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 Jonny's mini rat tractor

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rarbaugh07
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jonnya
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 21st 2015, 5:01 pm

Hi fellow mower fettlers! Let me introduce my entry for the 2015 build off. I do have a mega project turning over in the back of my mind, but I don't have the bits needed for it yet and I am also getting married in August, so don't have the time to build it either! This is a little project just so I can enter this year.

Here's my pile of bits.
tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor IMG_0003_1

So my plan is to build a teeny weeny approximately half scale lawn tractor. In the same vein as a mini moto/minibike. So far all I have done is get the tiny Briggs (2 or 2.5hp) horizontal shaft rebuilt and going. Pleased as I payed peanuts for it on the bay and was described as 'suitable for spares only'.

The rear wheels for the mini tractor are from the front of a Murray 8/30 . The front wheels are solid tyres from a push mower. I'm thinking of just having power/brake to one rear wheel to save diff hassle. I have bought roller bearings for all the wheels to improve it's rolling. Brake is a disc and caliper off of a mini moto.

Chassis will be made from 1" box section steel (old school table frame you can still see some gum stuck to it! I'm a teacher and hate to see them go in the bin)

Seat and steering wheel are off of a murray something or other.

I'm hoping to get started over the easter hols. Can't wait!
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craftsmancole
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 21st 2015, 7:31 pm

Where's the hood and rest of the tractor? Razz
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 21st 2015, 10:20 pm

Not been made yet! Remember this is a half scale tractor, so wouldn't find one small enough anyway. It'll be scratch built, probably made from the sheet steel 'rescued' from a filing cabinet, again from the school bins. Nearly everything at school is paperless now and I've used many filing cabinets from school for shed storage and for sheet steel.
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 22nd 2015, 12:51 am

Half scale should be sweet. Like true half scale? Measure and cut to half? That would be wicked if you can get it to look like stock like that.
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 22nd 2015, 3:24 am

Hmm, I'd not thought of doing it that way. I might try that and see where it gets me. I'm far more a make it up as I go along kind of bloke. Obviously seat would need to be full size. I weight 260 pounds and don't fancy trying to get my back-side into a half size seat! Although saying that, I'm not sure yet if the teeny Briggs will have enough power to move me yet!?
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 22nd 2015, 3:02 pm

Mock up!

tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor IMG_0003_2

So... This is the sort of size it would be if it were half the scale of my MTD 548 lawnflite. 22" wheelbase. Looks about right to me. I looks like everything'll just about fit width and lengthways. I'll see if I can get a day or two of working on it over the easter hols. I'm well excited about this. I got an air filter and throttle on the Briggs this afternoon.
Pumped!
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 22nd 2015, 3:16 pm

I don't know about what body pannels you got, but loos really rat rod right now! Awesome.
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 23rd 2015, 10:48 pm

I thought of doing something like that. My idea was to make it as small as possible while still being driveable. I wanted to do a minibike too. Figured I would call it the mosquito. Should be neat when this thing is done. Not sure what you have in mind for a drive line, but centrifugal clutch might be easiest to deal with on something this small.
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 24th 2015, 2:44 am

TBH, I was going to use a belt/tensioner/peddle set up, but now you mention it, a centrifugal clutch would make all types of sense! I guess I'm too used to fiddling about with belts and pulleys.
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeMarch 24th 2015, 10:00 am

Maybe a small mtd fnr trans. Shaft drive w/centrifugal clutch or chain to the brake rotor shaft.
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 5th 2015, 7:41 pm

Not really a development, but I have had my transmission bits delivered. Not had any spare time, been busy on other projects!
I went for a 10 tooth on the clutch and rear sprocket is 41 tooth. Nice and low geared for my teeny weeny engine!

tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor IMG_0001_1
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 5th 2015, 9:08 pm

reminds me of my mini rat rod mower i built good luck!
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 6th 2015, 1:57 am

Do you have any photos of it?
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 6th 2015, 6:03 am

I think your ratio is a little steep TBH. Coming from a Go-Kart background where centrifugal clutches are commonly used, we would normally use a 60 tooth axle sprocket and for that little Briggs I'd suggest maybe even a 72. Just for an example, On my Go Kart, I have a lightly modded Honda GX160 (no governor, performance exhaust etc) and a 10 tooth clutch sprocket and a 48 tooth axle sprocket. Although she goes fast, it takes for ever to move from a standstill to 10mph. So unless your using a jackshaft setup, then your 41 tooth axle sprocket won't work.
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 6th 2015, 10:36 am

Thanks for the heads up. Maybs I'll go for a jack shaft/compound gear set up
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 6th 2015, 12:12 pm

jonnya wrote:
Thanks for the heads up. Maybs I'll go for a jack shaft/compound gear set up
Yeah, or just buy a bigger sprocket which would be easier for that amount of space. What size are your rear tyres?
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 6th 2015, 1:58 pm

The rear wheels are only about 250mm diameter (10") so not much room for a daft big sprocket.
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 6th 2015, 4:34 pm

Right okay, I though they'd be bigger than that. Maybe a 60 tooth sprocket would do then, but if you've only got a 3hp? engine then you may want bigger. But that 41 tooth won't work unless you have a jackshaft, or an opposed twin laying around Wink
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 6th 2015, 9:05 pm

Yah, 4 to 1 is about 50 mph with a slow start off the line unless you got a gearbox.
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 7th 2015, 4:32 pm

Hmm, 50mph on my teeny contraption is not what I had in mind, more like 5mph! I shall get the calculator before going much further. Guys, I really appreciate your help on this. You have probably saved me about 2 days worth of getting it wrong, then messing about putting it right. Thanks heaps.
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 7th 2015, 5:17 pm

jonnya wrote:
Hmm, 50mph on my teeny contraption is not what I had in mind, more like 5mph! I shall get the calculator before going much further. Guys, I really appreciate your help on this. You have probably saved me about 2 days worth of getting it wrong, then messing about putting it right. Thanks heaps.
Yeah no problem! I'd say go for a 7 to 1 ratio or an 8 to 1. Also, check out here this will help determine what speed your ratio is going to get you. If your rear tyres are 10", and you're running a 7 to 1 ratio, this will give you a top speed of 15mph. Hope this helps! Wink
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 7th 2015, 6:05 pm

Now then, I have done some sums and looked on ebay for bits which I could use. I could buy another 10 and 41 tooth sprocket and create a compound gear on a jackshaft. This would be possible but tricky to fit in the available space.
My other idea is to use bits from a mini moto. I have a pair of mini motos one in bits, one almost compete. These have a tiny clutch sprocket and large rear sprocket and would give me a good engine to axle ratio (possibly!?).
Now the possible problem with trying to use a mini moto clutch would be the engagement speed. Surely a mini moto's two stroke engine runs at much higher rpm. Anyone had experience with adjusting/swapping the springs on a mini moto to make the clutch engage at a lower rpm.
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 7th 2015, 10:57 pm

i dont have any pictures but i do have a play list of my build and some running videos on my youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDforydpVKU321vJ1triqkGUm6Q4wRG7M
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jonnya
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PostSubject: New toy! + mini update   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeApril 20th 2015, 5:10 pm

so, I haven't really done anything much to the mini tractor and probably won't do much until August now. Wedding plans hotting up! I'm planning to have my stag weekend at a friend's dad's farm with some tractor fun! Get as many mowers running as poss. put 12hp in the little Mountfields (Murrays over there) take the original ratish rod. Then basically hoon round a field for the day with ales in the evening! Yay! Maybe I'll enter them in the build off as 'quickest builds'? I want to do weekend turn arounds, optimistic! Or maybe I could win the prize for 'most entries' in the build off!?

So I bought this off a friend for half the price of a new one. It'll help with the tractors no end. It has a milling head too which I will put on later, I'm only really interested in the lathe at the mo..
tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor <a href=tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor IMG_0001_2" />

Here's a picture of a mini moto brake disc/carrier I made using my old lathe. Pretty quick to make and dead cheap too. Never fitted to a machine but this one will probably end up on one of my stag do machines.

tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor <a href=tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor IMG_0002_1" />

I plan on making similar things to mount the brake disc & sprocket to the hubs on the mini rat tractor. I'll need to get some 1/4" plate to make the sprocket carrier. This'll then be turned down to fit in the centre hole of the hub and welded. I think!? I have roller bearings to fit in here too. Not quite worked out yet. As you can see my steel bar is 'pre ratted!'/rusty!
tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor <a href=tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor IMG_0003_3" />
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jonnya
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PostSubject: Re: Jonny's mini rat tractor   tractor - Jonny's mini rat tractor Icon_minitimeSeptember 1st 2015, 4:09 pm

So guys, prob gonna have to put this project on hold until next years build off. There's just too much work to do before the deadline. I'm gonna concentrate on project number 3 as I recon this is a bit more realistic to get done.
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