Craftsman build.

So heres what I have to work with, goal for now is to get it running.

It has a 10hp Tec that did run.
Lost the stupid valve seat from the carb, I found one from another carb but it looks like crap. Doubtful it will work, but I gotta try!
If that doesnt work, I may look around at the junk yard for another engine, or atleast for parts. heck, might even come back with another lawnmower.

I do have a MTD with a 16hp Briggs twin to go on it eventually, trying to get it running. Im only getting spark on 1 cylinder. Hopefully an easy fix.

It has a 4speed Foote transaxle, I read somewhere it was a decent unit, this correct?
Also have a 5 speed Foote incase this one dies... unless I use it for another tractor...

Think I could get 15-20mph out of it easy enough?
I was thinking about using the variable speed pulley from the MTD to give a 'hi-lo" or "hi-mid-lo" range setup.



More pics to come later.

Cool that sounds pretty good but if you use the mtd vari drive you have to have everything perfectly lined up or it wouldn't work right. If you would use the mtd vari drive idea I would use the mtd frame with just a different trans-axle.

I wouldnt use the vari drive. Things are junk.

Is that a hill stop I see?

Doug Fackler wrote:

I wouldnt use the vari drive. Things are junk.

Is that a hill stop I see?

Agreed, hated mine.

Whats wrong with them? Aside from making things more complicated...


Figured out part of the problem with the 16hp twin. One cylinder wasnt getting spark because the plug wire was pinched to a point where I assume the wire was severed. The other coil I had didnt work either...

Anybody know of a place where I can get one for a good price? Less than $30 maybe?
I found one on OMB warehouse for $35. If we can do better than that I will be happy.

Or could a slick person cut the wire and fix it?


Ill have to get more pictures at some point... forgot my camera outside... and forgot about it... and it rained...
by the time I remembered it was sitting in a puddle...


{EDIT} Doug, I just pushed it there, its actually rather level. Close to the basement door. Close to the tools.

Alright, so Im looking at this coil wire... thinking Id just cut it open and see what it looked like inside.
Wire looks fine...  Wierd.

Also, possibility (slim) I might be able to get a 18hp briggs... Apparently another guy is going to look at it, if they dont get it I should be getting an email or text.
Guy was asking $75 and it runs, Im thinking Im going to miss out on it. :(Wah...

An 18 for $75? Jeez, I'm jealous! You don't see prices like that 'round here!

Doc Sprocket wrote:

An 18 for $75? Jeez, I'm jealous! You don't see prices like that 'round here!

On facebook some guy was selling a perfectly fine 17 oppy for 50. Really I wish I had friends like that.

Doc Sprocket wrote:

An 18 for $75? Jeez, I'm jealous! You don't see prices like that 'round here!

Atleast not for long, apparently the other guy got it.
Kinda sucks!

Well at any rate...

Heres my thoughts on the bumper for this thing. I want to cut a notch at the ends so I can bend the ends back... make it look like some though was put into it haha.
not sure about the RR spikes... I would like to use some somewhere... I might put that bracket on the top or bottom... I dunno. Ill figure it out.

If you flip the spikes over, they could make good strap hook points for pulling you out of the mud.

I was thinking about sticking some strait out, and bend some into hooks.
I could leave the bracket the way it is, if I hit something some of the spike sticking out would offer some protection for it.

if you have the spikes pointing out if you flip they could end up stabing you.

greener179 wrote:

if you have the spikes pointing out if you flip they could end up stabing you.

which is why i dont run stacks!!! lol alomost had it happen

i would go with bending the spikes so that if you hit a tree you wont well get pinned to the tree :Pbut that bumper will be beefy eather way

I supose I could just tack the spikes on, in the event of a wreck if they hit anything hard they could simply snap off...

At any rate, this project is on hold for the moment.
Need $$$ for parts.
No $$$ for this project.
No $$$ = no parts.
No parts = This sucks.

Though, I supose I should try the carb again on the 10hp...

Going on a fishin trip up north(Yay!) in a few weeks, thats taking priority at the moment.

Is this the fishing trip where you go shooting past my place? Nice! (OT, I know). I've just finalized my fishin' plans for this year, too!

As for the project- I've gotten quite used to putting stuff on hold while awaiting inspiration/parts/money/free time. It's ok- you'll get back to it.

Sure is!
Looking forward to it. Im hoping the fishing in a certain are is as good as it was last year... it was insane. Cast out the lure WHAM! Fish. Cast again WHAM! Fish. Adain WHAM! Fish. Get the lure right by the canoe and see the fish hit, fish hittin off the side of the canoe...
Not real big fish, but they were stinking fun to catch.

Good times...

Well, its about time I made some progress. Little as it may be.
As you can see, I finally got a portion of the bumper together.  I havnt welded anything for over a year, Sadly... soo not the best welds but thats ok for now.

There are 2 little holes that I will enlarge enough to pound a rounded out rr spike through to make so hooks.
I think if I do it right, I could get away with using the friction alone to hole em in place. We will see.

And hopefully more progress soon.

Sweet, I was just thinking about this today!

Daww shucks...  

Ill try to get more done on it this week. Might be able to rob a part for the carb off my buddys broken carb.
If not, Ill just have to buy the part I need.

So I got a new toy today... anybody know what it could be? I saw the sprocket on it and thought maybe I should get it. There was another transaxle there I though about getting... maybe I should have gotten it too...







Well at any rate, If this turns out to be something of use for a build, Im thinking a "racing" build.

That is a vertical to horizontal gear box you can run a stock mower engine to a chain rear axle it is great for lifted tractors

Its a 3 speed Foote. Thanks to Jay Rod for identifying it.

But anywho, here I am, atempting to hook the carb back up on this 10hp Tec engine...
Easy right? Wrong................

{EDITED}
Problem solved... How? Took the engine clean off!  
Have parts ordered for the Briggs. Ill get it running then stuff it in the Craftsman....

Pilfer a few other parts off the MTD and scrap the rest. More room then. Yay.

So, I made progress... and then promptly lost progress. Some of you may know, I got my 16hp briggs oppy running the other day. That was great. Its on a MTD, still has the mowing deck on it... so what do I do? What anybody would do. Take it for a drive, mow some grass. So I mow a little bit..  I came to a point where I couldnt make it because of some junk in the way, but maybe next to it not quite a 45*...almost made it! Yup, front end came up an over.  

Smashed the air cleaner assembly, mangled the flywheel shroud, busted some plastic fins off the flywheel, crunched some of the steering, oil filler tube popped out... I was surprised the carb or manifold didnt get busted... atleast not to my knowledge. So, now a quest to get replacement tinwork.

Sad part is the grass cutter is out of commission as part of the steering is messed up... I was going to mow with the mtd until the other one got fixed. Ohwell...

Some picture of the aftermath...


Fun, fun, fun!