Another Fearlessfront Refferal

Hello everyone my name is Shane but I go by my1987toyota here and on Youtube. I have been wrenching on things since I was 5. It drove my parents nuts because I could take things apart but couldn't get them back together again. As I got older I could reassemble things without having spare parts leftover   . As a teen I got my first lawn tractor  a Gravely. It didn't have a mower deck but could pull a small trailer that had lawn equipment in it so I could make some money mowing lawns. I ran it low on oil and burned the engine up. So I got an old craftsman (early 80s I think). That one ran and cut good until I caught a rock under the mowing deck and bent the shaft . That's when I started getting into modifying . When I was done it didn't have fenders but had a joystick steering handle with finger throttle and would do 30 mph. Unfortunitly it blew a rear axle shaft    so I scrapped the tractor. I kind of lost interest in lawn tractors for a while when I got my Toyota truck. I learned alot about modifying and mudding along the way .
Well a few years ago I got another craftsman lawn tractor to mow the lawn at the house . The mower deck finaly rusted out . After some surfing on you tube I found Fearlessfront's channel and he talked about this site. So I decided to relive some of the fun I had years past .
So a little info about the (rig) it's a late 80s to early 90s Craftsman 2 originaly it had a 12hp OHV Tecumseh. The preveous owner switched it out to a 12hp Briggs from a Snapper . It has both pull and electric start. The trans is a peerless 920 6 speed .
What is going to be done:
pulley swap 9" engine and stock rear (almost 9").
redoing the clutch.
switching all steering joints to heims.
switching it to side shift.
locked rear axle
installing a brake pedal
installing a foot gas pedal
removing the governor
I will be posting more in the builds section and video of the build on youtube . A special thanks to Fearlessfront for inspiring me to get back into lawntractors.

Welcome, im subbing you on YT

thanks for the reply. hope you enjoy.

Your story sounds similar to mine. I was inspired to modify a mower, because I used to spend countless hours on the internet and pissing my life away. Sometimes 6-12 hrs a day in the summer. One day I came across Fearlessfront and I was in love, I had always wanted to go mudding but my dad is a snowmobile guy; and he would never buy an atv. I came to terms with the fact that a truck was way out of my financial reach, so why not a mower? Well I was heartbroken when I found out a mower in running condition, in a rural area that I live in would cost way too much (around $500-$900). One day my Uncle called me up and told me that he had a old craftsman if I wanted it. I was ecstatic, of course I wanted it, so I took it off his hands. When I first got the thing it had sat for a long time, proabably to the tune of 10 years. I was lost, I had no Idea what I was working on, I had no idea what the engine was, I didn't know what a crankshaft was. I didn't know how many volts a battery held. Unfortunately It was winter, and I had to store the tractor in the woods and stop working on it. I was spending my days on the internet researching tractors, and engines, and atv tires, and welders. I can't say I learned about the ATLTF from fearless, but from from 1puglife, check him out on YouTube. When spring came the first thing I did, on the first day the snow had finally melted I pushed the tractor down the hill in the woods and worked on it, armed with a minimal amount of tools and a plethora of new tractor knowledge. I re-installed the carburetor and jumped the starter off my brothers Subaru. It fired right up, but ran like shart. I had bought a carb kit and then it ran better. That is pretty much where we are today, even though my tractor isn't the ideal offroader (weighing a few hundred pounds) I am working with what I got. Welcome to the club brother, great to see lots of people are interested in the same wacky hobby I am!

TokyoDrift99 wrote:

I am working with what I got.

THAT is the name of the game!

Doc Sprocket wrote:

TokyoDrift99 wrote:

I am working with what I got.  

THAT is the name of the game!

Damn right it is Doc! You just made my day!

thanks for the reply . We all have to learn somewhere and sometimes just messing around with things is the best way to learn what to and not to do.
Some things I have learned over the years is don't go the cheapest route on anything . Make sure the parts are of good quality. A good used part is better then a cheap new part. If you have to spend a few dollars more for something that is serviceable do it. Don't buy into the flashy chrome or billet stuff . Most of it is overpriced . Also a welder is a must again don't go the cheap route . A good used Hobart, Lincoln, or Miller will serv you better than a new cheapy. Lastly do what you enjoy.  

here is some video of the tractor