[Complete] MrShaft696 Stretched CraftsmanPlicity [2018 Build-Off Entry]

finally got the frame & subframe all stitched & bolted up.... gonna try and get my rear wheels built today so I can roll the thing around & hopefully test drive & make some decisions about pulleys etc.

You going with a single belt or try to do multibelt? If single, that will be a lot of belt to sag. Maybe a lot of belt keepers.

Yeah two belts with a jackshaft or double idler connecting them in the middle seems like the way to go.

got one of my rims done... hopefully by end of week have a roller....

MightyRaze wrote:

You going with a single belt or try to do multibelt?  If single, that will be a lot of belt to sag.  Maybe a lot of belt keepers.  

I bought a super huge one... i am planning on running two extra idler pulleys and seeing how it goes....

Sweet! How you gonna do the shifter linkage?

Double W Cross Ranch wrote:

Sweet! How you gonna do the shifter linkage?

I am not 100% but I am pretty sure I am just going to weld a tab where the current shifter is and use another one further up, which will have some kind of push pull action. I might put the shifter under the seat or somewhere else that doesn't hang outa mile like the stock..

Yeah I had a problem with belt sag and belt flapping on my Westwood, solved it by putting an idler along the belt, which keeps the belt tensioned in the middle. How are you modding the rims?

I just watched @Camdg2010youtube videos on his homemade gators almost identical to this using craftsman frames.  He used a FF idea and used the deck height lever for a slap shifter.  The linkage looked really simple to fabricate.

MatthewD wrote:

Yeah I had a problem with belt sag and belt flapping on my Westwood, solved it by putting an idler along the belt, which keeps the belt tensioned in the middle. How are you modding the rims?

I just did the ol' cut the center out of a 8" rim and weld it inside the 12" rim.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

I just watched @Camdg2010youtube videos on his homemade gators almost identical to this using craftsman frames.  He used a FF idea and used the deck height lever for a slap shifter.  The linkage looked really simple to fabricate.

Ill have to check that out, I have a hydro axle so I think it will be easier... I did rip out my deck lever so I could move all the wiring under the gas tank.. The kohler engines have more wires/relays and such... I still want to use the factory ignition switch with it, and I will have the battery under the seat or something.

weird my kohler only has a kill wire, charge wire, and ground.  Pretty simple my rectifier is mounted on the motor and I cut the needle off the evil soleniod valve on the carburetor.

well good news. i figured it out! and it runs like brand new!. gotta adjust the tracking again. hopefully tomarrow i can post a video of it driving

oooOOO no did some work on the wiring, and mounted the rear tires!! front tires are just rollers for now... Got to do some more frame stiffening has a bit of flex to it, but i need some tube on it anyway to mount the seat etc.....

anyway as you can see I got some 12" rims from a scotts tractor and just mounted up the 25's!

Looks good on four wheels, can't wait to see it with the bed on.

So you found 12" rims for 3/4" keyed shaft after all? nice.

Do you have any design ideas for the bed?

Crazy_Carl wrote:

So you found 12" rims for 3/4" keyed shaft after all? nice.

Do you have any design ideas for the bed?

yeah they are from a scotts mower... anyway the bed i have is a trailer, so I am just going to use a pillow block so that I can tilt it back. It is going to be manual lift, no fancy stuff....

Yeah I would put the pivot point about where that axle is to make it easy to dump manually with a full load.

Looks good, what welder are you using? looks like flux core.

muckmudd wrote:

Looks good, what welder are you using? looks like flux core.

yeah i am the flux splatter master...

Did some work on the wiring and hood this weekend, getting done what I can before I need to go buy some tube... I have a simplicity shroud which I will have to blend into the craftsman, probably use some fiberglass and bondo to make it look right....

I like the simplicity hood.

Are you going to raise the seat up or make it a lowrider?

Crazy_Carl wrote:

I like the simplicity hood.

Are you going to raise the seat up or make it a lowrider?

Haha I have a donor simplicity I want to pull the running boards off & the seat mount.. then decide how much tube I am going to need to mount the bed. So its just sitting there for now, I want to put a removable seat in the bed so that two people can ride around the property in it.

Nice, I would move the seat up some, but have no fenders under them because on other rigs where people did that, it looks quite odd.  I like the bench seat idea.
I'd do a winch lift on the bed, like this guy.

What if you put the seat at the stock distance from the dash, and where the fenders would normally go put some big ammo cans on either side, almost like saddle bags

mrshaft696 wrote:

muckmudd wrote:

Looks good, what welder are you using? looks like flux core.

yeah i am the flux splatter master...

Muahahaha, me too.