavier, of course, takes longer. For practice, once the round hole is bored you can insert the carriage bolt and give it a good solid smack on the head - this will leave the pattern needed imprinted in the steel part to be cut out to a square hole. Just fyi - the Simonds brand double cut four-corner files cut much faster/smoother than others and seem to last very well, even on harder steel alloys. 

 

I've often considered modifying the rear plow bracket system on the angle iron frame models of tractors for a brace that is welded to the trans mounting plate. With a flat plate sitting vertically, tapered at the rear to 2" taller than the axle housing's square shape, a chunk of 1/4"x1" flat stock could be used as a brace against that flat forward-facing area on the axle housings. Think of the plate ending with a tee shape at the axle housing, then a strap and pair of bolts coming from the rear to secure it. It would be tougher on the hydro models but could be cut out to allow clearance for the hydro filter. It's a common place to break these frames, there have been various ways to repair them, but not a whole lot of options to beef it up due to clearance needed for attachment bracketry.

 

Sarge

[redbeard22 123]

Im likeing all the ideas everyone is coming up with i think this machine is going to be better then i had planned. Hopefully this evening i will get a few minutes to cut the old console apart and clamp it on to at least see what its gonna look like and ill clamp the running boards on to and get a few pics.

[Pullstart 59,645]

It’s like drag guys bench racing... we could build tractors together on this forum all day!

[redbeard22 123]

1 hour ago, pullstart said:

It’s like drag guys bench racing... we could build tractors together on this forum all day!

Very true but i like goin one step further and making them come to life. I just dont understand why i cant find a job building tractors id never leave work lol

[redbeard22 123]

Im also to the point in this project where i need to plan on how im going to have a working rear pto shaft to run maybe a tiller or small brush hog in the future after the engine has been upgraded. I think i can figure out a way to use a belt from a jackshaft to a right angle gear box with some kind of tensioner as the clutch or possibly going with a good hydro pump and just run everything that way with hydraulic motors. What do you guys think would be easier and or less of a pain in the wallet? My thoughts are hydraulics would be way easier but more costly, and the gear box method more work but easier on the budget. I at least need to plan for some kind of pto to be added on in the future while i build this monster so when the time comes im not rebuilding it if you know what i mean.

[Skipper 1,788]

Rear PTO would in my opinion be best/easiest done by hydraulics, as you are probably wanting to go 540rpm. That however demands a pretty high flow, so the pump and pto motor will have to be matched. Not sure you would end up with enough PTO hp left to do anything real anyways, unless an engine upgrade is planned also. Good thing on the side is that you have plenty of flow to handle any and all attachment, and you have the option to run hydraulic powered attachments also, which actually is an OK way to avoid pto shafts and all that setup. So I would suggest considering that you could run direct hydraulics and save on initial build cost and complexity. Just a pump and some valves and a few hoze couplers, and a hydraulic motor on every attachment and some hozes................  That however will make it "look" less like a horse, and that may or may not factor in for you. But, from what I understand is the plan for your build, I would think simple and rugged design. Imagine this: No drivebelt, No side pto, No muledrive, No belts at all. Just hydraulic motors and a few switches and valves. I know, I know. Sacrilege I'm sure, but if it's just a matter of making a machine that will do the job........................... 

 

Hydraulic route also gives you easy servo steering setup, power enough to have a functioning cat 1 3pt., FEL etc, you name it.  

 

A side note if you want to go all out, would be a rear hydro transaxle that is strong, ment for heavier use, has difflock, has direct driveshaft input, and has great ground speed, and is build for the torque those bigger tires will demand. IE: TT K91/K92 

 

Just my  so far

Edited August 20, 2018 by Skipper

[redbeard22 123]

Ok here is some pics with sheet metal clamped on and running boards. The fenders will need trimmed to fit around the console and the hood will need stretched and i think im going to make it about 6 inches wider. And the aluminum dash will have to be widened also. But at least its an idea of what its gonna look like. The last pic is of a couple cylinders i have with the pedal laying there for size reference. I planned to use those for the hydraulic lift for the snow blade and 3pt if possible. I may have to get a larger one for the 3pt not sure yet.and it looks like once i add some metal to the center console i will have room for a handy tool box under the seat unless i mount the 3pt cylinder there. Let me know what you guys think so far

[ebinmaine 63,081]

11 hours ago, Sarge said:

four - corner (square) files, drill the base size hole, then make it square, done

I've done this a good many times over the years.

Works great.

I've also used a 3 sided file and just guessed a bit on the 90 degrees angle.

 

If the bolt head fits.... You did ok.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,039]

What size motor are you going to use in this monster?

[redbeard22 123]

14 minutes ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

What size motor are you going to use in this monster?

As of now i have a 12hp briggs off of another wheel horse but in the future im hopeing to find a nice twin cylinder to put in its place possibly one of the harbor freight v twins

[dells68 7,494]

Catch one of the Harbor Freight 22hp Predators on sale and you'll never regret it.  They are powerful and very stout!  Only thing is they don't have thrust bearings on the crank.  Not an issue if you don't need a PTO.  If you do, you could always go the electric route.  I out one in Emory's Christmas tractor and it is a beast.

[ebinmaine 63,081]

39 minutes ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

What size motor are you going to use in this monster?

 

24 minutes ago, redbeard22 said:

but in the future im hopeing to find a nice

 

.....

Blown injected alcohol burning 454.

 

 

I know

I know

Possibly a tiny bit of Overkill there.

[redbeard22 123]

2 minutes ago, dells68 said:

Catch one of the Harbor Freight 22hp Predators on sale and you'll never regret it.  They are powerful and very stout!  Only thing is they don't have thrust bearings on the crank.  Not an issue if you don't need a PTO.  If you do, you could always go the electric route.  I out one in Emory's Christmas tractor and it is a beast.

Wow that thing looks great. Engine and the tractor and i was just wondering how they ran the belt to the transmission on the models that had the footboards and i can see in your one pic the board is spaced away from the frame. Thanks for the pics i think when the budget will allow that is the engine im going to get.

[redbeard22 123]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

.....

Blown injected alcohol burning 454.

 

 

I know

I know

Possibly a tiny bit of Overkill there.

I would be ok with that but may have trouble fitting it sideways to hook up the drive belt. I did consider a small car engine like a 3cyl from a geo but i dont want to make the drive train to complicated

[dells68 7,494]

It would be a move you wouldn't regret.  Some folks don't care for these Predators, but for the money, you can't go wrong!

[redbeard22 123]

I figure if i keep it simple it will be more reliable, last longer, and i wont have to work on it as much which means more seat time 

[dells68 7,494]

Just throwing this out there:  I've seen some pretty creative placements of 1600cc VW engines as well and very simple to hook up.  

[ebinmaine 63,081]

3 minutes ago, redbeard22 said:

would be ok with that but may have trouble fitting it sideways to hook up the drive belt

With proper spacing n brackets any engine is a possibility.....

 

But you probably better go with The Predator.