Dirty Rat - Sears

Hmm.... what upgrades can I do to the Dirty Rat. Something to think about.

Upgrades... how the heck do you build on perfection?! Lol

Im with @Brianator on this one I mean it's an absolute unit

I appreciate the awesome words, but there are a few things that need to be addressed.  As I found out last year, should the brake rod fall off the brake pedal or the plate that connects with the parking brake.  I lose ALL brakes and that is not good.  The fastest I have ever gone on this tractor was due to this falling off at the top of a tree thickened hill.  I was SUPER glad TDR handled great and lots of fast thinking.  I tried to pop it into reverse, but I just couldn't grind it into gear then I was stuck in neutral.  Would have been better in the forward gear I was in.

Pic from building process.


I have since replaced the critical pull pin with a cotter pin.  I am thinking maybe some insurance in the matter.  I am contemplating an emergency brake handle or pedal running on a cable that connects to the brake lever on the brake itself on the trans should the issue happen again.  ...Or maybe figure out how to better fit the parking brake where if the foot brake fell off, the Parking would still work right.

Can't help but think there is a simple solution for this.

Sounds like a good excuse to upgrade to a hydraulic setup, they're pretty cheap on Amazon...

I think I got'er figured out. Maybe next year?

I’d like to see somebody put air brakes in a mud mower. Something different I guess lol.

Rustbucket Garage wrote:

I’d like to see somebody put air brakes in a mud mower. Something different I guess lol.

Talk about an over-complication! LOL


OK, here is a little update!

Good fix @MightyRaze I like it!

Here is hoping, just hoping, but I have a 5th scheduled offloading with my daughter in a couple weeks. Here's hoping nothing gets in the way this time. I'd hate to be 0 for 5. Scheduled Monday July 10.

Come over here to post that I plan on dropping the 2300 to finally install those shift balls so maybe it will stay in 2nd better.

I see this is where I posted the 5th try. Y'all can see my other post about that.

It's so hot this year due to all the rain, typically that keeps us under 100 when the humidity is above 80%, but not this year. It's pretty brutal. Suppose to be in the 100's today and tomorrow again.

Anyways, that keeps my working down to just a few minutes at a time, even in the garage. My portable garage fan bit it last month too. I do have the transaxle out of the tractor and on my roller cart Just need to drain it, remove one of my axle shafts and split it. Should not be too involved as I am not taking any gears out.

New detent balls installed. Found the issue to be a broken spring for the detent ball. Luckily it was the last winding that broke. I did the right thing and Jerry-rigged it. Literally. And by that I mean I stretched the spring out a bit. Seems to have good shifting now. Time to refill with gear oil and reinstall in the tractor.

Sorry no pix due to oil all over my hands and didn't really want to pause to clean them due to the heat. Lucked out big time as both the shifter gasket and the case gasket were not messed up during the teardown.

Heat doesn't seem to be as bad today. Transaxle is reinstalled and it has a nice "CLICK" into second gear!

Not giving up! I have a much more solid plan two weeks from today! I found a new OHV/ORV park that is less than an hour away at a lake nearby. It does require a permit, but $30 for a year seems pretty reasonable. I already talked with the Lake Ranger, and he gave me the OK for modified tractors!

That's awesome news! $30 a year is peanuts, even if you only made it out once that's still a cheap day of entertainment!

Post ride checkup!

3.2 hours of riding.

All is good with The Dirty Rat.

• For an opposed, the oil is GREAT.  Still light brown and does not smell of gas!
  
• Tires good
  
• Engine running great!
  
• Transaxle was great!  Loved having a solid 2nd gear now.
  
• Belt stretched some, may need to look into a new. I have some adjustment. (Forgot parking brake for a period of time, OOPS!)
  

Video to be attached soon.  Bowser did well too!

After riding this week, it is time to figure out what worked well and didn't for the ol' Dirty Rat.

Worked Great:

• Engine
  
• Transaxle (Nice having 2nd not pop out)
  
• Brakes
  
• Almost EVERYTHING
  

What needs work:

• Belt Slip, I finally got into some water that was more than footboard deep.  She slipped pretty well 3rd and 4th gears.  I even have the "holey pulley" mod.  I think this is mostly due to belt stretch.  I have ran it too many times on accident with the parking brake on.  I either need to figure a better belt pattern or time to get a new belt?  I've been trying to work in some belt adjustability each time I work the belt.
  
• Some pin hole exhaust leaks around the heads.  Not currently an issue, but could become one.  
  

I'm thinking I may go up to a 5" pulley on the transaxle.  Yes I'll loose speed but I will gain in belt surface area and torque.

Found the cast pulley for the old hydro that use to be in this tractor.  It's 5" and it is also a 3/4 bore as well.  Looks to be made from a solid piece of cast iron.  Thing weighs about 5 lbs.





I just need to drop the trans again to get to it.  Also I need to adjust the guide.  Time... that's all it would take.

Too hot to install today.  I do have TDR on jack stands.

I was able to stand the garage about 30 minutes to drop the trans and install the 5" pulley.  Image later when I feel like going back out there.  I bet I dropped 5lbs in sweat.  Phew...
Some private stations nearby are registering 99-108.  uhg...

Pulley on and the trans is 3/4 bolts installed.  Looks like my larger 96 inch belt is too small by a hair.  Hmm... What to do... what to do.  Thing is, I don't know if this 96" is stretched yet.



I'm on full pause unless I can find a 97 in my stash.  I think it's all 101 and 93 for some reason.  Bah!

If you're able to swap idler/clutch pulley(s) for smaller one(s) I've had good luck with doing so in the past.

Good call.  I may have a smaller idler on the wall.  I'll check later when it cools a bit and can get some air flow.   Then when the belt stretches I can go back to the original. I fear I will have to go up a belt size though.