Drive train Concept

I was driving into work today, and I am always thinking of ways to make the 4x4 on a mower, but doing it the most convient way possible and easiest..

but, I began thinking about this and it got in my head, so, please take a look and let me know your thoughts!

here is the link to a photo I posted. should be self explanitory, but, If not,

The idea is to add a centrifical clutch to a horizontal engine, and run a pulley underneath direct into a rotated transaxle. then adding a shaft brake!

let me know what you think..

Concept sketch

Nice concept, i like it

Cool idea! I wonder about the possible issues with lubrication on the transaxle in that position, but I guess if you are using grease it would probably be fine.

Actually had an idea similar to this the other day while working out the driveline concept for my dozer project

Theoretically, you could rotate the transaxle 90 degrees to give it a horizontal input shaft, slap a belt or chain on it and drive to a horizontal engine above it or off to the side. Or as JSB mentiond running a drive shaft from in front or behind. Or a flex coupler directly off the engine into the transaxle

A grease filled trans should still get adequate lubrication. and oil filled unit should still lube but oil changes would be a pain,

If you had a reasonable small pulley/sprocket on it there wouldn't even be a ground clearance issue.

Chopperhed wrote:

Actually had an idea similar to this the other day while working out the driveline concept for my dozer project

Theoretically, you could rotate the transaxle 90 degrees to give it a horizontal input shaft, slap a belt or chain on it and drive to a horizontal engine above it or off to the side. Or as JSB mentiond running a drive shaft from in front or behind. Or a flex coupler directly off the engine into the transaxle

A grease filled trans should still get adequate lubrication. and oil filled unit should still lube but oil changes would be a pain,

If you had a reasonable small pulley/sprocket on it there wouldn't even be a ground clearance issue.

I was thinking something similar, but not rotating the transaxle 90 degrees. Instead turn it 90 degrees so that you could still run a vertical shaft motor with it. Then use some old steering shafts as drive shafts. I know the steering shaft from my 98 Cherokee had some nice U joints built in. Then just figure out your axle's to run off a gear on the end of the steering shaft.

There's an outfit that builds little buggy's around a Honda FWD drive train, but they turn it sideways so that one of the CV's drives the rear wheels and the other drives the front wheels.

dagr8tim wrote:

Chopperhed wrote:

Actually had an idea similar to this the other day while working out the driveline concept for my dozer project

Theoretically, you could rotate the transaxle 90 degrees to give it a horizontal input shaft, slap a belt or chain on it and drive to a horizontal engine above it or off to the side. Or as JSB mentiond running a drive shaft from in front or behind. Or a flex coupler directly off the engine into the transaxle

A grease filled trans should still get adequate lubrication. and oil filled unit should still lube but oil changes would be a pain,

If you had a reasonable small pulley/sprocket on it there wouldn't even be a ground clearance issue.

I was thinking something similar, but not rotating the transaxle 90 degrees. Instead turn it 90 degrees so that you could still run a vertical shaft motor with it. Then use some old steering shafts as drive shafts. I know the steering shaft from my 98 Cherokee had some nice U joints built in. Then just figure out your axle's to run off a gear on the end of the steering shaft.

There's an outfit that builds little buggy's around a Honda FWD drive train, but they turn it sideways so that one of the CV's drives the rear wheels and the other drives the front wheels.

I had a sketch of what you are talking about..I think it might be posted to on my FB, but I figured, take a Hydrostatic transaxle and center it, turned where the axles are front and rear, then attach another transaxle FNR to the rear rotated 90% and have shafts connect directly to the input drive.. then a FNR for the front with shortened axles to work around steering..

Oh well, Its a big project, I wouldnt get into anytime soon on my part..

Junkstarbuilds wrote:

I had a sketch of what you are talking about..I think it might be posted to on my FB, but I figured, take a Hydrostatic transaxle and center it, turned where the axles are front and rear, then attach another transaxle FNR to the rear rotated 90% and have shafts connect directly to the input drive.. then a FNR for the front with shortened axles to work around steering..

Oh well, Its a big project, I wouldnt get into anytime soon on my part..

I just got a new partial tractor with these old school heavy gears that are cut at a 45 degree for the steering. I think two of those on a straight shaft for an axle would be great. The only real issue would be you would have to do a small universal at the end of the front axle so that the wheels could still turn. Personally I would use a transaxle that was manual and not hydro so that you could still shift gears. I would also stay away from locking the transaxle.

As it stands with this design, both front would be locked and both rears would be locked. If you left the transaxle open, it would allow the axle's to spin at slightly different speeds so nothing would bind and grenade.

Really for this project, other than a donor, you'd need some HD steering gears (my dynamark has some nice ones), and probably some steering shafts from something with good U joints. If you wanted to get crazy, you could easily use this setup to add some suspension to the front and the rear tires.

The reason for the Hydro is to reduce the need for multiple clutches. since the hydro can be directly belt driven, doesnt need one..

There are so many ways to "skin a cat"

I would like to see some frankenstein built projects! but, If if you were to do it right then there are plenty of products to just use..

Junkstarbuilds wrote:

The reason for the Hydro is to reduce the need for multiple clutches. since the hydro can be directly belt driven, doesnt need one..

There are so many ways to "skin a cat"

I would like to see some frankenstein built projects! but, If if you were to do it right then there are plenty of products to just use..

I just got a new "project" yesterday. I may try to flesh out some of these ideas.

Easiest way to convert to a 4x4 is to use a noma 4 wheel steer trans up front - im fiddling with the notion of hand fabbing a steering setup for a standard trans for a future upgrade on my GT murray. It wont have any suspension.

On my old GT5000 i wanted to use a horizontal shaft motor and a 3 hi/low trans up front - just have to remount the motor sideways in order to run the drive setups - both transmissions would have side input setups.

Ive seen a differential type go kart axle used up front with heavy duty ujoints and chain drive but can break easily.


Only way i could see making a independent 4x4 setup up front is using either atv stuff or hubs and CV joints/axles off a small car .

Soo your pretty much doing a bolens drive terrain. .

dangeroustoys56 wrote:

Easiest way to convert to a 4x4 is to use a noma 4 wheel steer trans up front - im fiddling with the notion of hand fabbing a steering setup for a standard trans for a future upgrade on my GT murray. It wont have any suspension.

On my old GT5000 i wanted to use a horizontal shaft motor and a 3 hi/low trans up front - just have to remount the motor sideways in order to run the drive setups - both transmissions would have side input setups.

Ive seen a differential type go kart axle used up front with heavy duty ujoints and chain drive but can break easily.


Only way i could see making a independent 4x4 setup up front is using either atv stuff or hubs and CV joints/axles off a small car .

I've often thought of getting a steering shaft (part that runs from the steering box to the steering wheel) from say a Jeep or truck that has some U joints and using that to fab up some axle shafts that would flex. 4 Wheel stear sounds like a similar setup.