Hello, I would like to build a diy offroad tractor/mud mower. For the frame design, i would like to build the same one as those toro wheel horse tractors have. Because wheel horses are expensive here in germany, its impossible to get one or get a transmission from a wheel horse, instead of the stock transmission, i would use a live axle. The engine is gonna be a cheap 200cc honda GX clone. I will gear the axle sprocket so much down, so i can keep the motor govenoured and still have a bit faster top speed than a normal lawntractor, only for better mobility. On google i saw a picture of a wheel horse frame and... its a realy simple desing, allthrough i would use C channel mild steel instead of angle iron, because truck/car frames are also made from C channel metal, i could also use square tubing tho, what would you guys use? This is the picture i found on google:
Can someone (that has a wheel horse) give me the frame dimensions, so i can buid/weld my own frame? (Dimensions like metal thickness, size, frame lenght and widh would be nice!)
I would REALLY appreciate your help guys, because i cant get the frame dimensions anywhere else.....
MoTiJo Member
Age : 17 Join date : 2023-01-02 Points : 808 Posts : 73 Location : Germany
I have a wheel horse 414-8 at home, I’ll do my best to get some dimensions off of it for you.
That being said, the wheel horse frames are tough but are not known to be rigid. Lots of cross bracing is needed to make them more rigid. The older ones with the round-ish hoods are supposed to be like gummy worms. So a C channel or square tubing frame is a lot better design than the simple wheel horse angle iron.
@RichieRichOverdrive I can cross brace such a frame for sure, i got a MIG welder, maybe im gonna just screw the brace in, like the guy in the video did. Imma buy Square tubing for the frame. I would appreciate it if you could send me the dimensions!
MightyRaze Administrator
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Age : 49 Join date : 2016-09-06 Points : 15767 Posts : 11042 Location : Oklahoma
We'll see if @RichieRichOverdrive comes up with the same dimensions. I found in another tractor forum they were measuring a C-165.
Rails were 2 inches x 2 inches x 1/4 inch thick. Rear plate is 7 inches wide by 6 3/4 inches tall. Length of rails are approx 36" long, 36 1/2 inches including the rear plate. Outside width of rails is 6 3/4 inches.
Beyond that I don't know, nor have I found anything yet.
PROJECTS: Marshal ........................93 Craftsman GT6000 Red Bandit ...................72 Wheel Horse Raider 12 Dirty Rat........................77 Sears Suburban Bowser...........................01 Murray Widebody LT The Green Machine ....1990 Craftsman II GT18 Other projects
@MightyRaze Thanks for the frame dimensions you found! We'll see what dimensions @RichieRichOverdrive will tell us Do you think it'll be ok if i use 50x50x5mm square steel tubing? Can't get 60x60x6mm steel tubing here..... (the dimensions of the rails you said are close to 6cm wide x 6mm thick)
MightyRaze Administrator
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Age : 49 Join date : 2016-09-06 Points : 15767 Posts : 11042 Location : Oklahoma