The LUV-bug is in the house(garage)

Did a little work on this today, stripping the paint and rust off the bigger front rims YUCK.
Gonna mount up these tires.


I'm putting the tiny lug tires on it all the way around and the stock front rims were to small so I cleaned and painted some rims up and I also have real bearings for the front wheels.


This thing is small it takes up the same space as a push mower with the handle out and has the cool little storage bed on the back, forward-neutral-reverse lever and a foot vari-drive control.


I still have to change all four belts on it as well as do some maintenance on it and find a bigger box for the bed area but then it should be ready for my wife to drive around and pick up sticks, trash and rocks with it.

FINALLY I made time for this and got the tough work done on it and just have to power wash it then wire wheel it a little and smear some rustoleum on a few places and finish putting the covers on when dry.

We are going to find a larger tote for the back so my wife can haul more in it.





This tiny little mower has two drive belts and two deck belts, there is no throttle per say just start it up and mash down on the drive pedal which is really just a foot operated VARI-DRIVE.
I mowed the back yard here and it mows but with just the one 24" blade it takes a bit more time.

It does turn rather tight and is very maneuverable and the new treads keep it moving along.

It is done enough to take up north to the other house and get it out of my way down here, only one more left to fix and take up north and the garage here will be somewhat open.

The sears version of these was recalled after a year because of some stupid little problem - Under certain operating conditions, the vehicle's transmission may fail causing a loss of drive and brake ability, pppffff   sounds like a fun way to end a boring mowing run.


pssst: side note, AI can't believe I actually got all the tires on the right way.

That is such a neat little machine, I've never seen one like it before! Congrats on the tires, there's nothing worse than having to do it thrice right! Lol. The smaller tires are the more difficult they are to mount/dismount that's for sure!

They are somewhat unique machines the back area is a bagger as well and we have the bag just not the chute that goes from the deck to the bottom of the frame but we'll never use it for bagging leaves it's just way to small for that.

You wouldn't think the smaller tires would be difficult to mount but they are, getting the tire bead down into the rim far enough to pull the rest of the bead over is a bit tough and then the tire just likes to spin around the rim.

I do have the little tire mounting / dismounting tool which made it easier though but because I had the tool clamped in the vise it pretty much put the bead breaker bars right at head level and I knew if I wasn't careful I'd have a few more lumps on the ole noodlenoggin.

This harbor freight picture is funny because I have no idea what they are doing to this solid rubber tire but the tool itself works well enough.