Leveling the frame?

Hi everyone. I have a 1996 MTD I'm currently working on. What is the easiest way to put the same size tires all around and have it sit level? I've heard you can put a piece of rubber on both sides between the frame and transaxle. Will this work? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Spacing the transaxle from the frame means you will have to re-align your pulleys. So yes, it could work, but you will be out of alignment.

re-doing the mounting point of the front axle would be easier, to me anyways

and pulley disalignment is ussually pretty bad on MTD's. but if done right it shoud work fine

How would you go about realigning the pulleys?

I would change front spindles to level it plus will keep center of gravity lower if you don't need the lift.

96MtD wrote:

How would you go about realigning the pulleys?

this is probably the more complicated method, ive never done this but this is an idea, you could possible do the spindle extension mod on the input shaft on the transaxle if you dont mind welding on it, this way you could space the bottom of the trans pulley to sit higher up, this may or may not work, but yet again its just and idea i thought up

but id mod the front end of the tractor, much simpler work in my opinion

rarbaugh07, how did you do yours? That's exactly what I want, the way yours is set up.

jamcco how would you lift the front?

I made an axle out of 2" tube and mounted the spindles so the center of spindle is the same as center of the tube axle. I used ATV spindles but go-kart spindles would work or make your own.

to lift the front you could reconfigure the location of the axle, some people will put the axle right on the front of the mowers frame, then the tires level the tractor, this also gives you a longer wheel base, some people simply flip the axle and or the spindles. either way you change the front end you may have to mess around with the steering geometry

You used tubing for both axles?

Just for the front. The rear is a 920 peerless with widened hubs.

I think i'll leave it alone. it would have looked way cooler leveled out though. what pulley setup will give me speed? Can anyone help me with that?

Am also in the process of something like this too. I bought Countax X wheels to go on the rear of my Westwood . Thses are awesome and fit on with four bolts through an adapter . I wanted to fit something as chunky or same to front but the steering arm is quite near the old tire. With a bigger wheel such as the 18x9.5-8 2ply LUG I have on the rear if fitted with the same adapter to the front hit the steering arm or go inside the wheel and not interfere with it?


Thanks for looking
FOSWMT