Craftsman GT 6000 Build

Well as most of you know I recently picked up a couple free tractors, one of which is this GT 6000.





I want it to be a heavy duty off-road machine as well as a good workhorse. The low range should make a good crawling and towing gear. It has a horizontal shaft Kohler Magnum 18hp opposed twin, which turns over with the starter and has compression but needs a carbuteror.

So far my crazy ideas for it are:

-Bigger tires up front, hopefully some nice narrow ATV tires
-ATV tires for the rear, maybe also something kinda narrow
-Long arm suspension with coils or coilovers on the front, kinda like a Jeep.
-Heavier drag link/tie rods and ends
-Maybe a custom grille
-A nice heavy bumper with tow points
-Custom shifters

Thats all I can think of for now but I'm sure there will be more.

So before any mods I need to get it running and driving. It has the AYP 122419X transaxle which is like a newer slightly less strong version of the Roper 633A Series transaxles. I have it out of the tractor in my garage because it has no low range. It shifts into low, but when you spin the input pulley its like it's in neutral. Not really sure what the deal is, so any advice is much appreciated.

Kewl! That thing screams heavy duty utility build haha! Should be a strong workhorse.

Yessir! If I can get 'er running and driving it should be a really fun build!

Should be good.

Give her an oil change. I bet there is chocolate milk in that transaxle.  While you have it out, you can pour the new oil in the shifter hole. It's a thousand times faster. Then give that thing some work in all 3 forward and reverse in high. Then give that low another try.  Once you get that low going change the oil again.  That worked for me on the old suburban.

Thanks mighty, we'll have to see if that works once I get the engine running.

Arnt you done yet? C'mon man what are you waiting for???

Slow and steady wins the race Beal! Also I need a carb haha. Actually I think my Uncle has an old K321 carb that should bolt right on to the Magnum intake manifold, so hopefully I can score that!

Boy If thats the case Im golden... I might finish something in a few years...

TMAM has too many projects...oops wrong thread

@CraftsmanQuad19 wrote:

TMAM has too many projects...oops wrong thread

CraftsmanQuad19 everybody!

I'd also shoot that hi/lo post on the transaxle with pbblaster or some kind of catalyst and try to shift it each day. It will come loose and go into gear.

Yeah maybe, but it seems like the shaft is going all the way in.
I took a couple of pictures of it:





In the last picture it's in as far as it'll go, does that look like it's it all the way it should go in any farther?

That looks like mine does in neutral.  But like I said, it depends on the screw in adjustment.  Here is High/Low on mine.

High

Low:

Ok thanks for the pics mighty, that could be the problem. Hopefully I'll look at it tomorrow and see what I can find out!

Keep at it. I know mine can be hard to get into low on the Suburban and the Craftsman at times.

@CraftsmanQuad19 wrote:

TMAM has too many projects...oops wrong thread

Yeah... wanna buy some???
Gotta make room for more...



Do you have a brass/copper/lead hammer? After spraying some pb blaster or liquid wrench on the shaft...let it soak in some and hit it again later, let it soak in... after youve applied a liberal amount, spin the pulley by hand and gently the shaft in. Pull it out to high, tap it in.

Be gentle, be patient.

Yeah I tried tapping it in with a mallet, but it felt and sounded like it was in as far as it would go. I'll keep at 'er though, I got lots of time hahaha.

if you got 2 clicks down from high, that wound be low.

Yeah, thats what it does. Well it's more of a clunk but y'know. From high it clunks into neutral then clunks again into what is supposed to be low range.

hmm.. wonder if it got water inside and rusted something? Hopefully it will work free!

Just pick it up and shake it over your head... then youll know if there is chunks!

Take lots of pics when you split 'er open.

If I try doing that with that big heavy trans the only gonna be split open is my skull! Haha, if I do end up having to crack 'er open I'll definitely take some pictures.

Oh but its only like 80lbs!

Maybe closer to 75 with cast iron hubs.... but still, they are heavy boogers. Do you tink you will attempt to lock it?

Not sure about that one, might leave the diff open just so I dont break it by welding it wrong or something haha. Even with an open differential she should have lots of pulling power I sould think.