LMM's Rally Mower!

I made the front mounts for the swing-arm permanently mounted yesterday.  Also found these in my barn from an old snow-mobile!

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These are for later.   

Probally the same as mine 2"-24".

redlinemotorsportts wrote:

Probally the same as mine 2"-24".

Yea Red 2'' by 24''.  I am running into the same problem with the clutch hitting the slippers.. I will probably have to make the springs a bit lower that the clutch.  I will end up remaking the spindles for it to be a bit lower.

Also mocked up the driveline shifter and brakes! the blade-engage lever will be the shifter and the lift lever will be turned into a pedal for the brakes.

I realized that I had to go down to a 5" pulley on the rear to clear the suspension front supports.  That means the current pulley swap will be a 3'' to a 5'' and an 8 tooth to a 41 tooth sprocket, it will have stock gearing in the 700 and 18'' tires.  

I was playing around on paint tonight and came up with this idea for a paint scheme.  The rear bumper will be red as well.
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Tell me what you guys think!!

Looks good. Not over complicated. Have you throught about a roll bar? this will be a rally so maybe a bar under the hood so the engine doesnt get crushed. I plan on doint something like that to both my offroader ans speed mower.

redlinemotorsportts wrote:

Have you throught about a roll bar? this will be a rally so maybe a bar under the hood so the engine doesnt get crushed.

Good idea Red, I will have to make one.  I might make one like the mowrons did on their bumper.

I did some mocking-up today. Nothing major, just seeing how the gearbox and driveline will look when finished.  

Didn't get much done.  

HUGE UPDATE!

Ok I got the driveline completed except for a chain tensioner.  Got a plate made for the 700 and welded it into the frame.  I then got a belt and mounted it.  All I need to do now is get the top shock mount put in, and get the Oppy running, then I can go for a quick test run before I get started on the front suspension.  The tensioner for the chain on the back is a clutch from a simplicity lawn tractor, a flat idler pulley, and a spring (which I need to dig out of a parts pile). I CAN'T WAIT TO DRIVE IT!!

After I get everything done in the rear I will start working on the leafs in the front.  I have all the things that I need (so I think..).

{EDIT: Pics will come next time.}

The other day I was looking at the Oppy and thinking. "Could/should I supercharge it."  Now I am looking for ideas on what to do (hopefully MowBandit can help me?).

Also first drive should be on Monday! I got the rear put together (except some fine tuning), so it's up for a quick test before I move on to the front!

pictures as promised...
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Throw me some input guys!!

I like how you did the chain tensioner. Everything looks good so far LMM!

You have GOT to be the smartest hands on kid at your school. Hats of dude. Be proud!

Did i hear my name?

LMM wrote:

I see a potential design flaw here with the chain tightener
I would not have it on the top because it will pull from the top making tension, I would have it on the bottom, the side Without tension.

nvm.. wasn't thinking the same thing..

Yeah Ariens I noticed that and moved the spring to a different hole.

TD: The tensioner is a clutch linkage from a simplicity lawn tractor.

Red: Thanks.

MowBandit: Yeah you did hear your name.

tensioner should be on the slack side... as soon as the torque is transferred to the chain, the tensioner will be pulled down BEFORE the actin hits the sprocket. The set up looks great, and may even work that way, if you tighten the chain. But any mechanic will tell you the same thing.. the tensioner goes on the slack side of the sprocket/pulley

Ariens YT11 wrote:

LMM wrote:

I see a potential design flaw here with the chain tightener
I would not have it on the top because it will pull from the top making tension, I would have it on the bottom, the side Without tension.

Yeah thats true, It will make the tensioner work like all the time in OVERDRIVE in that setting.

So you need to redo it    But i liked the arm you chose.

I suspect your tensioner design has something to do with the angle iron running in between the chain?

Doesn't the ATV axle have an adjustment for the chain tension? Most of them do; loosen two pinch bolts and the carrier rotates off-center. You could use that, along with a chain guide. You could probably make a guide like they do on hill climb bikes. It's sometimes called a pie plate. It is two plates that mount on the sides of the sprocket. Some ideas to think about.

Pretty nice rear suspension setup. Even looks factory.

Easy fix, Just use a lower bolt hole to drop it, then let the tensioner wheel grab underneath the bottom running chain.

Thunderdivine wrote:

Easy fix, Just use a lower bolt hole to drop it, then let the tensioner wheel grab underneath the bottom running chain.

Easier said then done.  I tried moving it down today but the rest of the tensioner would hit the upper chain.  I think what I'm going to do it mount a stationary pulley like the four-wheelers do then as the swing-arm moves the tension moves a little.  I also thought about having something mount to the swing-arm itself and it be completely separate from the frame. Still thinking on a better way to do it though.

Give me ideas guys I need it!

I'm working on the RMWS today.  Hope to get some video...

Here's kinda what we were talkin about.

Move the bolt to a forward location,

Flip the assembly so the idler pushes the chain up toward the sprocket

attach spring to the upper part of the L as shown in the rough diagram, bottom right

This should keep everything tucked up outta the way, and put tension on the correct side of the sprocket

How's the project going?

Not the best actually.... Why? you may ask?

FIRST: The gearbox is WAAYY too far back towards the rear-end.

SECOND: The suspension is WAAYY too weak.

THIRD: I don't know yet (but I'll find something)!!


(FIRST: The gearbox is WAAYY too far back towards the rear-end.)
(SECOND: The suspension is WAAYY too weak.)
This is why the rear end was pulling up thus bottoming out the suspension completely..

I will get to work on this better when I have a free weekend.  

I have recently locked the suspension solid with a 1/4'' bar. Then my chain tensioner failed.  So I need to rethink my whole rear-end then cut it out and rework the whole thing!  So maybe not as many updates for a little while?

Sorta ticked about it...