Four Wheel Drive.

[MTDrider1160]

I'm sure everybody on here has thought about custom made 4wd on a mower at least once.  Maybe some of you have ideas worked out.  Just thought I'd post this to see if anybody had any ideas, plans, thoughts or secret complete setups.  There was a little talk about this back on heymow before all the boards got deleted.  So with that said anybody got anything?

[tractorman]

All I can say is........
WHEEL HORSES!
Thats the first thing that comes to mind. They mad 4 wheel drive axles and setups back in the 60's when farmers wanted more pulling force. I am pretty sure you can still find these setups some where.

[MTDrider1160]

Phil would probaly know the exact models.

[money89tractors]

No idea on models there, but i have had an idea about 4 wheel drive for a mower. If anyone has ever seen how the Polaris 4x4 quads are setup, youll understand what my idea is.

Basically, after you get your rear axle setup and the gear ratio you want set, run a chain from another sprocket off the rear axle to the front of the mower on to a short axle with universal joints at each end. From the universal joint, add a bearing and another short axle for the wheel hub to mount to. Then build yourself some spindles around the bearing (basically a wheel bearing like a truck).

-Phil

[MTDrider1160]

What about using a 700 that has the output shaft with 2 ends?

[money89tractors]

if you are talkin about 2 sprockets on the output shaft of a 700 trans, that would work just the same. only problem i see there would be too much torque on the outside sprocket and it snapping the output shaft off.

-Phil

[ryf]

I would run a 700 to a jack shaft, and use a solid rear axle, and a differential in the front, or you will need a rack and pinion to fight the torque steer. check out http://www.edge.au.com/product_pircv.htm you will need a front end more complex to allow steering, but its a start.

[MTDrider1160]

if you are talkin about 2 sprockets on the output shaft of a 700 trans, that would work just the same. only problem i see there would be too much torque on the outside sprocket and it snapping the output shaft off.

-Phil

I'm talking about using the 700s that have the output shaft stick out on each side of the case.  Its usualy for the brake. 

Go to http://www.odref.com/peerless/700-SERIES/   and go to the 739, you can see how the output shaft has splines on both ends.

[money89tractors]

I'm talking about using the 700s that have the output shaft stick out on each side of the case.  Its usualy for the brake. 

That would work.

I would run a 700 to a jack shaft, and use a solid rear axle, and a differential in the front, or you will need a rack and pinion to fight the torque steer. check out http://www.edge.au.com/product_pircv.htm you will need a front end more complex to allow steering, but its a start.

Those are some AWESOME plans!!

I was doin some research on front spindles and CV shafts...they aint cheap. But if you buy just keyed u-joints, its much much cheaper, and if im thinking right, i can build my own knuckles.

I am however, unsure if i should try building on this plan with or without suspension. I believe without it would be easyier, but it would be awesome with suspension. The rear would be easy to do, but i would want the front to be a solid front axle (not independent).

-Phil

[ryf]

I see no reason to not have a suspended front end, you'll only need 2 more flange bearings and 2 more u-joints... I could see alot of reasons not to start with a suspended rear(think future upgrade), and for the rear a single arm like atv's use would be enough, as I hope no one gets the back end in the air too often.

[money89tractors]

Thats understandable. The reason i was thinking of a solid front axle (like in a 4x4 truck) is for that axle articulation.

-Phil

[ryf]

its your ride :-)

I'm just not sure articulation is the easiest way to keep the chain aligned, unless you go to a belt. got a picture on how you'll accomplish it?

[money89tractors]

I dont have pictures, but i can explain how i wanna do it.

Running the same setup and i said before (chain from the rear to the front), i could connect the chain to a RAGB. From there, i would connect the output of the RAGB to a T drive like the UK guys use. Then run the axles off that to the knuckles.

Picture of the T drive

-Phil

[ryf]

but how are you keeping the chains on when the axle articulates? chains are not lke belts, they require a good alignment or they will click and pop under a load, and as soon as it stretches, they'll pop off, thats with slight misalignment. you need to explain how your going to keepthe chain on, because "articulating axle" not only means the whole axle pivots up,down, which in MOST cases will change the chain length through the swing, it also means "off camber" axle, which will cause HIGH mis-alignment of the chain. how are you going to keep the chain on when its length is changing AND its twisting. a RAGB won't help when you twist it 15 degrees (right up left down)

if you want to build it the way you are describing, a solid swingarm (left and right go up and down together) and no RAGB is the only way it will work with the info provided. if this is what you are going for, cool beans, if not, keep thinking about the independant, as it would be easier than what your going after right now, OR, figure out how to battle these problems.

[Chris]

Phil, why not run a driveshaft?

There are some great ideas running around here. Dunno if the "recovery more" post is still around here, but what I was planning on doing with that beast was one of two things (keep in mind no suspension)...

1) Three Transaxles. For the front, a transaxle off a rear-steer mower.

2) Two live axles in the rear (hooked together with a chain), driven by a 700 with a differential in the front powered off another chain hooked to one of the rear axles.

Both would have a hi/lo range box before the initial drivetrain.