DIY Home built compact tractor

[Renze]

Do ypi have the ratios vs. wheel sizes absolutely right ?
If not, it will eat away rubber. Maybe install a limited slip, or self locker from a race shop ???

If you lock the VW center diff, it will definately need the option of disengaging front wheel drive if you hit the road, at the speed this tractor is capable of....

 

[GT2]

Do ypi have the ratios vs. wheel sizes absolutely right ?
If not, it will eat away rubber. Maybe install a limited slip, or self locker from a race shop ???

If you lock the VW center diff, it will definately need the option of disengaging front wheel drive if you hit the road, at the speed this tractor is capable of....

Yes I do, dont have the numbers on me ( I'm at work) But it is very close with the front over driven just a tick.

If you look carefully at the wheel pics you can see the front hubs are selectable, I plan on locking or unlocking the front hubs as needed.

 

[Renze]

If you look carefully at the wheel pics you can see the front hubs are selectable, I plan on locking or unlocking the front hubs as needed.

Smart, it sounds like you have your plan well made

 

[GT2]

Smart, it sounds like you have your plan well made

So far so good, I'm learning stuff from TBN'ers every day!

 

[mopacman]

Back in the 70s Ford in their 1/2 ton pu used a ford rear end and a dana front end. these two did not have any gear raito that matched. some would over drive and some would under drive the front end. The center diff. when used handeled the difference ok......Larry

 

[rpoage]

This might be of interest if your using the Samurai transfer case.
Welcome to Trail-Gear Inc

 

[GT2]

This might be of interest if your using the Samurai transfer case.
Welcome to Trail-Gear Inc

I'm not using the T case at this time.
Thanks for the link, they have a good price on knuckle rebuild kits!
Tim

 

[bx23barry]

Looks good! Glad to see it coming along. Maybe just the photos but it doesn't look like you can turn very sharp before the tires hit the frame. I don't know much about sammys, maybe they don't turn too sharp anyway. Anyway, keep at it.

 

[GT2]

Looks good! Glad to see it coming along. Maybe just the photos but it doesn't look like you can turn very sharp before the tires hit the frame. I don't know much about sammys, maybe they don't turn too sharp anyway. Anyway, keep at it.

It turns lock to lock with the tires just barely nicking the inside edge.
It seems to negociate the obsticles in my garage pretty well.
In the pic its not quite to lock.

 

[jimmer2880]

Before it gets too far along, you may want to look at the turning radius a bit more. Perhaps, move the front axle towards the rear some.

For a tractor, you want pretty tight turning radius. On my Yanmar, I have less than 1/2 the wheelbase, with what looks like easily twice the turning angle of the front wheels.

You'll never say "I wish this thing didn't turn so sharp".

 

[bx23barry]

It turns lock to lock with the tires just barely nicking the inside edge.
It seems to negociate the obsticles in my garage pretty well.
In the pic its not quite to lock.

Yea, I'm thinking "tractor" turning where the wheels go almost 90 degrees verses "truck" turning like you are useing. my bad

 

[GT2]

Yea, I'm thinking "tractor" turning where the wheels go almost 90 degrees verses "truck" turning like you are useing. my bad

I was thinking about that, I could see that much angle on a 2wd.
Is it possible to get that much with a 4wd ? Seems hard to believe?

 

[Renze]

I was thinking about that, I could see that much angle on a 2wd.
Is it possible to get that much with a 4wd ? Seems hard to believe?

55ｰ is the standard on modern day tractor front axles. I assume cars wont do much more than 45ｰ

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Wow, this is loking great. Thanks for taking us along for the ride so far.
Cliff

 

[DRL]

FWD tractors can turn sharper than trucks because of how the knuckle is designed. They don't use U-joints, they use 2 pairs of bevel gears. One pair goes from the axle shaft to a short vertical shaft going down and the other pair from the bottom of that shaft to the horizontal spindle. The knuckle turns, steers, on the same axis as the sort shaft. It could turn 90* or more just depends on the housing design.
If that is clear as mud, Sorry, best I can do with out pen and scratch paper.

Keep up the good work

DRL

 

[GT2]

FWD tractors can turn sharper than trucks because of how the knuckle is designed. They don't use U-joints, they use 2 pairs of bevel gears. One pair goes from the axle shaft to a short vertical shaft going down and the other pair from the bottom of that shaft to the horizontal spindle. The knuckle turns, steers, on the same axis as the sort shaft. It could turn 90* or more just depends on the housing design.
If that is clear as mud, Sorry, best I can do with out pen and scratch paper.

Keep up the good work

DRL

Ok, makes perfect sense.
Thanks, Tim

 

[alchemysa]

This might be of interest if your using the Samurai transfer case.
Welcome to Trail-Gear Inc

Thanks for the link. I've been thinking about getting lower transfer gears for my Suzuki. Thats the lowest price I've seen.
Terrific installation instructions too.

 

[john_bud]

Yes I do, dont have the numbers on me ( I'm at work) But it is very close with the front over driven just a tick.

If you look carefully at the wheel pics you can see the front hubs are selectable, I plan on locking or unlocking the front hubs as needed.

That sounds about perfect. The normally acceptable range of gear ratios is 0-5% front tires faster than the rear. You should be good to go. Just pop in the engine, transmission, bend up some sheet metal, add steering, seat, lights, peddles, radiator, hoses, wires, make and intall an FEL, 3pt, hydraulic pump and lines and your done!

Nothing to it.

jb

 

[GT2]

That sounds about perfect. The normally acceptable range of gear ratios is 0-5% front tires faster than the rear. You should be good to go. Just pop in the engine, transmission, bend up some sheet metal, add steering, seat, lights, peddles, radiator, hoses, wires, make and intall an FEL, 3pt, hydraulic pump and lines and your done!

Nothing to it.

jb

Thats it? How come I'm not done yet?

 

[chrisser]

GT2,

I'm new to the board, and joined specifically because of this thread.

I was searching the web for people building their own tractors. They are few and far between, and your thread is by far the best example.

Thanks for sharing it with everyone. Great info and pics - I sometimes check in twice a day to see your progress and read the comments.

- Chris