MTD off-road romper build.

More stuff! All steering components. Decided i was going to mount a steering "box" on the axle, so this is what i got. Ariens auger box, 10:1 ratio, witch is pretty much perfect. Remember, full pitman arm motion is only about 50-60 degrees, so that about 3-3.5 turns of the shaft to move the pitman arm that much. U joints and keyed slider shaft from a 90's ford.



This is how its gunna mount to the axle, (center) U-joints to the 3/4" shaft and pitman arm on the 1 shaft.


Gearbox is oil filled, and 3/4" imput shaft and 1" output.

Nice!!! No more stripped teeth!!!!

LAWN MOWER MUDDER wrote:

Looks good Red! That steering should be bulletproof when finished!  Are you thinking about doing two tie rods to the spindles?  Sort of like gokart steering, but with a box instead of direct steering?

Might as well draw up. Not to scale, and the pitman arm will be more straight, just popping it out there so you can see it, i plan on the push rod to be more in a straight line too.

Love the g-box redline its perfect. How you going to route the steering shaft around the engine?

LAWN MOWER MUDDER wrote:

rarbaugh07 wrote:

Love the g-box redline its perfect. How you going to route the steering shaft around the engine?

Probably down through the frame and along the bottom of the chassis.

What Lmm said, it will drop thru the frame where the original colum is right now. I'll have to move the mono link point where it mounts to the frame behind the joint.

Thunderdivine wrote:

Nice, now send me that junkyard

Lol, mine!

Racing mower parts!!! Lol... Or scrap

So i did a few things. Tore the leafs and mounts off the frame.



Mounting bars are off also.



Mocked up front axle. beam is about 2" wider and the center disk of the rims stick out more too, but the 10" rims i have have a great offset to them that i will use to my advantage.


The ride height in the front will be taller due to needing up and down travel and also the beam is placed higher on the spindles. I thought about moving the beam down the spindle "tubes" but its already welded perfect, and the steering box needs something to mount to up high.

Stock:


New:


Now the offical ride height. my friend is getting me 23" swamp foxes for 10"x7" rims i got. So that should take up the rear fender space. Wheel base about 2" longer, 2" of liftin the rear, and roughly 3" lift in the front. Trying to stance out the rear to match the front without putting a ton of stress on the 820.



Rear tires about 3" wider then original position.


Measured out where the 21" will be up front on the axle. Looks like a lot of motion, more then i expected, good.



I know it isnt much to look at, but bare with me, a few magic tricks with the welder should get it to the new state.

Looks like a super tough stance. Excited to see your suspension setup.

rarbaugh07 wrote:

Looks like a super tough stance. Excited to see your suspension setup.

Thanks, it seems pretty tall, but it's only lifted a little. Oh well, should mount bigger rocks.

Ya but your center of gravity is still low and having good shocks to keep you from bouncing you over in a tipsy situation.

What do you think you'll get for flex?....

jamcco wrote:

What do you think you'll get for flex?....

Im thinking as much as i want, but i dont want to much. if i have like 45 degrees of front axle flex that means the rear end can tilt 45 degrees and the front stay flat.... AKA, the thing tips over. It will have limit straps.

redlinemotorsportts wrote:

jamcco wrote:

What do you think you'll get for flex?....

Im thinking as much as i want, but i dont want to much. if i have like 45 degrees of front axle flex that means the rear end can tilt 45 degrees and the front stay flat.... AKA, the thing tips over. It will have limit straps.

I'm glad you recognize that. Many people get nutty over front axle articulation ("flex"), and completely lose sight of this. Function over form, folks!

Doc Sprocket wrote:

redlinemotorsportts wrote:

jamcco wrote:

What do you think you'll get for flex?....

Im thinking as much as i want, but i dont want to much. if i have like 45 degrees of front axle flex that means the rear end can tilt 45 degrees and the front stay flat.... AKA, the thing tips over. It will have limit straps.

I'm glad you recognize that. Many people get nutty over front axle articulation ("flex"), and completely lose sight of this. Function over form, folks!

Thanks, All i want a is a better approach angle, little more flex, a super solid setup, and no steering lag.

At school i used the ol metal lathe and turned some 1" to 7/8" to make misalignment spacers. The mono link ball joint is a 3 point hitch deal with a 7/8" hole.


Misalignment spacers are suppose to covert a big hole to a smaller bolt hole and add more flex ability angles. Call me crazy, biut i looked at mine today and that looks like a good amount of axle flex. so i think all i need to do is drill a hole through the hole thing for a bolt, and i dont have to notch anything for more degrees. I dont know what degree it is now, but if that was my axle, that looks like a really good amount.

[/quote] that looks cool!

An interesting side effect to the worm gear steering, is you will have ZERO feedback thru the steering wheel. Good for hitting obstacles and NOT breaking thumbs...

Doc Sprocket wrote:

redlinemotorsportts wrote:

jamcco wrote:

What do you think you'll get for flex?....

Im thinking as much as i want, but i dont want to much. if i have like 45 degrees of front axle flex that means the rear end can tilt 45 degrees and the front stay flat.... AKA, the thing tips over. It will have limit straps.

I'm glad you recognize that. Many people get nutty over front axle articulation ("flex"), and completely lose sight of this. Function over form, folks!

Nice, Articulation is nice to have, but too much of it is just a waste when it comes to being a practical machine...Looking forward to seeing this done.

Started on some fab work. Used some 1x1 and 1/4" plate to cut out the mono link frame and then weld it to the mtd's frame.




Dem weldz




Also drill pressed my mono link spacer, i need a drill press after i used this one at school!

Is that going to hold the entire axle?

Carshowkid wrote:

Is that going to hold the entire axle?

Yep. No problem.

Sweet welds, Red!

#WeldPorn. youre doing great with that handler 140. too bad MTD will still be jenk.

What welder did you use for that thick metal? Looks good. - and show us a plan of this secret suspension thingy, kinda looks like what i would build if i had the room for a mudder.