John deere SLX 38

So i figured i needed a build thread on this piece of junk. not sure if i should say its an off roader or a rat rod, because it has like 5 different types of lawn mower parts on it from different brands. But any was it started out as a 1996 john deer/ AYP:?:  lawn mower, with a 38in deck. It had a 13hp kaholer, and i guess the hood cracked over time. I got it for free over a year ago i did have it running but hatted the dash in it. So now the dash is gone in it and so it the 13hp and now as a stacked 11hp briggs on it, WIth a 14hp carb on it. I'm running a 6in engine pulley and a 3.5 rear transaxel pulley which it is a 5 speed spicer. What i wanna do to it is get some better tires, lock the transaxel, fix the wiring, and make it look better.
here is how it looks now




may run them tires but they are very bald and very tall




I made that because i can't have a gas pedal on the right side because of the clutch, plus i don't like them because you have to ride with shoes on





gas tank off a LT1000 and so are the rear tires, the steel i used was found at tractor supply in the dumpster





I do pull start it





wanna use that but its to small




If your like me i had ropes breaking even used paracord and it didn't last, so i found an old outboard motors pull rope




I'm running this for the choke it works great

I just noticed that you've been here for a very long time lol. ive also seen the mower on facebook. cool rig.

If I'm looking at things right- you're using the factory dash lever for the throttle, and a hand lever on the steering wheel for the choke. Why not switch them? Might be a little more user-friendly.

With your gas tank up there, I guess you have no plans to fit a hood?

The one throttle os off a murray i'm using, the stock one was cheap and plastic. I did have the throttle like that but didn't really like it and couldn't get used to it. Then my battery went bad and i had to give it the gas to get it started, So I put the one throttle on it and the choke. Now with this different carb on it i could do that, which i may in the future but not really used to a gas peddle on a lawn mower, plus When you did sharp turns you would have to let it go all the way to idle but i may do that soon. Now on the hood I'm planning on making a rack across the engine so it will be kinda a hood. I may even make it lift up. I also plan on making a dash or something to make the throttle i have on it now look better.

I got a new belt from tractor supply, a 84in because there was no 83. I put it on in the rain, and its way to loose. So i go back get some bolts and make some tensioners for it. The way this frame is set up i can only run 1 of them though( i wanted to use 2) and the clutch is such a cheap set up i may make a new one. But i did take it for a romp today and it doesn't go as fast because the belt slips but it still flies. The motor stalled out in the end idk why it was in my yard so i left it there. I think i'm gonna go to another tractor supply and see if they have a 83in belt. or i may try to make this 84 work.

not to stop your fun but the forum rules say "Bonnet's or hood's should be retained to keep 'tractor' appearance, as well as helping protect the engine should the machine roll over", so are you gonna get a hood made or buy one?

Ariens YT11 wrote:

not to stop your fun but the forum rules say "Bonnet's or hood's should be retained to keep 'tractor' appearance, as well as helping protect the engine should the machine roll over", so are you gonna get a hood made or buy one?

there are plenty of mowers with out them, my gas tank i made will protect the engine if i roll it, but i do plan on making a rack go over the engine for storage if i keep this mower going, I may just let it go. But i really don't know what is gonna happen with this machine, once i get the stuff for my RER murray, and my other murray build. What do yall think i should do?