Chris's **Tracta-Cooler** [2017 Build-Off Entry] [Finalist]

Update!

Man its huge! Pretty awesome.

Is that an MTD steering wheel? Hahaha, she looks great man! The shifter cable setup and stuff looks really professional. Love the Coors handle as well haha

Looks good! What is the rack and pinion off of? Sorry if you have already said.

AllisKidD21 wrote:

Is that an MTD steering wheel? Hahaha, she looks great man! The shifter cable setup and stuff looks really professional. Love the Coors handle as well haha

Lol yes it is an MTD steering wheel. Glad you noticed the shifter handle, I thought it would be a nice touch.

mightyraze wrote:

Looks good!  What is the rack and pinion off of?  Sorry if you have already said.

It is an EZGO golf cart rack and pinion.

At this point with the build, I could almost submit a final video with all the working parts needed to compete. But of course this build it far from being complete. I doubt I will have the final product done by the time line. How ever I will enter what is done at that point. Here really soon I will start making the body panels. I have an idea of what I am going to do with the rear tins. But at this point I have no clue what I am going to do with the front tins. As you all know this is my first ever build and I have never messed with sheet metal. So I guess next for that is to figure out what material I am going to use and what gauge of sheet metal to get that I can bend somewhat easily with the limited tools I have, and not be so thin it dents to the touch. I am kinda thinking of using 18ga or 20ga. Does anyone have any input on that to help a feller out?

20 would probably work. Just be a pain to weld.

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Ok guys I am do for a update on the cooler build. I have been trying to get as much time in as possible lately to get closer to being done with her for the contest deadline. As I look at the deadline approaching fast, I have came to the conclusion the build will not be complete by that time. I will however do my best to have it running in eligible condition to enter in the voting portion of the contest. Tonight my welder took a crap on me and looks like I am going to have to pick up a new one. For now I am just going to replace it with another HF CE 90amp flux, how ever later down the road I will invest in a better welder.

First up I have redone the chain guide/tensioner's again for the 5th or 6th time. This time I believe I have it correct. As you guys have probably seen it on my FB page being test driven the last one worked. The issue I noticed with the double wheel setup is under load it would pull down on the whole assembly pulling it out of line.

So what I was create a cross member to run all the way across on each side of the swing arm. For the double wheel setup, I welded on two bolts to the assembly for the wheels sticking up. They then run up through the cross-member. The reason I did this is so I can adjust the tension on the chain by loosening the bolts or tightening them. Please see pic's for reference.
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Second up I have started fabricating the hood for the engine. I was at the metal shop and bought a 4x8x1/8 steel sheet of diamond plate that was "scrap" for $50. I had a general idea for the design I wanted for the rear engine cover. So after cutting out some pieces with my angle grinder with probably 100 cut off wheels I had the panels I wanted. I tried trimming them up to be straighter with the new band saw I picked up. and then also with the grinder. Of course my skill level is beginner on all this they are not 100% straight cuts. Once the panels where cut I started mocking them up on the Tracta-Cooler. You will notice on each side of the side panels I cut a triangle out. I've watched Doc Sprockets video on Fugazi having to cut an angle into the hood to get it to hinge the way he wanted. My shock mounts are right in that spot. So I just cut the line from the front corner of my cut out for the shock to the back side. The cover is going to hinge up towards the cooler. So now it should hinge just fine. My plans for the smaller sections will be to screw them onto the frame. The reason I am going to do that is so If I need full access to the engine I can take the whole cover off and those side pieces.
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After having it mocked up and starting to weld the panels together, this engine cover weighed a ton! I started trying to come up with a way to shed some weight out of it. Keeping in mind that the engine is air cooled I wanted to come up with a way to cut some sections out for air flow and make it look good. I was sitting in my chair looking around for ideas and I noticed this just sitting their looking lonely.The hood off the decommissioned #TPPD tractor!
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So I started hacking it up for the louvers to get air into the engine cover with a little style.
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Once I cut it up into the pieces I needed, I cut out spots in the engine cover to size. I grinded down some of the diamond pattern for the pieces to sit flush on panels.
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Here are some sneak preview pic's of my idea for these.
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Here are the most recent pictures from tonight after my welder crapped out on me. I'm not finished welding the last panel on to it as you will see in the pictures. But I hope to be able to get a new welder this week to finish this up and call this portion complete.
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What are your guys thought on the engine cover so far? Good design idea or no?

Looks good, that box going to be heavy for the hinge you have planned?

Here's my current update to this beast of a build 11-5-17

I have been working on getting some more metal on this thing to make it look like something.


In these pic's you will see that I have welded triangles to hold the cooler in place. When I put the cooler into its "saddle" it so snug that I actually have to use a pry-bar to pop the cooler out.











I added in some side supports for the dash and side panels I will have.





Now I have started moving to the front of the cooler to make the dash. I decided to do it in two panels. Figured it might make it easier to access stuff if need be.






I was even able to get a little paint on her so you guys have an idea of what she will look like. The paint will not be 100% done,  but I figured it will help out to have some on her when I submit my video.





Grrrrr ran out of the rattle can



As you can tell with all the holes in the dash I have a ton of wiring to do....

The electrical was much easier than I thought it would end up being.






Here some more of the body work completed.






After getting the wiring done I had to take her for a little test ride.




I know the body work isn't going to be complete by the deadline so I wanted to give her a little more "pop". I started working on the bumpers for her or as Sean Meyer calls it "The protestor Pusher". Ended up having to extend the frame in the front another 14"s !!!

She's shaping up really nicely! I wonder what you'll ever get to use that bumper on lol. Maybe some lifted atvs? Lol

RichieRichOverdrive wrote:

She's shaping up really nicely! I wonder what you'll ever get to use that bumper on lol. Maybe some lifted atvs? Lol

Goona be used for pushing hippy's out of the way, ( the protester pusher)  LOL.

Here she is in all her glory! Please vote for the Tracta-Cooler!

Admins this build is complete for the build contest.

Dangit I just realized I forgot to add more build footage I shot. I was up until 2am editing video and trying to shorten the time on it.

Never have too many videos!

She looks great! Can't wait to see this thing on the trails. Good luck in the polls!