Murray Stamped Frame

@MightyRaze wrote:

Sounds like a bronze bushing is out of square.

Yes. That's why it didn't go together on the first try. Got it together now and the spider gears won't even work. Won't roll or anything. It shifts, the input turns, but it just won't roll. It'll have to come apart again obviously, but I have no idea when. I can't take the chance on driving it... I just know it's gonna blow. Too bad it only needs gas lines, the engine pulley, and the belt and it would drive if it wasn't for this problem. I put the oil and everything in cause I thought that once the oil got in the axles, it would free up. Guess I was wrong. I had to drill a hole in the side of the case to fill it up. There was no drain/fill plug.

(sorry for the crappy picture, looked better on a smaller screen.)


Sure does suck that it's on 4 wheels but ain't gonna drive. I think the spider gears didn't seat properly or something. There was also a spot on the case where it didn't compress the RTV. Same place the MM's bolts stripped.



So I don't about you guys, but...

Alright, I took 'er apart again and gave 'er one more shot. Turns out it was the spider gears. Don't know what was wrong with them, everything was put together right. Anyway, it works now... Hopefully I'll be driving it tomorrow.

Could have been something simple as a flake of metal from drilling or grain of sand to bind those things up. Glad you got it working!

It was kinda weird. You spin them and they'd be fine till about half way, then they'd pull out of the case. Stumped me... They were aligned perfectly. Guess they just wanted to be reset one more time.

Anyway, got it filled up and in the tractor! Vent tube is on, new headlights are wired, new fuel lines are in, engine pulley on, and put the belt on. Also had to redo the shifter... The way Murray designed it was stupid. Anyway, it's a bit stronger now, but the bolts came loose... Whatever, I can tighten and thread lock them later on. On the other hand, now that it's driving, it is SLOOOOOOOOOOOW compared to before. The engine only goes to half throttle... I think the carb adjustment screw I can't reach without taking the hood off needs to be messed with. Oh, and it still needs brake pucks and pads. So yeah, a couple minor things... The shifter is beginning to be not so minor though... It's loose enough that you can't figure out what gear you're in and I ran into one of the support beams of a portico and put a massive dent in the fender. Whatever, all repairable. Anyhow...



Then me and my brother tried to burn a tire off it's rim... It's still got a LOT to go LOL. (Nope, it's not the tire on fire, just some WD40 sprayed on burnt rubber and lit it with the torch, LOL.) Watch this video...



So, it's not that bad, just a couple things to work out on it. I'll be wrenching on it off and on I guess.

Alright. It's "finished"... Meaning, it is functional to the point that I am satisfied with it. Fixed the throttle, shifter, and got some brakes for it. For someone who's used to a hand throttle, it's probably pretty nice to drive, but I'm used to the MM now, so for me it's definitely a 'backup' machine. Anyway, it looks good...

WELL. It's been a while hasn't it? Sooooo much has happened. I don't even know where to begin.....

So, if the last update was in January.. Jeez, I was in MA then....Anyway, that means that was just before good snow storm. It did VERY well in that storm. My brother remounted the fenders, brush guard, replaced the throttle cable, upped the RPM, and a few other things that I can't remember. It kept taking abuse for the next 6 months, including coming back from Rockcrusher Farm completely intact. A little bit after Rockcrusher, my brother decided to get jump happy with it and jump it daily. After about a month of that, the stock murray stamped frame front axle gave out.






The amount of play that was in it before hand was unimaginable. That'll be in the video. So, after it gave it out, it sat for a couple weeks before my brother did a cast iron craftsman axle swap from the GT6000 we scrapped last year. He put that in and changed one of the spindles with an MTD spindle out of the parts Yard Machine. He changed the drag link too. Anywho, after a lot of work, he completed the swap. It sits a lot lower now and it feels waaaay more solid than before. It was VERY sketchy before.




After that, we were able to take it to a friends house and run it for a few hours aerating his yard...



He rode it for maybe another month before something in the MST went wrong. A bushing for the shaft that drives the bull gear split and made it's way into the gears. Didn't blow it up, but it had to be taken apart again. So my brother pulled it and started rebuilding it planning to lock it. He never ordered the parts though. Don't know how or why, but for some idiot reason he put an FNR MTD transaxle in it. I don't know anymore.

So, that kinda brings you up to speed on where the stamped frame has been. He's gonna take the FNR back out and put built (gear swapped) 6 speed spicer in. I don't know why the MST isn't going back in but it's not. So I'm gonna put it back together and put it in the spare trans pile. Also, in it's future is a 20+ HP Briggs V-Twin. We bought a seized one from the junkyard to rebuild the L120's V-Twin (supposed to be 22 HP Intek I think?), but it turned out that this was a good motor as well. So we bought another one that was supposedly good (supposed to be 24-27 HP I think?), but it turns out it's blown up. The block and sump seem fine, so if the cam is good, we're gonna take the 2 from the junkyard and make one good one. I'll explain what will happen to the rest of the motor in the Lawn Tractor Repair thread. So yes, this thing will be getting a V-Twin this winter. I don't know what will happen to the 14.5 horse yet. But anyway. This thing will be getting another make over soon.

Okay so the 25 horse Twin ended up being a total loss. EVERYTHING was obliterated or starved of oil. So the 22 horse is waiting for a flywheel and sump now. It's next in line once the MM's Kohler is done. We did pick up a duel throttle plate carb, intake, and the blower shroud! It actually turns out this thing is an ELS series. Man I would kill to put this on the MM.




The Spicer though, is mostly done. This thing is driving on a Spicer right now so that's good! My brother locked it with the 211 using Flux Core. Not too shabby. It's not pretty but it is strong as heck! My brother had the axles glowing. Just started MIG yesterday. The beads are beautiful with MIG.




For some reason he decided to paint the cases black? I still think they should have been yellow.





Anyway, he locked it, vented it, extended the shifter which broke immediately so he un-extended it, painted it, it even has brakes on it, they just aren't hooked up yet. So yeah, he still has to install the vent tube, get another belt, hook up the brakes, and adjust the shifter since there is no reverse yet. Anywho, it's back on all 4. Runs and drives just no reverse or clutch or brakes. Once we get the issues all sorted out, that old 14.5 is coming out. Should be happening this month.

Welp, everything on the trans side works now. Clutch, brakes, vent tube, and shifter. Gonna play in the snow with it.

Anyway, the motor is ready for the build...