Walk behind skidsteer

[12barber12]

I was thinking of building something like a toro dingo I have an old Lesco walkbehind mower I was gonna use for parts Any advice

 

[Sasquatch4100]

You could mate it with one of those walk behind tracked snow blowers from honda? Or get two of those snow blowers and pair two tracks each side to make two long tracks. They sell hydro motors that will drive them at the surplus center that advertises here.

 

[12barber12]

Do you think the hydro motors on the mower can handle the weight

 

[12barber12]

This is kind of what I'm going for

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Do you think the hydro motors on the mower can handle the weight

I don't think your Lesco will handle the weight. If you design it right, the hydro motors aren't actually supporting any weight.

I think you have a good start with an engine, etc., but I'd plan on build the frame out of heavier stuff than that mower is made from.

 

[swick1]

I'm actually working on turning one into a powered wheelbarrow. The engine is shot so I am going to salvage the hydraulics. I guess it will be more of a mini dumper than a wheelbarrow, but whatever. My plan was to replace the 21hp motor with something smaller (8-10hp) and build a subframe consisting of 4 wheels set up in a skid steer arrangement. I would cut off the mower deck, then sit the remains of the mower chassis on top of the subframe and replace the original drive wheels with sprockets. The sprockets would drive a chain like a high track bulldozer for each side. This would also give me about 2x speed reduction for the hydraulic motors. I would then build a metal dump box on the front and use a spare valve and cylinder I have sitting around to tie into the mower hydraulics for the dumping action. I had also thought about installing a second cylinder with a pan on the front to aid in cleaning up the spoils.

http://www.hinowa.com/images/files/hs400_battery_sfocata_10x10.jpg

http://www.usinenouvelle.com/industry/img/minidumper-hs-with-self-loading-dumper-bed-000123697-4.jpg

 

[aczlan]

If the mower is like most, I have seen it will have dual variable displacement pumps which are tied into the sticks and the wheelmotors. If that is the case, you will need a 3rd pump to run any additional hydraulics.
I might see if I could pickup a PS pump from a truck and tie it into the same tank as the wheelmotors.

Aaron Z

 

[12barber12]

Is it possible to tie into existing hydraulics and also the engine on my mower is shot it had a 17hp and I was think about putting 15hp on it

 

[aczlan]

Is it possible to tie into existing hydraulics and also the engine on my mower is shot it had a 17hp and I was think about putting 15hp on it

8-10 should be plenty to move it around. Most of the 17HP was to run the deck.

As for tieing in, see: Making lawn mowing fun | News | The Engineer for a schematic of a generic zero turn hydraulic system.
There is no place to "tap into" and add another valve.

Aaron Z

 

[Sasquatch4100]

Not sure if you have a local scraper like we do out here called Burchams. They had some 25gpm pumps that some guy has been buying to make log splitter. Not sure how much they wanted for them, they came from a company that DX's old equipment. The buyer had been using 10hp engines on them. Thought about buying one, but I don't have any projects in mind lately to use one. I'd scrounge all the local scrap places and see if I couldn't junk yard one up. If the parts work out you can buy new if they crap out on you.