Homemade with leftovers

[CRF6179]

I have three Cub Cadet hydrostatic transaxles.
Started this project with the intentions of making something similar to a Grand Haven.
Or a Homesteader. After finding a pair of 20 inch rims/tires at a garage sale, plans changed
Took one of the units to the car wash and got started. Cleaned and painted the brake rotors.

 

[CRF6179]

Painted the rest of the unit. Then painted and installed the brake pads and calipers. I want to place the engine over the transaxle, and direct the exhaust/hot air from the shroud out the rear. Also the hydro pump shaft extends out the back of the pump and could be driven from that end.That meant rotating the engine 180 and it would now be rotating counter clockwise and the pump would still need to rotate clockwise. I made a short drive shaft to extend out the back and would align with crankshaft pulley on the engine. The pipe fitting in the picture is a shortened filler tube/dipstick. I created some brackets to attach an engine mounting plate to. Then made up a bracket to mount pulleys to. The small pulley on the right is adjustabl.

 

[UncleWillie]

Pretty cool.

 

[MFDAC]

Going to be an interesting build, Rick, thanks for taking us along for the ride!

DAC

 

[CRF6179]

Put the tires on and temporarily installed the engine. That let me figure out where to mount the battery and fuel tank. Engine is a B.&S. 18 hp twin. Made a bracket for the battery and fuel tank. Trail95 donated a piece of diamond plate. Need to clean and paint some more parts. Then start on the frame rails.

 

[MNGB]

I like it I'm follow your progress

 

[Cvans]

I like it I'm follow your progress

Me too!

 

[CRF6179]

Yesterday I emptied a box of cub cadet parts and scrounged enough pieces to put a fan in front of the hydro pump. Should help in cooling the pump. I got them cleaned and painted, and temporarily installed.
Today I got started on the frame rails. I have two pieces of channel iron about 9feet long. Took me 1&1/2 hours to get them cleaned up with an angle grinder and wire brush. Cut them off at 5foot each for now. I had made brackets to attach to the rear axle housings. They bolt on in four places instead of two as they normally do. After doing a lot of measuring, and adjusting the channel got tacked welded to the brackets and tie barred together to hold position until painted and reinstalled. I used my little Miller Cricket mig welder for this. Then removed the assembly from the axle and welded it with an old arc welder. When the welds were cleaned and cooled it got a coat of paint. The paint rack was pulled inside for the night.

 

[olcowhand]

Totally awesome Rick!!

 

[MNGB]

I'm with Daniel its looking awesome

 

[Cvans]

Nice way to repurpose an old yard swing. I think mine has already been cut up.

 

[CRF6179]

Nice way to repurpose an old yard swing. I think mine has already been cut up.

I keep this around because of all the small loops across the top. By now I have painted hundreds of parts on that thing. It has small rollers on one end which helps for moving it around. I have thought about putting larger wheels on it.

 

[CRF6179]

Went to the shop this morning and connected the frame rails. Also made two more brackets that connect to the transaxle closer to the front. I will weld them to the frame rails later.

 

[CRF6179]

I have a choice of seats to put on this unit. An old bucket seat, a J.D. seat, two bus seats, and two NOS cloth covered seats from a lift truck. Cleaned the vinyl cover for the bucket seat and the wife is sewing on it. For heavy sewing like this she uses an antique Singer Featherweight machine. It will handle it where her modern quilting machines won’t. She will also use her treadle machine sometimes.

 

[MNGB]

You do have a choice of seat options its coming along and looking good

 

[CRF6179]

Welded the new brackets, then after cooling and cleaning, painted them.
Reinstalled the tires/rims. Painted the backside of the bucket seatTomorrow I may try locating the front axle. I plan on using the axle in the picture but not those tires/rims.

 

[MFDAC]

The seat looks like an old circle track seat with the right shoulder support cut off. Sure glad fiberglass seats are not used in circle track cars any more. We took as many as possible out of race cars and put them in go carts in the 80's and 90's. Great for that kind of use!


Looks like this will be a fun and educational thread!

DAC

 

[CRF6179]

The seat looks like an old circle track seat with the right shoulder support cut off.


DAC

Yep. You are absolutely correct. I have had that seat for twenty years. It was originally going into a go cart.

 

[CRF6179]

The last few day have been a little busy. In my spare time I managed to figure out the positioning for the brakes/return to neutral linkage. I had a bracket salvaged from another project. It had to to be widened and reverse the tabs. It originally was under the frame, but for my usage it had to go on top of the frame. The existing link had to be changed and the attachment hole had to be moved to provide sooth action when pushed/pulled. The tabs on the end will be connected to the red brake lever visible in the picture at the center of the wheel in picture #2. The long linkage rod in the third picture will be the next one to figure out. It connects to the direction/speed control plate.

 

[CRF6179]

I haven’t been doing anything to this lately. Spent my free time over the last few days scrapping out a couple G.T.,s. Made a run to the scrapyard this morning. Gained back $78.36. Now I am going to lunch.