tater's Ford XXLT18 [2018 Build-Off Entry]

This build will be made mostly from left over parts from several LTs and ZTRs. The frame is from a late 80's MTD with a Ford YT16 hood. It will be driven by 4 independent eaton 77 hydros from 2 simplicity ZT17/42 and operate like a mini skid steer, but have articulating axles for trails to maintain stability. The XXLT in the name came from my shirt size.

As far as work needed to be done... pretty much everything.








-Approved by Doug, 2/1/2018

Sounds like a fun project! We'll be looking for those images you mentioned. Good Luck!

LOL!!!  That sounds insane!  Wanted to do something like this, but I was gonna just weld the steering straight and then put drum brakes on each axle.  Push in one and you turn that way.  This sounds so much better than that, though.  Good luck dude!

I remembered after I started typing that I cant link pics at work. I cant see alot of the pics on other posts either. It sucks. I figured it would be easier to add pics later than retype it. This shouldn't be as big of a challenge as the last build but just as WTF. I got bored with doing the same old thing on these about 10 years ago and wont even waste my time on a simple pulley and tire swap anymore

Yeah just swapping pulleys and tires gets pretty boring after a couple of times,....

Good luck! i cant wait to see this thing in a running state to see how the skid steer idea works out.

Edited to include required pics

That's gonna be amazing dude! Can't wait till you finish it!

Been noodeling around on the weight distribution. To get the axles weighted right so it turns good might make it a little flippy when going up big hills. I will probably split the difference so it works good in both applications. I also plan to make a johnny bucket thing for the front, so that needs to figured in too.

Aint getting too much done on the build today. Too much multitasking. had network problems with security cams, trying to smoke some pork butts on the stick burner, rebuilt the carb on chainsaw to cut wood for the stickburner, cut maple logs for shiitake plugs while the chainsaw was running, restart fire in stick burner that went out while I was cutting maple logs, check FB and 3 other websites while taking a break, moved MTD frame to work on suspension, drop frame on tire gauge, order new tire gauge, check on other amazon shipments. 3 hours in the shop and I am pretty much were I started except the frame is upside down.

More progress than I made today at the least lol. I only just prepped the snowblower for winter.

You dont want to be too early on stuff like that. I took the mower deck off of the Mahindra 2 years in a row to get ready to plow snow, aint done it yet.

Im worried I may have screwed myself. It sat without a tire on it since November, and the most snow we got was 3". Now that its fixed Snowmageddon will be here before I know it.

Nah, that only happens when you are not ready

I have flipped that dern frame over a half a dozen times already. It weighs more than the engine does and 4 times harder to handle. I still aint done stripping it yet. ready to hang it up like a deer.

Got the frame stripped and the axle mounts fingered out. Gonna have to do a 6" lift to get tire/ frame clearance on full flex. Front axle placement will be impressive, it should climb a chain link fence. Looking for test pilots. PM your resume.

I had mine nose up in the air to clean both sides. Don't mess your back up with awkward weight!

Yeah that is the big hang up on the build. I am trying to limit the lifting and bending over part. I can sneak in a few hours every few weeks. still looking for a way to keep from lifting the heavy sh*t. might have to do an electric hoist.

I would be lost without my chainfall and motorcycle lift.

If you have a good amount of floor space to work with I would invest in a cherry picker. I used my Dad's when I lived back home when I was stripping apart my Dynamark. It made working on the underside a lot easier. The guy that I bought the Kohler from for Mud Rat had a 12v traveler winch from TSC mounted up on a beam in his shop.

I have a cherry picker in the shed. Too much of a hassle to get it in the shop and it always seems like it is in the way. The problems seems to be more from bending over than carrying heavy stuff. I didnt lift hardly anything this weekend and still got the pain from the bulging disc at L5 and I dont know what is going on up around T4. Feels like a rib is out.

Ah health problems, really get In the way of a good time don't them?

This thing is gonna be cool! What are you thinking for wheel base?

It will be close to stock wheelbase with the exception of big front tires

I think you need bigger tires tater

I SECOND!!!