Mr. Modified's SUPER SNAPPER [2017 Build-Off Entry]

In previous build off's, I've done some pretty involved builds that required a lot of time and new parts. This year, with some other projects and modifications to do to the simplicity adventure edition before haspin, I have decided to scale back a bit. Introducing....

The Super Snapper, ultimate hill climbing machine. As we can see in the pics, we've got a Snapper rear engine machine, complete, stock, very used....early 1980's? You will notice it has both the electric start and pull start backup, vibration proof handle bar grips, comfortable spring mounted seat, pneumatic tires all around, Plan is to do some things to improve hill climbing ability. I was thinking of leaving the stock engine and drive system intact. As most people know, these have a very very VERY delicate looking friction drive transmission which is barely good enough to use for mowing grass on a flat surface, so we'll see how that goes. If I have to, I will think about hacking a single speed low gear belt drive together. Otherwise, going to leave the running gear stock. So here's a list of stuff to get started with.

-Get engine running
-Governor delete
-carb swap, high tech performance mods?
-Super awesome exhaust system is a must
-Cage engine in case of roll down a steep hill
-Remove deck
-New foot boards
-Handle bar mods and thumb throttle
-New brakes
-Fresh paint, number plates, stickers
-Lock rear?
-Move battery to front somewhere
-Bigger front tires
-Any other mods necessary to make steep hill climbs possible. This will probably mean re-positioning of seat, handle bar height, and extra places to stand (foot boards)

I thought of making a simple track system in the rear for some added grip, but I don't think the stock drive system would like the extra drag, entire build idea is not locked down yet, but we'll see how things go. Obviously it needs to look neat, so there will definitely be some changes. It's just going to be a budget build, almost exclusively scavenged parts this time. Anyone with a hack saw and 110v welder should be able to do it. Also this will be part of my ATLTF.COM 2017 ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN, so atltf.com will probably get plastered on the sides of this thing somehow. Might do some video updates along the way this time too, not 100% sure. Whatever is easy and fun to do...



Look at this machine....blank canvas


I think the "MY KID beat up your honor student" and "lone star steak house" stickers will have to go. I think some cleaning might be good.

I guess you are allowed to enter again.

Good luck

That's going to be a cool little rider!

For whatever reason i still have this couple year old pic of you mowing with it when it was at your camp. what a pile

Hey, the budget TT!

Cutting 6' tall grass with a 3hp mower with friction drive probably doesnt help either lol.

Alright! Thanks for the pic redline! But didn't you mow the rest of that with a push mower? If I remember correctly, think the snapper had carb issues. Anyway, yeah this thing is going to be nice to ride around at my local engine show if nothing else. We'll see how it goes.

Mr.moo, these thing are monsters if you have them set up right. With a solid mounted friction disc (rather that snapper's "Easy start" version) and a heavier clutch spring these can pull just about anything (within reason) with the front wheels standing 4ft in the air. I pretty much have that friction drive setup in both of my snapper lt16s, except mounted sideways with a 2spd gearbox behind it. Also, to speed it up you should be able to add a straight axle with a smaller sprocket (should be a like #50 chain driving the axle). I love Snappers to death, they are my favorite tractors and always have been. They are just friggin cool. Good luck with it, man

Richie, thanks for the info, makes me feel a lot better about keeping the stock drive setup. I'm pretty sure this old one is a solid mounted setup, always used to jump the front wheels off the ground when you let the clutch out. I have a john deere with a hydro I thought I could use if I needed to, but I would much rather use the snapper equipment.

New and old, new snapper has a few added guards and safety features, with some steel items made from plastic


Newer snapper has a locked up engine from gas thinned oil. Might be able to use some parts from it.


The haspin super snapper has electric start, new model cheaped out, going the pull start only route.


John deere might donate some parts. Kohler 15hp ohv and hydro transaxle. Everything works except carb was bleeding in.


John deere had a clutch, but my idea was to just direct drive it to the engine with a belt but no clutch. That is, if I needed to use it at all. I would much rather keep the stock simplicity drive, just to see how much it can handle.

What year is that newer snapper? The JD looks like an LT166, my LT133's big brother

Im looking forward to see what you do with this.

May I request some pictures of this friction drive clutch setup?

Newer snapper might be a 2002, last two digits of the model number is 02. And yes, we'll get some pics of the friction drive. It's fragile looking but sort of an interesting design. I think the whole chain case slides on the axle or something to change speeds. If the drive on the newer one will fit also, I will have some spare parts but we'll see.

Love it! You could make twin Super Snappers Would like to see a tracked rear end, I think that would be really cool!

on mine the chain case slid on a hex tube(which rode on a 3/4" shaft), and the farther the rubber disc is out on the aluminum one the faster it spins. The rubber boots on that tube that keep water and crap off it are a pita to replace btw, so if/when you have it apart i'd recommend replacing them. Also, you could put both of the snapper trans together and drive them both somehow with one engine that would be cool!

Thanks guys. Actually I thought of using the back from both snappers connected somehow, but I think I'll just keep it simple for now. Maybe some time this weekend I will get a chance to start working on this some more. Tomorrow I'll get some detailed pics of the drive setup.

Modified, I got old track lying around you can have, just have to pay for shipping...might be pricey though at 70lbs/track!  Would like to see them put to good use though! Good luck with the build!

Thanks for the offer. I think i'll probably just stick with wheels for now though. I was thinking about putting an extra set of wheels behind the drive wheels and making tracks from chain. We'll see how much time I have to mess with it.

Here we go...Snapper's ultra light weight super performance friction drive system. To the center of the pic you notice the chain case and rubber drive wheel. Visible above is the disk on the engine's crankshaft. Pushing the clutch in moves the rubber wheel away from the disk of course, while moving the shift lever slides the chain case back and forth on the axle, and also the position of the rubber wheel in relation to the disk. Closest to the inside, as shown here, is low gear. All the way near the outside edge of the disk is high gear. I would think a lot of wear would occur to the rubber wheel in 1st because that's where it has to fight against the tightest curve on the disk. Not the greatest system in the world but it is a neat idea. I assume the case on the left has some sort of differential in it, but not sure why it needs to be an oval shape. I didn't look too close at it yet. And of course the belt you can see goes to the mower blade.


A closer view of the rubber wheel. The wheel on the newer snapper looks chewed up even worse than this one, so this isn't so bad. I imagine they don't like water, so I'll be staying away from puddles if possible. Maybe add a splash shield under it.

This one looks like a much older version than what I've seen. The drive disc is supposed to be flat rubber by the way, but they are pretty cheap on ebay (like under $20). I'm not sure what's up with that case, might be another one of the weird things Snapper did. Also, my aluminum drive discs have little pieces in the middle for the rubber drive disc to rest on while in neutral, it's pressed into a bearing which is pressed into the disc. It fell out of one of mine and tore up the disc. Also, they are usually fine just getting splashed on and spinning as fast as they do they dry off quickly. However, they do not operate well at all while underwater. The chain cases are pretty durable too, they can survive being dunked in water if they still have some grease in them. A major problem I had with this system was that oil would leak out of the primary chain box and throw itself onto the aluminum drive disc so it'll slip a lot. so watch out for that

So, in theory with this setup, you could drive it like a hydrostat? Only a more durable and more capable version? A CVT essentially.

You push in the clutch and put it 1st, then let out the clutch, and then you can push the lever to 6th (or whatever it is in this case, 4th speed setting or whatever). It's bad for the trans and discs if you go from 1st to neutral to reverse.

Yeah from neutral to 1st without clutch would be bad I would guess, gotta pick the wheel up before setting it down on the disk, vs just ramming into it. RichieRichOverdrive, your hired as drive line technical advisor for this build...

That's an 8hp Briggs right? If you look at the first two digits of the last set of numbers stamped into the shroud that should give you the year the engine was made so then you have a rough idea of what year the mower was made. I've always thought of putting a peerless trans into a snapper. Friction disk drive may wear quicker once you start climbing hills and putting more load on it.

^^Unless the engine is older than the date they changed their codes to have the date in them. Im not sure how the old codes read.

I'll have to take a look at the numbers again, no idea. Actually I think this one has the 7hp sticker on it, same block pretty much just the older one. We'll see how things hold up, should be interesting anyway. Maybe I could have a spare drive wheel on hand, if it burns up just bolt another one on. Seems like it's out in the open enough where you could just get it off without unbolting a bunch of stuff. I can have 3 or 4 spares at haspin, stop every few minutes to swap them out.