Mud-Murray Offroad Mower

I looked at Ebay for 8" ball bearing front rims.....

with shipping to me..

220$ !!!



I needed another solution!

So I saw the Vid of RCG modding Snowblower rims to fit his mower with ball bearings in them

I had the FNR Rims lying around off my buds POS Rat Rod Mower things

and I have 10 Axle bearings...

that sounds like: HOMEMADE FRONT RIMS! YEP!

I chopped off the hub





and I found some steel pipe that fitted the outside diameter of the bearings.

I cut off some slices and put them in my metal lathe to get them perfectly flat at the ends and at the right length.



and I hate throwing something away, even if it's junk, it could be helpful someday. So it was with the Axles off the blown FNR.

I put the axle in the part what's left of the hub, a axle bearing on the shaft, slide the pipe over it. Centered!



I used the outside of the rims as the new inside, cuz otherwis I would get into trouble with my front axle, and the rims would hit the axle.



this is the old inside, now the new Outside

and I machined the longer bearing guides for the inside



I welded on the other side too



now I just need to take the rims to the company my dad works for, and ask them if tey could drill me the center out to 20mm.



I really like the new rims, and they cost me nothing then the bearings. And hopefully the drilling job will be free too.

Nice mod to the rims. Better than running them metal to metal on the spindles. I might have to steal that idea  Why do you need the rims drilled out to 20mm? On most mowers the spindles are 3/4", which is 19.05mm.

MatthewD wrote:

Nice mod to the rims. Better than running them metal to metal on the spindles. I might have to steal that idea  Why do you need the rims drilled out to 20mm? On most mowers the spindles are 3/4", which is 19.05mm.

Cuz I want to have some clearance between the spindle and the rim, so if I welded the pipe a tiny bit offcentered on, I have still some clearance for the rim to move, so it still spins freely, without applying force to it.

Nice work with the bearing setup there. Maybe groove the insides for an internal snapring to hold in the bearings?

AllisKidD21 wrote:

Nice work with the bearing setup there. Maybe  groove the insides for an internal snapring to hold in the bearings?

I hadn't planned, normally they should stay in there when I put the washer and hitch pin on the Axle

Looking good

Since you're not using flanged bearings you'll need some method to keep them from moving into the pipes you welded on.  Good work though.  I like that method for centering them.  You could also make a useful tool that involves cutting a slot with a saw into the end of a shaft that you can put a rough piece of sandpaper in.  Put that shaft into a drill and with some patience you'll have clearance without taking it to a machine shop.  Be warned this method is a lot slower that drilling.  It's better suited for removing small amounts of material.

I also would have drilled and tapped for grease zerks in the pipes before they were welded on.  Then remove the inner seal on the bearing to allow the grease to penetrate the bearing.

George Gooding wrote:

Looking good

Thanks

Crazy_Carl wrote:

Since you're not using flanged bearings you'll need some method to keep them from moving into the pipes you welded on.  Good work though.  I like that method for centering them.  You could also make a useful tool that involves cutting a slot with a saw into the end of a shaft that you can put a rough piece of sandpaper in.  Put that shaft into a drill and with some patience you'll have clearance without taking it to a machine shop.  Be warned this method is a lot slower that drilling.  It's better suited for removing small amounts of material.

I also would have drilled and tapped for grease zerks in the pipes before they were welded on.  Then remove the inner seal on the bearing to allow the grease to penetrate the bearing.

The Outside I just need to put in a washer between the bearing and the rim. Inside I will machine the cutoffs of the FNR Hubs to length to prevent it from sliding in or or out.

When they will not make it for me, I will try it.

Maybe I add some, or I just pull the bearings out, threw some grease in their area, put them back in without the seal on 1 side.

I MADE TODAY THE BEST DEAL OF MY WHOLE LIFETIME!!!!

Well, let me calm down, tell you the whole story, while enjoying a Beer!
I looked for a AWS Transaxle since long time. Then I found this:

an Dynamark-based Mower from the 90s without deck, but it had a AWS Transaxle, and a Vanguard Engine!

(I wish I could show U the pics the seller sent me, but in G we got new laws, so we get punished if we share pics U hand't took your own public. )

I foght a pretty bad, hard fight, trying to show Dad, the Mower would be fully worth it. And after Long hard Work, I finally got him to agree.

We Drove the seller, and again stuffed it into my dads car, like every other mower I own.



Here are some Pics I took off him at home:















For DOM 1990 it's in pretty good Shape!

here are a few Pics I made off the AWS Transaxle. It seems to be an Peerless 930.







And finally some Pics of the Vanguard. I got it running and driving just 1 hour after we unloaded it!







The Engine is complete, I just needed to pull the air filter off, cuz the fuel pump was pumping gas into the carb, and the Engine wo'nt run on the carb, and the seller said, he ultrasonic cleaned the carb.  It was the Fuel Solenoid that was stuck and someone ripped off the wire accidentally. I pushed the plug in the solenoid all the way down, and then it ran!

Now you ask: ,,Why I share that stuff in the Mud Murray Thread?

Easy Answer!

It's kind of a shame, but I will do it! I will PART THIS MOWER OUT!

The AWS is going into MUD MURRAY, so I build a 4X4 Mud-Murray!!

The Engine into Murray Widebody!

I hope you like that!

Read redzz02’s 4wd thread very carefully, because he built his on the dynamark platform, which is pretty similar to the stamped frame on the Murray. You might learn some tips from it

CraftsmanQuad19 wrote:

Read redzz02’s 4wd thread very carefully, because he built his on the dynamark platform, which is pretty similar to the stamped frame on the Murray. You might learn some tips from it

Thanks for The Tip! I watched his vid series yesterday! Will look up the thread soon.

What CQ is saying:

Put a subframe on it that's stiffer than an atv frame

RichieRichOverdrive wrote:

What CQ is saying:

Put a subframe on it that's stiffer than an atv frame

I probably will build a subframe outta Box Steel, the thickest stuff I can get!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 4X4 MUD-MURRAY IN THE NEXT YEARS BUILD-OFF?

If yes, I will pause working on it, til the new Build-Off begins.

I say yes because i know it's gonna pain you to not touch this thing for several months

RichieRichOverdrive wrote:

I say yes because i know it's gonna pain you to not touch this thing for several months

I still can do something to it, like figuring out the Subframe. Just not allowed to Build anything on it.
And I still have some other Mowers to work on.

I would say enter it into the 2019 Build Off. You only need to be below 50% done to enter and it's going to be a 4x4 so there's a lot of work going into it so you could probably keep working on it slowly til the Build Off begins.

MatthewD wrote:

I would say enter it into the 2019 Build Off. You only need to be below 50% done to enter and it's going to be a 4x4 so there's a lot of work going into it so you could probably keep working on it slowly til the Build Off begins.

Yeah, Exactly!

I had some time, and pulled the AWS Peerless 930 outta the Gutbrod (it has now his own thread)

Was some hard work, but 1 step closer to a 4X4 Mower!

Yeah I'd save it for the build off.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

Yeah I'd save it for the build off.

Yep, a Murray 4X4 would be awesome in the build off!

Just cleaned up the shop, and made a few Parts Piles for Mud Murray



3 of the 4 Transaxles I make to 2 very good ones soon...

bought me tons of hardware (nuts and bolts) for my mower projects, 75% of thm will go into the Mud Murray. And the Latches are for the hoods.

Nice! Is one of those latches going onto your widebody too?

Double W Cross Ranch wrote:

Nice!  Is one of those latches going onto your widebody too?

that are 4 ones, 2 for the Mud Murray Hood, 2 for the Widebody Hood. Dynamark has stock hood securing pins on the side. MTD don't gets any, cuz since I build me some real Offroad Mowers, I don't need that feature anymore on it.

Probably going for a paint Job that looks similar to this K30:

https://morlock-motors.de/produkt/gelaendewagenpickup-chevrolet-k30-m1008-4/