idea for 4x4 mower, but will it work?

I've been thinking of building a 4x4 mower, but not with 2 transaxles like most are done, my thoughts were that if I took the 700 series transmission I have, convert the rear axle to chain drive and use 4x4 atv knuckles, hubs and cv shafts, or the knuckles hubs and shafts from a very small fwd car like a geo metro or ford festiva, with a solid axle in the front connecting the two shafts, I think if I run a chain from both sides of the transmission, replacing the brake on one side with a sprocket, to each axle it would work, or would a locked transaxle with the axle shafts cut down and mounted midway work better, i'm starting on my 4x6 before long now that I have 90% of the parts I need and have considered using this method to make it a true 6x6

Could mount the 700 sideways and use two FNR transaxles. Drive each one off one of the outputs

I like CQ's idea of using the 700 as the "transfer case".  

To go with your idea you would run a chain to a live axle in the rear but could you explain or draw what you plan for the front axle?

Crazy_Carl wrote:

I like CQ's idea of using the 700 as the "transfer case".  

To go with your idea you would run a chain to a live axle in the rear but could you explain or draw what you plan for the front axle?

basically a live axle, the axle would be attached to both cv shafts making them one unit, which would be powered via chain, the atv hubs and knuckles would allow steering, the axle would be mounted with bearings to support the shafts toward the center and the outer shafts would be supported by the steering knuckles, i'll try to draw it out, but i'm not sure if I can put up a pic, my camera was dropped in a lake and my laptop camera works when it wants to.

that explanation helps a lot.  It's basically like a FWD car front end, except where the diff would be there is a live axle driven by a chain.  Idea would require some machine work but could be done on the cheap with scavenged parts.

that's the basic idea, I thought of using a second transaxle like most people do, the trouble is they are very expensive around where I live if you can even find one, I can get used atv knuckles for about $50 off ebay and the cv shafts aren't that much, I forget what I priced them at, add in the bearings, sprockets, chain, ect, and it's still less than the cost of a decent used rear steer transaxle, or even just the steering parts off one to convert a standard trans over, the main thing is I can buy the parts separately, as I have said before i'm on a tight budget and shelling out $200 or $300 at once is pretty much imposable for me to do