"Plan B" Murray mud mower

I have taken out the rear axle for a good cleaning because it was leaking out the side. Should I lock it or leave it unlocked? I am going to run a 4" front to 3" back so it goes 25mph.
Also I am porting and polishing the head and lapping the valves because of all the times I've overheated this thing because of carb problems.

Lock it, and why not go a lil bigger like 5-4 or 6-5 for less slippage? We do have a lotta water here in Florida and a 4-3 pulley ratio won't help you get through it.

I want to go with bigger pulleys but I don't want to buy any more pulleys or belts. I've gone up to the seat with water without slipping as long as I leave it in 3rd gear so I think I'll be fine with slipping. But if I run into a little extra money while building up the engine I will get bigger ones.

Thats a good nough reason

Yeah most if my money is in building my buggy and fixing my atv. So I have very little left and I don't want to spend it unless I have to.

Good news is I got my valves lapped and polished my head and it feels like it has a lot more pressure when I turn the engine over by hand. Bad news is I broke one of the bolts for valve adjustment so I can't fire it up yet. Thankfully k2500life has spare parts so I can get it running soon.

Haha I'm like the mower junk yard lol

Yeah k2500life u almost had enough there for while to start one lol

Yeah i dont know what happened but I don't have as many any more....

I had one till my dad got pissed that my house looked like Sanford & Son's and made me scrap a lotta tractors.

I had a few old tractors but I was forced to scrap them all.

Well thanks to k2500life I got the part I needed and got the engine running. I still need to build an exhaust and finish with the re pully swapping it.