All-Terrain Lawn Tractor Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

All-Terrain Lawn Tractor Forum

Like riding lawn tractors through mud, woods, rocks, and snow? Then this is the place for you! Share your ideas, Post your projects and more!
 
PortalHomeSite RulesEventsFAQSearchRegisterLog inBuild-Off

 

 2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff

Go down 
3 posters
AuthorMessage
jack9102
Member
jack9102
Member


Age : 28
Join date : 2013-03-17
Points : 4368
Posts : 103
Location : Sudbury, ON, Canada

2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Empty
PostSubject: 2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff   2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Icon_minitimeJanuary 18th 2015, 10:32 pm

Bought this thing from work, customer trade in, it had been sitting in a field uncovered for a few years. The way I got it, it was complete and a little rough; dust everywhere, crooked hood, no battery, bugged up electricals, missing the airbox/filter.. But it had a good seat and rust-free body panels and frame rails. 80 bucks was a steal for a dusty-but-like-new tractor. It also came with a full tank of premium gas [thanks work Wink]. I used it for both mowing and fun for its first few months.

Here's how it was when I got it home
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-010
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-011
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-012

Rewired it and changed the rear VSP belt [woooo variable speed pulleyyyyy]
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-013

And at this point it remained pretty much unchanged for 2 months. Somewhere along the lines I added an early '00s craftsman snowblower headlight. There's a mockup I made using craftsman snowblower wheels [16x4x8 carlisle snow hog/itp holeshot] the rear 5x12 wheels were from a mid 50s simplicity model VA two-wheeled tractor, never used them cause the rubber was toast and the rims were rotten. I also added garden edging as last minute fender flares [work great! never lost one!].
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-014
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-015
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-016

Now things get interesting. I removed the 1spd MTD 618 transaxle, so I could investigate a gear slipping problem in forward, and see how difficult it'd be to lock something like these. The photos tell a better story.
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-110
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-111
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-112

TO BE CONTINUED!!!! Gonna pass out soon aha
Back to top Go down
jack9102
Member
jack9102
Member


Age : 28
Join date : 2013-03-17
Points : 4368
Posts : 103
Location : Sudbury, ON, Canada

2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Empty
PostSubject: 2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff   2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Icon_minitimeJanuary 19th 2015, 8:22 am

Okay, to continue with the MTD 1spd axle locker. I'm not posting step-by-step instructions HERE, but there will be a detailed post in the drivetrain section. In the end though, if you find your axle isn't straight [don't install a bent one!], you can correct it as I will show in the following photos. Just make a grinding wheel wide cut in the carrier across the two spider shaft holes. from here you can vise one axle and push/pull the other till it spins true in the lower casting. Now make a ton of hot spot welds to close up the gap [to prevent warpage] and you're all set.

2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-113
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-114

So that's the diff lock. It hasn't been touched to this day. If it breaks, I'll revive the thread to let you all know haha
I drove around without the fenders for awhile, cause I'm cool like that - nah, it was just to monitor the transaxle, and to make freeing up frozen trans linkages easier cause it's winterer as frig up here in northern ontario canada. I moved the snowblower light to the back and wired it to the alternator and reverse safety switch. It comes in handy at night when trailering or backing out a trail.
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-115

I added twin 18W LED Flood lights, six bulb, from ebay. 40 bucks. They are wired direct to B+ and have constant power to a pull switch in the dash where the choke would go. One problem I've had with this setup is in the frigid weather the reed contacts in the switch freeze in the open position when the tractor isn't used.
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-116
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-117
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-118
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-119

I added a reverse light using the old craftsman blower light and made a hole in the fender stamping so I can change belts and un freeze linkages without removing the fenders. the old piece will eventually be on a hinge.
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-120
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-121

And that's how it sits in the driveway! Let me know what you all think! Romp on!! Very Happy
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff 2014-122

Plans for the future include better rear tires, new front end [possibly direct steer], increasing speed with pulleys,a boat winch, and a backup rope starter [tecumseh builds a sh!t starter motor...]. Toolbox and other goodies will follow.
Back to top Go down
redlinemotorsportts
Moderator
redlinemotorsportts
Moderator

2500+ Posts
2500+ Posts!
2014 Build-Off Entrant
2014 Build-Off Entrant

Age : 27
Join date : 2013-03-18
Points : 7439
Posts : 3131
Location : raleigh nc

2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Empty
PostSubject: Re: 2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff   2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Icon_minitimeJanuary 19th 2015, 11:07 am

Very nice! Now I have a solid thread to show people how to lock fnrs. Thanks!
Back to top Go down
willis923
Veteran Member
willis923
Veteran Member

1000+ Posts
1000+ Posts!

Age : 28
Join date : 2013-04-10
Points : 5717
Posts : 1408
Location : Galway NY

2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Empty
PostSubject: Re: 2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff   2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Icon_minitimeJanuary 20th 2015, 12:58 pm

thats awsome! where did you get those flood lights, i might get a set of those for rear lights on my pickup
Back to top Go down
jack9102
Member
jack9102
Member


Age : 28
Join date : 2013-03-17
Points : 4368
Posts : 103
Location : Sudbury, ON, Canada

2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Empty
PostSubject: Re: 2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff   2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Icon_minitimeJanuary 20th 2015, 2:42 pm

Not entirely sure, my father got them off a common eBay seller. I'd just search up 6 LED Flood Light 18w. They were sold individually, but it was right around 50 bucks CAD for the set after shipping. If I find out exactly I'll definitely post a link.
Back to top Go down
willis923
Veteran Member
willis923
Veteran Member

1000+ Posts
1000+ Posts!

Age : 28
Join date : 2013-04-10
Points : 5717
Posts : 1408
Location : Galway NY

2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Empty
PostSubject: Re: 2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff   2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Icon_minitimeJanuary 20th 2015, 2:59 pm

alright, i'll look for em, they look pretty bright, should go under my bumper nicely
Back to top Go down
Sponsored content





2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Empty
PostSubject: Re: 2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff   2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff Icon_minitime

Back to top Go down
 
2005 MTD 15.5HP Tecumseh Romper - locked diff
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1
 Similar topics
-
» is it a good idea to lock a rear diff on my new craftsman lt 1000
» Can't get my peerless diff apart.
» Montgomery Wards(MTD) trail tractor(Now Murray Widebody LT)
» Craftsman II GT 18 3spd Hi-Lo diff question
» R.E.R Transmission and Snow Blower Auger Rear Diff

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
All-Terrain Lawn Tractor Forum :: Tractor Project Builds :: Off Road & Rally Tractors-
Jump to: