front end lift

can everyone give me some ideas and pictures of how to lift the front end? i was thinking about doing something like the picture put not sure how well it will work. the only reason i want to lift it is because the mud i play in is really really nasty and the front just drops into the mud and im practically just pushing a pile a mud in front of the mower. i was thinking about only going up like 3-4 inches but here is the picture of what i was thinking.so i am thinking about cutting the original spindles off of the mower and adding like 5 inches of metal coming down from the original pivot arm. that way i still have a little pit of pivot. then i would weld the original spindle back on at the bottom of the pieces of metal i would add. The black is everything thats original and everything in the red is what i want it to look like but what to know what everyone thinks.

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theswampmachine wrote:

can everyone give me some ideas and pictures of how to lift the front end? i was thinking about doing something like the picture put not sure how well it will work. the only reason i want to lift it is because the mud i play in is really really nasty and the front just drops into the mud and im practically just pushing a pile a mud in front of the mower. i was thinking about only going up like 3-4 inches but here is the picture of what i was thinking.so i am thinking about cutting the original spindles off of the mower and adding like 5 inches of metal coming down from the original pivot arm. that way i still have a little pit of pivot. then i would weld the original spindle back on at the bottom of the pieces of metal i would add. The black is everything thats original and everything in the red is what i want it to look like but what to know what everyone thinks.

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that could work but you would need bracing to keep them from bending in or out

I have that in my other drawing I was working on just forgot to put then on this. I plan on having 2 braces from the bottom of the steel to about the bolt that I pivots

You could design a brace like the pivot point that the axle sits on lower down instead of dropping the spindles. It might be stronger depending on how you designed it

i can see it now. the first time you try hopping a log, or crawling, what you added on will just fold in on itsself. i would do something else. but thats just me

Remember it's only going to be like 4 inches. The reason I don't want to drop the whole axle is because then I'm still going to have the problem of pushing mud

That's true. Bigger tires is your best bet probably

So are you lowering the pivot point in the middle for the whole axle or extending the spindle vertically?

Just extending the spindles down. The originally pivot art will still be stock

I agree with the other guys. That it probably won't work. Shure you can try, I like to see new things work, but I'd suggest 22's or bigger tire and a spindle extension (bolt welded to the end)

I'm basically with the rest of the crew here. Larger tires are in order, for sure. Plus, while 4" of lift by your proposed method doesn't SEEM like much, it is. There will be a LOT of sheer force applied to them, and unless you gusset the crap out of them, you are going to taco them fast.

By the time you actually apply enough bracing, it might be kind of clunky, and start catching mud all on it's own. Bigger tires will be advantageous, but remember that 2" of increased tire diameter only nets you 1" of clearance.

and if you plan to weld spindle extensions, you better be a very good/confident welder

I think I've decided to just buy 4 on 4 hubs with bearings. I can use my birthday money to get it. Cause I already have tires to use I think that will be the easiest and best thing

theswampmachine wrote:

I think I've decided to just buy 4 on 4 hubs with bearings. I can use my birthday money to get it. Cause I already have tires to use I think that will be the easiest and best thing

sounds like the best idea

Good plan. That's what I did on the MULE. Trailer hubs and spindles.