I need advice on my lifted mower!!!! Please

Ok so I lifted a craftsman mower and I aint sure what the best way to lift up the back is. I have a Tecumseh 5 speed and don't want to get rid of it. So id like to use it for this project. Thanks in advance

I'd do it like this so you could put a 1" axle, or just rig it like in the pic, then you wont have possi

i used the stock tranny on mine, i bought a shaft coupler and a pillow block, and ran a 5/8" shaft up level with the stock belt system

craftsmancole wrote:

I'd do it like this so you could put a 1" axle, or just rig it like in the pic, then you wont have possi

Minus the lift, that is EXACTLY what I was considering for mine! (Complete separate axle. Gear sprockets, and chains.)

I hadn't considered the fact that essentially that would give me a locked rear end, without having to do any welding, etc inside the transaxle, but yer right, that is a BONUS!

The other bonus that I had already thought of, is that it would almost completely eliminate the wear on the transaxle axles! Those axles would only be under enough torsion, to put only as much tension on the chains as needed. Whereas, if the wheels are right on the axles, the axles have to bear much more torsion, plus the weight of the tractor and the driver.

Angchor wrote:

craftsmancole wrote:

I'd do it like this so you could put a 1" axle, or just rig it like in the pic, then you wont have possi

Minus the lift, that is EXACTLY what I was considering for mine! (Complete separate axle. Gear sprockets, and chains.)

I hadn't considered the fact that essentially that would give me a locked rear end, without having to do any welding, etc inside the transaxle, but yer right, that is a BONUS!

The other bonus that I had already thought of, is that it would almost completely eliminate the wear on the transaxle axles! Those axles would only be under enough torsion, to put only as much tension on the chains as needed. Whereas, if the wheels are right on the axles, the axles have to bear much more torsion, plus the weight of the tractor and the driver.

you would still have to weld it for that to be posi

I'd do it like my old lifted mower
12in lift, just dropped the mounting brackets down and extended the pulley shaft up with a pillow block bearing

richie thomas wrote:

you would still have to weld it for that to be posi

Not if the actual back axle is one solid axle. You wouldn't.

Because no matter which axle on the transaxle, was spinning, it would be spinning both back wheels.

If the left axle spins, it spins the entire back axle.
If the right axle spins, it spins the entire back axle.
If both axles spin, it spins the entire back axle.

The result at the wheels is exactly the same as if the transaxle were locked. Without the transaxle being locked.

If the rear wheels are on separate axles, then you are correct.

Angchor wrote:

richie thomas wrote:

you would still have to weld it for that to be posi

Not if the actual back axle is one solid axle. You wouldn't.

Because no matter which axle on the transaxle, was spinning, it would be spinning both back wheels.

If the left axle spins, it spins the entire back axle.
If the right axle spins, it spins the entire back axle.
If both axles spin, it spins the entire back axle.

The result at the wheels is exactly the same as if the transaxle were locked. Without the transaxle being locked.

If the rear wheels are on separate axles, then you are correct.

It probably wouldn't hurt to lock the axle in case you throw a chain, because then you are dead in the water.

richie thomas wrote:

you would still have to weld it for that to be posi

You need a cup of coffee, my man!

With a live axles being driven from both ends of a transaxle, full power is delivered full time to both wheels.

And- just to be clear for those a little less mechanically informed- "Posi" refers to Positraction, GM's trademearked name for a limited slip differential. Limited slip or posi, is very rare on tractors, and not something you achieve by welding anything anywhere.

LSDs work by using preload springs and clutches inside a differential to alter the normal differential action. In normal operation, an LSD acts like a regular old open diff, delivering power to the side with the least resistance, and making cornering effortless. However- when one side loses traction entirely and begins to spin, is where the LSD differs. With more throttle applied, the torque overcomes the preload springs and begins to deliver power to the side that's not moving, getting you moving.

In truth, this community misuses the term "locker", too. A locker (whether manual or automatic) is SELECTABLE, and CAN act like an open diff OR deliver full power to both wheels depending on settings. A locker mechanically couples and uncouples both axleshafts together. Man CUT's, Ag tractors, and industrial tractors have manual lockers.

Lesson over,

Doc Sprocket wrote:

And- just to be clear for those a little less mechanically informed- "Posi" refers to Positraction, GM's trademearked name for a limited slip differential. Limited slip or posi, is very rare on tractors, and not something you achieve by welding anything anywhere.
Lesson over,

my bolens has posi! usually anyway. one of tires will be going, i'll loose traction, and the other will kick in almost instantly. thats how the Argo is at the firehouse too. one side slips, you hear a loud bang and the other side kicks in

Angchor wrote:

craftsmancole wrote:

I'd do it like this so you could put a 1" axle, or just rig it like in the pic, then you wont have possi

The other bonus that I had already thought of, is that it would almost completely eliminate the wear on the transaxle axles! Those axles would only be under enough torsion, to put only as much tension on the chains as needed. Whereas, if the wheels are right on the axles, the axles have to bear much more torsion, plus the weight of the tractor and the driver.

Yes that is what I was thinkin when I first saw this, you could essentially run like 30s without worring about if the 3/4" axle could take it, if it was a Peerless at least  

The General the lifted mower I posted a pic of had 28in mudzillas and was an fnr but was cast iron

ive ran 27x12x12's on a peerless mst-206 for almost a year

redlinemotorsportts wrote:

It probably wouldn't hurt to lock the axle in case you throw a chain, because then you are dead in the water.

Good point. A thrown chain would result in a situation pretty much like having one wheel spinning in the mud, and the other wheel doing nothing.

Doc Sprocket wrote:

And- just to be clear for those a little less mechanically informed- "Posi" refers to Positraction, GM's trademearked name for a limited slip differential. Limited slip or posi, is very rare on tractors, and not something you achieve by welding anything anywhere.
<snip>
Lesson over,

D'oh! I read 'posi', and I thought 'locked'. I need to pay more attention.

craftsmancole wrote:

Angchor wrote:

The other bonus that I had already thought of, is that it would almost completely eliminate the wear on the transaxle axles! Those axles would only be under enough torsion, to put only as much tension on the chains as needed. Whereas, if the wheels are right on the axles, the axles have to bear much more torsion, plus the weight of the tractor and the driver.

Yes that is what I was thinkin when I first saw this, you could essentially run like 30s without worring about if the 3/4" axle could take it, if it was a Peerless at least  

And as I read this again, I realized something else.

You could further reduce the wear and tear on the peerless and it's axles, if you also installed pillow blocks outboard of the chain sprockets, on the peerless axles.

At that point the axles become "gear shafts". No different than any other gear shafts in the trans. Fully supported on both sides of it's 'gears', (sprockets).

It would take some careful work, but it could be done.

And it would still make sense to find bearings that would fit the axles at the far outboard point inside the peerless.


So, to sum it up. To make a pretty bulletproof peerless...
1.) Do the doc locker.
2.) Add bearings at the outboard positions of the axles inside the peerless.
3.) Add chain sprockets to the axles.
4.) Add pillow blocks outboard of the sprockets.
5.) Use the sprockets to drive a separate "live" axle.

Now you have essentially made your peerless into a chain drive transaxle, and eliminated a TON of wear and tear on the peerless. Something in my 'physics intuition' tells me that you'll have better torque where the rubber meets the mud, as well.