Crazy_Carl's Wheel Horse Mud Rat [2018 Build-Off Entry]

<--------- And don't forget the future Kal-El there to the left.  May be just a frame today.  Same tires look so LARGE on that wheel horse.  Just don't realize sometimes how small those things were but packed quite a punch.

It looks pretty aggressive with those fronts Carl! I dig it. Gonna look absolutely wicked with a slightly stretched front end though, haha.

I like the big tires. They look like they should go over rocks n stumps n logs n stuff rather than make you come to an abrupt halt.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

good one @mrshaft696

Despite what some of you guys think I love these front tires.  I can think of three tractors that have pretty large front tires that look awesome(sears killer, mutt, heavily modified LT4000).  Isn't the idea to get our tractors looking more like an ATV and less like a tractor?  I do have some plans to level out the chassis and get the front axle forward though.  

Don't get me wrong I like the tires, I was just saying the wheel horse has like a narrow tapered front end which makes almost any tires look big....I think those tractors have decent steering too so shouldn't be a problem.

I am slowly pecking at some stuff on this tractor I welded up my engine pulley last night.



The hub for the trans pulley needs to be trimmed down in a lathe and I'm going to move the set screw too before I weld it. I picked up the carriage bolts to mount the seat for real, the front pivot bolt, and some square head set screws to hold my hubs on.

Cool . I really want a wheel horse !! Still haven't seen one here.....

Looks good, jelly about those welds.  I'm working to get better, but need to practice more.  Biggas, I have seen them down here, but they could be missing 3 wheels, motor and hood held on by rust and they still want over 1000 for them.  LOL

Edit: There are actually 2 of them down here for 250 each! C81 and C111.

@biggasmowers Maybe I could deliver this to you on my way to Haspin. We could do a romp while I'm there and get some good footage for our videos.

Come on down! Lol it's a long ways down here but if take ! That's a good price I think compared to the crap on Craigslist down here

Looking good!! Super clean welds.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

@biggasmowers Maybe I could deliver this to you on my way to Haspin.  We could do a romp while I'm there and get some good footage for our videos.

"The Pale Horse"

Your Mud Rat looks great! an Vintage Mudder with a modern Engine like an Rat Rod

SebastianAlbrecht wrote:

Your Mud Rat looks great! an Vintage Mudder with a modern Engine like an Rat Rod

That's right on the money man. A rat rod theme is exactly what I'm going for. Maybe a chrome shift knob would fit that theme too? hint hint

Hey what do you guys think about these coil overs?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-X-12-FRONT-SHOCKS-SET-FOR-YERF-DOG-150CC-GO-KART-BUGGY-MECHANICAL-ADJUSTABLE/291859971207?hash=item43f435bc87:g:1psAAOSwA3dYCVhy&vxp=mtr

They're designed for a lightweight go-kart front suspension.  I know they're not real coil overs.  They're really just springs.  They look like they have about 6" of travel and the springs wouldn't be too heavy for my application.

Hmmmm no. In reality you need some shocks rated for around 350 lbs, the ones on my murray are off of a golf cart and they are slightly too stiff, but that front end is all steel not cast iron !! If you want flex and a durable ride use something bigger.

I wouldn't be able to justify spending that much to begin with, especially on such a low-budget build.  These are practically the same, just with different colors. Going to use them on the Belle.

Nice find @Double W Cross Ranch!  Those are way cheaper, I might just go with those.

Okay @biggasmowers Let's talk some suspension engineering.  Do you think I need shocks rated for 350 lbs each or 700 lbs total?  Here's the deal,  the axle, knuckles, tires, tubes, rims, spindles, and wheel bearings are all unsprung weight and are not supported by the coil overs.  The coil overs take the weight of the front of the tractor.  These are things like the hood, motor, shock towers, link mounts, and floor boards.  The rider's weight is directly over the rear axle.  The rear axle supports the weight of the rider.  Why do you think you break so many transaxles?  It's the part that has a lot of the weight and force applied to it while riding.

I ran an experiment in my workshop.  I put a scale under the very front of my tractor.



The scale read an astonishing 58 lbs. with the motor in it!  I even sat on the tractor and bounced up and down on the tractor and the scale read 80 lbs at the maximum.



This front end is very light now.  I still have to weld on a shock tower, some link bar mounts, and a gas pedal.  A steering system needs to be added too.  I have to bolt on the sheet metal side covers too.  I estimate the 58lb number will increase to 175 lbs max.  Why do I need shocks rated for 350 lbs?  I don't want really stiff shocks that will only compress when I go over a jump.  I want this thing to ride nice and soak up bumps.

I would have to agree that the sprung mass of this rig isn't going to be very high, especially considering the engine isn't gonna be a big heavy cast iron one anymore. For something with only front suspenion, the sprung mass is not very high because the entire weight of the vehicle is not going to be focused on the front, as opposed to a full suspension rig where the whole thing is basically being held up by the coil/coilovers. It would sure suck to build a full custom suspension setup only to have it lock up and have no travel due to the coilovers being too stiff.

@AllisKidD21 Exactly my point man.  What's the point of building a front suspension if it can't even cycle through it's designed travel under normal riding circumstances?

So I picked up my steering knuckles today.  My buddy did a great job and made them out of 4140.  I got them for the price of a bottle of Romana Sambuca (about $37).  I think I'm going to run 1.5" square tube for my front axle that I have laying around.  I finally got my rear rims too.  Hopefully I'll get the tires mounted up soon.






I like how the rims say "OFF ROAD USE ONLY" on them.  It's like they're meant for an all terrain lawn tractor lol.

remeber to if your going to run 2 shock you need to take total weight and divide by 2 and then you have your amount.

@Buck Mault Exactly!  So one shock might have to hold up about 100 lbs max in my situation.

just leave a buffer just in case you run a implement on the front

Implement on the front.  LOL that's funny.  This thing is going to be modified to the point where it won't take an implement lol.  That's what Ol' Red or my C-125 is for.

Huh. I had go cart shocks that I thought about using and they were way to easy to compress.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

Implement on the front.  LOL that's funny.  This thing is going to be modified to the point where it won't take an implement lol.  That's what Ol' Red or my C-125 is for.

lol good point, you guys have too many builds

Buck Mault wrote:

Crazy_Carl wrote:

Implement on the front.  LOL that's funny.  This thing is going to be modified to the point where it won't take an implement lol.  That's what Ol' Red or my C-125 is for.

lol good point, you guys have too many builds

There be no such thing as too many builds!! Hahaha.