Craftsman GT3000 "MUTT" Part I

Looks good be nice once you weld it up. Any reason your pics are getting smaller?

I have no idea why they do that, but it sure is annoying.

The MUTT is looking better every day. You and Allis are doing cool things with your machines. Keep it up, some of your ideas are very intersting and cool!

Thanks mighty!

Junky welds on the clutch linkage.


Junky welds ground down.


Steering linkages and clutch linkage mounted. Turns out they had matte black in the dollar can, so I got it instead of gloss black.


Steering linkages in

Clutch linkage in, works great!


Added a piece of this foam under the battery to keep the paint on it for a bit linger at least.


I might've figured out my picture problem. First 3 pics are from my gopro clone, transferred directly to servimg from the SD card. Last 3 were taken with my phone, sent to a messenger group(with everyone removed but me), then downloaded from it to my laptop. First one I downloaded today came out to normal size. The rest of the ones ended up smaller. Same problem with my other posts. Stupid facebook... Guess I'll start transferring photos to my laptop to my phone via USB.

Looks nice Rich. Always feels good to finally get paint on stuff so it stops rusting, hahaha

It is pretty great lol. Only thing I really gotta paint now is the front axle. The thing I've needed to paint for over a year. The first thing I ever needed to paint on it...lol. I might paint the center beam now, but I'll save the knuckles for til after I weld the new spindles on.

Oh, that reminds me. I bought some new Grade 8 3/4" bolts for front spindles while I was in town Sunday morning. These are a bit longer than the ones I have it now, should make it easier to adapt the rims to it.

Oh, and that reminds me of something else. I figured out these rims are either stainless or aluminium, probably the latter. They're a bit heavy for aluminum though, and a few grades of stainless aren't magnetic. Dad has some stainless MIG wire but I don't think it's worth trying to weld. I might have an idea for hubs from those 6" rims too, I hope it works.

Edit: Hey, 700 posts!

700! You'll catch Allis and I in no time!

Those linkages look great! After a few romps you wouldn't know if they were flat black or not.

mightyraze wrote:

700! You'll catch Allis and I in no time!  

Those linkages look great!  After a few romps you wouldn't know if they were flat black or not.

I just wanna get on the top posters list lol. That's the nice thing about mud, it's the great equalizer when it comes to paint

(Updated)List of things I need to paint:
-Front axle
-Pulleys, just the trans and engine now
-Touch up bumper
-Hitch I built

Started on my hubs. Cut the back side off the rims so they would clear the knuckle.


\

I'll weld bolts to the outer edge of the rims so I can bolt the rims to them. Gonna be a bit of a pain to get them centered but oh well. Can kinda see how the outer edge of the rim lines up with the bolt holes. I'm gonna cut the little lip off the edge of the rim to save some spacing.




Can kinda see what the spacing will be. They'll be in a bit more and the front axle will be lower. Rear wheels will be moved out an inch or two when i do the doc locker and axle supports. Overall shouldnt turn out too bad


'poligies for any broken necks from looking at that pic^^

Should work pretty good! Decide if you're gonna use fine thread bolts? Might be a good idea for wheel studs.

I definitely will if I have any 5/16" or 3/8" ones with nylock nuts, lol

It’s looking good rich !

Nice build , the front end looks super beefy! If your going to doc lock your tranny , how much wider are you planning on going from stock ? i had a doc locker 2.0 and bent the axles on each end because i had the tires 3 inches past stock width and i also broke the keyway so if i do it again iam going toweld it . not sure how i am going to fix the bent shaft cause i dont want to buy another 30 dollar axle

Maybe like 3 inches over stock. Just wanna fit a pillow block axle support between the trans and wheel. I'd recommend just getting another shaft, i doubt you have a press, lathe, and dial indicator to get yours perfectly straight again.

yeah but i dont know if i am going to use doc again style for 3/4 axles , but if i get a 820 then i will go doc style

Doc is the strongest way to go. If you space your wheels out that far again, make some axle supports out of pillow block bearings and some scrap steel.

i haven't bent stock axles...yet

biggasmowers wrote:

i haven't bent stock axles...yet

Stock axles usually shear before they bend. They dont have enough leverage on them to bend.

It took a LOT of work to get this one tire off the bead. Had to resort to the post vise in a normal vise, lol. I had to give her a little grease to get it to pop back on the bead, and when it did finally go on it was LOUD.


Cut the lips off of both rims and sorta trued em up in the drill press. I reeeeeaaalllyyy need a lathe.


Carbide tooling in vise grips lmao. Worked suprisingly well though


It actually wasn't too bad getting these bolts welded on straight. Not too much wobble in the hubs, nothing the tires can't make up for. Had to file the lug holes to get them to go on easier, it's hard to stop things from twisting as you tack them.


Threw em on the old spindles to see what they look like, pretty sweet, although then I end up with about 4* of backwards lean.


Spaced out kinda far. I'm ok with that though, it helps with stability(rally cars actually have a wider track in the front to help with stability). Can make up for some of this when I doc lock the 820 and put in axle supports.


This is the last pic I took last night lol. At this point I have both new spindles welded on where they need to be, just forgot to take pics. New spindles have a degree or two of positive camber.


So as of now it looks like I'm going to have to move my bumper forward and trim the ends, I'm fine with that. I might have to mod the fronts of the running boards though. Really no big deal though lol.


and yeah yeah yeah the pics are different sizes, I was too lazy to transfer em to my laptop the right way.

Looks pretty sweet Rich! Gotta see some pictures with the hood on though.

looks great! how did you make the spindles?, specifically how the axle and spindle are connected and how you made the axle connect to the sleeve and what you used for a sleeve.

Good job Purnurple.

TheBeal wrote:

Good job Purnurple.

Who are you to talk buddyboi?

Good question... these several of us now.

bunch o purple people eaters...

They taste like ham, but with less fat

Nice job now it's my turn to attempt at making hubs. Btw I'm posting from topic'it I hope it works my first post on it.