What can I do with this old JD 318 Hydrostatic rear end??

[DanMc77]

Hello!
I have a frame and hydrostatic rear end from a John Deere 318 that had a blown engine.

The 318 has a fantastic self-contained hydraulic system integrated into a hydrostatic rear end. The frustration I have is that a complete rear transaxle with the hydraulic pump goes for a couple hundred bucks used.

For a couple hundred bucks, I'm inclined to keep it and repurpose it for something else. So, I'm doing a bit of brainstorming on my end thinking about what kind of application I can find for this:

How about this: Add pins to the old tractor frame and give it a 3 PT hitch. Power the hydraulic pump from my larger tractors PTO, then put spools on the axles and use it as a winch, or a tow line.

Or this: How about an axle for a powered trailer? The hydrostat has a couple release valves so it can be towed if it's not powered, or if they're closed, then it can be driven. Put a small engine on there to power the wheels and get a boost for those times when a heavy load is being pulled. I think it takes a couple hp just to run the system, so even a 6 hp engine might be good enough.

What about a self-propelled log splitter?

What other things could be built from this? Have you seen anybody build something from one of these?

Let your creative ideas fly!

 

[DanMc77]

 

[smiley]

Your idea of a winch for many occasions sounds good; it could be set up with gas or electric power for pulling hay-wagons into the barn. boats out of the water at camp, a home or shop elevator lift, mounted on a beam or post in the garage with cable and pulleys as a crane to pull motors etc., maybe set it up with a wheel and a pulley as an eccentric, to make a small cable well point driving rig, post driver or drop hammer for all you blacksmiths, etc, etc, etc.
I'm sure many of the other guys will come up with some unique uses.

I am dickering for a small sawmill that does not have power feed so I know exactly what I would do with a hydro tranny. I hadn't thought much about the hydro because I don't have one available, but have definitely been eyeballing a friction transmission in a snowblower I have.

The first sawmill I owned was an old Belsaw I bought in pieces with no feed parts. I mounted it on a truck frame and to power the carriage, used a 49 Ford transmission set up sideways under the frame and powered with a belt to the arbor and a cable wound around the driveshaft to pull the carriage. I put a large and a small pulley on the input shaft so had 3 forward speeds. High gear for easy cutting softwoods and low gear for hardwoods, I mounted a lever that when pushed forward engaged the small pulley and slowly drove the carriage forward and when pulled back, engaged the large pulley so I had a high speed carriage return in reverse. It worked good but it would have been a lot easier with a hydrostatic.
Smiley

 

[Industrial Toys]

I can't think of anything.

But considering new stuff tends to be light, plastic and junky, if it's in good shape, it could fetch a pretty penny to repair a cherished 318..

I have enough to do and find it's foolish to go looking for projects I don't need simply because I have something.

 

[buickanddeere]

Install a new engine .John Deere 318 Repower

 

[DanMc77]

Repower is no longer an option. Too many parts are now gone.

Does anybody have a drawing of the hydraulics in the 318?

 

[Fallon]

I have 0 need for a dozer. But for some reason owning a bulldozer is on my bucket list. I'd be tempted to use it as the drivetrain for a mini-dozer of some sort.

 

[CADplans]

Only one use,,, this time of the year,,, a HF engine will power it,,