My first mower build!

[Kaptain krunch]

Front end is almost done, I got the spindle brackets welded onto the front axle with around 5* of caster and KPI, its not perfect, but **** it, its close enough, im not gonna be racing or going 100mph anyways. I also started the gas pedal, i want it to turn out something like this, i know it wont look that nice but im working on it.


Its not cleaned off yet because im not actually done, i still have to weld up 2 more spots i'm just giving my welder a break, its only got a duty cycle of like 40 at full amps.

Theres the start on the gas pedal, its taking forever because i have no pilot bits left, so im using a cheap black&decker skill saw, with a masonry blade to do all my cutting and grooving. and my angle grinder only has like 2 inches of grinding wheel left.

[Kaptain krunch]

Man seems like this forum is pretty dead? ah well, got some more done today.

Today i cut out the hood scoop, and bent it to shape, looks good but i think it could be a bit longer, i may try that. All the angles were bent with my ghetto press brake haha, two pieces of flat stock with the sheet in between, clamped to the table. I also got two new additions to the family, a $10 bench grinder, which has no power (you have to turn it by hand to get it started, then it gets up to speed, but has no power), and a $5 air powered paint gun. My air compressor also had something fail in it, i was running the air sander to get the hood ready for paint, when it made a leaking sound, i unplugged it, and it wasnt leaking so i think its something with the piston. I got the air compressor for free, because i was told it had piston problems, but it worked fine up until now.

Hoodscoop sitting on the hood, i think i would like it to be longer, but i really dont feel like re-doing it. Its made out of a washing machine hood, probably about 16 or 18 gauge steel.

Front view, i also have the hood all sanded down for paint, gonna be black with red racing stripes.

Paintgun

grinder, i'll have to take it apart and see why its so bad.

[Chris]

That's some good progress!

And yeah, this place is pretty dead - especially on the weekends!

[Kaptain krunch]

Starting to move a bit faster now, i decided i didnt like the way the hood scoop look, so i made an extension, its not perfect needs a bit more grinding to make it fit good, and maybe some epoxy but i like it better than before. Hoping to get the electromagnetic clutch off the engine today also (hope its not too rusted).

As you can see, the extension i made is a bit higher than the original so i'm going to have to do a little more grinding.

[Chris]

That looks good

[Kaptain krunch]

So a lil update, finished the steering shaft. I used the axles from my other 920 transaxle, and that u joint i got from mcmastercarr. I had to cut out keyway slots on either side of the u joint, and then tap for set screws, since i couldnt just drill all the way through the hardened steel axle. This thing was so soft that i could barely drill a straight hole through it (no drill press), so one side is tapped, the other has a hole, the i put a blob weld on the shaft inside the hole so it wouldnt slide.

I tapped 1/4" holes at first, but they stripped out so i tapped a 1/4" NPT hole and that worked much better.

I'll have to use some clamps or something to keep the keyways in there. Overall though its a very strong setup, so hopefully it will work well. just need to figure out how to get the stock steering wheel on this shaft.

[Chris]

Not bad

[Kaptain krunch]

Are there any rules on home made mufflers?

[Chris]

As long as it incorporates a USDA Forest Service approved spark arrestor and isn't obnoxiously loud, no.

[Kaptain krunch]

And where would i get an approved spark arrestor? its not very loud, i designed it somewhat like a car muffler, using baffles and whatnot.

[Chris]

Most OEM ride-on mower mufflers are, along with tractor mufflers and of course; ATV mufflers

[Kaptain krunch]

Was hoping i wouldnt have to tear open the stock muffler...i may just clean out the exhaust port and leave it as is then, not sure.

[Kaptain krunch]

Did a little more work. I havent been able to do much, im dog sitting and this dog is ****ing attached to me, i walk to the bathroom, she gets up follows me, then waits for me at the door. I get up to get a drink of water, follows me. I go out to the workshop for half an hour, she waits at the door, standing up the whole time, and if im out for too long she starts to scratch the door... anyways.

I made the little arm that is attached to the end of the steering shaft, i have no idea what its called. Anyways, i took a piece of flatstock, drilled a 3/4 hole in it, then welded bushings from front mower tires to it, i tapped each bushing for a 1/4" bolt, which will go into the keyway to stop it from turning on the shaft.

I drilled quite a few holes, cuz i wasnt sure the exact length.

The bushings were steel i think, but they were so soft, it must have been the easiest thing to drill through besides wood.

The 1/4 bolts i used, i ground the threads at the end so they dont get messed up.

[Kaptain krunch]

Took a trip into Rutland today to get some DOM tubing for my spindles. They want $9/ft for 3/4 id DOM tubing! i said f$#^ that and went to home depot, got some 3/4 bolts and went home. I had some extra rear rims lying around, so i cut out the centers, perfect 3/4 bore and very thick walls, perfect for spindles. I have to remake the spindle brackets, but im not complaining.



I have to clean them up, but they seem perfect.

I also got the electromagnetic clutch off FINALLY. The thing was so rusted on, I actually thought it was threaded on, so i had a bar on the flywheel, and my pipe wrench with another bar on the clutch, i was fighting myself thinking it was just really rusted...I finally put down the stupid thing and the clutch just fell off...I felt pretty retarded.


Oh yea, and a month later mcmaster carr finally called me asking for $20
for the stupid u joint, which isnt worth $10, but i already drilled it and whatnot so now i guess im stuck with paying for it, they already sent me the invoice to my email...
Posted on: July 06, 2009, 02:08:33 PMI decided i was going to paint my tins (purple and gold theme), so i went out and started stripping all the tins off, and man am i glad i did, EVERY single fin was clogged with leaves and dirt, i dont see how this thing could have stayed cool. So its all cleaned, and im gonna start painting soon. Should i use high heat paint for the tins?

[Chris]

Man I need to work on something...

Normal paint should hold up fine for the shrouds, I have $.98 wal-mart special flat black paint on my 18 opposed