You might be right, I've never done anything steering wise like this. Everything will be bearing mounted so I'm hoping for the best. If it doesn't work I'll try something else..... Hope to know tomorrow
Lawren Wimberly Established Member
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Things went slow in the shop today.... isn't that typical though... Parts fab and testing always leads to even more troubleshooting and work. Building a list of parts to order (new heims and stuff). So far I'd say that once sorted out this new steering is going to work.
TroyBilt Pony Established Member
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Join date : 2013-06-01 Points : 4572 Posts : 578 Location : West Virginia
Lookin good so far... Btw, I learned machining on a 60's atlas lathe in the AF. I will admit to a slight case of shop envy though (comin to ya from my driveway)
willis923 Veteran Member
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Age : 27 Join date : 2013-04-10 Points : 5523 Posts : 1408 Location : Galway NY
Thanks Lawren, I love that little Atlas, it works great but someday soon I'm going to give it a good going thru.
Willis923 "badassery" hehehe..... I love that.
Moose, I like the Smithy a lot. I've had it about 4 years now and it's never disappointed. I love the dc drive, variable speed and when I bought it the DRO unit was only a $600 option and works with both the mill and lathe. My eyes are to old to count dial lines plus you can program hole pattern layouts and it guides you to the next hole. I think the Smithy is the best 3 in 1 on the market.
willis923 Veteran Member
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Age : 27 Join date : 2013-04-10 Points : 5523 Posts : 1408 Location : Galway NY
I was in the buggy building hobby for a few years, still have plans on building one more 2 seater for the wife and me. I have a 2006 GSXR 600 engine sitting in my shed earmarked for that project. I'm going to follow the same strategy as with the buggies. I'll build this mower using and scrounging all I can to get it together. Once basically complete I will spend some time testing and making improvements and sorting out issues (shocks, gear sizes, bad engineering... whatever). Once that's done I'll tear it back down, replace old rusted heims and wore out stuff with new. I'll have everything painted, polished or chromed and then reassemble. Usually takes about a year with a buggy if you stay at it, I suspect it to be about the same with this but then I'm a newbie to the off road mower world. I looked all over this site and have learned a good bit before starting this project, lots of creativity on here. I've searched my laptop for buggy pics and not having much luck. All my buggy build pics were on another computer that crashed. I managed to get a bunch of pics off it but can't find any buggy pics.... sucks. I did find a couple from my 1st build. Independent front, swing-arm rear. 450 dirt bike motor. I'll keep looking for more..... got to be a million pics on my laptop...
I even fabricated the wing for it..... I'll keep looking for more pics...
Got a little time in the shop today and got the bars mounted. I lucked up and had a spline mount for a steering wheel that fit the Troy's steering shaft.... more shop time tomorrow...
Lawren Wimberly Established Member
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Currently it's the stock 17.5 hp Briggs. Kind of hoping to find someone to pump it up some. To be honest I'm not sure what kind of performance to expect. I've seen mowers with less hp run 50 mph but who knows. Depending on what happens during testing a motor upgrade may be in the offing. I do have that GSXR 600 motor
Lawren Wimberly Established Member
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I really think, with the extra capability inherent in the long travel sussy, that you'll want more power... "least that's whut Lawren's crystal ball says...
Lawren, we always want more power Got just a little mower time today, continued work on the steering. Seems to work good so far and with almost zero free play. I have to fab a support for the top of the steering shaft. I'm going to go ahead and order new high misalignment heims and SS hex rod and make up the new tie rods, can't get enough angle out of the heims I have. I'm heading out of state next weekend so no work will get done then but hoping to come home with the Peerless 700 I need.
Lawren Wimberly Established Member
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Age : 57 Join date : 2013-12-21 Points : 4567 Posts : 744 Location : Salem Illinois
You mentioned it, some don't like the body style of these Troy-bilts but I like em. I hope to get the "sorta" garden tractor version they made...... someday....