Yardmachine MTD FEL build diary

[ddbackhoe]

Hydraulic Cylinders (on their way to the scrap bin at work I am an apprentice Heavy Diesel Fitter)

I have never visited your country, but it's still on my todo list. Thanks to your cylinder picture, Ive run up my phone bill too much and may never be able to afford the trip

 

[Wolfe4208]

Glyford, that thing is a beast! i actually have every single one of your photos saved for reference!

ddbackhoe, sorry mate ill buy you a beer when you get over here!

 

[GLyford]

Glyford, that thing is a beast! i actually have every single one of your photos saved for reference!

Thanks. It is also still a work in progress, and a learning experience. I learned a lot about hydraulics and fabricating, and would likely do it again for the fun of it...but if I just wanted one to use, I could have bought the three or four wheelhorses, etc. with bucket off the local craigslist that have come up while I was working on it, and still be ahead on money to boot.

It passes the "look cool" test, but I got much better performance out of a rented teramite. The weight of the bigger machine at the same horsepower allows it to do a lot more.

Bucket speed is OK for what I need. The bucket is too big for it, but works for mulch, which is promarily what I built it for. I had also planned on using it in snow this winter so took off the toothbar, but that didn't happen...it was easier to use the snowblower, even if I did go through a couple of belts on it. I have a couple of odd jobs to do with it soon, so the bar will go back on.

 

[ferrari99]

Looking great mate! It's very nice to see an aussie doing something like this (because I haven't seen anyone else on here doing it), it's on my want list.

 

[Wolfe4208]

Sorry for the long break guys it does work, now to pull it all back apart brace it properly and then weld it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krA44KOFK44

 

[Wolfe4208]

and today i finally got a chance to work the beast some more. leanered a valuable lesson on shear loading split pins!

https://youtu.be/ZpwtF1RnFqg

 

[Wolfe4208]

and today i finally got a chance to work the beast some more. leanered a valuable lesson on shear loading split pins!

https://youtu.be/ZpwtF1RnFqg

 

[Wolfe4208]

and when I got the wheel back on https://youtu.be/1n_4ie7pB64 most defiently plans in upgrading the front spindles

 

[ThomasH]

and when I got the wheel back on https://youtu.be/1n_4ie7pB64 most defiently plans in upgrading the front spindles

I am guessing that the loader can pick up 5x what the front end can carry without breaking. Also, have you looked at the drive axle? Those inexpensive lawn tractors are not at all rated for pushing or pulling with much force, it will just destroy the transaxle.

 

[Wolfe4208]

I'm going to use it till I break it, then a shortened diff will be going in. and probably a whole new frame and this one will not last long

 

[Wolfe4208]

and now I have broken it! http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg149/mushieman/th_it%20be%20****ed.jpg

 

[Xfaxman]

What broke?

Can't tell from the close up picture.

 

[GLyford]

You grenaded that good...I just busted one of the mounting ears off mine.

Transferred the whole works to an older "garden" rather than "lawn" tractor to get a cast-iron transaxle. Still find that most of the time, I have way more bucket and tire than I do traction and still can't do much real digging with it. But it mostly works for handling mulch, which is what I wanted it for to start with.

 

[Wolfe4208]

I have another motor here i may rebuild and put in, but now the bug has hit me hard and I am already drawing up plans for a 4cyl garden tractor